Japan Specified Skilled Worker visa explained for employers

The specified skilled worker visa is a new Japanese residence status that began on 1 April 2019, and it lets companies hire foreign workers directly in 14 sectors that face labor shortages. Until now, Japan mostly admitted highly skilled professionals and technical interns. This visa opens a third route for workers with practical skills. Employers in the listed sectors should now learn the rules and plan their hiring.

Two types of visa

The system has two levels. The first, called Type 1, is for workers with a set level of skill in one sector. The second, called Type 2, is for workers with a higher level of skill.

Type 1 covers 14 sectors. They are nursing care, building cleaning, casting, industrial machinery manufacturing, electric and electronic information industries, construction, shipbuilding and marine equipment, automobile repair, aviation, accommodation, agriculture, fishery, food and drink manufacturing, and food service.

Type 2 is open to only two sectors for now: construction, and shipbuilding and marine equipment. The government will review the sector lists after two years, to see whether the labor shortages remain.

Sources: Fragomen, "Two new work visas introduced for semi-skilled foreign nationals to address labor shortages," April 1, 2019 (fragomen.com).

How long workers can stay

A Type 1 visa is granted for one year, six months or four months at a time. It can be renewed, but the total stay cannot go past five years.

Type 2 is granted for three years, one year or six months, and it can be renewed without a limit. That opens a path to long-term residence. A Type 1 worker cannot bring a spouse or children, while a Type 2 worker can.

For employers, the five-year cap means planning for turnover or for moving a worker up to Type 2 where the sector allows it.

Sources: Fragomen, April 1, 2019 (fragomen.com).

Tests a worker must pass

A Type 1 applicant has two ways in. One is to finish Japan's technical intern training program. The other is to show experience in the field and pass a skills test in the chosen sector. Test takers also need Japanese at about level N4, which covers everyday conversation.

For Type 2, a worker must pass a higher skills test. A Type 1 worker can take it to move up, and some very skilled workers may take it directly.

The sector tests are still being set up one at a time, and the government has planned information sessions for mid-April. The Ministry of Justice upgraded its Immigration Bureau to the Immigration Services Agency on 1 April 2019. Employers should check with it before promising a start date to any candidate.

Sources: Fragomen, April 1, 2019 (fragomen.com); Ministry of Justice, history of the Ministry, on the Immigration Services Agency (moj.go.jp).

What employers must prepare

Workers can change employers inside the same sector, so a company cannot count on keeping staff by contract alone. Pay is meant to be comparable to what Japanese workers receive for the same job. Employers should start with a clear, fair pay scale.

The rules are also meant to give visa holders more protection against abuse by employers. Unlike the highly skilled visa, this one does not require a university degree or more than ten years of work experience. That widens the pool of people you can hire, but it also means you carry more of the duty to train and support them.

The government also expects more work visa applications as Tokyo prepares to host the Summer Olympics. Companies that hire under the new visa should expect to help new workers settle in, with housing, daily life and language.

Sources: Fragomen, April 1, 2019 (fragomen.com).

How many workers Japan expects

The government has set a ceiling on how many Type 1 workers it will accept over the first five years. It expects up to 345,150 people across all 14 sectors. It projects up to 47,550 arrivals in the first year, starting in April 2019.

These are upper limits, not targets. Actual numbers will depend on how fast tests and agreements with sending countries are put in place. Shortages are especially severe in construction, so employers in that field may see the most interest from workers.

Sources: Relocate Magazine, "Japan opens its door to flood of expats," December 10, 2018 (relocatemagazine.com); Fragomen, April 1, 2019 (fragomen.com).

A simple plan for employers

First, confirm that your business falls inside one of the 14 sectors. Second, learn the test and language rules that apply to it. Third, set pay and working terms that match those of Japanese staff. Fourth, plan support for housing, daily life and language. Finally, watch the Immigration Services Agency for new notices, because details are still being added.

This page is a general overview. If you are weighing a Specified Skilled Worker application, an immigration lawyer or an administrative scrivener can check your own case.