Job Introduction － Automobile Maintenance
This page provides information useful for choosing a job, such as job types available in automobile maintenance, annual income by job type, the current number of workers, and job details.
Index
- 1. What is Automobile Maintenance under Specified Skilled Worker?
- 1-1 Background
- Information for People Working with Specified Skilled Worker Status
- Differences Between Technical Intern Training and Specified Skilled Worker
- 2. Job description
- 3. Work style and salary
- 3-1 How to read salary and take-home pay
- 3-2 Working hours, work location, and shifts
- Things to Check Before Applying
- 4. Required Exams and Qualifications
- 5. Things to Check Before Applying
1. What work in this field means
1-1 Background
The automobile maintenance industry is facing difficulty securing workers due to the declining birthrate, young people moving away from cars, diversification of career choices, and other factors, and a serious labor shortage has become clear. As the average age of automobile maintenance workers rises, it has become difficult to secure enough workers through domestic human resources alone. This system was introduced to accept foreign workers in response to this situation.
1-2 Information for People Working with Specified Skilled Worker Status
The Immigration Services Agency compiles and publishes the number of people working under Specified Skilled Worker status once every half year (once every three months until 2022). According to that data, the population ratios by country and age group are as follows.
As of the end of June 2024, 2,585 people work in the automobile maintenance field under Specified Skilled Worker status. By region, most workers are from Asia, with Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Myanmar being the top countries of origin.
Although the Specified Skilled Worker system began in 2019, the number of people working in automobile maintenance under this status has increased by about 2.5 times over the past three years, and the number of accepted workers is expected to continue expanding.
source : 出入国在留管理庁（https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/ssw/zairyuarchive.html）
1-3 Differences Between Technical Intern Training and Specified Skilled Worker
There are two systems for accepting foreign workers: the Technical Intern Training Program and the Specified Skilled Worker System, but their purposes and characteristics are very different.
The Technical Intern Training Program aims to help young people from developing countries acquire Japanese technical skills and contribute to the development of their home countries after returning. Its main purpose is skill acquisition, and it is positioned as training rather than labor. Therefore, job changes are not allowed, and the maximum period is five years.
On the other hand, the Specified Skilled Worker System was established to help address Japan's labor shortage. There are Specified Skilled Worker (i) and (ii), and the system accepts foreign workers as job-ready workers. Job changes are possible, and under Specified Skilled Worker (ii), bringing family members and obtaining permanent residency may also be possible. Tests to prove skills and Japanese language ability are required, and people with practical experience may have an advantage.
In addition, foreign nationals who have completed technical intern training can transition to the Specified Skilled Worker System. Experience gained through technical intern training is recognized, and some tests for Specified Skilled Worker (i) may be exempted, making the transition relatively smooth. This allows them to continue working in Japan for a longer period as Specified Skilled Workers after completing technical intern training, expanding opportunities for job changes and career advancement.
2. Job description
2-1 Job Description
The main duties under Specified Skilled Worker “Automobile Maintenance” are periodic inspection and maintenance and disassembly maintenance.
Periodic inspection and maintenance is work carried out regularly under Japanese law. It checks whether functions across the whole vehicle, such as the engine and brakes, meet standards, and helps prevent failures and defects. Periodic inspection is required to maintain safe operation and is performed as a legal requirement.
Disassembly maintenance involves disassembling and repairing important vehicle parts when failures or defects occur. This includes removing, disassembling, and repairing engines, brakes, transmissions, and other parts, and mechanics use these skills to restore the vehicle to normal condition.
2-2 Differences by work category
In automobile repair and maintenance, workers perform regular inspections, disassembly maintenance, parts replacement, and vehicle condition checks. Depending on the company, the vehicles handled may include passenger cars, trucks, buses, and motorcycles.
2-3 Knowledge and Japanese needed for work
In automobile repair and maintenance, Japanese is needed for part names, tool names, inspection items, safety checks, and reporting problems. Since work mistakes may lead to accidents, it is important to understand instructions accurately.
3. Work style and salary
3-1 How to read salary and take-home pay
The average monthly payment for SSW Automobile Repair and Maintenance workers in 2021 was ¥249,481. This is the average monthly payment based on periodic reports for SSW foreign workers who stayed throughout 2021.
According to public statistics, the average monthly payment for SSW foreign workers in this field is ¥194,358. This is not take-home pay. The actual amount you receive changes depending on taxes, social insurance fees, dormitory fees, food costs, overtime pay, night shift allowance, and other items. When checking a job offer, check not only the base salary, but also the estimated take-home pay, overtime pay, dormitory fees, social insurance, and transportation costs.
For new fields or fields with few workers, field-specific average payment may not be clear enough in public materials. Check the latest salary terms in the job ad and employment contract.
The salary amounts above are statistical average payments or guide amounts from job conditions. They are not the actual take-home pay. Take-home pay changes depending on taxes, social insurance fees, dormitory fees, food costs, overtime pay, night shift allowance, transportation costs, and other items. Under SSW, the pay must be equal to or higher than the pay of Japanese workers doing the same job.
3-2 Working hours, work location, and shifts
Work styles differ depending on the workplace, such as repair shops, dealers, and maintenance departments of transportation companies. Overtime may increase during busy seasons and vehicle inspection periods. Also check support for getting qualifications and the conditions for tools and work clothes.
3-3 Things to Check Before Applying
Before applying, check not only the monthly salary, but also the actual job content, working hours, days off, overtime pay, night shift allowance, dormitory fees, food costs, social insurance, transportation costs, qualification support, who will handle the residence status application, and the name of the registered support organization.
For job offers, check the vehicles handled, assigned work range, overtime, qualification support, whether tools and work clothes are provided, support for getting mechanic qualifications, and the education system for dangerous work.
4. Required Exams and Qualifications
4-1 First, check the Japanese language test needed for your field.
To obtain Specified Skilled Worker status for “Railway,” you must pass a Japanese language test and the Railway Field Specified Skilled Worker (i) Evaluation Test for your desired job category.
To work as Specified Skilled Worker (i), in principle, you need to pass a Japanese language test and a field-specific skills evaluation test. For the Japanese language test, JLPT N4 or higher, or JFT-Basic A2 or higher, is accepted. In the nursing care field, the Nursing Care Japanese Language Evaluation Test is also required. People who have successfully completed Technical Intern Training (ii) may be exempt from tests depending on the field and work content.
4-2 Skills Evaluation Test
The Automobile Repair and Maintenance Field SSW (i) Evaluation Test checks the specialized knowledge, skills, and Japanese ability needed to work in automobile repair and maintenance in Japan. Test information is available from the Japan Automobile Service Promotion Association (JASPA) and Prometric.
5. Things to Check Before Applying
5-1 Move on to study, job search, and application
After checking the job content and required tests, next check the flow for test study, company search, and residence status application. Even if you pass the tests, you still need an employment contract with a company and a residence status application.