Foreign workers in Japan say paperwork and rules among their biggest challenges

Moving to Japan for work can no doubt involve plenty of adjustments, and learning the language is only part of it. There are plenty of unfamiliar systems, paperwork, and everyday procedures that can leave even the most organized newcomer scratching their head.

A survey by Staff Service Holdings from September asked 500 foreign workers who had lived in Japan for less than five years and had been working in the country for less than three years about their experiences.

The biggest difficulty outside the workplace was navigating Japanese rules and procedures, including administration, insurance, and taxes. This was mentioned by 42.8% of respondents. Living expenses came next at 40.2%, followed by housing issues at 34.6% and accessing hospitals and medical services at 34.4%.

To me the comments were very relatable. Respondents described struggling with everything from opening bank accounts and arranging mobile phone contracts to understanding health insurance and preparing visa renewal documents. It wasn't all negative, though. A pretty substantial 86% said they wanted to continue working here in Japan, so it seems the good outweighs the bad!