{"id":219,"date":"2023-09-05T07:52:54","date_gmt":"2023-09-05T06:52:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/?p=219"},"modified":"2026-09-09T11:49:29","modified_gmt":"2026-09-09T10:49:29","slug":"japans-specified-skilled-worker-visa-a-complete-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/japans-specified-skilled-worker-visa-a-complete-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Japan Specified Skilled Worker Visa: 2026 Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Japan&#8217;s <strong>Specified Skilled Worker Visa<\/strong>, <em>tokutei ginou<\/em>, is the country&#8217;s main route for workers without a university degree. It is open in <strong>16 fields<\/strong>, it needs two exams rather than a qualification, and in most of those fields it now leads to a status you can renew indefinitely and bring your family on. That last part is new and it is the most important thing to know about this visa in 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This guide covers the fields that are actually open, the two tests, the difference between the two tiers, and the caps. It also explains why you will see 19 fields quoted elsewhere and why acting on that number could cost you a year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_88 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/japans-specified-skilled-worker-visa-a-complete-guide\/#The_16_fields_and_the_3_that_are_not_open_yet\" >The 16 fields, and the 3 that are not open yet<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/japans-specified-skilled-worker-visa-a-complete-guide\/#The_two_tests_and_there_is_no_way_round_them\" >The two tests, and there is no way round them<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/japans-specified-skilled-worker-visa-a-complete-guide\/#SSW_i_and_SSW_ii_the_difference_that_decides_your_life\" >SSW (i) and SSW (ii): the difference that decides your life<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/japans-specified-skilled-worker-visa-a-complete-guide\/#How_many_places_there_are\" >How many places there are<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/japans-specified-skilled-worker-visa-a-complete-guide\/#The_2027_change_you_should_plan_around\" >The 2027 change you should plan around<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/japans-specified-skilled-worker-visa-a-complete-guide\/#What_to_do_next\" >What to do next<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/japans-specified-skilled-worker-visa-a-complete-guide\/#More_on_working_in_Japan\" >More on working in Japan<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_16_fields_and_the_3_that_are_not_open_yet\"><\/span><strong>The 16 fields, and the 3 that are not open yet<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The programme launched in 2019 with 12 fields. A cabinet decision in <strong>March 2024<\/strong> took it to 16, adding automobile transportation, railway, forestry and the wood industry. Those are the ones you can apply in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In <strong>January 2026<\/strong> the government announced a policy direction towards <strong>19 fields<\/strong>, adding linen supply, warehouse logistics and resource circulation. That announcement is why plenty of guides now say 19. But a new field only becomes usable once the ordinances and sector rules are written, the skills test exists and an accepting body is in place. Until then there is nothing to apply for. Treat those three as coming, not open.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Field<\/th><th>SSW (ii) available<\/th><th>Notes<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Nursing care<\/td><td>Yes, via the separate Kaigo route<\/td><td>Extra Nursing Care Japanese Test on top of JFT-Basic or N4<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Building cleaning<\/td><td>Yes<\/td><td><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Industrial product manufacturing<\/td><td>Yes<\/td><td>Merged from three former manufacturing fields<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Construction<\/td><td>Yes<\/td><td>One of the two original SSW (ii) fields<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Shipbuilding and ship machinery<\/td><td>Yes<\/td><td>The other original SSW (ii) field<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Automobile repair and maintenance<\/td><td>Yes<\/td><td><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Aviation<\/td><td>Yes<\/td><td><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Accommodation<\/td><td>Yes<\/td><td><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Agriculture<\/td><td>Yes<\/td><td><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Fishery and aquaculture<\/td><td>Yes<\/td><td><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Food and beverage manufacturing<\/td><td>Yes<\/td><td><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Food service<\/td><td>Yes<\/td><td><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Automobile transportation<\/td><td>Not yet<\/td><td>Added March 2024<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Railway<\/td><td>Not yet<\/td><td>Added March 2024<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Forestry<\/td><td>Not yet<\/td><td>Added March 2024<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Wood industry<\/td><td>Not yet<\/td><td>Added March 2024<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><figcaption>The 16 operational Specified Skilled Worker fields. Linen supply, warehouse logistics and resource circulation were announced in January 2026 and are not yet open.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>One field is currently closed to new applicants, and it is a cap rather than a policy change.<\/strong> On <strong>13 April 2026<\/strong> Japan temporarily suspended new SSW (i) applications in <strong>food service<\/strong>, and the SSW (i) food service test is not being held in Japan or overseas. The reason is that SSW (i) food service residents are expected to exceed the ceiling of <strong>50,000<\/strong> set for the five years from FY2024 to FY2028. The SSW (ii) food service test is unaffected, and so are both tiers of food and beverage manufacturing, which is where most kitchen and production experience fits in the meantime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_two_tests_and_there_is_no_way_round_them\"><\/span><strong>The two tests, and there is no way round them<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This visa does not ask for a degree or for formal recognition of a qualification. It asks you to prove you can do the job and hold a conversation. Two exams, both before you apply:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Japanese.<\/strong> Either the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jpf.go.jp\/jft-basic\/e\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese<\/a> (JFT-Basic) or <strong>JLPT N4<\/strong> or above. Either is accepted; you do not need both.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>A skills evaluation test for your field.<\/strong> Set by the relevant Japanese ministry or industry body, held in Japan and in a number of partner countries, and specific to the sector. Passing the construction test does nothing for a food service application.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nursing care is the exception worth flagging. It carries a <strong>third exam<\/strong>, the Nursing Care Japanese Test, on top of the general language requirement, because the work depends on understanding and recording what a patient tells you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There is one common shortcut. Anyone who completed the Technical Intern Training Programme in a matching field has generally been able to move across without sitting either exam. That matters for the change coming in 2027, below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"SSW_i_and_SSW_ii_the_difference_that_decides_your_life\"><\/span><strong>SSW (i) and SSW (ii): the difference that decides your life<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These are two tiers of the same visa and they are not close to equivalent. The first is a job. The second is a future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th><\/th><th>SSW (i)<\/th><th>SSW (ii)<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Maximum stay<\/td><td>5 years in total<\/td><td>Renewable with no upper limit<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Family<\/td><td><strong>Not permitted<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Spouse and children may join<\/strong> on a Dependent visa<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Fields available<\/td><td>All 16<\/td><td>11 of the 16<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Route to permanent residence<\/td><td>No, the clock runs out<\/td><td>Yes, years count towards it<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Support plan<\/td><td>Employer must provide one<\/td><td>Not required<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Entry requirement<\/td><td>The two tests<\/td><td>A higher skills test, usually plus supervisory experience<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><figcaption>SSW (i) against SSW (ii). The five year ceiling on tier one is the reason tier two matters.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Until 2023, SSW (ii) existed in only two fields, construction and shipbuilding. A cabinet decision that year expanded it to <strong>11<\/strong>, which quietly turned the programme from a five year work stint into a settlement route for factory workers, mechanics, farm workers and cooks. Nursing care sits outside it because it has its own long term <em>Kaigo<\/em> visa that does the same job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The practical advice: before you accept a job, check whether your field offers tier two and ask the employer whether they support people moving up to it. On tier one your five years are finite and your family stays home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_many_places_there_are\"><\/span><strong>How many places there are<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Japan sets ceilings for the programme rather than a queue you compete in, and the numbers were revised at the end of 2025:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Status<\/th><th>Ceiling<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Specified Skilled Worker (i)<\/td><td>805,700<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Employment for Skill Development, the new status<\/td><td>426,200<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Combined<\/td><td>About 1.23 million<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><figcaption>Programme ceilings under the revised plan, replacing the 820,000 SSW figure set in March 2024.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For context on how much room that leaves: the number of Specified Skilled Workers in Japan reached a record <strong>390,296<\/strong> as of March 2026. The ceiling is roughly double the current intake, so the cap is not what will stop you. The tests and finding a registered employer are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_2027_change_you_should_plan_around\"><\/span><strong>The 2027 change you should plan around<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Technical Intern Training Programme, the route long criticised for tying workers to a single employer, is being abolished. In its place comes <strong>Employment for Skill Development<\/strong>, starting <strong>April 2027<\/strong>, designed explicitly to feed people into the Specified Skilled Worker route rather than send them home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Two things follow if you are deciding now. If you were considering the old training programme as a back door, that door is closing, and going directly for this visa is the cleaner path. And if you are already in Japan on technical intern training, find out how your status maps onto the new system before it starts, because the exam waiver that route carries is the most valuable thing you hold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_to_do_next\"><\/span><strong>What to do next<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Pick your field from the 16 that are open, and check whether it offers SSW (ii).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Book the language test you can pass soonest, JFT-Basic or JLPT N4. Neither is hard by exam standards and both are the gate.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Find the skills evaluation test for that field and where it is held in your country.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Only then look for an employer, because a registered employer will expect both results.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The official sources are worth using directly, since sector rules change faster than guides do: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mofa.go.jp\/mofaj\/ca\/fna\/ssw\/us\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the Ministry of Foreign Affairs procedure page<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.moj.go.jp\/isa\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the Immigration Services Agency<\/a>. When you are ready for vacancies, <a href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/jobs\">search shortage jobs with visa sponsorship on our job board<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you are weighing Japan against other options, we also cover <a href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/8-countries-with-job-seeker-visas\/\">countries that let you arrive before you have a job offer<\/a>, which Japan does not, and <a href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/the-complete-guide-to-work-visas-for-skilled-workers-in-japan\/\">the wider set of Japanese work visas<\/a> for anyone who does hold a degree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Last checked September 2026. Field lists, skills tests and programme ceilings are set by cabinet decision and sector ordinance and change without much warning, so confirm your own field before you pay for an exam.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n<!-- sj:related -->\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"More_on_working_in_Japan\"><\/span><strong>More on working in Japan<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/the-complete-guide-to-work-visas-for-skilled-workers-in-japan\/\">The Complete Guide to Work Visas for Skilled Workers in Japan<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Japan&#8217;s Specified Skilled Worker Visa, tokutei ginou, is the country&#8217;s main route for workers without a university degree. It is open in 16 fields, it&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1211,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"2","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/japans-specified-skilled-worker-visa-a-complete-guide\/","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-219","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-japan"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is 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