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Other construction and civil engineering workers

How to become a Commercial Diver

Also called: Salvage worker, Underwater survey diver (construction), Diving worker, Diving fisher, Rescue diver (maritime)

Wears diving equipment to work underwater: surveying and measuring the seabed and riverbeds, building seawalls and breakwaters, inspecting and repairing ship hulls, and cutting up and raising sunken ships.

Workers in this job say high school is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

To become a commercial diver you must pass the diver licence exam. The exam is run by the Japan Occupational Safety and Health Examination Association and covers four subjects: diving work; air supply, descent and ascent; pressure-related illness; and the relevant laws. There are no limits such as education or gender on who can sit it, but the licence is not issued to anyone under 18. The exam is written only, with no practical test. For scuba diving, one option is to train at a private diving school. For every type of diving, people usually learn diving skills from senior staff at their company. Some fisheries and marine universities and high schools also run diving classes and practical training. Divers often do the same work that is done on land, but underwater in diving gear, so you also need qualifications and skills for the tasks you do underwater (such as welding and cutting, blasting and photography). Of those who hold the diver qualification, about 4,400 work as professional divers (as of 2024*). *Japan Diving Association, newsletter Sensui, issue 89

Ways in

Pay · Job openings · AI and this job

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Commercial Diver?

To become a commercial diver you must pass the diver licence exam. The exam is run by the Japan Occupational Safety and Health Examination Association and covers four subjects: diving work; air supply, descent and ascent; pressure-related illness; and the relevant laws. There are no limits such as education or gender on who can sit it, but the licence is not issued to anyone under 18. The exam is written only, with no practical test. For scuba diving, one option is to train at a private diving school. For every type of diving, people usually learn diving skills from senior staff at their company. Some fisheries and marine universities and high schools also run diving classes and practical training. Divers often do the same work that is done on land, but underwater in diving gear, so you also need qualifications and skills for the tasks you do underwater (such as welding and cutting, blasting and photography). Of those who hold the diver qualification, about 4,400 work as professional divers (as of 2024*). *Japan Diving Association, newsletter Sensui, issue 89

How much does a Commercial Diver earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥4,668,700 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Other construction workers, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become a Commercial Diver?

Usually not. In this job's census occupation group, only 20% of workers are university graduates. Ways in include: College of technology (高等専門学校, kosen).

Will AI change the work of a Commercial Diver?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026