Specified Skilled Worker & Registered Support Organizations: Hiring and Support
For businesses hiring foreign nationals under the Specified Skilled Worker status, this guide explains the differences between Specified Skilled Worker (i) and (ii), acceptance requirements, and the 10 mandatory support items. Find out about the responsibilities that remain with the business even when it outsources support to a Registered Support Organization, examples of application documents, how to compare support cost estimates, and the process from hiring through post-employment notifications.
Specified Skilled Worker Types 1 and 2: Differences and Eligible Jobs
Specified Skilled Worker is a status of residence for work requiring a certain level of skill in designated industrial fields. It is not a system that allows hiring for any industry or job simply because there is a labor shortage. Specified Skilled Worker (i) is generally limited to a total of five years and is subject to mandatory support; in principle, accompanying family members are not permitted. Specified Skilled Worker (ii) requires advanced skills and has no cap on the total period of stay through extensions. If the requirements are met, a spouse and children may be brought to Japan. Those with Specified Skilled Worker (ii) are not subject to the mandatory support requirements for Specified Skilled Worker (i), but transition is not automatic. Check the examination and experience requirements for each field and job category.
[1][2][3]Employment Conditions and Legal Compliance for Accepting Businesses
In addition to ensuring that the duties match the applicable field, businesses must provide appropriate employment conditions, including remuneration equal to or greater than that paid to Japanese workers engaged in comparable duties and prescribed working hours equivalent to those of regular workers. Compliance with laws concerning labor, social insurance, and taxes is also required. Businesses that have not enrolled in social insurance when required to do so cannot accept Specified Skilled Workers. The business’s own eligibility, its support system for Specified Skilled Worker (i), and its support plan are also subject to review. Check field-specific standards as well, such as joining the relevant field council before applying. Outsourcing support does not exempt a business from these requirements.
[1][2][3]The 10 Mandatory Support Items for Specified Skilled Worker (i)
The support plan for Specified Skilled Worker (i) must include: ① pre-arrival guidance; ② transportation to and from ports of entry and departure; ③ assistance in securing housing and entering into contracts necessary for daily life; ④ orientation on daily life in Japan; ⑤ accompaniment for public procedures and similar matters; ⑥ opportunities to learn Japanese; ⑦ consultation and handling of complaints; ⑧ promotion of interaction with Japanese people; ⑨ job-change support if the worker loses their job for reasons not attributable to them; and ⑩ regular interviews and reporting to government agencies. Simply referring the worker to a service desk may not be sufficient. Specify practical measures, such as providing explanations in a language the worker can understand and accompanying them when necessary. Interviews must be conducted with the foreign national and their supervisor or other relevant person at least once every three months.
[2][3]Registered Support Organizations: Outsourcing and Employer Responsibilities
Support for Specified Skilled Worker (i) may be provided in-house or outsourced in whole or in part to a Registered Support Organization. If all support is outsourced, the business is deemed to meet the standards for a support system, but this does not transfer responsibility for fulfilling the employment contract or the business’s notification obligations. If only part of the support is outsourced, the business must ensure that it has the necessary system in place, including for the support it provides itself. The contract must specify the support to be provided and the amount and breakdown of the fees; agree on the division of responsibilities and how information will be shared. Check the provider in the Immigration Services Agency’s register, and confirm the languages it can handle and the scope of its in-person services. Registered Support Organizations are not permitted to re-outsource support services.
[2][3][4]Procedures from Hiring Through the Start of Work
First, check the planned duties and the business’s eligibility, then confirm that the candidate has passed the required skills and Japanese-language tests or meets the exemption requirements. Conclude an employment contract, prepare a support plan for Specified Skilled Worker (i), appoint a support manager or choose an outsourcing provider, and conduct pre-arrival guidance and a medical examination before applying. For hires from overseas, apply for a Certificate of Eligibility, obtain a visa, and proceed to entry into Japan. For people already in Japan, apply for any required change of status of residence. Depending on the person’s nationality, procedures in the country of origin may also be required. Do not start work solely on the basis of a job offer or application receipt; confirm that the person has a status of residence and scope of activities that permit the work. Permission or completion of the examination by any particular date is not guaranteed.
[1][2][3]Items Included in Support Costs and Comparing Estimates
When reviewing a quotation, check what is included in the initial pre-arrival guidance and housing-contract assistance, as well as monthly consultation support, Japanese-language learning guidance, and regular interviews. Compare whether transportation for accompanied travel, interpretation, visits to distant locations, and additional accompaniment incur separate charges. If there are job placement fees or residence application fees in addition to the support outsourcing fee, ask for them to be listed separately. It is easier to make a decision by comparing the total cost for the same period and number of people, including initial and additional fees, rather than looking only at the monthly fee. The company must bear the cost of mandatory support; it cannot pass that cost on to the individual. Treat these costs separately from living expenses such as rent and utilities.
[2][3][5]Continue interviews, recordkeeping, and notifications after hiring
After employment begins, keep records of support provided, consultations, and interview results, and operate in accordance with the employment conditions and support plan. Periodic notifications to Immigration Services are submitted once a year, covering the period from April 1 through March 31 of the following year, and are due by May 31 of that following year. If the deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or public holiday, it moves to the next business day. Even when all support is outsourced, the company compiles and submits information on the Registered Support Organization’s provision of support. Do not confuse the requirement to conduct regular interviews “at least once every three months” with the notification frequency. Separate notifications must also be filed as needed for changes to the employment contract, support plan, or outsourcing contract, or when accepting the person becomes difficult.
[2][4]Documents and supporting materials to prepare
The following are examples of materials to prepare. Required documents vary depending on your status of residence and application. Please check the relevant official list of documents to be submitted.
Documents concerning the individual’s identity, skills, and health
Examples include the application form, photograph, passport or residence card, documents confirming that the person passed skills and Japanese-language tests, and an individual medical examination record. When transitioning from Technical Intern Training, check documents demonstrating satisfactory completion or eligibility for exemption from examinations. The documents to be submitted or presented differ between an application for a Certificate of Eligibility from overseas and an application to change or extend status in Japan, so use the latest applicable checklist of required documents.
[1][3]Documents explaining the employment contract and remuneration
Examples include the Specified Skilled Worker employment contract, statement of employment conditions, and explanation of remuneration for the Specified Skilled Worker. Set out the intended duties, place of work, working hours, base salary and allowances, and costs to be deducted, and explain how the remuneration is equivalent to that of Japanese workers. Explain the terms in a language the individual can adequately understand, and check that the contract, support plan, and application are consistent.
[1][3]Documents for checking the accepting company and field-specific requirements
Examples include documents confirming the company’s profile and business activities, fulfillment of tax and social insurance obligations, and field-specific written pledges or membership in the relevant council. Some documents may be omitted depending on the company’s characteristics, its track record of accepting workers in the same fiscal year, and the application category. Do not rely on a single standard set of documents; cross-check the lists for the accepting organization and the relevant field.
[1][3]Documents concerning the Support Plan for Specified Skilled Worker (i) and outsourced support
Examples include the Support Plan for Specified Skilled Worker (i), support outsourcing contract, and written explanation concerning the support outsourcing contract with a Registered Support Organization. Specify who will provide support, in what language, when, and to what extent. The systems to check differ for in-house support and full outsourcing. The outsourcing contract must clearly state the support services and the fees and their breakdown.
[1][2][3]Support records and documents for notifications
Keep confirmation forms for pre-arrival guidance and daily-life orientation, consultation records, and regular interview reports. For periodic notifications, organize information on acceptance, activities, and support provided; where all support is outsourced, obtain the necessary documents from the Registered Support Organization. Use the current forms for notifications, and manage separately any notifications required when the support plan or contractor changes.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is it mandatory to outsource support to a Registered Support Organization?
No. A company may provide support in-house if it meets the standards for a support system and can implement an appropriate support plan. However, simply appointing a person in charge is not enough: the company must also be able to respond to consultations in a language the individual understands and provide support from a neutral standpoint. If the company cannot handle some aspects itself, consider outsourcing all or part of the support.
[2][3]Can I also ask a Registered Support Organization to provide recruitment or application services?
Registration as a Registered Support Organization and authorization for employment placement services are separate systems. If you want someone to refer job candidates or new employers, separately check the licenses or other authorizations required to provide employment placement services. Handling residence applications also requires the prescribed authorization and procedures for online use. Do not assume that “a Registered Support Organization can handle everything”; confirm who is responsible for support, placement, and applications, and the fees for each.
[3][5]How should we explain the salary if there are no Japanese employees doing the same work?
The fact that there is no comparable Japanese employee does not, by itself, make acceptance impossible. If there are wage regulations, check the applicable standards. If there are none, consider comparisons with Japanese employees performing similar duties, taking into account their position and responsibilities, age, and experience. If there are no Japanese employees to compare with, Immigration Services will make a determination based on remuneration information for similar businesses in the area that it holds, among other information. Stating only that the salary is at least the minimum wage does not explain the requirement for remuneration equal to or greater than that of Japanese workers.
[3]Can a university graduate be assigned on-site work under Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services?
A person’s university graduation alone does not allow work that does not require specialized knowledge, such as on-site work, to be their principal work under Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services. Check whether the actual duties, not just the job title, are appropriate for the status of residence. Specified Skilled Worker is also not a status that permits all kinds of on-site work; the work must fit an eligible field and job category, and the individual must meet the skills requirements. Separate specialized duties from on-site duties, and specify the responsibilities in detail before hiring.
[1][6]Operating Office and Consultation Staff
Imai Administrative Scrivener Office
Staff for consultations on status of residence applications: 今井善実 Administrative Scrivener
Please see the office information for details about our services and the scope of consultations. Articles do not promise that we will accept an individual case or that an application will be approved.