Overview

Japan continues to face a severe shortage of IT engineers, particularly in areas such as software development, cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, and data engineering. While demand is increasing, many companies struggle to secure qualified talent through traditional hiring methods.

This article outlines the core challenges and practical solutions for companies hiring IT engineers in Japan.

Key Challenges

1. Limited Domestic Talent Pool

Japan’s IT workforce is not growing fast enough to meet demand. Competition among companies has intensified, especially for mid- to senior-level engineers.

2. Rising Hiring Costs

Recruitment fees, extended hiring timelines, and repeated hiring attempts significantly increase total hiring costs.

3. Language & Cultural Barriers

Many capable engineers are excluded due to Japanese language requirements that are not always essential for technical roles.

Practical Solutions

✔ Expand Hiring Beyond Japan

Accessing overseas IT talent allows companies to:

• Secure skilled engineers faster
• Reduce competition-driven salary inflation
• Build diverse engineering teams

✔ Redefine Language Requirements

Many IT roles can operate effectively in English, especially in development, backend, and infrastructure teams.

✔ Work with a Specialized Recruitment Partner

A recruitment partner experienced in IT hiring and foreign talent support can:

• Pre-screen technical skills
• Handle visa and compliance coordination
• Reduce time-to-hire and hiring risk

Conclusion

Companies that adopt flexible hiring strategies and global talent sourcing are better positioned to overcome Japan’s IT talent shortage.

JRF Recruit supports companies by connecting them with qualified IT engineers in Japan and overseas, while managing the hiring process end-to-end.