Recruitment Agency Fees in Japan Explained (And How to Pay Less)
Why agencies price for failure, and how to change the model.
Pre-Signature Terms Scorecard
Score a recruitment agency agreement on fee basis, guarantee, exclusivity, renewal and candidate ownership before you sign it.
Agreement Details
Select Terms to Score
What You Can Do With It
Review an Agency Agreement Before Signing
Each line has a target, such as a fee on base salary or a 90-day guarantee. Score the agreement against them and the weak terms show up before they cost money.
Compare Two Agencies on Terms, Not Fee Alone
Two agencies at the same percentage can differ on fee basis, guarantee payout and the off-limits window. Score both agreements and compare the totals.
Go Into Negotiation With a List
The lowest-scoring lines are the terms to raise. Export the scorecard and take it into the call.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the scorecard check?
Thirteen terms in five groups: fee structure, replacement guarantee, exclusivity, term and renewal, and candidate ownership. Each term has a target, such as a fee calculated on base salary or no silent auto-renewal.
How is the score weighted?
By how much money each group moves: fee structure 30%, exclusivity 25%, replacement guarantee 20%, term and renewal 15%, candidate ownership 10%. Each term is scored 1 to 5.
Do I have to score every term?
No. Choose the terms that matter for the agreement in front of you; the score is calculated from the ones you select.
Is this legal advice?
No. It flags commercial terms worth questioning. Have counsel review the agreement before you sign.
Is anything saved or sent anywhere?
No. The scorecard runs in your browser and nothing is saved; reloading the page clears it. Export a PDF to keep a copy.
Guides That Use This Tool
How to Negotiate Recruitment Agency Fees (Without the Awkward Phone Calls)
Counter a fee by editing a number, and skip the call entirely.
How to Choose a Recruitment Agency for Japan Market Entry
Four checks a market entrant can run on one video call, with no local network and nothing signed.
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See Terms Before You Shortlist
Agencies on AirTA propose with the fee stated upfront, so the commercial terms are on the table before the first call.