From April 2024, "automobile transport industry" will be added as a new residency status for foreigners working in Japan under the specified skills field. With this, the trend of actively hiring foreign workers in the trucking industry is expected to continue. In this article, we will thoroughly explain the "salary," which is of utmost concern to those seeking employment as truck drivers. We hope you will consider this information to work under better conditions.
1. The average salary for truck drivers is 342,500 yen
According to a 2022 survey by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the average salary for truck drivers was ¥342,500 per month. This is significantly higher compared to the average monthly salary of ¥205,700 in 2022 for the 12 sectors where foreigners can work under the "Specified Skilled Worker" visa. These sectors include caregiving, building cleaning, construction, shipbuilding, automobile maintenance, aviation, hospitality, agriculture, fishing, food manufacturing, restaurant services, and manufacturing in the materials, industrial machinery, and electronics industries. This highlights that the salary for truck drivers is relatively high.
Additionally, the salary and bonuses can vary significantly depending on the size of the truck, delivery distance, age-related salary increase, and company size.
2. Average salary for drivers with towing licenses
The table below shows the average monthly salary and average monthly salary plus bonuses by industry and license type.
Salary composition by industry and license
Average Monthly Salary | Average Monthly Salary + Bonus | |
Towing License | 391,000 | 442,300 |
Large Vehicle License | 364,500 | 402,100 |
Medium Vehicle License | 304,600 | 337,800 |
Semi-Medium Vehicle License | 320,100 | 361,200 |
Ordinary Vehicle License | 313,200 | 365,700 |
Average | 342,500 | 382,700 |
2022 Truck Transport Industry Wages and Working Hours (Unit: Yen)
WWhen looking at drivers' wages by type of license, the average monthly wage per person is highest in the following order: towing (けん引), large vehicle (大型), semi-medium vehicle (準中型), regular vehicle (普通), and medium vehicle (中型). By obtaining higher-level licenses, it is possible to aim for higher salaries.
3. Average Salary for Those in Their 40s
According to a survey by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare, the average salary for truck drivers by age group is as follows.
Average Salary by Age Group in the Road Cargo Transport Industry (Including Bonuses)
Age | Annual Income |
|---|---|
Total | 382,700 |
Under 20 | 249,200 |
20-29 | 329,300 |
30-39 | 377,700 |
40-49 | 399,200 |
50-59 | 398,600 |
60-64 | 341,100 |
65 and over | 274,600 |
2022 Truck Transport Industry Wages and Working Hours (Unit: Yen)
According to this survey, the highest average monthly salary (including bonuses) for truck drivers is for those in their 40s, at "399,200 yen."
When calculated as annual income = monthly salary (including bonuses) × 12 months,
399,200 yen × 12 months = 4,790,400 yen.
Since the start of the specific skills residency status in 2019, about 200,000 foreigners are currently working under this status. As shown below, over 95% are between 18 and 39 years old, indicating a demand for younger workers in the aging driver industry.
Age Distribution of Specific Skilled Personnel
Age Group | Total | Percentage |
18-29 | 126,135 | 60.5% |
30-39 | 72,170 | 34.6% |
40-49 | 9,663 | 4.6% |
50 and over | 457 | 0.2% |
Total | 208,425 |
Source: Quoted from the Immigration Services Agency of Japan's publication on the number of foreign nationals with specific skills residency status as of the end of December 2023
4. Large Truck Driver Salaries in Major Companies, Average Annual Income
Large Cargo Vehicle Drivers | Cargo Vehicle Drivers (Excluding Large Vehicles) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Company Size | Monthly Salary | Bonus and Others | Monthly Salary | Bonus and Others |
10 or more | 354,000 | 383,900 | 320,500 | 460,300 |
10-99 | 343,000 | 329,800 | 300,400 | 247,900 |
100-999 | 367,900 | 423,800 | 326,000 | 406,300 |
1,000 or more | 391,500 | 680,800 | 340,400 | 774,300 |
※ 2021 Basic Survey on Wage Structure (Unit: Yen)
Generally, companies with 1,000 or more employees are categorized as "large companies," 100-999 as "medium companies," and 10-99 as "small companies." When comparing large cargo vehicle drivers and cargo vehicle drivers excluding large vehicles, the large vehicle drivers earn higher salaries regardless of company size. When looking at companies with 10 or more employees, as previously explained, calculating the respective annual incomes,
[Income for Large Vehicle Drivers]
391,500 yen × 12 + 680,800 yen = 5,378,800 yen
[Income for Drivers Excluding Large Vehicles]
340,400 yen × 12 + 774,300 yen = 4,859,100 yen
Indicates that the annual income for large vehicle drivers is more than 500,000 yen higher.
Furthermore, when compared by company size, large companies with 1,000 or more employees have the highest salaries and bonuses for all categories of drivers.
Thus, in the case of truck drivers, it's evident that large vehicle drivers earn higher salaries, and larger companies offer more favorable conditions.
Summary
Starting from April 2024, the hiring of foreign workers in Japan's trucking industry will progress, allowing for a high income as a truck driver as shown above.
Moreover, it is understood that better conditions were offered with higher licenses.
The age group in demand is primarily young individuals aged between 18 and 39. High earners are typically large truck drivers in their 40s. It was further confirmed that larger companies provide better conditions.
There is now a path open for many young foreigners to work with ideal income levels. May you seize this opportunity and have an illustrious career path.