Question regarding minimum wages

Dear all,

I have read on several websites that the minimum monthley wage in Japan 250.000yen is for a foreigner.

I'm working in Japan atm. and have a specialist in humanities/ international service visa.

My questions are:
Is this info correct? (for my visa)
If it is and I don't earn this amount of money, what should I do?

I hope you can help me!

Best regards.

That is not correct. Immigration does not specify a minimum salary needed for working visas, just that it be enough to live on and equal to what a Japanese person in a similar position would earn. With the drop in the pay for English teaching jobs, many entry-level jobs these days only pay around 180,000-220,000 yen yet Immigration is granting those people visas.

If you are earning much below 200,000 yen and apply to extend your visa, Immigration may not consider that you are earning enough to live on, but it is always case by case.

I think that the general "guideline" mentioned (some years back, at least) for salary for a full-time non-Japanese employee is 250,000. The idea also is that the employer should be willing to pay that much to someone with skills/knowledge that they value so much so that they want to hire a non-Japanese and sponsor visa for.

But it is not a binding minimum wages such as those stipulated under the Labor Standards Law with penalty, to protect the workers, and the guideline can fluctuate with the economy. I don't think you can file a claim that the employer is undercutting the minimum pay and demand a raise solely on that ground (I don't know what you want to do, though), particularly if the salary is above 200,000 yen level.

But if you feel that you are being exploited (in terms of substance/hours of work versus the pay provided, for example), then there is room for talking with the employer, or changing to another employer eventually.