Hire in Japan without a subsidiary
An EOR partner employs your hire in Japan, so you can start without a Japanese entity.
Common use cases
- Test a first position (sales, representative, country manager) before setting up an entity in Japan;
- Secure a hire while your local entity is being registered;
- Employ a single employee in a secondary market without setting up a dedicated structure.
What your EOR partner handles
- Employment contract compliant with Japanese labour law;
- Payroll and social insurance enrolment;
- Income tax and resident tax handling;
- Onboarding support.
What it costs to employ someone in Japan
Beyond gross salary, several items must be budgeted. They vary by city and by role. We detail them systematically before any mission starts.
- Employer social insurance: Health, pension, employment and accident insurance, around 15% of salary in total.
- Bonuses: Often paid twice a year, in summer and winter.
- Commuting allowance: Usually paid on top of salary.
- EOR fee: A percentage of gross monthly salary, quoted per hire.
Work authorisation for foreign hires
Foreign candidates usually need a work visa, often in the Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services category. Japanese language requirements vary by role, often JLPT N2 or N1 for client-facing positions.
