Agriculture Recruitment in Japan and Romania: A Comparative Analysis

Agriculture, a foundational sector for food security, rural sustainability, and economic stability, is under serious strain in many countries. Two such nations—Japan and Romania—are witnessing acute recruitment challenges in the agricultural workforce. While their situations differ in scale, policy environment, demography, and tradition, both can offer lessons for how to rethink agricultural recruitment. In this blog, we explore the current state, causes, and potential solutions in both countries, and suggest what international HR firms like HR International might consider when recruiting agricultural workers in these regions.

1. Context & Importance

1.1 Why Agriculture Matters in Japan

• Agriculture in Japan contributes only a small proportion of GDP but is crucial for food self‐sufficiency, culture, and maintaining rural communities.
• The average age of farmers is very high; many farms are family-run, small scale, with manual labor still essential especially in hand-harvested crops and delicate produce.

1.2 Why Agriculture Matters in Romania

• Romania has fertile land, strong tradition, and is a major producer of cereals, oilseeds, fruits & vegetables, and livestock in Europe.
• Agriculture is an important source of rural employment; however, urban migration, seasonal work demands, and demographic decline in rural areas threaten labor supply.

2. Labour Shortages: Scale & Causes

2.1 Japan’s Shortage

• Shrinking overall population and particularly rural depopulation. Fewer young people willing to work in agriculture.
• Aging farmers: many farms are managed by people over 60 or 65. The physical demands are becoming unsustainable.
• Seasonal peaks in harvesting crops make labor demand uneven. Also, part‐time or non‐regular labor is often used but hard to secure.

2.2 Romania’s Shortage

• Significant migration of young people from rural areas to cities or abroad. Loss of local workforce in villages.
• Lack of vocational training oriented to agricultural mechanization, machinery operation, or specialized agriculture roles.
• The legal/regulatory and bureaucratic barriers for foreign workers or seasonal workers delayed or complicated. Also, high social aid disincentivising rural labour in some cases. 

3. Policy & Visa Systems

3.1 Japan’s Policy Responses

• Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) Program: Introduced in April 2019 to allow foreign workers in sectors with labor shortages, including agriculture; it requires some tests (skill + Japanese language) for foreign applicants.
• Technical Intern Training Program (TITP): Historically used to bring in trainees (from Southeast Asia, etc.) in agriculture. Criticized for being more of a cheap labour scheme than training. 
• Reforms to improve working conditions, allow for longer stays, more stable status, oversight of recruiting agencies, language requirements, and better remuneration. 

3.2 Romania’s Policy Responses

• Issuance of employment permits for non‐EU workers especially in sectors like agriculture, construction, cleaning. Many permits are for agricultural work due to local shortage.
• Calls for streamlining bureaucratic procedures in foreign labor recruitment, reducing delays that may take up to a year.
• Allowing foreign seasonal workers; some employers provided accommodation or meals to attract and retain.

4. Working Conditions & Remuneration

4.1 In Japan

• Income in agriculture tends to be significantly lower than in other industries. Regular vs non-regular employment differences: non-regular workers often have unstable contracts, low wages. Women especially are often non‐regular with much lower income.
• Working conditions: physical, weather-related risks (e.g., heat, cold), remote location, long hours during harvest. These make the work less attractive especially to younger people.
• Social and cultural perceptions: agriculture is often not considered a prestigious job; many prefer urban and white‐collar employment.

4.2 In Romania

• Seasonal work with peaks means that work is intense during those times; for the rest of the year, there may be underemployment.
• Some employers increase wages for specialized roles (e.g. machinery operators) and sometimes provide incentives like accommodation.
• But still, rural infrastructure (transport, housing, amenities) often lags; many young people avoid farm work because of remoteness, lack of services, low social prestige.

5. Role of Foreign Workers & Ethical Considerations

5.1 Japan

• Reliance on foreign workers for agriculture is growing due to labour shortages. Under SSW and TITP, many come from countries like Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia.

• There are ethical problems in some cases: complaints of labor exploitation under TITP (long hours, poor housing, inability to change employers, etc.). The reforms try to address these.

5.2 Romania

• Also importing non-EU workers for agricultural/seasonal roles, from countries like Nepal, Sri Lanka, India, etc. 
• The process can be complex and slow; lack of support structures for foreign workers (e.g., language learning, integration into rural communities) can lead to turnover or low satisfaction.

6. Barriers & Challenges in Recruitment

Below are challenges that both countries face, though to different degrees.

7. Opportunities & Innovations

Despite challenges, both countries have room to improve and innovate in how they approach agriculture recruitment.

7.1 Technological Adoption & Mechanization

• Japan is pushing towards automation, robotics, “smart agriculture” to reduce dependence on manual labour. Drones, robots for harvesting, packing, etc. can help in areas with severe labour shortages.
• Romania similarly may benefit from mechanization; improving access to modern machinery and training local workers in machinery‐operation could reduce the reliance on large numbers of unskilled labour.

7.2 Improved Policies & Visa Reforms

• Japan’s SSW reforms aim to offer better status, longer stay, more rights. Simplifying switch between employers, raising minimum standards, oversight of recruiting agencies. 
• Romania needs to simplify its process for foreign labour permits, reduce delays, perhaps expand quotas, improve foreign worker integration (housing, language, local orientation).

7.3 Attracting Younger Workers & Changing Perceptions

• Job designed more appealing: safer working conditions, regular contracts, opportunities for growth, social status improvements.
• Rural development: improving rural schools, transport, connectivity, amenities so rural life is more viable for younger people or newcomers.

7.4 Role of Intermediaries and HR Firms

• International HR firms (e.g., HR International) can help by streamlining recruitment, ensuring ethical practices, verifying employer obligations, helping foreign workers with language, housing, and integration.
• Matching seasonal supply & demand more efficiently; forecasting peak times; working with local governments to smooth processes.

8. What HR International Should Consider

As an HR firm engaged in agriculture recruitment, here are strategic considerations:

1. Ensure Ethical Recruitment & Compliance
   • Vet employers carefully: housing, safety, wages, rest periods.
   • Ensure foreign workers know their rights, have transparent contracts.
2. Focus on Skills Development
   • Train foreign recruits in basic language (Japanese for Japan; local language in Romania) and agriculture skills in advance.
   • Possibly partner with vocational schools.
3. Optimize Visa and Regulatory Processes
   • Be up to date with visa categories (SSW, TITP, etc in Japan; work permit rules in Romania).
   • Help employers prepare documentation; assist in foreign worker legal compliance.
4. Seasonal Planning
   • Map out planting, harvesting seasons; recruit early; ensure workforce is ready for peak demand.
5. Retention Strategies
   • Provide decent housing, regular breaks, safety protocols.
   • Social integration: language classes, connectivity, community support.
6. Leverage Technology
   • Use HR tech to manage workforce, schedule, monitoring.
   • Where possible, promote farm mechanization or automation to reduce manual strain.

9. Case Comparisons: What Works, What Doesn’t

• Japan’s Mixed Success with Foreign Labour Programs: The SSW category shows promise, giving more rights than purely training‐based schemes. But critics argue that even under TITP or earlier schemes, foreign trainees faced overwork or lack of mobility.  Some reforms are promising.

• Romania’s Reliance on Foreign Seasonal Workers but Delays in Bureaucracy: Romanian farms increasingly depend on foreign non‐EU workers, but the time waiting for work permits, sometimes up to a year, undermines competitiveness.

10. Recommendations & Roadmap

Below are key strategic recommendations for how Japan, Romania, and HR recruitment firms can move forward.

1. Policy Reforms for Visa Flexibility & Speed

   • Shorten waiting times for worker permits.
   • Allow workers to transfer between farms/employers under regulated conditions.

2. Raise Wages & Improve Work Conditions

   • Ensure minimum wages are competitive.
   • Provide better housing, safety measures (especially heat, cold, weather risks).

3. Invest in Training & Vocational Infrastructure

   • Develop agriculture‐specific vocational schools or extension services.
   • Offer training for machinery operation, sustainable agriculture, horticulture, etc.

4. Promote Agritech & Mechanization

   • Subsidies or support for small farmers to adopt mechanization.
   • Use robotics, AI for tasks that are physically taxing or seasonal.

5. Enhance Local Perception & Attract Youth

   • Promote agriculture as a viable, modern, respected profession.
   • Support rural development (education, transportation, internet access) to make rural life more attractive.

6. Build Ethical, Supportive Recruitment Systems

   • Companies like HR International should ensure transparency, fair contracts, support services for foreign recruits.
   • Partnerships with local governments, NGOs to ease integration and oversight.

11. Potential Risks & Trade‐Offs

Any solution will have trade‐offs. It is important to remain aware of risks, including:

• Dependence on Foreign Labor: If a country becomes overly reliant on foreign workers, disruptions (e.g., travel restrictions, pandemics) can hurt agriculture output.
• Exploitation & Legal Risks: Without proper oversight, programs may be abused, leading to human rights concerns, legal liabilities, reputational risk.
• Mechanization vs Employment: Introducing machines may reduce manual labour needs, but may also eliminate some jobs; balancing between efficiency and keeping rural employment.
• Cultural/Language Barriers: Foreign workers may face social isolation, communication issues, especially in remote/rural areas.

12. Conclusion

Japan and Romania both face serious agricultural recruitment challenges: aging workforce, labour shortages, low attractiveness of agricultural work, and regulatory or systemic barriers. Yet, both are also attempting reforms—via visa changes, use of foreign workers, technological adoption, and better working conditions. For HR agencies like HR International, there is a significant opportunity to support ethical, efficient recruitment, to help bridge gaps, train recruits, ensure supportive environments, and partner with governments.

Ultimately, solving the agriculture recruitment crises in Japan and Romania will require a multi‐pronged approach: policy reform, public perception change, investment in technology and infrastructure, as well as attention to human dignity in recruitment and employment.