Specified Skilled Worker employers are obliged to support you in securing accommodation, and in practice most arrange it directly - a company dormitory, a shared flat, or a rented apartment with the company as guarantor.
That is a genuine benefit. It also means the rent comes out of your pay, which makes it part of the job offer rather than a separate decision.
What is normal
- A single room in a shared house or dormitory, or a small apartment shared with one or two colleagues.
- Rent deducted from salary and itemised on the payslip.
- Basic furniture and appliances provided - futon, fridge, washing machine, air conditioning.
- Utilities either included or deducted separately.
In rural areas, rent is often very low. In cities it is higher, and a shared room is more common.
What to ask before accepting
- How much is the rent, exactly, per month?
- What does it include - electricity, gas, water, internet?
- Do I share a room, or a house? With how many people?
- How far is it from the workplace, and how do I get there?
- What happens if I change employer? Do I have to leave immediately?
- Is there a deposit, and is it returned?
Get the answers in writing, in the contract. Reading an SSW contract.
The warning sign
Rent well above the local market for what is provided. Accommodation deductions are a known route for extracting money from foreign workers: a shared room deducted at the price of an apartment.
Check what a similar room costs locally. If the deduction is far above it, ask why, and treat an unclear answer as an answer. Agency red flags.
A deposit paid to the employer beyond ordinary documented housing costs is also a warning sign.
Renting privately
Possible, and harder than in most countries. Expect:
- Key money (礼金) - a non-refundable payment to the landlord, still common
- A deposit (敷金), usually refundable minus cleaning
- A guarantor or a paid guarantor company
- Agency fees and the first month in advance
The total up-front cost is frequently four to six months’ rent, which is why employer-arranged housing is the norm early on. Move later, once you have savings and a track record.
Living in it
Japanese rental housing has rules that are taken seriously and are often written on notices: rubbish separation and collection days, noise, shared spaces.
Rubbish rules in particular cause more friction between neighbours than anything else, and they are exactly the kind of practical text the exam trains you to read: how to read a Japanese notice.
Budget from the real number
Rent plus tax plus insurance and pension is the difference between an attractive salary and a disappointing one. Work out the net figure before you accept: salary and deductions.
And remember that if you change employer, your housing usually changes too. Knowing the notice period in advance keeps that manageable.