Notification procedures

Notices regarding notifications

May 25, 2022 - The Q&A about periodic notifications from the affiliated organizations for specified skilled workers was updated.
Click here for the latest version (PDF, in Japanese).

March 31, 2022 - A section of the notification reference forms was revised. The new version of the forms may be found here.

April 1, 2021 - All notifications related to the Specified Skilled Worker Program may now be accessed through the Immigration Services Agency e-Notification System.

March 30, 2021 - A portion of the notification reference forms were revised. The new version of the forms may be found here.

February 19, 2021 - A portion of the notification reference forms were revised. The new version of the forms may be found here.

August 7, 2020 - Q&A about periodic notifications by the affiliated organizations of specified skilled workers - PDF (in Japanese)

February 28, 2020 - Slight changes were made in relation to the handling of notifications
Please refer to the updates below or the major changes to notifications in accordance with the revised operational guidelines for the employment of specified skilled workers - PDF (in Japanese)

Affiliated organizations (either companies or sole-proprietorships) that accept specified skilled workers are required to submit various notifications regarding the contracts and/or circumstances of said foreign nationals. Please be advised that these notifications are mandatory. Missing or falsified reports are punishable offences.
Notifications from affiliated organizations are generally divided into two categories, and must be submitted as listed below.

Ad-hoc notifications: within 14 days of the change in circumstance
Periodic notifications: quarterly, within 14 days of the beginning of the quarter

The yearly quarters are defined as follows:

• First quarter: January 1 to March 31
• Second quarter: April 1 to June 30
• Third quarter: July 1 to September 30
• Fourth quarter: October 1 to December 31

The documents to be submitted differ according to the type of notification. For more details, please refer to either the list of documents to be submitted (found below) or the "Operation guidelines regarding the acceptance of specified skilled workers (Chapter 7)" (PDF, in Japanese). (Depending on the report, additional documents may be required.)

These notifications are to be submitted to the Regional Immigration Services Bureau in charge of the area in which the affiliated organization’s address (head office or main office) is located. This can be done in person, by mail, or by using the e-Notification System. (The use of the e-Notification System requires prior registration. For more details, please click here.)

Below are the ad-hoc notifications that are to be submitted by the affiliated organization of the specified skilled worker. (The notification form can be downloaded through the links.)

* Ad-hoc notifications regarding affiliated organizations are to be submitted by the organization in question (either the accepting company or sole-proprietorship).

• If notifications from the organization of affiliation are not properly submitted, the organization of affiliation will no longer be able to accept specified skilled worker foreign nationals.

• Even if support for the foreign national has been allocated to a registered support organization, these notifications must still be submitted by the affiliated organization to which the specified skilled worker belongs.

* Please refer to the following lists for documents that need to be included with notifications.

• List of documents to be submitted (for points 1 and 4 listed below) (PDF, in Japanese)
• List of documents to be submitted (for points 2, 3, and 5 listed below) (PDF, in Japanese)

1. Notification to be submitted when changes are made to an employment contract, when one is concluded, or a new one is entered into
   * "New contracts" include cases where an employment contract is concluded, and the foreign national signs another with the same affiliated organization before their period of stay expires.

   • Notification pertaining to the employment contract of a specified skilled worker (Reference Form No. 3-1)

2. Notification to be submitted when there are changes to support plans, to the person in charge of implementing them, to the registered support organizations entrusted with their execution, or when switching to in-house support

   • Notifications pertaining to changes to the support plan (Reference Form No. 3-2)

3. Notification to be submitted when changes are made to a support services agreement contract, when one is concluded, or a new one is entered into
   * If the registered support organization to which this agreement is entrusted changes, then two notifications must be submitted. (One for the conclusion, and one for the new contract.)

   • Notification pertaining to the Support Services Agreement Contract (Reference Form 3-3)

4. Notification to be submitted when there are difficulties accepting the specified skilled worker
   * This notification is to be submitted at times when it is difficult to continue employing the specified skilled worker, regardless of whether or not they themselves have resigned. (i.e. voluntary resignation, illness, injury, disappearance, death, etc.)
   * If the specified skilled worker has submitted a resignation request, please submit a notification within 14 days from the day the request was made (not the date of their resignation).

   • Notification pertaining to difficulties with accepting the specified skilled worker (Reference Form 3-4)

5. Notification to be submitted when violations against immigration and/or labor laws occur, or considerably unjust conditions are discovered

   • Notification pertaining to unfair acts (misconduct) under immigration/labor laws and regulations (Reference Form 3-5)

Below are the periodic notifications that are to be submitted by the affiliated organization of the specified skilled worker. (The notification form can be downloaded through the links.)

• When all aspects of the implementation of a support plan have been entrusted to a registered support organization
  • Notifications regarding the status of acceptance activities: must be submitted by the organization of affiliation of the specified skilled worker (either the accepting company or sole-proprietorship).
  • Notifications regarding the implementation/status of support systems: must be submitted by the registered support organization.
• When only certain aspects of the implementation of a support plan have been entrusted to a registered support organization (or none of them)
  • Notifications regarding the status of acceptance activities: must be submitted by the organization of affiliation of the specified skilled worker (either the accepting company or sole-proprietorship).
  • Notifications regarding the implementation/status of support systems: must be submitted by the organization of affiliation of the specified skilled worker (either the accepting company or sole-proprietorship).

* If notifications from the organization of affiliation are not properly submitted, the organization of affiliation will no longer be able to accept specified skilled worker foreign nationals.

* If notifications from the registered support organization are not properly submitted, the support organization's registration will be revoked.

• Please feel free to reference either the Periodic Notification Manual or the Periodic Notification Q&A when preparing and/or submitting a notification.
  • The Periodic Notification Manual (a guide on how to submit notifications for the Specified Skilled Worker Program) can be found here. (PDF, in Japanese)
  • The Q&A about periodic notifications can be found here. (PDF, in Japanese)
• * Please refer to the following lists for documents that need to be included with periodic notifications.
  • List of documents to be submitted (for points 6 and 7 listed below) - PDF, in Japanese

1. Notification regarding acceptances and activities

   • Notification pertaining to acceptance status and activities of the specified skilled worker (Reference Form 3-6, Supplemental Reference Form 3-6)

2. Notification regarding support status
   * This notification is required when all aspects of the implementation of a support plan have been entrusted to a registered support organization.

   • Notification pertaining to the support status of the specified skilled worker (Reference Form 3-7)

Note: If submitting notifications for multiple specified skilled workers whose support status is the same, it is possible to bundle them using Supplemental Reference Form 3-7. Foreign nationals at different stages of support will require separate notifications.

Please be advised that registered support organizations are required to submit various notifications regarding their registration items and support status. Non-fulfillment of the notifications and false notifications are subject to penalties, including the cancellation of the registration.
Notifications from registered support organizations are generally divided into two categories, and must be submitted as listed below.

Ad-hoc notifications: within 14 days of the change in circumstance
Periodic notifications: quarterly, within 14 days of the beginning of the quarter

The yearly quarters are defined as follows:

• First quarter: January 1 to March 31
• Second quarter: April 1 to June 30
• Third quarter: July 1 to September 30
• Fourth quarter: October 1 to December 31

The documents to be submitted differ according to the type of notification. For more details, please refer to either the list of documents to be submitted (found below) or the "Operation guidelines regarding the acceptance of specified skilled workers (Chapter 7)" (PDF, in Japanese). (Depending on the report, additional documents may be required.)

Ad-hoc notifications are to be submitted to the Regional Immigration Services Bureau in charge of the area in which the registered support organization’s address (head office or main office) is located. Periodic notifications are to be submitted to the Regional Immigration Services Bureau in charge of the area in which the affiliated organization’s address (head office or main office) is located. This can be done in person or by mail.
It may also be possible to send notices through the Immigration Services Agency's e-Notification System. (The use of the electronic system requires prior registration. For more details, please click here.)

Ad-hoc notifications

Periodic notifications