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Can You Get an IT Job in Japan Without a Degree?

You don't need a degree in IT to get hired. The work visa has its own education rule, and that is the part to check first.

Last checked October 2026

This is general info, not legal or immigration advice. I don't prepare visa documents. Rules change, and immigration decides each case on its own facts. For your own application, check the Immigration Services Agency of Japan or talk to a licensed 行政書士ぎょうせいしょし (visa specialist) or an immigration lawyer.

two decisions

Two separate decisions

An employer decides whether to hire you. Immigration decides whether to approve your visa. You can clear the first and get stuck on the second, so look at both before you apply.

the degree

What the visa asks for

When I say no CS degree needed, I mean you don't need a degree in IT. I got into IT with a general degree and no tech background, and employers hire on skills.

The visa is a separate rule. Most IT jobs use the Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services status, usually shortened to 技人国ぎじんこく (gijinkoku). Law firm guides describe its education rule as a university degree that relates to the work, or 10 or more years of professional experience in the field (law firm guide).

A degree in another subject still helps, because immigration looks at how your degree connects to the duties of the job. Sources disagree on how strict that is. An immigration lawyer's column says a humanities graduate can cover IT roles when the tasks relate to their studies (immigration lawyer column). A consultancy says a literature degree paired with a tech job rates low (Tree Global Partners). Don't assume an unrelated degree will clear.

ten years

Ten years of experience

Ten years of relevant experience can stand in for the degree. I wouldn't gamble on it.

You have to document the work with letters from past employers that show what you did and for how long. One guide says internships do not count, and that the rules are unclear enough that the only way to know is to apply (Japan Dev guide). If a degree or an exam is within reach, go for one of those first.

the exam

The IT exam route

For information processing work there is an exception. If you pass an exam, or hold a qualification, that the Ministry of Justice lists in its IT notice, the education rule does not apply to you (METI and Immigration Services Agency guide). The current list is in the official notice, so check it there.

TokyoDev describes one writer who passed the Fundamental Information Technology Engineer exam and got the visa (TokyoDev). Another writer describes preparing for it in 2023 (a personal account). A commenter on the same forum had seven years of experience and no degree, and said the exam did not settle their case. Outcomes depend on the company and on how immigration reads your file, so ask a licensed 行政書士 whether the exam fits your situation.

helpdesk

Does helpdesk count

Helpdesk is where I started in IT. GaijinPot warns that basic helpdesk work may not satisfy the engineer visa if you need sponsorship, because immigration wants to see skills such as system design or programming in the job (GaijinPot).

People I have worked with give a sense of the timelines. Rina K. went from office admin to a helpdesk job in 3 months. Dale W. went from helpdesk to a network engineering role in 8 months with JLPT N2. Mahmoud A. spent 10 years on a helpdesk, then moved into project management 4 months after choosing the PMP. None of that tells you whether your own visa will clear.

ways in

If you don't have the degree or the 10 years

Sources describe a few routes, and each has trade offs.

your file

The part only a person can check

Whether your degree matches the job, whether your work history adds up to 10 years and which route is open to you depends on your own file. That is what the free call is for. We look at your degree, your work history and your Japanese level, and work out which route is open. A licensed 行政書士 prepares the visa itself.

For the steps after the visa, including picking a lane and the first certificate, read IT jobs in Japan for foreigners.

sources

Where this comes from

Several of these sites are law firms, consultancies or recruiters, so treat their detail as a guide. Check each one against the official criteria before you plan around it.

Not sure which route is open to you?

The free 15 minute call is where we look at your degree, your work history and your Japanese level. You leave with one or two concrete next steps.

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