Preparation

When will my first salary be paid?

Yaaay team March 24, 2024 (Updated: April 5, 2024)
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Some people get confused after arriving in Japan by the difference between the way Japanese companies pay salaries and that of their own country. In this column, we will explain how Japanese companies pay salaries. To avoid any problems, make sure to check it in advance and make the necessary preparations!

Closing Date and Payment Date

As stated in the Payroll section of the job description, most Japanese companies pay their employees once a month.
The "closing date" is the day on which a month's worth of work is invoiced. The closing date is commonly the last day of the month, the 15th of the month, the 25th of the month, but can also be any other date, depending on the company.
Employees do not need to write a monthly invoice for their basic salary, such as base salary, deemed overtime, commuting allowance, and housing allowance, because the company will calculate these for them (other expenses may need to be claimed).
The "payment date" is the date when the amount invoiced on the "closing date" is transferred to the employee's bank account. The "payment date" is usually in the month following the "closing date".
For example, if January 31st is the "closing date" and January’s salary is paid on February 25th, it is written in the following way: "Closing at the end of the month, paid on the 25th of the following month".

There can be cases where your salary is not paid for two months

What you need to be aware of is that the interval between the "closing date" and the "payment date" differs from company to company, as well as your timing of starting to work.
In some cases, you may not receive your salary for about two months after you arrive in Japan!
For example, if you start working on January 30th for a company that "closes at the end of the month and pays at the end of the following month", you will be paid on a prorated basis for January 30th and 31st on February 28th.
February payroll will not be paid until March 31st. A lump-sum salary will not be paid until almost 2 months ahead of time.

Salary Advance Payment is Prohibited in Principle

If you are hoping to be able to buy necessary furniture and appliances or sign a housing contract with the salary you will receive as soon as you arrive in Japan, you may find yourself in trouble because you will not receive a lump sum of money until much later than expected.
To avoid such a situation, first check how the company you will be working for pays your salary. It is essential that you read and understand the employment contract carefully, as it will take precedence over the details stated in the Payroll section of the job description on Yaaay.
In principle, companies are not allowed to pay salaries in advance, so if you are short of money after arriving in Japan, it is very difficult to get an advance payment from the company to cover the shortfall.

Be sure to prepare sufficient money!

In some countries outside of Japan, it may be common practice to pay salaries within the same month. If you assume that this is the custom in Japan and do not come to Japan with sufficient money, you may end up struggling with a shortage of money for the first few months of your stay.
As part of your preparation for coming to Japan, please check with the company you will be working for to find out how they pay salaries and when exactly you will receive your first salary.

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