Is there a silver lining to the looming labor shortage? Relaxation of requirements for obtaining a second-class license and the possibility of obtaining specific skills

　The automobile transportation industry is a major artery that supports Japan's economic activity. However, in recent years, the industry has been facing a serious labor shortage, a major issue. The aging of drivers and the decline in young workers are showing no signs of stopping, and this is beginning to have a serious impact on business operations in the form of reduced transportation capacity and increased logistics costs.

One way to break this situation is currently attracting attention: utilizing foreign human resources through the "specified skills" system.

The government has also added the automobile transportation industry to the list of areas eligible for specific skills, and has indicated its intention to actively promote the acceptance of foreign human resources.

In this article, we will explain to everyone involved in the automobile transportation industry the benefits of accepting foreign nationals with specific skills, points to be aware of, actual examples of success, and future prospects.

We hope that understanding the Specified Skills System, which could be a trump card in resolving labor shortages, will be of help to those in the automobile transportation industry.

How to hire a foreign driver?

　Foreigners who wish to work in the automobile transport industry must obtain a Specified Skills No. 1 status of residence. To obtain a Specified Skills No. 1 status of residence, proof of both skills and Japanese language proficiency is required. Japanese language proficiency at the N4/N3 level is required, but in reality, a higher level of Japanese language proficiency is required to obtain a Type XNUMX driver's license, which may be an issue. In addition to driving skills, you will also need knowledge of related laws and safety management, and meet the qualification requirements for each job type.

Precautions and measures for accepting foreign nationals with specific skills

　In order to accept foreign human resources with specific skills, the accepting organization, the automobile transport business, must meet several requirements. The main requirements are as follows:

• Business suitability: The business is operated properly, including having a transportation business license and having no violations of laws and regulations in the past five years.
• Adequacy of the employment contract: They are also required to enter into appropriate employment contracts with foreign workers, comply with Japanese labor laws, and ensure that their remuneration is equal to or greater than that of Japanese workers.
• Support system in place: In order to enable foreign workers to live and work in Japan stably, we must establish a necessary support system, such as life guidance, consultation, and Japanese language learning support. If it is difficult for your company to provide support, you can outsource it to a registered support organization.
• Notification to the Immigration Services Agency: Regularly submit information about accepted foreign workers and the status of support plans to the Immigration Services Agency.

Meeting these requirements is a prerequisite for accepting foreign nationals with specific skills.

It is important to check carefully in advance and make the necessary preparations.

Shortening the training time for the second-class license

　In order to resolve the shortage of taxi drivers, the National Police Agency has decided to shorten the training hours for the regular Class 40 license from the current 29 hours to 9 hours (about 19 hours less). This is in response to a request from the taxi industry, and will reduce and shorten areas that overlap with the training for the regular Class 17 license, reducing theory from 21 to 12 hours and practical from 2025 to 9 hours. Based on experiments, the National Police Agency has determined that reducing the training hours will not affect the pass rate of the test. It has been announced that they will collect public comments in the future, and aim to enforce the plan in September XNUMX after amending the Road Traffic Act regulations.

Conclusion

　In this article, we have looked at the possibility of utilizing the new trump card of "specified skills" to increase the sustainability of the business and open up a new future in response to the worsening labor shortage in the automobile transportation industry.

Accepting foreign human resources with specific skills will not just replenish the workforce, but will also bring a wide range of benefits to the automobile transport industry, such as introducing diverse perspectives, providing a foothold for the internationalization of business, and improving the company's image.

Looking ahead, the Specified Skills System is expected to play an increasingly important role in the automobile transport industry. In collaboration with technological innovation and the advancement of a multicultural society, foreign human resources have the potential to create new value.

I hope that managers and human resources personnel in the automobile transportation industry will not view the Specified Skilled Worker System as simply a measure to address labor shortages, but rather as an opportunity for sustainable corporate growth and new value creation, and will proactively consider making use of it.