Types of Agency Commission Schemes in Japan (Guest Article)

by Elliott Vie | Morgan McKinley Japan|

A few years ago I tried to shed some light on the difference between a Transparent and a Discretionary commission scheme that we often see offered by recruitment agencies.

**Please note that the numbers I am going to share are based on my own experience speaking to 100s of recruiters in the Japanese market. While I am confident that this is relevant information and very close to reality, please take that with a pinch of salt!

It is a common theme when talking to experienced recruiters, but I noticed that even the most experienced recruiters may not fully understand the types of transparent commission schemes on the market, not least their pros and cons. This article aims to introduce some of the most popular transparent commission schemes for the Japanese recruitment market and to help recruiters when considering moving to a new recruitment agency.

This is just some food for thought for any recruiters wondering about commission schemes. Please take this information with caution, as structure and numbers can differ greatly from company to company. And always do your own research and due diligence.


Elliott Vie is a Tokyo-based Talent Acquisition Executive with Morgan McKinley Japan. He has been in the recruitment industry since 2015.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of TADirect or any other agency, organization, employer or company.