Explaining how to accept foreign workers into the construction industry and the preparations to do so!

How to attract foreign workers to the construction industry?

We will introduce the general process for accepting workers living abroad into a Japanese construction company.

In many cases, foreign workers find job offers in Japan by obtaining job information from companies known as dispatching organizations, which fall under the category of "agency agencies" under the Enforcement Regulations of the Employment Security Law.

In Japan, there are newspapers, magazines, portal sites, etc. that handle recruitment information, as well as employment placement agencies that accept job offers and job searches.
If you use an employment placement agency, you should be aware that, in principle, only free employment placement agencies can handle workers engaged in construction work.

There are also public institutions in Japan, such as the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's Employment Service for Foreigners, Hello Work, and Fresque.
We provide career counseling and job introductions to foreign students and workers who wish to find employment in Japan.

First, we will start recruiting through recruitment information providers, free employment placement agencies, and Hello Work.

When we receive an application from a foreign national, we first look at their resume and work history and then consider whether they will be able to obtain or already have the residence status required for the work we are thinking of having them do at our company.

For example, if you are engaged in construction work, you may work with a status of residence of "Specified Skilled Worker (i)" as your status of residence.
In this case, it is necessary to (1) successfully complete Technical Intern Training (ii) of the corresponding construction occupation in the past, or (2) pass a certain Japanese examination and pass the The Specified Skills (i) Evaluation Exam in the construction field.

In this way, before proceeding to the interview, we will confirm whether the candidate is able to obtain the residence status that we expect the candidate to obtain upon joining the company, or whether the candidate already has it.

If you proceed to the interview, you will be asked to verbally confirm any information that is difficult to grasp from a resume or job history and that is relevant to the employment opportunity.
In addition, explaining the work they will be doing after joining the company, as well as their living environment and area, will help prevent mismatches.

If we decide to hire you as a result of the interview, we will conclude an employment contract.
After that, if you do not have the necessary residence status to work, you will need to apply for permission to change your residence status or for a Certificate of Eligibility.

The foreign national is then hired, and at the time of hiring, the original residence card is checked, and based on the information on the residence card, a "Notification of the Employment Status of Foreign Nationals" is submitted to the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare at a Hello Work office or other such place.

After foreign workers enter the country, there are many situations in which they require support from the accepting company.
It would be a good idea to have someone help you with the procedures, such as securing housing, opening a bank account to receive your salary, registering as a resident at your city or ward office, and getting a mobile phone, as these can be complicated and difficult for foreigners.

Benefits of accepting foreign workers in the construction industry

The construction industry is facing a serious labor shortage, especially among the younger generation.

By enlisting the help of young, physically active foreign workers in their 20s and 30s, it may be possible to alleviate the labor shortage and improve work efficiency.

In addition, accepting foreign workers requires careful manual creation and training, so this also serves as part of in-house training.

There are also cases where this has led to companies expanding overseas, and where hearing opinions from an overseas perspective has sparked new ideas.

Required residence status and available types of work when hiring foreigners in the construction industry

The required status of residence varies depending on the type of work.
Even within a single industry, there are residence statuses that may be restricted depending on the work you do, so be sure to check.

We will introduce you to the residence statuses that allow you to work in the construction industry.

Technical internship

The Technical Intern Training Program is a system aimed at promoting international cooperation through the transfer of skills based on human resource development.

There are two types of technical intern training: "independent company type" and "group supervision type."

• Individual company type: A Japanese company (trainee implementing organization) accepts employees from overseas local subsidiaries or business partners to carry out technical intern training.
• Organization-supervised type: Non-profit organizations such as chambers of commerce accept technical intern trainees and provide them with training at the implementing companies.

The classification of the technical intern training program and the status of residence differ depending on the acceptance method (individual enterprise type or supervised organization type).

	First year in Japan (Acquisition of skills, etc.)	2nd-3rd year after entering Japan (Familiarization with skills, etc.)	4th to 5th year after entering Japan (Proficiency in skills, etc.)
Single company type	No. 1 Company-specific Technical Intern Training (Visa status "Technical Intern Training No. 1")	Type 2 Company-specific Technical Intern Training (Visa status "Technical Intern Training No. 2")	Type 3 Company-specific Technical Intern Training (Visa status "Technical Intern Training No. 3 (a)")
Group supervision type	Type 1 Group Supervised Technical Intern Training (Status of residence "Technical Intern Training No. 1")	Type 2 Group Supervised Technical Intern Training (Status of residence "Technical Intern Training No. 2")	Type 3 Group Supervised Technical Intern Training (Status of residence "Technical Intern Training No. 3 B")

During your technical internship, you will not be allowed to engage in simple labor.

As of February 2023, there are 22 job types and 33 industries in which construction-related work can be done.
Examples of work include scaffolding, carpentry, formwork construction, stone processing, and rebar assembly.

For information on the work that technical intern trainees can do, please see "What is the Technical Intern Training Program for Foreigners? 3. Construction-related" by the Japan International Skilled Worker Cooperation Agency (JISS).

In addition, there is a limit to the period during which technical intern trainees can work, with trainees allowed to stay for one year under Technical Intern Training No. 1, two years under Technical Intern Training (ii), and two years under Technical Intern Training No. 3.

If you pass the exam and everything goes smoothly, you will be able to carry out your technical training for up to five years.

However, only companies that have been certified as excellent training providers are able to transition to or accept technical intern trainee No. 3.
To be certified, you must submit a "Declaration of Compliance with Excellent Requirements" to the Japan Technical Intern Training Organization and undergo an examination to see if you have passed the skills test, have any disappearances, or have a support system in place, and meet certain requirements.

Skills

The "Skilled" residence status allows you to engage in activities that require skilled work in a specific industrial field.

You will also need to have foreign-specific architectural or civil engineering skills and 5 to 10 years of work experience.

Architectural or civil engineering skills unique to a foreign country are skills that do not exist in Japan.
Gothic, Romanesque, Baroque, Chinese, Korean, and other architectural and civil engineering skills,
Examples include frame wall construction and direct attachment construction using imported stone materials.

The period of stay can be five years, three years, one year, or three months, and is determined by the Immigration Bureau of Japan based on the applicant's desired period of stay, as well as the size and business situation of the employer.

Status or position-based status

There are four types of residence status based on status or position: "Spouse or Child of a Japanese National," "Spouse or Child of a Permanent Resident," "Permanent Resident," and "Long-Term Resident."
This status of residence is not originally for the purpose of working, but is based on a certain relationship with Japan through marriage or other reasons.

There is no time limit for employment, and you can also engage in simple tasks.

Permission to engage in activities other than those permitted by status of residence

Those with a "Student" or "Dependent" residence status, which normally prohibits them from working, can apply for a comprehensive activity permit, which allows them to work up to 28 hours per week (up to 8 hours per day during long vacation periods for educational institutions).
You can also do menial tasks within a limited time frame.

Specified Skills

In order to secure human resources in the construction industry, "Specified Skills" is a status of residence for accepting foreigners who have a certain level of expertise and skills and are ready to work.

Those who have successfully completed the Technical Intern Training (ii) or passed a certain Japanese and The Specified Skills (i) Evaluation Exam in the construction field can obtain Specified Skilled Worker (i) status of residence.

There are two types of Specified Skills, "Specified Skilled Worker (i)" and "Specified Skilled Worker (ii)", but as of February 2023, Specified Skilled Worker (ii) has only been granted in two fields: construction and shipbuilding and ship industry.
*Added in May 2024: Of the 16 industries, 11 fields can be accepted by Specified Skilled Worker (ii), excluding nursing care, automobile transportation, railroads, forestry, and timber industries.

The total period of stay for Specified Skilled Worker (i) is up to 5 years.

For more information about Specified Skills, please see "What is Specified Skills?

Preparing to accept foreigners into the construction industry

Advance preparation is essential when accepting foreign workers into the construction industry.

In particular, be sure to thoroughly check your residence status.
Even if your residence status allows you to work, there are cases where you cannot work in the construction industry, or you cannot perform simple tasks in the construction industry.

If an illegal worker is employed, both the worker and the employer will be held liable.
In some cases, you may need to take steps such as contacting the Immigration Bureau.

Also, when hiring a foreigner, you are required to submit a "Notification of Foreign Employment Status" to the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, and if you fail to do so, you will be fined 300,000 yen per person, so be careful.

Improving the working environment is also important when accepting foreigners into the construction industry

When accepting foreign workers into the construction industry, it is important to improve both the soft and hard working environment.

Examples of soft-side improvements include understanding in the workplace.
In order for foreigners to work smoothly in Japan, the understanding of Japanese employees working on-site is essential.
It is necessary to ensure that they fully understand the significance of employing foreign workers and that they also gain understanding of religions and different cultures.

In particular, religious issues require careful consideration.
For information on religious beliefs that you should be aware of when accepting foreigners and measures to prevent problems, please see "Be aware of religious issues and considerations when accepting foreign workers."
Please take a look.

The next step in terms of hardware improvements is to create a safe working environment.
There are many dangerous jobs in the construction industry, so it is important to create an environment where everyone can work safely.

The construction industry is also taking steps to ensure that foreign workers can work in Japan with peace of mind.
One of the most well-known of these is the "Declaration for the Safe and Secure Acceptance specified skilled workers in the Construction Sector" made by the Japan Federation of Construction Contractors.

The Safe and Secure Acceptance Declaration aims to create construction sites where highly skilled foreign workers can work safely and securely.
We will take the following steps from three perspectives: "Eliminating illegal employment," "Ensuring safety on-site," and "Reliable treatment."

[Elimination of illegal employment]

• Confirmation of acceptance plan certification
• CCUS (Construction Career Up System) site registration, technician registration, and business registration confirmation
• Confirmation of time correction of CCUS (Construction Career Up System) registration information
• On-site identity verification

[Ensuring safety at the site]

• Regular Japanese language education and safety training
• Thorough instructions on-site
• Adoption of safety signs that are easy for foreigners to understand

[Reassuring treatment]

• Fair wages and social insurance
• Response when receiving a consultation
• Actions taken against violating companies
• Elimination of discriminatory acts

*Reference: Declaration for the safe and secure acceptance specified skilled workers in the construction industry (Japan Federation of Construction Contractors)

The environment that foreign workers find easy to work in is the same for Japanese workers.
Let's aim to create a safe and secure working environment for all people involved in the construction industry.

Summary: Preparation and consideration are required when accepting foreigners into the construction industry! Pay attention to residence status too

When accepting foreign workers, we recruit using recruitment information providers, employment placement companies, and Hello Work.
When using an employment placement company, in principle, only free employment placement companies can handle workers engaged in construction work.

Companies need to check the type of status of residence and the types of jobs they can engage in before proceeding with an employment contract.

Please note that some status of residence restricts the scope of work or does not allow you to work in the first place.
In the unlikely event that you hire an illegal worker, not only the person but also the company that hired you will be subject to punishment.

When accepting foreign workers, we have developed both software and hardware to create an environment where foreign workers can work comfortably.
Creating a safe working environment will be beneficial for Japan employees as well.

If you are a company in the construction industry that is thinking of accepting specified skilled workers, please feel free to contact JAC!

*This column is based on information as of May 2024.