Temp-to-Perm in Japan: Check the Direct-Hire Terms
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Category: Trial Job Change
Authors: Shusaku Yosa
Japan’s shōkai yotei haken is often translated as “temp-to-perm,” but “dispatch with planned placement” is more precise. It allows agency work before possible direct hiring by the host company. Direct employment is neither guaranteed nor necessarily permanent or regular full-time employment.
The agency employs you during dispatch
During the dispatch period, the agency is your employer and the host directs the work. This arrangement can last up to six months for the same worker. A later placement can lead to a separate contract with the host if the parties agree. See the MHLW explanation.
Stage | Employer | What to check |
|---|---|---|
Dispatch | Staffing agency | Pay, hours, travel costs, leave, insurance and contract term |
Direct hiring | Host company | Employment category, contract duration, pay, duties and location |
No direct hire | Further work needs separate arrangements | Contract end, reasons, next placements and administrative steps |
A future opportunity for regular employment is not the same as an offer of regular employment now. Likewise, a projected annual income may assume a bonus or overtime that is not guaranteed.
How the process works
- Register with an agency and specify this type of placement.
- Ask for the dispatch conditions and proposed direct-hire conditions separately.
- Use interviews and discussions to clarify the duties and expectations.
- Record what you learn while working and discuss concerns with the agency.
- Review the written direct-hire offer before deciding whether to accept.
Pre-placement interviews and résumé screening can be permitted for this arrangement, unlike the general restrictions on ordinary dispatch. Even if the interview resembles direct recruitment, the two employment stages still need separate review.
Compare the proposed conditions
Area | Question |
|---|---|
Contract | Is the offer open-ended or fixed-term? What renewal criteria and limits apply? |
Pay | What are base salary, fixed overtime, allowances and bonus assumptions? |
Duties and location | What changes after direct hiring, and what future changes are covered? |
Hours | What are normal and busy-period schedules? |
Assessment | Who evaluates the placement, against what criteria, and when? |
Benefits | Which insurance, leave and retirement arrangements apply? |
A simple hourly-to-monthly conversion may obscure differences in paid hours, bonuses and allowances. Conversely, an apparently higher annual offer may include fixed overtime. Write down unresolved items and the date by which the agency or company will answer them.
Use the placement to collect evidence
- Compare the advertised work with actual assignments.
- Check whether a named person provides training and answers questions.
- Ask about busy periods that you will not observe during the placement.
- Speak with the intended manager and team.
- Review the conditions you cannot compromise on.
Keep short factual notes rather than only an overall impression. A few months cannot reveal every seasonal pressure or future organizational change.
If direct hiring does not happen
Ask the agency about the reason when the host does not wish to proceed with placement or employment. If you choose not to continue, discuss the notice and contract arrangements rather than simply stopping attendance. Another assignment is not automatic, so check possible gaps in income and insurance procedures.
A national conversion percentage cannot predict your result. The useful question is whether this specific job and its written terms fit your needs.
Before accepting the placement
- Confirm that it is dispatch with planned placement.
- Know both contract periods and the proposed direct-hire category.
- Compare pay and working conditions at both stages.
- Agree the review date and identify your agency contact.
- Understand what happens if the placement does not lead to hiring.
Related guides
Official references
Japanese official guidance checked September 26, 2026. Rules depend on the contract and relevant year. The linked Japanese sources provide the current requirements.
