Three-Year Turnover: 36.9% for High School Graduates, 31.2% for University Graduates, Both DownAbout 37% of high school graduates leave within three years of starting work
On October 23, 2026 (Reiwa 8), the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare published the separation status of new school graduates who graduated in March 2023 (Reiwa 5). Within three years of starting work, 36.9% of new high school graduate hires had left (down 1.0 point from the previous year's cohort) and 31.2% of new university graduate hires had left (down 2.6 points). By establishment size, the rate for high school graduates was 61.3% at establishments with fewer than 5 employees and 24.4% at those with 1,000 or more. The highest rate by industry was 61.6% in accommodation and food services (high school graduates).
Key points
- Turnover within three years was 36.9% for new high school graduate hires, down 1.0 point from the previous year's cohort
- For new university graduate hires it was 31.2%, down 2.6 points
- By establishment size for high school graduates: 61.3% at fewer than 5 employees, 24.4% at 1,000 or more
- The highest rate by industry for high school graduates was 61.6% in accommodation and food services
- The survey covers people who graduated in March 2023 (Reiwa 5) and tracks their first three years of employment
What to do in practice
- Count how many of your own new graduate hires are still with you after three years, and compare with the published rates
- Review whether you have interviews and training in place for employees in their first and third years
- Re-estimate, on an annual basis, your recruitment costs and the cost of re-hiring after early departures
The government (the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) looked at how many people who left school and joined a company then quit within three years. Among those who graduated in March 2023, 36.9% of the people who finished high school and took a job had quit within three years, and 31.2% of the people who finished university and took a job had quit. Both figures are a little lower than in the previous survey. The study also found that the smaller the workplace, the higher the share of people who leave.
Points
- Of those who finished high school and took a job, 36.9% quit within three years
- Of those who finished university and took a job, 31.2% quit within three years
- Both are lower than the previous survey (down 1.0 point for high school, 2.6 points for university)
What the words mean
- Turnover rate
- The share of people who started a job and then left the company
- Point
- The word used for the gap when you compare one percentage with another
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW): MHLW: Separation status of new school graduates who started work (those who graduated in March 2023, Reiwa 5)
This article summarizes and explains materials published by government agencies and is not advice on any individual case. Rules can change, so for actual procedures and decisions always check the latest original materials and consult professionals such as tax accountants or labor and social security attorneys. English, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese versions are translations prepared from the Japanese articles for convenience. If anything differs, the Japanese text and the original source take precedence.