Who this is for
- Accepting companies wishing to outsource support for Specified Skilled Worker (i)
- Corporations and sole proprietors considering initial registration or renewal as a Registered Support Organization
Main application and consultation offices:Applications for registration or renewal must be submitted to the regional Immigration Services Bureau or branch office with jurisdiction over the head office or principal place of business. Airport branch offices and field offices are excluded. Applications may be submitted by post, but online applications for registration or renewal are not available.
Role and registration requirements of Registered Support Organizations
An accepting company must prepare a support plan for a foreign national under Specified Skilled Worker (i) and provide support in accordance with that plan. A Registered Support Organization is engaged by the company to carry out that support. This support-plan system applies to Specified Skilled Worker (i); it does not uniformly require the same support plan for Specified Skilled Worker (ii).
For registration, the organization must be able to implement the entire support plan, in addition to not falling under any statutory grounds for refusal of registration. The required supporting documents vary depending on which experience requirements apply, including the organization's experience in accepting foreign nationals and providing consultation services, and the experience of its support supervisor and support staff. Sole proprietors, as well as corporations, may apply.
Differences to consider when choosing full or partial outsourcing
If the receiving company entrusts a Registered Support Organization with implementing the entire support plan, the company is deemed to meet the standards concerning its support system. However, this does not transfer the employer’s obligations. The company is also responsible for preparing the support plan. Confirm whether the contractor can actually provide support at the work and residential locations and in the required languages.
For partial outsourcing, specify the scope of the outsourced work in the support plan, and the company itself must meet the standards for its support system. Regular interviews and reporting to administrative agencies cannot be separated out and outsourced on their own. A Registered Support Organization is also prohibited from further outsourcing the actual implementation of support it has accepted. This is distinct from using necessary assistants, such as interpreters.
Supporting materials:[3]
Items to specify in the support plan and contract
Mandatory support includes pre-arrival guidance, transportation upon entry to and departure from Japan, assistance with housing and living-related contracts, daily-life orientation, accompanying the person to public procedures, information on Japanese-language learning, handling consultations and complaints, promoting community interaction, assistance with finding a new job if employment ends for reasons attributable to the receiving side, and regular interviews and reporting. Decide who is responsible for each type of support and how it will be provided, and prepare the plan with the coexistence measures of the municipality where the workplace and residence are located in mind.
Prepare the support plan in a language the person can fully understand, explain it, provide a copy, and obtain their signature confirming that they understand it. When entering into the contract, clearly state the amount and breakdown of support costs. The person must not be charged, directly or indirectly, for mandatory support, including through deductions from wages. Support outsourcing fees and official fees for registration applications are separate costs.
Supporting materials:[3]
Registration renewal and notifications after support begins
Registration is valid for five years. Apply for renewal from the first day of the month six months before the expiration date through the last day of the month four months before the expiration date. Even if an application is pending, the organization may not provide support services as a Registered Support Organization if renewal is not granted by the expiration date. The summary forms for initial registration and renewal are different.
For periodic notifications from April 2026 onward, the receiving company must submit information covering April 1 through March 31 of the following year by May 31 of that following year. Even when all support is outsourced, the Registered Support Organization provides the company with materials on the status of support, and the company compiles and submits them. Even if periodic notifications are submitted once a year, regular interviews must be held at least once every three months. Separately track ad hoc notifications arising from changes to the contractor or support plan, changes to the Registered Support Organization’s registration details, and other such matters.
Checking required documents and where to obtain them
The documents listed are representative examples. Required materials vary depending on the type of application, such as an application for a Certificate of Eligibility, change, or extension, as well as your current status of residence, affiliated organization, nationality, and family relationships. Additional materials may be requested for individual cases.
Main documents to be prepared by the organization applying for registration or renewal
Registered Support Organization Registration (Renewal) Application and fee payment form
- Purpose
- To apply for registration details and pay the official fee.
- Issuing office / document preparer
- The applicant completes the Immigration Services Agency form and prepares revenue stamps.
- Points to check
- At the time of application, pay ¥28,400 for initial registration or ¥11,100 for renewal. Outsourcing fees and professional fees are not included.
Certificate of registered matters and copies of the articles of incorporation, etc.
- Purpose
- To confirm the corporation’s existence and organizational structure.
- Issuing office / document preparer
- Obtain the certificate of registered matters from the Legal Affairs Bureau and the articles of incorporation and related documents from the corporation’s records.
- Points to check
- Used for registration or renewal by a corporation. Sole proprietors must prepare different documents, such as a certificate of residence.
Certificate of residence of an officer or sole proprietor / documents showing the office address
- Purpose
- To confirm the person’s information and the location of the applicant organization.
- Issuing office / document preparer
- Obtain the certificate of residence from the municipal office. The applicant should provide documents it keeps, such as the office lease agreement.
- Points to check
- A “copy” of a certificate of residence is a document issued by the municipal office. Ensure the listed details match the checklist. A written undertaking may be accepted in place of documents for officers who are not directly involved in support services. If a sole proprietor’s office address differs from the address on their certificate of residence, documents showing the office location are required.
Main documents demonstrating the support system
Registered Support Organization Summary / Registered Support Organization Written Undertaking
- Purpose
- To describe the organization and its support system and confirm compliance with the standards.
- Issuing office / document preparer
- The applicant organization completes the Immigration Services Agency reference forms.
- Points to check
- Use the registration form for an initial application and the renewal form for renewal. Do not simply reuse previous documents; update them to reflect the current system.
Resumes, letters of acceptance of appointment, and written undertakings for the support supervisor and support staff
- Purpose
- To confirm the personnel’s experience, willingness to take up their roles, and compliance with the standards.
- Issuing office / document preparer
- Each person in charge completes the Immigration Services Agency reference form.
- Points to check
- Used for registration or renewal. If experience in consultation services is used to meet an experience requirement, also consider preparing separate documents proving the period of experience, in addition to the resume.
Documents showing experience in receiving foreign nationals and providing daily-life consultations
- Purpose
- To prove that the selected experience requirement is met.
- Issuing office / document preparer
- Records of past foreign-national admissions, consultation service agreements, records of fee payments, certificates from former or current workplaces, etc.
- Points to check
- Prepare lists of accepted mid- to long-term residents, people for whom daily-life consultation services were provided, and similar records, according to the applicable requirement. For renewals, there are cases in which the list of accepted foreign nationals may be omitted, such as when the organization has a record of providing support as a Registered Support Organization.
Main documents to be prepared by the receiving company and contractor
Support Plan for Specified Skilled Worker (i)
- Purpose
- To clearly specify the support, responsible personnel, and scope of outsourcing for each foreign national.
- Issuing office / document preparer
- The receiving company prepares the plan using the Immigration Services Agency form and explains it to the person.
- Points to check
- Prepare this for the application for approval or change. Determine whether it must be submitted or may be omitted at renewal by checking the checklist for the person’s application for a status of residence, and distinguish this from notifications of changes to the plan.
Support outsourcing agreement / materials explaining costs
- Purpose
- To agree on the scope of support, how it will be provided, and the amount and breakdown of costs.
- Issuing office / document preparer
- Prepared by the receiving company and the Registered Support Organization.
- Points to check
- For a registration application, prepare a document explaining the applicant organization’s anticipated fees. Separately confirm whether materials explaining the outsourcing agreement must be submitted with the person’s application for a Certificate of Eligibility, change of status of residence, or extension of period of stay.
Periodic notification materials, including support implementation status and signature fields
- Purpose
- To reflect the support actually provided in the receiving company’s periodic notification.
- Issuing office / document preparer
- Prepared by the Registered Support Organization and provided to the receiving company.
- Points to check
- Used when all support is outsourced. Whether a signature field is required depends on the submission method and other factors. Keep consultation and interview records as well so that the support provided can be verified.
Consultation and application preparation process
- 1
Decide on support methods and responsibilities
Compare full outsourcing, partial outsourcing, and in-house support, and clarify the places where support will be provided, languages available, emergency contacts, and obligations that remain with the company.
Supporting materials:[3]
- 2
- 3
Align the contract with the individual’s support plan
The company and the contractor agree on the scope and costs, then explain them to the individual in a language they understand. Preliminary guidance must be provided before an application for certification or change of status is filed.
Supporting materials:[3]
- 4
Points to check before applying
- The materials listed are examples of key preparations, not a complete list of requirements common to every case. The checklists for registration or renewal and for the individual’s residence status application are separate. Additional documents may also be requested.
- Registration or permission to reside is not guaranteed. Please confirm during your consultation whether we can undertake the specific support services, which languages are available for consultations, how the services differ from employment placement, and the scope of the engagement.
This page provides general information about the system and does not determine individual cases or guarantee permission or approval. Required documents and requirements vary depending on individual circumstances. When applying, check the latest official information and consult an administrative scrivener about the procedures suited to your situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
If support is outsourced, does the company have nothing else to do?
No. The company remains responsible for preparing the support plan, fulfilling its obligations as the employer, and filing its own notifications. For periodic notifications, the company must also compile information on the contractor’s support activities and submit it.
Does registration also allow me to provide employment placement services?
Registration as a Registered Support Organization is separate from a license or notification for employment placement services. If you intend to provide job placement and referral services as part of employment-change support, check whether the necessary license or other requirements apply.
Supporting materials:[3]
Can I continue providing support after the deadline if I have filed an application for renewal?
Filing an application alone does not allow you to continue. You must obtain renewal within the validity period. To prevent any interruption in support if the registration expires, also check the company’s arrangements for an alternative support structure.
Official Immigration and Legal Affairs Sources
Check the following official pages for application forms and the latest required submission materials. Official materials are displayed in Japanese or other languages provided by each organization.
- [1] Immigration Services Agency of Japan: Application for Registration as a Registered Support Organization (including the list of documents to submit and checklist)
- [2] Immigration Services Agency of Japan: Application for Renewal of Registration as a Registered Support Organization (including the renewal checklist)
- [3] Immigration Services Agency of Japan: Operational Guidelines for Support for Specified Skilled Worker (i) Foreign Nationals
- [4] Immigration Services Agency of Japan: Notifications by Specified Skilled Worker Affiliated Organizations and Registered Support Organizations