Global Engineering Talent Hiring and retention support for international engineers
Hiring an engineer shouldn't end on day one.
Engineering roles in IT, mechanical and electrical, and construction—
sourced from within Japan and overseas, supported after they join.
Costs are quoted individually, based on the role, the sourcing route, and the support you need.
Our Promise Our Promise
Our job doesn't end
at the introduction.
What comes “after” the hire is
our real work.
In engineering roles, hiring often proceeds before the required experience and language level have been pinned down, and the difficulty shows up later in how the work is run: how drawings and specifications are shared, when things get checked, how instructions are given. These are hard for a new employee to raise. That's why H-bridge treats joining a company as a start, not a goal. We listen to each person in monthly meetings, propose on-site improvements, and keep supporting both the company and the individual. That is our role as a “bridge” connecting Japan and the world.
Even if you hire,without retention you're back to square one.
In a survey of international employees working in Japan, the most common reason given for leaving or losing motivation was dissatisfaction with a manager's guidance. In engineering roles, how instructions are given and how specifications are shared is often what decides whether someone stays.
Source: “Survey on turnover and motivation decline among international employees working in Japan” (conducted August 2021; 477 responses from 61 countries), Aimsoul Inc. / Human Global Talent Co., Ltd. / Lift Inc.
We work on engineering roles.
Depending on the role, we source candidates from within Japan and from overseas. The fields and job types below are examples of what we cover.
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IT
Software & Infrastructure
Software development / Infrastructure / Networks
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Mechanical & Electrical
Mechanical, Electrical & Electronics
Mechanical design / Electrical design / Control systems / Production engineering / Facility maintenance
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Construction
Architecture & Civil Engineering
Construction management / Architectural design / Civil engineering design / Building services design / BIM & CAD
The roles listed are examples of what we cover. We do not have candidates available for every role at all times: the number and background of people we can introduce vary with timing and requirements. If a role isn't listed but the required experience and academic background are clear, please still get in touch.
How we differ from
traditional recruiting.
The biggest difference is what happens after the hire.Is joining the goal, or the start?
We watch what comes
after the hire, together with you.
We don't ignore that vague “not quite fitting in” feeling after joining.We meet the person regularly and follow up without missing early signs of turnover.
For 12 months after joining, we continue monthly meetings, checking early for changes in motivation and signs that could lead to leaving. Together with the company, we create a state where you can act before someone is “about to quit.”
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01
Monthly one-on-one meetings
The person meets with our staff every month, recorded in a dedicated system. We catch small frustrations and stumbling points early.
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02
On-site improvement proposals
Issues surfaced in meetings are shared with HR as needed. We even propose improvements to your onboarding setup itself.
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03
Detecting early turnover signals
We catch signs of declining motivation early, creating a state where you can act before someone is about to quit.
Meeting records and retention status—visible anytime.
See meeting schedules, contents, and how issues are handled on a screen dedicated to your company. At a glance you know who needs follow-up now and when the next meeting is—H-bridge's support, made visible.
This is an example screen. All names and dates shown are fictitious. Actual fields and layout may differ.
What is included: one meeting per month with the employee. Meetings are held in Japanese or in English. Japanese language tuition is not included, although we can discuss providing it online on request.
Retention support over 12 months is not a guarantee of employment duration or continued employment.
Two routes:
within Japan, and overseas.
Experienced international professionals and international students already in Japan, and students and graduates of universities overseas. We ask about the experience, academic background, language level, location and start date you need, then propose which route to source from. For overseas hires, we coordinate pre-arrival preparation and Japanese-language study with the partner side.
Residence statuses we work with
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ES/HS/IS
Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services
Software development, mechanical design, electrical design, construction management, architectural and civil engineering design. This is the central status for engineering hires. It requires a connection between the person's field of study and the work they will actually do, so we check this at the sourcing stage.
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Specified Skilled Worker
Specified Skilled Worker
A status for working in designated fields, including construction and the manufacture of industrial products such as machinery and electrical or electronic equipment. If you are considering this status for an engineering role, please talk to us so we can check whether the work falls within an eligible field.
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New grads & students
International students & new graduates
We support new-graduate hiring of international students studying science and engineering at Japanese universities and graduate schools—from changing residence status through post-join retention, all in one.
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No work restrictions
Permanent Resident, Long-Term Resident, Spouse visa, etc.
We also introduce people with statuses that carry no work restrictions—Permanent Resident, Long-Term Resident, Spouse of a Japanese national, and more. Because the status places no limit on the type of work, a wide range of engineering roles is open.
Some industries or roles may fall outside this service. Please contact us for details.
How it works
From inquiry to joining, and on to retention support. Even for a first international hire, we support you at every step.
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01
Inquiry & consultation
Start by reaching out. We carefully learn about your workplace and the person you're looking for.
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02
Introducing candidates
Prioritizing retention, we select and introduce people who fit your company. At this stage we also propose whether to source from within Japan or overseas.
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03
Interview & joining
We support interview scheduling and residence-status procedures, getting you ready to welcome them with confidence.
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04
Post-join retention support
We support you with monthly meetings and on-site improvement proposals, checking in with both the company and the individual to catch issues early.
Why companies choose H-bridge
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01
Specialized in international placement
We specialize in placement, hiring support, and residence-status support for international talent, including Specified Skilled Worker and Engineer/Specialist statuses.
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02
Reassuring for first-time hiring
For companies hiring internationally for the first time, we support you from understanding the systems to building your onboarding setup.
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03
Monthly meetings prevent turnover
Even after joining, we meet the person regularly and follow up without missing early signs of turnover.
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04
Focused on engineering fields
We work only on engineering roles in IT, mechanical, electrical, electronics, architecture and civil engineering, and separate out the experience and language ability each role actually requires.
Costs are quoted individually.
We quote individually, based on the experience and specialist field of the person you are hiring, whether the route is domestic or overseas, and the support you need. Before any contract, we explain the total cost, the payment terms, and exactly what the support covers. If you would like a sense of the cost before a formal quote, just say so when you get in touch.
Your gateway to a career in Japan.
H-bridge Career is a career support service for international talent and students in Japan.A career support service for international talent and students in Japan.
- Job introductions
- Résumé & entry-sheet review
- Interview preparation
- Residence-status advice
- Job-hunting community
- Company sessions & events
Registration, career consultation, and the online community are free.
H-bridge connects Japanese companies and international talent, Japan and the world, hiring and retention. It is a “bridge.”
When people work across borders, there is a distance that language and systems alone cannot close. We stand on both shores—bringing companies peace of mind and talent a place to belong. We don't stop at the hire; we keep walking alongside both until each can say, “I'm glad I'm here.”
News
- News We have renewed our corporate website.
- Career We have opened an information page for H-bridge Career, our career support service for international talent and students.
Tell us whereyour hiring stands.
Tell us the roles you are recruiting for, the experience you need and when you would like someone to start, and we will explain what we can cover and how we would proceed. It's fine to reach out at the “not sure where to begin” stage.