Skilled talent from
Japan to your workplace

For Australian businesses seeking Japanese professionals.
At First Tree, our recruitment support begins with understanding your business plan and the realities of your operation. We shortlist candidates who meet both the skill requirements and the professional attitude you need. After document screening and interviews, once you decide to hire, we provide migration support as a separate, regulated service under the Registered Migration Agent framework.

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For Business

Understanding your business first —
then defining the right talent

What “good talent” means is different for every business.

We take the time to understand your business plan, team structure, and the role you want to fill, so we can define what “the right person” looks like for you. From there, we align recruitment and visa planning, rather than treating them as separate processes.

Step 01 / Understand
Understand your business and your team
First Tree’s recruitment support starts with a deep understanding of your business. We take the time to learn your business plan, team structure, and the role you want to fill, and then work with you to define what “good talent” means for your organisation in line with your strategy for the coming years.
Step 02 / Diagnose
Assessing visa pathways and candidate profiles
We identify which visa pathway fits the role, what kind of talent is required, and when you will need them. Because this is cross-border matching between Japan and Australia, we design screening criteria that consider both sides’ expectations and workplace fit. With expertise in visa requirements, we introduce candidates at the right timing and with the right profile for your business.
Step 03 / Deliver
Selection, hiring, and work visa support — end to end
We shortlist candidates who meet both the skill requirements and the professional attitude your workplace needs. Through résumés, skills videos, and online interviews, we support you through the hiring process. Once you decide to hire, our migration division works alongside you to prepare the employer-sponsored visa requirements and move the process forward smoothly.
Partners

Our Japan-side talent network

We work with partner schools and recruitment agencies in Japan across hospitality and skilled trades. Together, we handle candidate discovery and screening within Japan before introducing them to Australian employers.

We support both training-visa pathways for developing talent and employer-sponsored visas for experienced hires. For candidates under 30, travelling first on a Working Holiday visa can also be an option, if they prefer to begin working soon after arrival.

Two Pathways

Experienced talent or developing talent — you choose the fit

1. Experienced hires through employer-sponsored visas

For businesses seeking skilled professionals with 3+ years of experience.

Skills in Demand Visa details
Recruitment Agency

Japares Recruit (Head office: Fukuoka)

Specialist agency for sushi chefs and washoku chefs

This agency represents a large pool of Japanese cuisine chefs with 3+ years of hospitality experience who want to work overseas. They have placed chefs at 600 restaurants across 28 countries, with many also holding experience in the United States, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. First Tree holds exclusive partnership rights for the Australian market.
Skills honed through training in Japan and rigorous on-the-job practice deliver immediate impact — even for discerning Japanese cuisine customers.

2. Hire recent graduates of technical training schools via a Training Visa

For businesses wanting to train promising graduates from the ground up.

Training Visa details
Training School

Tokyo Sushi Academy (Head office: Tokyo)

Japan's first sushi chef training school

Tokyo Sushi Academy is the industry’s leading sushi training institution, with more than 5,800 graduates. First Tree partners with the Academy to introduce graduates who have completed intensive foundational training in authentic Japanese sushi techniques. While they may have limited work experience, they bring strong fundamentals and high potential. Employers can assess their attitude and skill progression while training them on site.

Our Fee

No cost until
your new staff member starts work

Fees do not apply until hiring is confirmed and the staff member starts work. You may choose either a lump‑sum payment or monthly instalments, with flexibility to suit your business circumstances. Please feel free to reach out for an initial conversation.

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How It Works

From first conversation
to confirmed hire

This is our standard process for employers. Timelines and steps may vary depending on the role and business size.

Step 1

Initial recruitment consultation

If you are considering hiring Japanese talent, please begin by submitting the consultation form. We will ask about your business plan, the role you want to fill, and your preferred timing, and then contact you to discuss next steps.

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Step 2

Strategy meeting

We listen carefully to your business plan and organisational structure, then work with you to define the best approach — including which visa category fits, what kind of talent you need, and when you need them.

Step 3

Defining the Talent Profile

We work with you to define the type of person who can contribute to your business while growing their own career. Because this is cross-border matching between Japan and Australia, we carefully consider workplace fit on both sides and design the screening criteria accordingly.

Step 4

Candidate Selection

We shortlist candidates who meet the defined criteria, and our director conducts online interviews personally. We assess each candidate’s background and attitude, then present suitable employer options. Only when the candidate confirms their interest do we move to the next step.

Step 5

Introduction & Hiring Support

We support employers through résumés, skills videos, and online interviews until hiring is confirmed. Once a hire or offer is confirmed, a recruitment agreement is established between the employer and our company (including partners).

Step 6

Post-offer preparation support

Hiring from overseas requires preparation on the employer side as well. If you plan to sponsor an employer-sponsored visa, early preparation helps accelerate the candidate’s arrival. Our migration division works alongside you to prioritise and coordinate the required steps.
For an overview of visa options, please see our Visa Guide.

Step 7

Support after work begins

We do not intervene in the employment contract between employer and staff, but for businesses hiring from overseas for the first time, we can provide support as needed after the employee starts work.

For Individuals

For those who want to build
their career in Australia

Whether you live in Japan and want to work in Australia, or you are already in Australia looking for the right opportunity — we first want to understand what this career move means for your life before introducing roles that truly fit your goals.

Share your background and preferences with us. Together, we will decide the best way forward for you.

Your consultation details are used internally only. Personal information is protected under confidentiality obligations and will not be disclosed to potential employers without your permission.

Community Background
More than 10 years connected to the Japanese food industry in Australia

With over a decade of running Washoku Lovers, Australia’s largest Japanese food community, we have gained deep insight into the real voices and day-to-day realities of people working in Japanese cuisine. Our director also serves as a Vice Representative of the Oceania Japanese Restaurant Association, giving us firsthand understanding of the industry and its needs.
Because of this experience, we can introduce opportunities that genuinely match your goals, skills, and the kind of workplace where you can grow.

Washoku Oceania Restaurant Network
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

To present your skills to employers in Australia from Japan, we arrange online interviews. We may also use video résumés or technical interviews online where appropriate. If you are already in Australia (outside interstate cases), we prefer in-person interviews where possible.

Some employers in Australia are Japanese-speaking, but English résumés are generally expected. For Japanese-owned businesses, providing both a Japanese CV and an English résumé can work well. Contact us if you need guidance on preparing an English résumé.

Work and training visas cover roughly 70 occupations. We specialise in placing chefs and residential construction tradespeople. We are also seeing growing interest from beauty therapists who graduated from specialist schools in Japan.

A work visa is for employment — the employer hires you to perform work. A training visa is not primarily for employment; it is for gaining occupational experience through structured on-the-job training (OJT).

Both require a confirmed employer sponsor, but they differ significantly in pay (market wages vs minimum training allowances) and in law — employers must not use a training visa as a substitute for a work visa.

Receiving an offer from a Japanese restaurant in Australia means your employer is confirmed before you depart Japan. Once the employer is confirmed, you can apply for and obtain an employer-sponsored visa before entering Australia.

Let's Begin

Let's Begin With Design,
Not Just With Decisions

Consultation is not about reaching a conclusion — it is about starting the design.

First Tree treats employment and visas not as paperwork alone, but as design for workplaces and lives that keep moving. Before we talk applications, we clarify where you are and what conditions apply — then, if needed, we decide the next step together.

In an initial consultation, we typically cover:

  • Your current situation (employer or worker) and the conditions that apply
  • An overview of the process — information needed, timing, and next actions
  • What First Tree can support and how roles are divided (including external partners where needed)
Start an employer consultation For employers and hiring managers Start an individual consultation For those exploring work and migration options
※ A consultation does not commit you to an engagement or application.
※ Depending on your situation, we explain our scope and recommend the best way forward.