Wow, it's really as high as 20%? That kind of amazes me. Unless you're getting resumes from foreigners staying in Japan on tourist or spousal visas, or do you accept overseas applications?

I totally get the "shit rolls down hill" paradigm.

I'm curious, what is it that your company does?

English teachers?

It would be more accurate to say that the only case they will choose someone without a degree is when there is no one with a degree available who fits their requirements.
I was pointing out that this is a VERY rare scenario. Sure, it could happen, but counting on it is sort of like deciding to base your finances around winning the lottery.

And in the end, just because the company agrees to hire you, there is no assurance that you`ll be granted a visa. Trust me on this. My husband`s father has been trying to get a number of 10+ years experience workers from overseas to come to his company for YEARS, but has been turned down every time. And these ARE very specialized workers whose skills aren`t even available in Japan.

I had assumed it was a hypothetical example...
Correct me if I`m wrong, MMM.

Including, yes, but not only. I applied for other positions I was qualified for, although I am primarily a teacher. I am an experienced journalist, my degree was obtained with a journalism emphasis. I applied to a few English publications and a few copy editing positions. It's probably more accurate to say "language" or "communications" in general.

Preaching to the choir, I said this myself in an earlier post:

Since MMM is involved in this directly, I'd like to know what his estimated numbers/percentages are. It would shed light. I realised that it was a hypthetical example, but it must be based on something...

My posts weren`t really specifically directed toward you. :P
I was just stating general information and adding on to what you said.

I`d say the general hiring practices and work ethic in most Japanese companies.
I didn`t see any direct percentages - just a hypothetical example saying 8 with and 2 without. The thing is, you don`t have to give percentages. The issue being discussed isn`t the percentage of applicants without degrees.

Direct personal experience - Once long ago, when I worked for a company that did indeed hire foreigners from outside of Japan (in contrast to those already inside the country).... Any application without a degree was tossed. It wasn`t even looked over. It never got to the stage of "They seem qualified." because once they checked the educational listing, it was over. Just one company, but I can bet that it is pretty much a reflection of how most companies are.

That was a hypothetical. But we manufacture latex. Hypothetically.

My experience is working on the hiring committees at a Japanese bank and at a translation company hiring translators and marketing people. In both situations the bosses were Japanese, and I was being kind, and Nyororin is right.

Most jobs I have seen in Japan that are directed towards hiring foreigners say "4-year degree required". Of the dozens of resumes I have read, only once did I see one that was someone without a degree. We actually did hire that person because she was three weeks from graduation, and we needed someone immediately. (She had her degree three weeks later, but I would say the boss felt like he was going out on a limb for her.)

Let's focus on what are the options for Miyavifan.

What is your work experience Miyavifan?

And where do you exactly live?

I was about to say the same thing.

MMM, Tsuwabuki, Nyororin, I actually agree with a lot of what you're saying. In my previous post I never said a company will give you a Visa but that they would sponsor you for one. There's a difference as you already know. Would a degree make things easier. Heck Yeah! But as I said before Miyavifan doesn't really have that option so that's why I mentioned the skilled labor visa. All the information that I posted is what I was told at Japanese consulate that I visited. It's funny Tsuwabuki, you sounded exactly like the guy behind the counter. He told me find anything and everything that proves you are qualified and throw it at them and hope that the shower of documents impresses them like the falling Sakura and pray that they give you the visa. It was his funny way of saying that they are super picky.

You mentioned about providing substitutes, I agree with that. I have two friends who are working in the IT industry in Japan, no degree. They both have several certifications and because of those certifications and their experience they were able to get the position they applied for.

Is it harder without a degree? YES! Can it be done without one? YES!

For Miyavifan it may be a long shot...but it's a shot nonetheless. Why not help her to take it? Why quote hypothetical statistics to scare her off? The worse that can happen is that she's unable to live in Japan. The best thing that can happen is that she will be able to live and work where she wants to. I'm not saying it's not going to be difficult, but the things you want in life never usually come easy. You just gotta go for it and see where the chips fall.

Of course we want to help Miyavifan, and for a forum where drifting off topic appears to be required, I would say we have stayed pretty well on topic.

I think we are sharing valuble information. If you want to take that as discouraging, well, the outlook is a bit meager. Impossible? No. But I don't post to make a long-shot sound like anything more than what it is.