As Japan opens its labor market to more foreign workers through the SSW visa program, foreign nationals including Filipinos are encouraged to apply for various jobs in Japan.
In one of our posts, we shared some info on the requirements needed to apply for work as a housekeeper in Japan. And in this article, we are going to detail one of the most important questions every aspiring OFW has in mind in terms of working as a house cleaner: How much is the monthly salary of a house cleaner in Japan? If this is something you’d like to learn more about, then continue reading the following paragraphs.
Disclaimer: The information published is based on the experience shared by the vlogger/YouTuber. The information provided may change without prior notice and may differ in actual scenarios. Let this article serve as a guide only.
Here is the video guide shared by a Pinoy OFW in Japan, Ivy a.k.a Poison Ivy Jane on YouTube. If you find her tips helpful, you may check out her channel to catch more interesting content about her work and life as an OFW in Japan.
[VIDEO] Salary of a Housekeeper in Japan
As mentioned, one of the known benefits of working in Japan is the availability of a variety of jobs ranging from domestic work to corporate and professional jobs. And with the launch of a new visa program for specialized skilled workers, finding work in Japan should be more convenient for more foreign nationals.
That said, many foreign workers are applying for jobs that are included in the 14 industries that require more laborers to support the country’s rapidly aging workforce, including the hospitality and accommodation industry, in which housekeepers or house cleaners are classified.
However, how much exactly does a house cleaner earn every month? Is this job something worth pursuing given all the requirements that one has to accomplish to be considered for working in Japan? Let’s take a look at one of the most crucial factors for choosing a job: the salary.
According to Ivy, an average house cleaner in Japan earns around JPY 156,202 (Php 80,496). Take note, workers in Japan are mostly paid by the hour. That said, her hourly rate JPY 1,086 and she works for 7 hours every day for 5 days. Not so bad, right? But that’s without factoring in the deductions yet.
By computing the deductions, we can get a better idea of whether working as a house cleaner in Japan is worth pursuing or not.
According to Ivy, she has several fees to pay (deductions), which include:
Income Tax: JPY 3,200 ~ Php 1,500
Employment Insurance: JPY 625 ~ Php 294
> This serves as insurance for those who get laid off, resign, etc. In this Philippines, this amount eventually becomes like your backpay from work.
Social Insurance: JPY 16,882 ~ Php 7,935
> This amount goes to a worker’s pension, unemployment, and worker’s accident compensation. In Japan, pension and health premiums are calculated as a percentage of the ‘standard salary’.
House Expenses: JPY 45,000 ~ Php 21,150
> This is the amount Ivy has to pay for her accommodation, which is for one room in a shared apartment with a common kitchen, toilet, and bath. This also covers the fees for electricity, gas, and Wi-Fi.
Utility Fee: JPY 5,000 ~ Php 2,300
> Ivy shared that they were given accommodation with appliances such as a TV, refrigerator, microwave oven, rice cooker, kitchen utensils, and other monthly usage fees.
Food and Supplies: JPY 10,000 ~ Php 4,700
> This amount can greatly vary depending on the way you take care of your budget. However, two cities in Japan namely Tokyo and Osaka, are among the top 30 cities with the highest cost of living in mid-2020 according to Numbeo.
Data Plan: JPY 3,100 ~ Php 1,457
> This is a 6-GB data plan that Ivy has to pay every month because her work requires her to go out a lot and use the Internet for locating her destination as well as for communication.
And on that note, the total deductions from Ivy’s salary amounts to JPY 83,807 (est. Php 39,390)
Minus all the deductions, Ivy’s monthly take-home pay is JPY 72,397 (Php 41,106).
Now think about what you need to do with your money aside from remitting it to your family back home. Do you want to grow your savings, invest your money in a business, a house, or a car? Your answer to this question should inform your decision of getting a job as a house cleaner in Japan.
That said, Php 40,000 isn’t so bad compared to what most workers in the Philippines earn, but it’s also worth noting that Japan’s cost of living is among the highest in the world. So do be very careful when choosing an agency and company that will offer you a job in Japan. Make sure that you factor in all your expenses as well as goals in working abroad.
Remember, once you are awarded a contract for employment, you will have to stick with it for at least two years. After that, if your contract has been considered for renewal, you can then choose whether to continue working as a house cleaner or change jobs. However, this isn’t advisable because you will need to go through the application process through your agency once again, and it might cost you a significant amount of money without the assurance that you’ll get hired for the post you wish to have. That said, you need to be very careful when making decisions when it comes to changing jobs abroad as this can greatly affect your career in the long run.
Are you interested in working as a house cleaner in Japan? Have you tried applying for this kind of job yet? How was your experience? Are there other tips that you would like to share with those who aspire to work in Japan? Let us know by leaving a comment in the section below!
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