Amid 'Severe Labor Shortage,' Medical and Welfare Sector Leads All Industries in Employment Growth; 1 in 7 Workers Now a 'Care Provider' [Ministry of Internal Affairs Statistics Analysis]

Second Labo Inc., operator of the healthcare and welfare industry job site 'Co-Medical.com,' conducted an original analysis of employment numbers in the medical and welfare industry based on the latest statistics from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (FY2025 average).

The analysis found that the number of workers in the industry reached a record high of 9.45 million, an increase of 180,000 from the previous year, marking the largest growth among all industries. This suggests an accelerating 'labor shift' from other sectors.

A survey on the state of care labor shows that approximately half (48.2%) of mid-career care workers come from different industries. Furthermore, Second Labo's own job data indicates that over 60% of the 38,000 care job listings are open to applicants 'with no experience.' By opening its doors to the inexperienced, the medical and welfare industry is transforming into a massive 'employment buffer' for the Japanese economy.

Sector Leads All Industries with 180,000 New Jobs, Over 80% in 'Care and Welfare'

According to the Ministry's 'Labour Force Survey (FY2025 average),' the number of workers in the medical and welfare industry hit a record 9.45 million. This accounts for about 13.8% of Japan's total workforce (68.29 million), meaning approximately '1 in 7' workers is a care provider.

The increase of 180,000 from the previous year's 9.27 million is the largest among all 20 industries. A breakdown shows that while the medical sector grew by 30,000, the 'care and welfare field' added 150,000, accounting for over 80% of the total increase.

Newcomers from Other Industries Outnumber Experienced Hires, Shifting Recruitment Structure

The 150,000-person increase in the care and welfare field is driven by an influx from other industries.

The 'FY2024 Survey on the State of Care Labour' by the Japan Institute for Labour Policy and Training found that about half (48.2%) of mid-career care workers transitioned from fields 'outside of care, welfare, and medicine.' This figure is 4.9 percentage points higher than those who came from within the care sector (43.3%).

This data, showing that newcomers from other industries now outnumber experienced hires in mid-career recruitment, clearly illustrates the current reality of hiring pathways in the care sector.

[Internal Analysis] Over 60% of Care Jobs Open to Inexperienced Applicants, Expanding Acceptance

An analysis of job listings on our 'Co-Medical.com' job site found that of the 38,607 care positions, approximately 63.3% (24,449) were open to applicants 'with no experience.'

This labor shift from other industries is supported by the proactive development of receptive systems on the part of care providers. Support systems and career paths are being established to allow individuals to start without qualifications or experience and aim for national certifications like 'Initial Training for Care Workers' and 'Practical Training for Care Workers' while on the job.

While the care and welfare field has been perceived as having high psychological and technical hurdles, the establishment of this 'foundation for welcoming the inexperienced' has confirmed its function as a massive 'employment buffer' for workers from other industries, a trend now supported by job market data.