[Corporate Survey] 9,710 Staffing and Placement Agencies Nationwide - The "Three-Tier Structure of the Human Resources Business" with Different Scales and Histories

Compalyze Inc. (Headquarters: Kusatsu City, Shiga Prefecture, CEO: Takashi Suzuki), which operates the corporate database "Compalyze," conducted a survey by structuring data on licenses for worker dispatch and paid job placement services released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and analyzing it by consolidating it with corporate numbers.

The results showed that there are currently 36,507 valid worker dispatch licenses and 31,573 valid paid job placement licenses. When viewed on a corporate basis, it was found that 9,710 companies nationwide hold licenses for both dispatch and placement services (hereinafter referred to as "dual-licensed companies"). Comparing the three tiers (dispatch-only, placement-only, and dual-licensed companies), it became clear that there are significant differences in scale, history, and information disclosure among the tiers.

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URL: https://compalyze.co.jp/journal/jinzai-business-map

Source: 9,710 Companies Combine Dispatch and Paid Placement Services - The Three-Tier Structure of the Human Resources Business Revealed Through Data Consolidation

Survey Summary

Currently valid licenses are 36,507 for worker dispatch and 31,573 for paid job placement. In terms of license numbers, approximately one-third (23,010, 33.8%) are located in Tokyo (all are licenses from the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, including those counted at the headquarters of major companies).

When licenses are consolidated by corporate number, there are 21,222 companies for dispatch only and 15,604 for placement only, while companies that handle both dispatch and placement (dual-licensed companies) number 9,710 (31.4% of companies with dispatch licenses, 38.4% of companies with placement licenses).

Comparing the three tiers, dual-licensed companies are the largest in scale (40.1% have 50 or more employees), and their financial disclosure rate (17.9%) and listing rate (1.28%) are also the highest among the three tiers, indicating they are the core segment. Dispatch-only companies have the longest history (median 32 years since establishment), while placement-only companies are the newest and smallest (7 years, 51.8% have 10 or fewer employees).

One-Third of Licenses Located in Tokyo

Tokyo has approximately 11,000 licenses each for placement (11,542) and dispatch (11,468), more than three times that of Osaka, the second-ranked prefecture. Tokyo accounts for 33.8% of the total 68,080 licenses for both dispatch and placement. It should be noted that both worker dispatch and paid job placement licenses are issued by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, with no distinction for prefectural governor licenses. While applications are processed through the regional labor bureaus of the prefecture where the business office is located, the licensing authority is consolidated under the minister. Therefore, major companies operating nationwide tend to have their licenses counted at their headquarters. Consequently, the concentration of locations cannot be directly interpreted as the distribution of employment sites or demand.

Top 12 Prefectures for Dispatch and Placement Licenses (Surveyed by Compalyze)

9,710 Companies Combine Dispatch and Paid Placement Services

When licenses are consolidated by corporate number, the human resources business can be divided into three tiers. There are 21,222 companies for dispatch only, 15,604 for placement only, and 9,710 companies that handle both dispatch and placement (dual-licensed companies). This represents 31.4% of companies with dispatch licenses and 38.4% of companies with placement licenses. A typical business model requiring both dispatch and placement licenses is planned dispatch, where workers are directly hired after a maximum of six months of dispatch.

Three Tiers Based on Dispatch and Placement Licenses - Number of Unique Companies After Consolidation (Surveyed by Compalyze)

Characteristics of the Three Tiers - Dual-Licensed Companies Form the Largest Core Segment

Comparing the three tiers by scale, history, and information disclosure reveals distinct characteristics. Dual-licensed companies are the largest in scale, with 40.1% having 50 or more employees and 2.42% having over 1000 employees, both figures being the highest among the three tiers. Their financial disclosure rate (17.9%) and listing rate (1.28%) are also the highest among the three tiers.

On the other hand, dispatch-only companies have the longest history (median 32 years since establishment, primarily consisting of long-established companies in areas like manufacturing dispatch). Placement-only companies are the newest (7 years), and 51.8% are small corporations with 10 or fewer employees. The requirements for a dispatch business license include a net asset value of at least 20 million yen and cash and deposits of at least 15 million yen, and placement businesses also have asset requirements. Therefore, dual-licensed companies can be considered to be those that meet at least the asset requirements for each service (Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). Mid-sized listed companies such as CrowdWorks, Career Design Center, Mynavi, B-WIZ, and Seraku are included in this tier.

Characteristics of the Three Tiers - Dual-Licensed Companies Form the Largest Core Segment, Dispatch-Only Companies Have a Long History, and Placement-Only Companies Are New and Small (Surveyed by Compalyze)

Dispatch and Placement: Two Trends with Different Accumulation Patterns

When comparing the start years of the validity period of licenses, the accumulation patterns for dispatch and placement differ.

For dispatch services, the number of licenses concentrated in 2017-2018 due to the expiration of transitional measures following the 2015 amendment to the Dispatch Act (consolidation into a licensing system), with a peak of 9,330 licenses in 2018.

In contrast, placement services did not experience a sharp increase triggered by regulations. They have been steadily accumulating in the 2020s, with 3,342 licenses projected for 2025. However, since the start year of currently valid licenses can shift to the most recent period due to renewals, the accumulation of placement licenses should not be definitively interpreted as an "increase in new entrants" but rather as a trend consistent with the expansion of the job change market. Dispatch licenses accumulate in line with institutional milestones, while placement licenses accumulate in line with market expansion, showing different trends.

Trends in Dispatch and Placement - Number of Licenses by Start Year of Validity Period (Surveyed by Compalyze)

▶For full data and analysis details, click here

Dispatch and Paid Job Placement License Map - The Three-Tier Structure of the Human Resources Business Reflected in 9,710 "Dual-License" Companies

Survey Overview

Survey Organizer

Compalyze Inc.

Survey Target and Data

Data on licenses for worker dispatch business and paid job placement business published by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare was structured, and businesses for each license were consolidated by corporate number from the National Tax Agency and re-aggregated on a company basis. The target is currently valid licenses (36,507 worker dispatch licenses, 31,573 paid job placement licenses).

Definition of Three Tiers

Consolidated by corporate number, companies handling only worker dispatch are classified as "dispatch-only," those handling only paid job placement as "placement-only," and companies handling both as "dual-licensed" (9,710 companies).

Aggregation of Start Years

The annual trend in the number of licenses was aggregated based on the year calculated from the expiration date of the license.

Indicators of Scale and Disclosure

Employee size, financial disclosure, and listing status are values cross-referenced with data on corporate registration, listings, and financial disclosures for each corporation. The figures represent lower limits for companies for which data could be ascertained.

Points to Note

All licenses are issued by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, with no distinction for prefectural governor licenses. Locations are recorded by the prefecture of the business office, and major companies operating nationwide tend to have their licenses counted at their headquarters. Therefore, the concentration of locations cannot be interpreted as the distribution of employment sites or demand. The "number" of licenses does not indicate the volume of operations or sales. The aggregation point is June 2026.

About Compalyze

Compalyze is a corporate database that integrates public corporate data, including registration, financial disclosures, intellectual property, executives, and public procurement, on a comprehensive scale to support decision-making for corporate analysis, sales, investment, and M&A. (https://compalyze.co.jp)

Inquiries Regarding This Release

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