The Actual Situation and Issues of Career Paths for Foreign Workers:

The Survey on Myanmar Workers’ Intention to Work: A Case Study to Understand the Trend

Abstract

In this study, the agricultural sector is seeing an increase in the acceptance of foreign workers as Japan’s foreign worker system shifts to include the “Specified Skilled Worker” status. In this context, the aim of this study is to identify the employment intentions of foreigners seeking career advancement in Japan, focusing on the employment factors foreigners seek in Japan and the mechanism. The results showed that 1) Vietnamese and Indonesians advance their careers in the agricultural sector from foreign technical intern trainee to Specified Skilled Worker status. 2) On the other hand, people from Myanmar wanted to study abroad and work long-term on “Technical/Specialist in Humanities/International Services Visa.” In Japan, the number of Myanmar nationals taking the “Specified Skills Examination” in the agricultural sector is increasing, but it was also revealed that the actual number of those who pass the examination does not necessarily lead to employment.