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Specified Skilled Worker Program
In the 197th Diet (extraordinary session) on December 8, 2018, the Act for Partial Amendment of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act and the Act for Establishment of the Ministry of Justice was passed. They were enacted on December 14 of the same year (Law No. 102 of 2018). This revised law includes the creation of the "Specified Skilled Worker (i)" and "Specified Skilled Worker (ii)" statuses of residence as well as the establishment of the Immigration Services Agency.
- Current initiatives to promote the Specified Skilled Worker Program (job-matching events, etc.)
- Explanatory documents: Initiatives to accept new foreign nationals and for the realization of a society of harmonious coexistence (PDF, in Japanese)
In English: Efforts towards the employment of foreign nationals and harmonious coexistence (PDF) - Video: "Initiatives to employ foreign nationals
" (Ministry of Justice YouTube Channel)
This straightforward video explains what the new "Specified Skilled Worker" status of residence is and introduces a new initiative at the Immigration Services Agency that creates new infrastructure for employing foreign nationals. (Click to watch the video.)
- For those who wish to take the test(s) in Japan (expanded eligibility from April 1, 2020)
- Handling the effects of the spread of COVID-19
- Regarding the dedicated support counter for international students seeking employment
- Regarding the special measures in place for those planning to change their status of residence to "Specified Skilled Worker (i)"
- Regarding the Operation Status of the Specified Skilled Worker Program (PDF, in Japanese)
- The PR leaflet on Common Explanations for Specified Skilled Worker Program Notices (PDF, in Japanese) has been released.
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- Foreign nationals who wish to work in Japan
- Businesses, organizations, or individuals who wish to employ foreign nationals
- Information by country
- Cabinet decisions
- Laws and regulations
- Specified skilled worker operational outline, forms, etc.
- Application procedures
- Notification procedures
- Memorandum of Cooperation (bilateral agreement) regarding specified skilled workers/contact information for each country
- Test-related information
- Registered support organizations
- Publication of number of resident foreign national specified skilled workers
- Information in various languages (for foreign nationals)
- Other: contact information for the program/each field; notices/links to homepages of administrative organs
Latest news
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October 20, 2022
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June 2, 2022Efforts to Simplify and Reduce Application Forms was published.
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May 25, 2022
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May 20, 2022An overview of the Number of Foreign Nationals Residing in Japan as Specified Skilled Workers (as of March 31, 2022) has been published.
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April 1, 2022
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February 25, 2022An overview of the Number of Foreign Nationals Residing in Japan as Specified Skilled Workers (as of December 31, 2021) has been published.
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January 7, 2022Information related to Employment Activities for Specific Fields has been revised.
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November 19, 2021An overview of the Number of Foreign Nationals Residing in Japan as Specified Skilled Workers (as of September 30, 2021) has been published.
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October 14, 2021Information related to Overseas Job Fairs and Domestic Matching Events has been revised.
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August 25, 2021An overview of the Number of Foreign Nationals Residing in Japan as Specified Skilled Workers (as of June 30, 2021 has been published.
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May 25, 2021An overview of the Number of Foreign Nationals Residing in Japan as Specified Skilled Workers (as of March 3, 2021) has now been published.
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April 12, 2021Information regarding the sending/acceptance of Specified Skilled Workers from Vietnam has been revised.
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March 31, 2021
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February 19, 2021
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February 12, 2021
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January 29, 2021
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January 6, 2021Added information about dispatching and accepting specified skilled workers from the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
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November 20, 2020
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November 10, 2020Added certified dispatching organization for the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
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October 21, 2020
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October 15, 2020
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Latest news items were translated after October 15, 2020.
Information related to daily life support for foreign residents
Information related to working under the Specified Skilled Worker Program
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