# IT jobs in Japan for foreigners: visa routes, pay benchmarks and dispatch rules

URL: https://japanhow.com/work/jobs/it-jobs-japan-foreigners/
Author: JapanHow editors
Updated: Oct 28, 2026

## Summary

Most IT jobs in Japan for foreigners use the Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services status. You qualify with a related university degree, a Japanese vocational college course, 10 or more years of experience, or a designated IT exam or qualification, and pay must equal a Japanese colleague's. Regular IT-sector employees averaged ¥411,000 a month in scheduled pay in June 2025. Dispatch work needs the destination fixed before applying. All as of October 2026.

## Key facts

- Common status: Engineer/Specialist (技人国)
- Routes: Degree, 10 years, or IT exam
- IT-sector pay (June 2025): ¥411,000 / month (regular staff)
- Pay rule: Equal to a Japanese colleague

**IT jobs in Japan for foreigners** mostly run on the **Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services** status (技術・人文知識・国際業務, often shortened to 技人国). You qualify with a related degree, a Japanese vocational college course, 10 or more years of experience, or a designated IT exam or qualification. Your pay must equal a Japanese colleague's. All as of October 2026.

Foreign workers in professional and technical statuses numbered **865,588** at the end of October 2025, up 20.4% in a year, according to the labor ministry (厚生労働省).

## Which visa do I need for an IT job?

The status covers work under a contract with a Japanese organization that needs natural-science or humanities knowledge. Immigration lists mechanical engineers among its examples. Stays are 5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 3 months. See the [Engineer/Specialist visa guide](/visa/visas/engineer-humanities-visa-japan/) for the application steps.

For the separate Highly Skilled Professional status, see [Highly Skilled Professional](/visa/visas/highly-skilled-professional-visa-japan/).

## What qualifications do I need?

For work needing technical knowledge, you need **one** of these:

| Route | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Degree | University degree in a related subject, or equivalent education |
| Vocational college | Completed a Japanese vocational college (専修学校) professional course that meets Ministry of Justice conditions |
| Experience | 10 or more years of practical experience; time studying the subject counts, and related work counts |
| IT exam (IT告示) | For information-processing work, passing a designated exam or holding a designated qualification replaces the three routes above |

We did not confirm which exams are on the ministry's designated list. Check the current notice before relying on this route. For changing status from student, see [student visa to work visa](/visa/visas/student-visa-to-work-visa-japan/).

## How is IT pay judged?

The rule is **pay equal to or more than a Japanese person doing the same work.** "Remuneration" means payment for your work, and excludes reimbursement-type items like commuting, dependent and housing allowances unless taxable.

Immigration's granted-case examples include:

- Software engineer at a Japanese software company: about **¥350,000** a month.
- Programmer at a telecom parent company: about **¥240,000** a month.
- Systems analysis and CAD/CAE engineer: about **¥300,000** a month.
- IT-related company staff: about **¥450,000** a month.

These are past examples, not minimums or typical pay.

**Regular employees, information and communications:** ¥411,000 / month (June 2025 scheduled pay, all nationalities, before income tax, excluding overtime. Source: 2025 Basic Survey on Wage Structure.)

Foreign workers in professional and technical statuses averaged **¥313,200** a month (average age 32.4, 3.2 years with the employer), a category average across many jobs. For how to use this, see [salary negotiation in Japan](/work/jobs/salary-negotiation-japan/), and for what is left after deductions, [take-home pay](/money/tax/take-home-pay-japan/).

## What if I'm hired through a dispatch company?

Immigration's July 2026 notice for dispatch work (派遣) on this status says:

- The **dispatch destination must be fixed before you apply**. Applications without one can't be approved. There is an exception for training new recruits right after hiring, with substitute documents.
- Your **period of stay follows the dispatch contract period**.
- Immigration may check your duties directly with the **dispatch destination**, not only with your employer.

Ask your employer where you will work before you sign, and keep the written conditions. See the [labor rights guide](/work/rights/labor-rights-foreign-workers-japan/).

## Changing employers later

For what changes when you switch employers, see [changing jobs on a work visa](/visa/visas/changing-jobs-visa-japan/) and [quitting a job in Japan](/work/jobs/quitting-job-japan-visa/). For hiring-process rules, see [job interviews in Japan](/work/jobs/job-interview-japan-foreigners/).

**What we didn't confirm:** We found no official source on Japanese-language expectations, role-by-role IT salaries or which companies sponsor visas, so we left them out. Ask an immigration specialist (行政書士) about your own case.

## Questions people ask

### What visa do foreigners need for IT jobs in Japan?

Most use Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services (技術・人文知識・国際業務), the status for work needing natural-science or humanities knowledge. Highly Skilled Professional is a separate status.

### Do I need a degree to work in IT in Japan?

Not always. The criteria accept a related degree, a Japanese vocational college course, 10 or more years of experience, or passing a designated IT exam or holding a designated qualification. Time studying the subject counts toward the 10 years.

### How much do IT workers earn in Japan?

Regular employees in information and communications averaged ¥411,000 a month in scheduled pay in June 2025, across all nationalities and roles. Foreign workers in professional and technical statuses averaged ¥313,200. Neither is a salary for a specific role.

### Do I need to speak Japanese for an IT job in Japan?

The Engineer/Specialist criteria don't mention a Japanese-language test. Requirements are set by each employer, and we found no official source for them.

### Can I work as dispatched staff on this visa?

Yes, but immigration says the dispatch destination must be fixed before you apply, with limited exceptions for post-hire training. Your period of stay follows the dispatch contract.

## Sources

- [在留資格「技術・人文知識・国際業務」](https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/gijinkoku.html), Immigration Services Agency (出入国在留管理庁) (accessed Oct 28, 2026)
- [技術・人文知識・国際業務 活動・上陸許可基準 (PDF)](https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/content/001366995.pdf), Immigration Services Agency (出入国在留管理庁) (accessed Oct 28, 2026)
- [「技術・人文知識・国際業務」の在留資格の明確化等について（最終改定令和8年4月）](https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/content/001460430.pdf), Immigration Services Agency (出入国在留管理庁) (accessed Oct 28, 2026)
- [技術・人文知識・国際業務をもって派遣形態で就労する場合の取扱い（令和8年7月）](https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/content/001457164.pdf), Immigration Services Agency (出入国在留管理庁) (accessed Oct 28, 2026)
- [令和７（2025）年賃金構造基本統計調査の概況](https://www.mhlw.go.jp/toukei/itiran/roudou/chingin/kouzou/z2025/dl/14.pdf), Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (厚生労働省) (accessed Oct 28, 2026)
- [「外国人雇用状況」の届出状況まとめ（令和7年10月末時点）](https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/newpage_68794.html), Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (厚生労働省) (accessed Oct 28, 2026)