Can you work in a government job?

All kinds of people work in municipal governments, photo fauxels

Yes, you can, but in a limited capacity.

ALTs in Public Schools

A large number of non-Japanese working in municipal governments are JET Programme participants. The Japan Exchange and Teaching Program has brought young people from around the world to work in Japan’s schools since 1987. The program has three different positions that place participants in municipal and prefectural government offices - Assistant Language Teacher (the most common) and Councilor for International Relations. A third one, Sports Education Advisor, is by invitation.

Most JET Programme participants come to Japan from a cold start - applying to the program from their home country. But it is possible to apply to the JET Programme within Japan. For 2023-2024 applicants, the rule is you must not have lived in Japan more than six years in ten. You’ll have to apply to the consulate or embassy in your home city and interview there to get the process started.

Municipal jobs

An alternative for foreigners who already have some experience in Japan’s schools and are conversant in Japanese is employment in a municipal board of education for ALT or CIR positions. To find these positions, it takes a little bit of terminology and search savvy. You’ll need some search terms, some of which I mention in the blog post about direct-hire ALT jobs. You might also want to look for 会計年度, kaikei nendo, or fiscally appointed jobs. And this is where it gets complicated.

Fiscally appointed municipal employees come in two flavors, part-time and full-time. If you are part-time, you can work at other side jobs, but if you are full-time, side jobs are prohibited. On top of that limitation, your longevity is determined by the rules of fiscal appointment. At the end of the year, you have to compete for your job again. The good news is, if you are in good standing, you can be rehired up to two times for a maximum of three years.

You might see non-Japanese nationals working in municipal offices in other capacities, too. My city hall has a part-time clerk who handles the reception of non-Japanese residents.

Ongoing Issues

Beyond ALT or clerical work, there are some ongoing employment issues with non-Japanese teachers in public schools. Back in 1991, the government opened up employment to non-Japanese nationals in positions other than those that are involved in public policy decision-making.

Still, barriers remain. In August 2022, resident Korean teachers had a conference with MEXT and MOFA about the differing regulations that limit their employment. Although the national law says that non-Japanese can work as regular teachers, local governments deny them application to employment exams and limit their job categories.

The takeaway is that yes, you can work in municipal jobs as a non-Japanese person with some limitations to the duration and capacity. If you want to get into these kinds of jobs, December through February is the peak time for hiring.