The Ministry of
Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism has begun considering hiring
foreign workers to drive trucks, buses, and taxis, where there has been a
significant labor shortage since the COVID-19 pandemic due to the retirement of
most of old taxi, bus, and automobile drivers. The Immigration Services Agency
is discussing adding "automobile transportation" to the
"Specified Skilled Worker" status of residence, which allows the
acceptance of ready-to-work foreign workers in industries with labor
shortages. As Japan faces a shortage of
domestic labor due to population decline, the movement to seek employment from
foreign human resources is likely to accelerate.
Starting in April 2024, overtime hours
for truck drivers will be capped at 960 hours a year. As a result, there are
concerns that the labor shortage will become even more serious, leading to a
"2024 problem" in which people and goods cannot be transported to
meet demands.
The All Japan Trucking Association, the
Japan Bus Association, and the National Hire Taxi Federation have clearly
stated in their 2023 business plans drawn up this spring that they will require
drivers to be added to the list of “Specified Skilled Worker” categories. In
response to this, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism
has determined the scale of the labor shortage and the number of foreigners
expected to be accepted over the next five years and is developing driver-skilled
tests tailored to the type of industry, including areas such as loading and
unloading luggage and communicating with customers.
Though this plan is currently under
consideration, if it is accepted, foreigners' career choices will increase, and they can use their driving skills in the Japanese
transportation industry. Suppose this "Automobile transportation" category is added to the Specified Skilled Worker category. In that case, the role of foreigners in
Japanese society to solve the "Labor shortage" in Japan is
also clearer and clearer.
BOW is an agency (登録支援機関) that helps foreigners find jobs in
Specified Skilled Worker, Full-time, and Part-time in Japan in Manufacturing,
Foodservice, Accommodation industries without foreign applicants having to pay
any fees to get job referrals. We have been introducing jobs successfully for
foreigners from different countries such as Vietnam, the Philippines,
Indonesia, India, etc. If you are looking for a job in Japan, don’t hesitate to
contact us for more information!
