What type of residence status is required for foreigners to work in a Japanese hotel? Required skills and suitable people

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In hotel work, you provide services that warmly welcome customers and make them feel comfortable. In Japan in particular, careful, high-quality service and a spirit of hospitality are emphasized. Therefore, it is important to know what kind of residence status and skills are required to work in a Japanese hotel, and what kind of people are required.

In addition, a shortage of human resources is a major problem in the Japanese hotel industry. More and more hotels are posting job openings for foreigners, so it can be said that this is a chance for those who want to work in Japan.

In this article, we will explain in an easy-to-understand manner the residence status required to work in a Japanese hotel, the skills required, and the characteristics of people who are suitable. If you are thinking of working in the Japanese hotel industry, please refer to this article!

Residence status required to work in a Japanese hotel

There are no special qualifications or skills required to work in a hotel. However, foreigners must obtain a residence status to work in a Japanese hotel. There are several types of residence status that allow you to work in a hotel, but each status has different job types and work content, so it is important to be aware of the differences between them.

Here we will introduce the residence statuses that allow you to work in a Japanese hotel.

①Specific skills: “Accommodation industry” and “Food service industry”

There are various types of specific skills, but if you work in a hotel, you need a specific skill “accommodation industry” residence status. With this residence status, you can do a wide range of hotel work, such as front desk, restaurant service, room cleaning, public relations and planning.

Also, if you want to work in a restaurant or cafe in a hotel, it is suitable to obtain a specific skill “food and beverage service industry”. The work content will mainly be food transportation, serving, plating, dishwashing, etc. However, you cannot do front desk work or bed making, so if you want to increase your job options, it is recommended that you obtain a specific skill for the accommodation industry.

To get the specific skill No. 1 for “accommodation industry” or “food service industry”, you need to pass both a skills evaluation test and a Japanese language test, and the Japanese language test is required to be at the N4 level or above. However, if you have successfully completed the technical intern training No. 2, you will be exempt from the test.

②Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services

Foreigners with “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services” residence status can also work in Japanese hotels, mainly in specialized positions such as front desk work, planning, marketing, and interpretation. These residence statuses are generally called “Gijinkoku.”

“Gijinkoku” can be applied for by people who have graduated from a university or vocational school in Japan or abroad and have knowledge of the hospitality industry or have more than 10 years of work experience in the hospitality industry. However, please note that they cannot take jobs that are unrelated to their educational background, and cannot perform simple tasks such as serving food or cleaning.

③Residency Eligibility

Foreigners who have a status of residence that can be obtained based on their status are not restricted by the type of work or working hours that are available to them with other types of residence status, and can work in Japanese hotels both as part-timers and full-time employees.

Foreigners who have lived in Japan for a long time are familiar with the Japanese language and many of them have a good understanding of Japanese culture and customer service etiquette, so they can be an immediate asset in the hotel industry.

④Other status of residence

In addition to the residence statuses introduced so far, there are other statuses that allow you to work in a Japanese hotel.

Students with a “Student” visa can work part-time at a hotel while prioritizing their studies by obtaining “permission to engage in activities other than those permitted under the visa status.” There are no restrictions on the type of work, but you are limited to working no more than 28 hours per week. However, during long holidays such as spring and summer vacations, you can extend your working hours to no more than 8 hours per day.

“Designated activities” is a status of residence required for international students attending Japanese universities and vocational schools to continue job hunting after graduation. Since the “study abroad” activity ends when you graduate from school, if you have not found a job by graduation, you will need to change your status of residence to special activities. With special activities, you can work part-time up to 28 hours a week.以内であればはたらけます。

“Specific Activities No. 46” is a residence status that can be obtained by foreigners who have graduated from a Japanese university or graduate school and have a high level of Japanese language proficiency. With this status, you can work as a full-time employee in various positions in the hotel, such as interpreting and translation work, front desk, restaurant service, and room cleaning. Unlike “Gijinkoku,” you can also work in positions that are not related to your field of study.

Skills required to work in a Japanese hotel

Working in a Japanese hotel requires a variety of skills. Let’s take a look at what skills are required.

The spirit of hospitality

In Japanese hotels, the spirit of hospitality is very important. For example, if a guest has luggage, you are expected to consider the other person’s feelings when acting, such as offering to carry it for you or preparing towels on a rainy day. Rather than simply carrying out assigned tasks, staff are highly evaluated for being able to think from the guest’s perspective and act proactively.
It is important to always be aware of your surroundings and have the desire to show hospitality to guests.

Various language skills

Hotels accommodate not only Japanese guests, but also many foreign tourists. Therefore, it is easier to be active in various situations if you can speak not only Japanese, but also English, Chinese, Korean, etc. Front desk staff are often asked by customers for directions and questions about tourist spots. When dealing with non-Japanese customers, even knowing simple English words and phrases will greatly expand the scope of your work, and in situations where communication is difficult, being able to use gestures and maps will make things smoother.

There are also situations where you can make use of your own native language. If you can serve customers who speak the same language, you will be able to provide more attentive customer service and the hotel will be more highly rated.

In this way, staff who can serve in languages ​​other than Japanese are also valuable for hotels. By honing your language skills, you will also have more opportunities to advance your career.

Physical strength and endurance

Hotel work is often done standing up, and some jobs require carrying heavy objects, so having sufficient physical strength is an advantage. For example, housekeeping requires cleaning several rooms a day. Extra beds may also need to be carried if necessary, so people who are confident in their physical strength will find it easy to succeed.

Bell staff who carry customers’ luggage and front desk staff who work standing up most of the day also require physical strength and endurance, so daily physical fitness and health management are essential.

Problem-solving skills

Unexpected problems can occur in hotels. For example, double bookings, broken room facilities, guests losing their room keys, and many other problems can occur.

In these situations, you need someone who can think of a solution on their own, rather than just calling your boss. If you can think of the best way to respond to customers and act quickly, it will not only benefit you as a staff member, but also the hotel as a whole. Always be aware of acting while anticipating problems so that you can respond calmly in any situation.

People who are suitable for working in a Japanese hotel

Next, we will introduce the characteristics of people who are suited to working in a hotel.

Someone who likes interacting with people

Hotel work is suited to people who enjoy interacting with others, as it often involves direct contact with customers. For example, front desk staff are responsible for checking customers in and out, and are expected to always greet them with a smile. Restaurant and bell staff also often converse with customers, so friendliness is important.

People who enjoy talking to people and can enjoy communicating with customers at any time will find working at a hotel rewarding.

People who value teamwork

Hotels are looking for people who can work cooperatively as part of a team.
Hotel work is not something that can be done by one person alone. The front desk accepts guests, the bell staff carries luggage, the cleaning staff cleans rooms, and so on – each person in charge works together to provide comfortable service to guests. It is important to help each other get the job done, especially during busy times.

For this reason, people who value teamwork and can work cooperatively with those around them are likely suited to working in a hotel.

Someone who is good at communicating

Working in a hotel requires communication not only with customers, but also with other staff members. At a hotel, you will work together with a variety of staff members, including those at the front desk, in the restaurant, and at the cleaners. In order to work well together, it is important to share information correctly and communicate effectively with those around you.

People who can work while keeping in mind the principles of “report, contact, and consult,” also known as “ho-ren-so” for short, will likely find it easy to succeed in a hotel.

People who want to understand Japanese manners and culture

People who are willing to learn Japanese manners and culture and provide customer service in accordance with them will find it easy to work in a hotel.

In Japanese hotels, you are expected to respect Japanese manners and culture. Many hotels value Japanese etiquette and the concept of service, such as bowing when greeting, being punctual, and using polite language. Therefore, if you want to work in a hotel, it is important to try to learn Japanese manners and culture through your work. Even if you don’t understand something at first, if you are willing to understand, you will make a good impression on customers, so try to learn little by little.

Get the necessary residence status and skills and work in a hotel!

This time, we explained the necessary residence status and skills required to work in a Japanese hotel, as well as the characteristics of people who are suitable for the job.

To work in a hotel, you need to obtain a residence status such as “Specified Skills” “Accommodation Industry” or “Food Service Industry”, Technical/Humanities Specialist/International Business, or Permanent Resident. The working hours and scope of work vary depending on the residence status, so choose one that suits you. In addition, hotels require many skills, such as language skills, physical strength, and a spirit of hospitality. Even if you don’t have all the skills, if you like interacting with people and value teamwork, you will be suited to working in a hotel.

Opportunities for foreign staff to play an active role are expanding in the Japanese hotel industry. If you acquire the necessary skills and obtain a residence status that suits you, you can try working in a Japanese hotel.

バリプラGlobal, run by Value Staff, provides employment support for foreigners who want to work in Japanese hotels and inns. We have a comprehensive support system in place, including visa applications and immigration procedures, so that you can work in Japan with peace of mind. We also introduce jobs that specialize in the “accommodation industry” and “restaurant industry,” so if you’re interested, please check out the links below!

「外食業」「宿泊業」に特化した外国人の就職サポート　バリプラGlobal