Work in Japan
Your career in Japan starts in Lahore
Japan is opening its doors to skilled workers from abroad, and Pakistan is a partner country for the Specified Skilled Worker system. We teach the Japanese, prepare you for the tests and interviews, and guide you through the steps.
Why Japan, why now
Japan is short of workers. Pakistan is full of talent.
Japan’s population is ageing fast and its workforce is shrinking. That is why it keeps opening new visa routes for skilled foreign workers, and why Japanese language is now a career skill, not a hobby.
Projected labour shortfall
11M
workers Japan will be short of by 2040
Recruit Works Institute (2023), via BloombergOctober 2025
2.57M
foreign workers in Japan, a new record (+11.7% in a year)
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (Oct 2025), via nippon.comGovernment cap
1.23M
foreign workers Japan plans to accept through SSW and the new skills system by FY2028
Cabinet decision on SSW & Employment for Skill Development caps (Dec 2025), via nippon.comSeptember 2026
29.6%
of Japan’s population is aged 65 or over, the highest of any major nation
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (Sep 2026), via The StarForeign workers in Japan keep breaking records
Number of foreign workers, end of October each year
| 2015 | 907,896 |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1,083,769 |
| 2017 | 1,278,670 |
| 2018 | 1,460,463 |
| 2019 | 1,658,804 |
| 2020 | 1,724,328 |
| 2021 | 1,727,221 |
| 2022 | 1,822,725 |
| 2023 | 2,048,675 |
| 2024 | 2,302,587 |
| 2025 | 2,571,037 |
Japan’s working-age population is shrinking
People aged 15–64, millions (dashed = official projection)
| 1995 | 87.3 |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 84.4 |
| 2015 | 77.3 |
| 2020 | 75.1 |
| 2030 | 70.8 (projected) |
| 2040 | 62.1 (projected) |
| 2050 | 55.4 (projected) |
| 2060 | 50.8 (projected) |
| 2070 | 45.4 (projected) |
Sources
- Recruit Works Institute (2023), via Bloomberg
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (Oct 2025), via nippon.com
- Cabinet decision on SSW & Employment for Skill Development caps (Dec 2025), via nippon.com
- National Institute of Population and Social Security Research (2023), via nippon.com
- JICA Ogata Research Institute (2022)
- Immigration Services Agency (end of 2025), via nippon.com
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (23 Dec 2019)
- Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (Sep 2026), via The Star
Visa routes
Four main ways to work in Japan
Specified Skilled Worker (i)
特定技能1号
- Pass the skills test for your field
- Japanese: JFT-Basic A2 or JLPT N4
- Stay up to 5 years in total
- No degree required
Specified Skilled Worker (ii)
特定技能2号
- For experienced, higher-skilled workers
- Higher-level skills test
- Renewable with no fixed limit
- Family can join you in Japan
TITP → Employment for Skill Development
技能実習 → 育成就労
- Technical Intern Training Program today
- Replaced by the new system from April 2027
- Trains workers up to SSW (i) level
- Pre-departure Japanese is essential
Engineer / Specialist visa
技術・人文知識・国際業務
- For university graduates (e.g. IT, engineering)
- Japanese level depends on the employer
- Renewable, family can join
- Business and IT Japanese help a lot
SSW fields
Industries hiring through SSW include
- Nursing care介護
- Building cleaningビルクリーニング
- Industrial manufacturing工業製品製造業
- Construction建設
- Shipbuilding造船・舶用工業
- Automobile repair自動車整備
- Aviation航空
- Accommodation宿泊
- Agriculture農業
- Fishery漁業
- Food & beverage manufacturing飲食料品製造業
- Food service外食業
- Automobile transport自動車運送業
- Railway鉄道
- Forestry林業
- Wood industry木材産業
The government reviews the fields from time to time. We will tell you the current list and test dates for your field.
Your route
Lahore to Tokyo in six stops
A clear path from your first Japanese class to your first day at work in Japan.
- 1
Enrol at NCP
Pick a course and a morning or afternoon batch for the 2026/27 intake, in Lahore, Alipur Chatha or online.
- 2
Learn Japanese
Small classes, five days a week: from hiragana to the N4 / A2 level most employers ask for.
- 3
Pass your tests
JLPT or JFT-Basic for Japanese, plus the skills test for your SSW field.
- 4
Interview & matching
Japanese CV, mock interviews with Japanese teachers, and guidance to employers.
- 5
Visa & departure
Help with the visa paperwork and pre-departure training on life and work in Japan.
- 6
Land in Japan
Start work with the language, manners and confidence to succeed.
How NCP helps
Everything you need, in one place
- Japanese from hiragana to N4 / A2, and beyond
- JFT-Basic and JLPT mock tests on the real format
- Skills-test practice for your field
- Japanese CV and mock interviews with Japanese teachers
- Workplace manners, safety and daily life in Japan
- Guidance on employers, paperwork and departure
Courses for this path
Japanese Foundations: Hiragana & Katakana
ひらがな・カタカナ入門
Read and write both Japanese alphabets, plus your first greetings and phrases.
JLPT N4 Preparation
日本語能力試験 N4 対策
Elementary. About 300 kanji and 1,500 words, with weekly mock tests.
JFT-Basic Preparation (A2)
国際交流基金日本語基礎テスト 対策
The computer-based Japanese test accepted for the SSW visa.
Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) Preparation
特定技能 試験・就労準備
Japanese + skills-test preparation for your SSW field.
Questions people ask us
Do I need a university degree?+
Not for Specified Skilled Worker (i). You need to pass the skills test for your field and the Japanese test (JFT-Basic A2 or JLPT N4). Degrees matter for the Engineer / Specialist visa.
How long until I reach N4 / A2?+
Our N5 course takes about 4 months and N4 about 5, so about 9 months of regular study. It depends on how much you practise; we check your progress every week.
Can my family come with me?+
Under SSW (i), family members generally cannot accompany you. Under SSW (ii) and the Engineer / Specialist visa, they can.
Does NCP guarantee a job or a visa?+
No honest institute can guarantee a visa. We prepare you properly and guide you to real opportunities. Be careful of anyone who asks for money in exchange for a "guaranteed" job or visa.
Ready for the first step?
Book your place in the 2026/27 intake. We will check your level and plan your route to Japan with you.