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Delivery workers

How to become a Parcel Delivery Driver

Also called: Goods delivery driver, Contract delivery driver, Motorcycle courier, Small-packet mail carrier

Collects and delivers parcels within an assigned area, and also does sales work and collects payments.

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 particular education or qualification other than a standard car licence is required to start. People usually apply after seeing jobs through Hello Work (public employment service), job advertisements or websites. Staff turnover is fairly high, so jobs are advertised all the time. As well as permanent positions, there are many arrangements such as casual and part-time work covering only the peak delivery hours when more hands are needed. Permanent staff, after gaining delivery experience, may become branch or depot managers or move to office work depending on their aptitude. It is fairly easy to move to other companies in the same industry, and some drivers gain a heavy vehicle licence and move into other kinds of transport work. The job involves loading and unloading trucks and climbing stairs, so you need the fitness to do this comfortably. You need attention and responsibility so as not to mix up parcels or deliver to the wrong address. You collect and deliver face to face at many businesses and homes, so making a good impression on customers is also important.

Pay · Job openings · AI and this job

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Parcel Delivery Driver?

No particular education or qualification other than a standard car licence is required to start. People usually apply after seeing jobs through Hello Work (public employment service), job advertisements or websites. Staff turnover is fairly high, so jobs are advertised all the time. As well as permanent positions, there are many arrangements such as casual and part-time work covering only the peak delivery hours when more hands are needed. Permanent staff, after gaining delivery experience, may become branch or depot managers or move to office work depending on their aptitude. It is fairly easy to move to other companies in the same industry, and some drivers gain a heavy vehicle licence and move into other kinds of transport work. The job involves loading and unloading trucks and climbing stairs, so you need the fitness to do this comfortably. You need attention and responsibility so as not to mix up parcels or deliver to the wrong address. You collect and deliver face to face at many businesses and homes, so making a good impression on customers is also important.

How much does a Parcel Delivery Driver earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥4,485,500 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Truck drivers (commercial haulage, except heavy trucks), which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become a Parcel Delivery Driver?

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

Will AI change the work of a Parcel Delivery Driver?

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