Hi everyone,
I'm a 27-year-old from Indonesia currently planning to move to Japan through the Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) visa program to work in the construction field. I’d like to hear from anyone who has experience in this line of work — what’s life really like as a construction worker in Japan? Is it worth it in terms of income, work-life balance, and overall lifestyle?
My long-term goal is actually to become an English teacher. I hold a bachelor's degree in English Language and Literature, and to teach English abroad, I know I’ll need a CELTA certificate. The problem is, getting certified here in Indonesia costs about US$2,300 (roughly 38 million IDR), which is a huge amount when you consider that the minimum wage in Jakarta is only around 5.5 million IDR per month.
That’s why I’m considering working in Japan first. The process of getting to Japan as a construction worker through the SSW visa is relatively straightforward here — there are many training institutions that help with learning Japanese, acquiring the necessary construction skills, and even support with visa processing and departure.
I’d love to hear your thoughts, especially if you’ve gone down a similar path or are currently working in Japan. Do you think this route is a good stepping stone toward my goal? Is life in construction manageable as a foreigner? Any insights would really help.
Thanks in advance!
by Loetjian