Japan is gearing up to recruit over 800,000 foreign workers to address labor shortages in various sectors, as reported by Kyodo News.
The expansion of the foreign worker visa program now encompasses road and railway transportation, forestry, and timber industries, in response to declining birth rates and workforce shortages, particularly in transportation and logistics.
To tackle these shortages, the government is implementing new regulations to limit overtime hours for drivers. Over the next five fiscal years starting from April, Japan aims to admit up to 820,000 skilled foreign workers under the visa program, surpassing previous estimates.
Additionally, the government plans to revise relevant regulations to facilitate the acceptance of skilled workers in the newly added sectors.
Under the revised program, skilled foreigners can work as bus drivers, taxi drivers, and truck drivers in the transportation sector, provided they are employed by certified companies. Proficiency in Japanese at the N3 level is required for positions involving communication with passengers.
