When considering hiring Specified Skilled Worker personnel for a food factory, it is important to check step by step whether the duties qualify for the food and beverage manufacturing field, whether candidates meet exam and other requirements, and whether the accepting organization meets the applicable standards. We welcome recruitment and job-posting inquiries from companies nationwide and help organize Status of Residence procedures. Please confirm in advance whether employment placement is available, its fees, and individual requirements.
Do not group all eligible duties under “food factory work”
The official field name is “food and beverage manufacturing.” The duties for Specified Skilled Worker (i) are the manufacture and processing of food and beverages other than alcoholic beverages, and ensuring food safety and hygiene. Before recruitment, check whether the establishment falls under a designated Japan Standard Industrial Classification and whether the planned duties are within this scope. Not every food factory or related task automatically qualifies. Separate ancillary duties from the main duties, and check the planned assignments after hiring as well.
Check exam, Japanese-language, and candidate requirements before hiring
For Specified Skilled Worker (i), candidates generally need to pass the Food and Beverage Manufacturing Specified Skilled Worker (i) Evaluation Test and either the Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese (JFT-Basic) or the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) at N4 level or higher. People who have satisfactorily completed eligible Technical Intern Training (ii) may be exempt from exams and other requirements, but check documents confirming the match with their completed occupation and job category. For those considering Specified Skilled Worker (ii), practical experience instructing and managing multiple employees is also required, in addition to passing the evaluation test. It is important to compare candidates’ pass certificates and work histories with the duties they will be assigned at an early stage.
Specify duties and employment conditions in the job posting
In the job posting, specify which manufacturing, processing, and food-safety duties the worker will perform, along with the work location, working hours, wages, and required skills and Japanese-language ability. Do not determine eligibility based only on descriptions such as “food factory work” or “waste processing.” Also confirm that direct employment is required for Specified Skilled Worker positions. Separating the main duties from ancillary tasks can help reduce differences in understanding with candidates and insufficient explanations at the application stage. For recruitment and job-posting inquiries from companies nationwide, we start by reviewing the duties and employment conditions.
Prepare accepting-organization requirements and the support plan together
Organizations accepting workers in the food and beverage manufacturing field should check requirements such as joining the Food Industry Specified Skilled Worker Council, cooperating with surveys by the council and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and explaining the career advancement plan in advance. The support plan is also important for Specified Skilled Worker (i). Establish a system to provide pre-arrival guidance, assistance with housing and daily-life procedures, opportunities to learn Japanese, consultation services, and regular interviews in a way the worker can understand. If support is outsourced to a Registered Support Organization, check that the provider meets requirements for the field, including council membership. Whether or not support is outsourced, the accepting organization must confirm that it has the necessary systems in place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a food factory hire under the Specified Skilled Worker food and beverage manufacturing field?
No. We check whether the work involves manufacturing or processing food and beverages other than alcoholic beverages, and ensuring food safety and hygiene, and whether it meets the standards for the establishment’s industry classification and other criteria. Do not decide based only on the phrase “work inside a factory”; specify the planned duties and check them.
Can food waste or waste-processing duties be assigned under the Specified Skilled Worker food manufacturing field?
It cannot automatically be considered part of the food field. Resource circulation is a separate field, and its field-specific operational policy was approved by the Cabinet on January 23, 2026. Ministry of the Environment materials describe preparations aimed at beginning acceptance in 2027. To confirm whether workers can actually be accepted, check the effective date, exams, council certification, and the latest guidelines.
Are job recruitment, employment placement, and Status of Residence application assistance the same?
They are not the same. Organizing a job posting and an administrative scrivener’s work, such as preparing documents for Status of Residence procedures and acting as an application intermediary, are separate from paid employment placement. If hiring involves placement, check the placement provider’s valid authorization, scope of services, and fees before entering into a contract.
Official Resources and Related Consultation Services
Systems and public consultation services may change. Please check the latest official information when proceeding with an application. Public consultation services are separate from our office.
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan: “Food and Beverage Manufacturing Field”
- Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: “Expanding the Acceptance of Foreign Personnel in the Food and Beverage Manufacturing Field”
- Ministry of the Environment: “Specified Skilled Worker Program and Employment for Skill Development Program in the Resource Circulation Field”
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We accept inquiries from companies nationwide about hiring foreign workers, job openings, and checking statuses of residence. We do not guarantee successful recruitment or approval of a status of residence.
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