Japan Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) Visa
Japan JPN
Japan's Specified Skilled Worker visa was introduced in 2019 to address severe labour shortages in 14 designated industries including nursing care, construction, agriculture, food service, and shipbuilding. SSW-1 status requires passing a sector-specific skills test and Japanese language proficiency exam (JLPT N4 or equivalent), and allows up to a cumulative 5 years of work without family sponsorship rights. SSW-2 status, available in select industries, permits indefinite renewal and the right to bring family members, creating a practical long-term residency pathway for skilled blue-collar and service workers.
Program Details
- Category
- Skilled Worker
- Processing Time
- 2 months
- Application Fee
- $60
- Minimum Income
- —
- Minimum Investment
- —
- Family Included
- No
- Path to PR
- Yes — 10 years
- Path to Citizenship
- Yes — 10 years
- Physical Presence
- Must reside and work continuously in Japan; SSW-1 is capped at a cumulative 5 years of stay; SSW-2 allows indefinite renewal without a total cap
- Dual Citizenship
- Not allowed
- Tax Impact
- Workers residing in Japan are subject to Japanese income tax on worldwide income after five years of residency; prior to five years, only Japan-sourced income is taxed
- Renewal Cost
- $60
No fixed minimum income; salary must meet sector-specific wage standards and be equivalent to or higher than wages paid to Japanese workers in the same role
Application Timeline
Apply
2mo processing
Visa Granted
Initial permit
Permanent Residency
After 10 years
Citizenship
After 10 years
Key Requirements
- ✓Pass the relevant industry-specific skills evaluation test for the target sector (SSW-1), or hold Technical Intern Training (ii) or (iii) certification as an exemption
- ✓Pass the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT N4 minimum) or equivalent — some sectors exempt Technical Intern graduates
- ✓Valid employment contract with a registered Japanese employer in one of the 14 designated sectors
- ✓Proof of compliance with sector wage standards
- ✓No prior immigration violations in Japan
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Application Process — Step by Step
- 01
Pass sector-specific skills test AND Japanese language test (JLPT N4 minimum)
home countrySSW-1 requires: (1) A skills test approved by the supervising ministry for one of 14 designated sectors (construction, food service, accommodation, care work, agriculture, fishing, food/beverage manufacturing, industrial machinery, electric/electronics, auto repair, shipbuilding, aviation, building cleaning, materials processing); AND (2) Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) N4 (basic Japanese) OR Japanese Language NAT-TEST level 4/5, or equivalent. Some sectors conduct integrated skills + language tests. Test schedules and venues vary by sector. Alternatively, completion of a Technical Intern Training (TITP) programme of 3+ years in the same sector waives these tests.
Typical duration: 3-12 months (test preparation)source ↗
- 02
Find a Japanese employer in a designated SSW sector
home countrySecure a formal job offer from a registered Japanese employer in one of the 14 designated sectors. Employers must be registered with the relevant supervising ministry. The employer sponsors the CoE application. Many SSW workers are placed through registered Registered Support Organisations (RSOs) or through the government-to-government framework for countries with bilateral labour agreements (Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Nepal, etc.).
Typical duration: 1-3 monthssource ↗
- 03
Employer applies for Certificate of Eligibility (CoE)
destinationEmployer or RSO submits CoE application to the Regional Immigration Services Bureau, attaching skills test result, language test result, employment contract, and sector-specific forms. Processing: 1-3 months.
Typical duration: 4-12 weekssource ↗
- 04
Apply for SSW visa at Japanese Embassy/Consulate
home countryPresent CoE at the Japanese embassy/consulate in your home country. Consular processing typically 5-10 business days.
Typical duration: 1-2 weekssource ↗
- 05
Enter Japan, register address, and begin employment
destinationRegister address at municipal office within 14 days of arrival. Receive Residence Card. Employer must support enrollment in social insurance and pension.
Typical duration: 1 week
Documents Required
| Document | Issued By | Apostille | Translate to | Validity (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valid passport | Home country | No | — | 365 |
| Skills test certificate for designated sector | Sector test organisation / JITCO | No | ja | — |
| JLPT N4 certificate or equivalent Japanese language qualification | JLPT / Japan Foundation | No | — | — |
| Employment contract (Japanese) | Employer in Japan | No | — | 90 |
| Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) — employer-filed | Japan Regional Immigration Services Bureau | No | — | 90 |
| Health check certificate | Approved medical institution | No | ja | 90 |
| Certificate of TITP completion (if waiving tests) | TITP supervising organisation | No | — | — |
Realistic Costs
Some figures below are industry estimates rather than officially verified: lawyer_fee_high, translations, relocation_misc, total_first_year_low, total_first_year_high, total_5_year_low, total_5_year_high.
Skills test fees vary by sector (JPY 5,000-30,000). JLPT registration fee JPY 5,500-7,000. Most other costs borne by employer under SSW support obligations. RSO fees (if used) may be charged to employers, not workers. Japan prohibits charging workers "sending fees" in many bilateral agreements but illegal fee practices persist in some countries.
Realistic Timeline
- Consulate wait2–8 weeks
- Decision → arrival2 weeks
- Residence card issuance0 weeks
- Total to residence card24–72 weeks
Test preparation and scheduling is the longest phase — JLPT is held only twice a year (July and December) in many countries. Plan 6-18 months from start to arrival. CoE processing 1-3 months.
Renewal
- First renewal after
- 12 months
- Subsequent cycle
- 12 months
- Renewal fee
- $30
- Requirements
- SSW-1 renewable annually up to a cumulative maximum of 5 years. Each renewal requires continued employment in the same sector with a qualifying employer. After 5 years, must exit Japan or qualify for SSW-2 (available in 9 of 14 sectors). SSW-2 is renewable indefinitely and allows family accompaniment.
Path to Permanent Residency — Details
- Years required
- 10
- Max days absent / year
- 100
- Language test
- JLPT (B1)
- Integration test
- Not required
- Application fee
- $80
Path to Citizenship — Details
- Years required
- 5
- Language test
- Yes (B1)
- Civic test
- Not required
- Oath
- Not required
- Dual citizenship
- Not allowed
- Application fee
- $300
Tax Residency
- Trigger
- 183 days/year of presence
- Taxation scope
- Worldwide income
- Exit-tax country
- No
Special regimes
- Non-Permanent Resident StatusUnremitted foreign-source income exempt from Japan tax (first 5 years)
Foreign nationals with less than 5 cumulative years of Japan residency in the past 10 years.
Duration: 5 years
source ↗
Health Insurance
- Mandatory
- Yes
- Public system access
- After 0 months
Examples: Shakai Hoken (employer-based), National Health Insurance (NHI)
Family Specifics
- Spouse work rights
- SSW-1 does NOT allow family accompaniment at all — spouses and children cannot obtain dependent visas linked to SSW-1 status.
- Child school enrolment
- Not applicable — family accompaniment not permitted under SSW-1.
- Parent inclusion
- Not eligible
- Sibling inclusion
- Not eligible
Gotchas — Things to Watch For
- ⚠SSW-1 has a 5-year cumulative maximum — it is NOT a permanent status and does NOT automatically lead to PR
- ⚠Family accompaniment is NOT permitted on SSW-1 — spouses and children cannot join you in Japan on SSW-1
- ⚠SSW-2 (allows family and indefinite renewal) is only available in 9 of the 14 sectors — confirm your sector qualifies before planning long-term
- ⚠JLPT is held only twice per year (July and December) in most countries — failing the test delays your timeline by 6 months
- ⚠Illegal recruitment fees remain a significant problem in some sending countries — report violations to your country's labour authority
- ⚠Changing employer is permitted but requires Immigration notification and must remain within the same sector
- ⚠Japan's pension system requires contributions even for short stays; lump-sum withdrawal available on departure for those with under 10 years enrolled
Common Rejection Reasons
- •Skills test certificate not from a government-approved testing body for the specific sector
- •JLPT N4 certificate expired or from unrecognised test provider
- •Employer not registered with the supervising ministry for the declared sector
- •Employment contract terms below Japanese minimum wage or sector wage standards
- •Health check revealing disqualifying conditions
- •Prior Japan overstay or immigration violation
Recent Legislative Changes
2024-03-01
Further expansion: SSW sectors count increased to 14, adding automobile transportation, forestry, and timber industries to the original 11 sectors.source ↗
2023-06-09
Japan announced expansion of SSW-2 eligibility from 2 sectors (construction and shipbuilding) to 9 sectors, significantly broadening the path to indefinite-renewal status and family accompaniment for SSW workers.source ↗
2019-04-01
Specified Skilled Worker (SSW / Tokutei Ginou) programme launched under revised Immigration Control Act, creating SSW-1 and SSW-2 categories to address Japan's severe labour shortage in 14 designated sectors.source ↗
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my family join me in Japan on SSW-1?+
No. SSW-1 explicitly does not permit family accompaniment (spouse or children). This distinguishes it from SSW-2, which allows family members to accompany. If family accompaniment is your priority, you must advance to SSW-2 — available after demonstrating skills proficiency and available in 9 of 14 sectors.
What is the difference between SSW-1 and SSW-2?+
SSW-1: capped at 5 cumulative years, no family allowed, requires skills + Japanese language test. SSW-2: no time limit, family accompaniment permitted, requires higher-level skills test (no separate language test needed for most sectors), available in 9 of 14 sectors. SSW-2 effectively functions as a long-term residence status and can be a stepping stone to PR.
Which sectors are available for SSW?+
As of 2024, the 14 designated sectors are: building cleaning management, machinery parts & tooling, industrial machinery, electric/electronics/info, construction, shipbuilding/marine, automobile repair, aviation, accommodation, agriculture, fishing & aquaculture, food/beverage manufacturing, food service, care work, and from 2024 additions: automobile transportation, forestry, timber. Check the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and Ministry of Agriculture for the latest list.
Good Fit For
Applying from a specific country? Your home-country tax rules, banking access, and dual-citizenship options affect every programme differently. Browse nationality guides → for tax obligations, renunciation rules, and second-passport routes.