Job Discussion Forums

[Glenski]

There is nothing in that news story about a fast-track road to PR. Do you have another link?

Sweeping changes are being discussed in that link, but please realize that sweeping changes rarely if ever happen in Japan. Moreover, with a revolving door on prime ministers, policy changes in general can be changed back (as they were for some education policies not long ago). The "old boys" in office now generally do not want more foreigners here or want them here sooner than they can stomach it. Those boys need to be flushed out of the system before much can happen in Japan to favor huge changes in immigration, IMO. Therefore, it's going to take a long time.

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

Not to mention that they have a record number of university graduates with no job. It's kind of hard to convince people that immigration is necessary with a massive amount of educated, yet unemployed people- who are fully able, and in most cases willing, to work.

The government needs people because it needs taxes. That means it needs people with jobs. Companies aren't hiring people. That's why university graduates are jobless. Yet people are retiring. That means that somewhere along the line, three jobs are getting spread out to two people, saving the company the cost of labour. Or, the jobs are just moving to other countries... saving the companies the cost of labour. Either way, massive immigration won't change anything- there needs to be some sort of change that would cause companies to feel the right thing to do for them is to hire (the right thing for the country doesn't matter to most people, in most countries).

They need international students for a similar reason- the number of kids is dwindling, meaning that high level universities are taking poorer and poorer scores. Low level universities are facing closure. The overall effect is that the university system is going down. So by getting a tonne of foreign students now, then high level universities won't have have to accept those poorer grades, and the overall level of Japanese universities can stay the same. If they wait, then the level will become low and that will result in it being that much more difficult to attract foreign students.

I agree with 'the old boys' comment. I have a feeling, however, that the current young boys will likely just turn into the old boys in the future though. Part of the fear with foreigners is that they won't understand the hierarchal nature of the society. The people who are threatened by that are the people at the top of that hierarchy. People at the top of the hierarchy don't want to have worked the way all the way up to the top only to demolish it and take in a bunch of people who won't be in awe of them just for being at the top of the hierarchy.

[Glenski]

[Shimokitazawa]

[Rooster_2006]

I will not bank on five-year PR. It is definitely not certain at this point.

HOWEVER, I think it is important to stress that we just don't know what will happen with immigration regulations. They could get easier, or they could stay the same -- nobody knows at this point.

For example, one year ago, if you had asked me if Korea would ever change and open up to immigration, I would have said "not a snowflake's chance in hell -- that place is determined to remain homogeneous even if it kills them."

After all, Korea is the biggest old boys club there is, there is loads of anti-foreigner sentiment there, etc. Until 2008, it was impossible to get PR there except by investment of 500,000 USD+ or marriage -- before 2008, Korean PR procedures made Japanese PR procedures look like a piece of cake.

However, this year, Korea unveiled the F-2-7 -- a masterpiece of a visa allowing professionals who score 80 points (out of 120) to get long-term residence in just one year, which leads to PR in three years (e.g. a four-year wait to PR from the time you step off the plane, in theory).

So I've learned to stop trying to read tea leaves -- the "old boys" can surprise you.

In conclusion, I'll assume that PR will take ten years for Japan, but would not be too surprised if that number were shortened to five years for people who are very well-qualified. PM Naoto Kan keeps mentioning it and how they're going to draft legislation next year. It'll be interesting to see.

Another possible boon for foreigners in Japan is if they legalize dual citizenship. Since citizenship only takes five years, legalized dual citizenship could be equivalent or better than a reduced PR wait -- simply have two passports.

@Glenski

You might want to read the very end of the article to which I linked -- that's the part that brings the PR back up again.

[the4th2001]

[Glenski]

[Rooster_2006]

@Gleski and the4th2001

All I'm saying is that nobody (not me, nor you) can predict the future.

Immigration laws could stay the same.

Or they could change.

I will not rely on a change; I will make my plans around the current system.

However, they could change, and it's being overly cynical to claim that there is no possibility of them changing.

Need I remind you of the following leaps forward that have taken place over the past 21 years?
1. Foreign men can get a spousal visa now. Not possible in 1989.
2. The PR wait has been halved from 20 to 10 years.
3. In 1989, Japan only had a Working Holiday agreement with Australia. Now it has an agreement with several countries -- even lowly Korea!
4. Special Permanent Residents (mainly Zainichi Koreans) no longer have to be fingerprinted.

So to look back on two or three decades of consistent progress like that and essentially spout "I'm absolutely sure Japan won't slash PR to five years" is really being very bitter and cynical and seems to go against A) the history of immigration in Japan over the past 21 years and B) common sense regarding the demographic shift.

I used to be like you guys -- ultra cynical about Korean immigration. "They'd sooner allow AIDS-infected Chinese-Koreans with middle school educations to get PR than an American scientist" was my mantra. And then they knocked my socks off with the F-2-7.

Nobody can read the future. Not me. Not you. Nobody.

[Bread]

[Rooster_2006]

What truly amazes me is how many people vehemently disagree with the position of "I don't know; it is not certain."

The sky is blue!

Human beings are generally between five and six feet tall!

Glenski has over 10,000 posts!

Okay fellow forum posters, quick! Three fresh statements, ripe for the picking, waiting for you to argue against them!

[Glenski]

[the4th2001]

[Rooster_2006]

[Glenski]

[Rooster_2006]