Factors Affecting International Students’ Part-Time Jobs

: Nationality and Regional Economy

Abstract

Due to the rapid increase in international students enrolling in vocational schools and Japanese language institutes, a total of more than 300,000 students were studying in Japan at the end of 2017. Of those students, seventy percent work part-time. Given this situation, this paper will explore the relationship between international students’ part-time jobs, their nationality, and regional industries by using data from Japan Student Services Organization （JASSO）.

The findings show that the ratio of students working part-time jobs was high in prefectures where both vocational schools and manufacturing plants were located. The ratio of part-time income to total income was high where there were many students from low-income countries. The above data indicates that international students are attracted to areas where manufacturing plants are available as places to work. In addition, it has become clear that foreign students from low-income countries have become an important labor force in regional economies. Under such circumstances, it is necessary to keep an eye on the economic conditions of foreign students, in particular to debts they may have incurred before studying in Japan, and to pay attention to the balance between hours for study and part-time work.