Japan now has the one of the quickest permanent residency system globally, however it is still the Asian country that is least enticing to foreign talents in accordance to the IMD World Competitiveness Center.
While the Donald Trump Administration is in search of plans to keep foreign talent from entering the United States, Japan on the other hand is trying to attract them. However, they have been facing difficulties in doing so.
Many view Japan as an isolated nation even though that is not the truth. On the contrary, the number of foreigners living in Japan has exponentially increased in recent years. However, many of them are temporary residents holding rank-and-file positions and overseas students working while completing their degrees. Therefore, the government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is not satisfied with allowing these rank-and-file employees to deepen the labor shortage issue due to a greying population. The nation is in demand for more skilled immigration such as engineers, entrepreneurs, researchers, managers and professionals.
To attract global talent, the Japanese government has adopted the strategy of countries such as Canada and implemented a points-based immigration system. Advanced degrees, language skills, work experience and other qualifications are marked down, and a high score can help foreign employees obtain permanent residency – the equivalent of a U.S. green card – within a one-year period. Therefore, the administration has been readily showcasing that it now has the fastest permanent residency system globally. After that, it takes five years of residency and another year or so of paperwork to become a Japanese citizen. Despite so, according to the IMD World Competitiveness Center, Japan is still the Asian country least enticing for foreign talent.
Source: Bloomberg
Do you think that universities in Japan can do their part in helping to resolve the identified issue through the provision of higher education scholarships for international students? Participate in the upcoming QSIC London seminar from 7-9 February 2018 as we talk about University Rankings and International Migrant Scholars.