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Delivery workers

How to become a Food Delivery Rider

Also called: Pizza delivery rider, Meal box delivery rider

Delivers food and drinks that customers have ordered from restaurants and shops to their door.

Main tasks

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

No education or qualifications are required, but in most cases deliveries are made by motorbike or bicycle for efficiency, so a moped licence or standard motorcycle licence makes the work easier. If you are employed directly, most hiring is for part-time casual work at a particular shop or delivery base, and at first you usually learn on the job, for example going out with experienced staff for a while to learn the routes and procedures. If you work as an independent contractor, there may be an interview or briefing when you register with a food delivery company, and some companies offer advice and support once you start. Part-time staff are usually hired for a particular shop or base, so there is little moving to other areas or switching to other jobs. Food delivery must arrive within a target time after the order or exactly at an agreed time. So you need driving skills to deliver quickly and safely, and the ability to read maps and apps and reach addresses efficiently. You work outdoors whatever the weather or season, so you need a certain level of fitness and stamina. The work is mostly done alone, so you also need to deal flexibly with problems that come up during deliveries.

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Food Delivery Rider?

No education or qualifications are required, but in most cases deliveries are made by motorbike or bicycle for efficiency, so a moped licence or standard motorcycle licence makes the work easier. If you are employed directly, most hiring is for part-time casual work at a particular shop or delivery base, and at first you usually learn on the job, for example going out with experienced staff for a while to learn the routes and procedures. If you work as an independent contractor, there may be an interview or briefing when you register with a food delivery company, and some companies offer advice and support once you start. Part-time staff are usually hired for a particular shop or base, so there is little moving to other areas or switching to other jobs. Food delivery must arrive within a target time after the order or exactly at an agreed time. So you need driving skills to deliver quickly and safely, and the ability to read maps and apps and reach addresses efficiently. You work outdoors whatever the weather or season, so you need a certain level of fitness and stamina. The work is mostly done alone, so you also need to deal flexibly with problems that come up during deliveries.

How much does a Food Delivery Rider earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥4,065,200 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Other carrying workers, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become a Food Delivery Rider?

Usually not. In this job's census occupation group, only 16% of workers are university graduates.

Will AI change the work of a Food Delivery Rider?

Generative AI could change some tasks in this job, 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