Specified Skilled Worker in Japan: Fields, Tests, and Process
Specified Skilled Worker in Japan: Fields, Tests, and Process
Japan's Specified Skilled Worker status, usually shortened to SSW, can be a work route even when a university degree is not the central requirement. It only fits when your intended duties fall within a current SSW field, that route is operating for your application, you meet the skills and Japanese requirements or a documented exemption, and a qualifying employer offers the right contract and support.
A field appearing on a government list does not mean every job in that industry qualifies. It also does not mean a test, application route, job, Certificate of Eligibility, visa, status change, or entry is guaranteed.
Use this guide as general planning information, not individualized immigration, legal, employment, labor, recruitment, tax, pension, insurance, housing, or financial advice. Requirements can change independently by field, test provider, nationality, residence, employer, and application type.
Official sources and current field notices for this guide were checked on August 11, 2026.
Quick Answer
| Question | Practical answer |
|---|---|
| Is SSW a Japan work route without a degree? | A university degree is not a general SSW requirement, but this is not an easy or open-ended route. Your field, duties, tests or exemption, Japanese, employer, contract, support, and application all have to fit. |
| Do I need an employer before applying? | Yes. The official steps put the employment contract before the SSW status application. Passing tests alone is not enough. |
| Can any restaurant, hotel, farm, factory, care, or driving job qualify? | No. The permitted duties and employer conditions are field-specific. A familiar job title or industry label is not proof. |
| What is the difference between SSW(i) and SSW(ii)? | SSW(i) is the first SSW category, has a five-year total-stay framework, and includes required support. SSW(ii) requires more advanced skill, exists in fewer fields, and has different stay and family rules. Progression is not automatic. |
| Can I enter as a tourist and start SSW work after passing a test? | No. A test pass does not authorize work. You need the correct status and permission before beginning SSW activities. |
| Are all 19 SSW(i) fields accepting new cases? | No. The live overview lists 19 fields, but some new fields are still being implemented and food-service SSW(i) has a current restriction. Check the field, test, and application notices separately. |
If you are comparing SSW with other routes, start with moving to Japan without a degree. Use this page once you are ready to test a specific field, job, and employer plan.
What SSW Is — And What It Is Not
The official SSW overview describes Technical Intern Training as a status for acquiring skills and SSW as a status for working. It also separates SSW from the other working statuses listed by MOFA. You may also see the Japanese name Tokutei Ginou (特定技能), or the less precise search phrase “SSW visa.” This guide keeps the visa and status steps separate.
These terms are related, but they are not interchangeable:
| Term | Plain-English meaning |
|---|---|
| Specified Skilled Worker status of residence | The activity category that permits qualifying field-specific work in Japan. SSW(i) and SSW(ii) have different conditions. |
| Visa | A document issued outside Japan by a Japanese embassy, consulate, or other authorized route for travel to Japan. For SSW applications from abroad, MOFA currently requires a COE. A visa does not itself guarantee landing permission. |
| Certificate of Eligibility, or COE | A Japan-side immigration document used before an overseas visa application. It supports the proposed status and activity, but does not guarantee visa issuance or entry. |
| Accepting organization | The Japan employer or organization that signs the qualifying employment contract, employs the worker, and has SSW compliance duties. Official English pages often simply call it the company. |
| Registered support organization | An organization registered to carry out SSW(i) support when the accepting organization delegates that work. It is not the employer or the immigration decision-maker. |
| Sending organization | An organization in the worker's country used where a bilateral or national procedure requires one. Its role and allowed fees depend on the country; it is not a universal SSW requirement. |
Do not confuse SSW with these routes:
| Route | Why it is different |
|---|---|
| Skilled Labor | This is a separate MOFA working-status category, with examples such as chefs specializing in foreign cuisine, animal trainers, pilots, sports trainers, and sommeliers. It is not another name for SSW. |
| Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services | This and other professional statuses use different job-content, education, experience, remuneration, and employer tests. An office or technical job does not become SSW merely because a degree is missing. |
| Technical Intern Training | The official SSW site frames this as skills acquisition, not the SSW work status. A qualifying completion can affect SSW tests, but not every internship, trainee role, certificate, or period of work creates an exemption. |
| Temporary Visitor or visa-free entry | Short-term entry is not SSW work permission. Taking a test, interviewing, or receiving an offer does not authorize paid work. |
MOFA's work or long-term stay page is the best first place to compare the official category names.
Is SSW Worth Checking For Your Plan?
You have a plausible next step only if you can answer yes to every row:
| Check | What “yes” needs to mean |
|---|---|
| Field | The current official field list includes the work you plan to do. |
| Duties | The actual daily duties match an official job description, not merely the employer's industry or your job title. |
| Availability | The field is accepting the relevant application or transition route, and a usable test or documented exemption exists for you. |
| Skills | You meet the current field skills-test requirement or can prove a qualifying exemption. |
| Japanese | You meet the baseline and any field-specific Japanese requirement or can prove a qualifying exemption. |
| Employer | A qualifying accepting organization offers a written contract for permitted work and can meet the field and immigration conditions. |
| Support | The employer or its registered support organization can deliver the required SSW(i) support plan where SSW(i) applies. |
| Procedure | You can follow the current rules for your nationality, country of residence, sending procedure, and inside- or outside-Japan application. |
If one row is uncertain, that is the next thing to verify. Do not pay a recruiter, book travel, leave school, or resign from a job just because the broad field name looks promising.
Current SSW Fields And Status
As checked on August 11, 2026, the official English SSW overview lists 19 SSW(i) fields and 11 SSW(ii) fields. An older English steps page still says 16 fields, so it should not be copied as the current count.
“Listed” below means the work appears in the official SSW field structure. It does not promise that every duty, employer, test sitting, or application is currently available. Follow the field source, the official test hub, and the ISA system updates before acting.
| Field | Example permitted work | SSW(i) | SSW(ii) | Current availability or caution, checked August 11, 2026 | Official field source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing care | Personal care and related support for people who need help with daily living | Listed | No | Requires the nursing-care skills test and an additional care-Japanese test on the standard test route. | Nursing care |
| Building cleaning management | Cleaning inside buildings | Listed | Listed | Confirm the actual interior-building cleaning duties and current field test. | Building cleaning |
| Construction | Defined civil engineering, building construction, and infrastructure-equipment work | Listed | Listed | “Construction” is not one universal duty group; use the official job description. | Construction |
| Industrial product manufacturing | Defined machining, assembly, surface treatment, textiles, printing, and other manufacturing processes | Listed | Listed | Not every factory role qualifies; check the current work category. | Industrial product manufacturing |
| Shipbuilding and ship machinery | Shipbuilding, ship machinery, and ship electrical or electronic equipment work | Listed | Listed | Confirm the exact work category and relevant test or skill-exam route. | Shipbuilding and ship machinery |
| Automobile repair and maintenance | Vehicle inspection and maintenance | Listed | Listed | A general interest in cars is not enough; use the field test and employer requirements. | Automobile repair and maintenance |
| Aviation | Airport ground handling and aircraft maintenance work | Listed | Listed | The permitted work and tests differ by duty. | Aviation |
| Accommodation | Hotel reception, guest service, planning, and related accommodation work | Listed | Listed | Check the field definition; not every job performed in a hotel is covered. | Accommodation |
| Automobile transportation business | Commercial truck, taxi, or bus driving and related work | Listed | No | Japanese licenses and field requirements apply. Taxi and bus routes also use higher Japanese and training requirements. | Automobile transportation |
| Railway | Track, electrical, rolling-stock, manufacturing, and transport-operation work | Listed | No | The transport-operation category has a higher Japanese requirement than the baseline route. | Railway |
| Agriculture | Crop farming and livestock work | Listed | Listed | Confirm whether the actual duties and employment arrangement meet the field rules. | Agriculture |
| Fishery and aquaculture | Fishing and aquaculture work | Listed | Listed | Fishing and aquaculture have distinct skills-test paths. | Fishery and aquaculture |
| Food and beverage manufacturing | Manufacturing and processing food and beverages | Listed | Listed | This is separate from restaurant food service and is not covered by the current food-service SSW(i) test pause. | Food and beverage manufacturing |
| Food service | Food preparation, customer service, and restaurant management within the field definition | Listed, restricted | Listed | SSW(i) COE issuance and testing are currently restricted; see the exact scope below. Do not generalize the SSW(i) restriction to SSW(ii). | Food service |
| Forestry | Tree planting, cultivation, logging, and related forest work | Listed | No | Check current duties and test-provider information. | Forestry |
| Wood industry | Lumber processing and related wood-product work | Listed | No | Check the defined processes rather than assuming every wood or furniture job fits. | Wood industry |
| Resource recycling | Recycling and proper waste disposal at a waste-processing plant | Listed, rollout pending | No | The policy says acceptance can begin after required ordinances and preparation are ready. Do not treat listing as an open application route. | Field-operation policies |
| Linen services | Receiving, sorting, washing, finishing, inspecting, bundling, and shipping rented linens for hotels, hospitals, and similar users | Listed | No | ISA's June 1 field menu lists it among currently acceptable fields and its standards are published, but the English detail page remains under construction. Verify the live test or exemption path and documents. | Linen services |
| Logistics warehouse | Receiving, shipping, storing, and related work inside registered logistics warehouses | Listed, rollout pending | No | The policy says acceptance can begin after required ordinances and preparation are ready. Do not assume published policy material means applications or tests are usable. | Field-operation policies |
Current Food-Service SSW(i) Restriction
This is a narrow, dated restriction, not a reason to describe every food-related SSW route as closed.
- On April 13, 2026, ISA temporarily stopped issuing COEs for SSW(i) food-service COE applications received on or after that date. The ISA notice says those applications are not issued under the measure.
- ISA has separate, exception-heavy handling for change-of-status and other existing cases. Do not assume the COE rule answers a current resident's case; use the detailed ISA handling notice or ask ISA.
- MAFF currently says the SSW(i) food-service skills test is not being held in Japan or overseas until further notice. Its food-service page does not extend that test pause to food-service SSW(ii) or to SSW(i) and SSW(ii) food and beverage manufacturing tests.
Check the live notices again before relying on this section. A pause, exception, or restart can change independently from the field list.
The Three Newly Added Fields Need Different Answers
Do not group linen services, logistics warehouse, and resource recycling as equally open or equally pending.
- Linen services: ISA lists it in the field menu described as currently acceptable as of June 1, 2026, and publishes field standards. The English overview still says its detail page is under construction, so confirm the current skills route, employer requirements, and application documents.
- Logistics warehouse: the field is in the 19-field overview, but ISA's operation-policy page still says acceptance depends on the remaining ordinances and preparation being ready.
- Resource recycling: it is also in the overview, but the same policy page still makes acceptance conditional on remaining regulatory preparation.
For the two pending fields, wait for a responsible official page to say the application and test route is operating. A policy announcement or projected acceptance number is not personal eligibility or an open application slot.
SSW(i) Versus SSW(ii)
| Issue | SSW(i) | SSW(ii) |
|---|---|---|
| Skill direction | Field skills test plus Japanese on the standard route, or a qualifying exemption | More advanced field skills; the official test hub says an SSW(ii) proficiency test applies and work experience may be required for a test |
| Current field structure | 19 fields are listed, with rollout and restriction cautions described above | 11 fields: building cleaning, construction, industrial product manufacturing, shipbuilding and ship machinery, automobile repair and maintenance, aviation, accommodation, agriculture, fishery and aquaculture, food and beverage manufacturing, and food service |
| Granted periods | MOFA currently lists 1 year, 6 months, or 4 months at a time | MOFA currently lists 3 years, 1 year, or 6 months at a time |
| Overall stay framing | The official overview says a total of five years | The official overview says there is no upper limit under SSW(ii) |
| Family framing | The official overview says family cannot accompany the worker under SSW(i) | The overview says family can accompany; qualifying relationship and dependent procedures still have to fit |
| Support | The accepting organization must provide the SSW(i) support plan, directly or through a registered support organization | The same ten-category SSW(i) support plan is not the defining SSW(ii) rule |
| Progression | Passing time in SSW(i) does not automatically create SSW(ii) eligibility | SSW(ii) is not automatic permanent residence; any later route has its own conditions and decision |
The MOFA SSW visa page supplies the current granted periods and overseas visa documents. The SSW status overview supplies the total-stay, family, salary, and support framing.
Tests And Technical Intern Training Pathways
Standard SSW(i) Test Route
The official SSW steps page gives this baseline:
- Pass the skills test for the field and work category you plan to enter.
- Pass either the Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese, or JFT-Basic, or the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test at N4 or higher.
- Meet any additional or higher field-specific requirements.
Current important language differences include:
- taxi and bus driving require JLPT N3 or higher, along with the applicable Japanese license and route requirements
- railway transport-operation work, including train operation, requires JLPT N3 or higher
- nursing care requires the Nursing Care Japanese Language Evaluation Test in addition to the baseline JFT-Basic or JLPT N4 route
Those are not the only field conditions. Driver licensing, work experience, training, employer registration, and other rules can sit beside the tests. Use the field page, then follow the responsible ministry or test provider. The official test hub warns that the provider's site may be newer than its own schedules, so this guide does not copy live exam dates.
Qualifying Technical Intern Training (ii)
The official how-to page says someone who has satisfactorily completed qualifying Technical Intern Training (ii) may be exempt from the general tests. The careful version is:
- satisfactory completion must be documented under the official rules; an informal internship, unfinished program, time served, or employer letter is not automatically equivalent
- when the completed Technical Intern Training occupation maps to the intended SSW field and work category, the relevant skills test may be exempt
- when moving to a different SSW field, the new field's skills test is still required
- the general Japanese test may be exempt after satisfactory Technical Intern Training (ii), but field-specific additions can still apply; for example, a person moving into nursing care from another field still needs the nursing care Japanese test
Ask the employer and ISA to identify the exact occupation-to-field mapping and accepted proof. “I was a technical intern” is not enough detail.
SSW(ii) Is A Separate Qualification Step
SSW(ii) is not earned merely by reaching the end of SSW(i). The official test hub says an SSW(ii) skills proficiency test applies and that work experience may be required to take a test. The field controls the exact exam, experience, management or supervisory evidence, and application. Check the current SSW(ii) field page before assuming progression is available.
Process From Outside Japan
Use this as a decision flow, not a universal document checklist:
- Choose the field and verify the duties. Compare the actual job tasks with the official field description.
- Check current availability. Confirm that the application route, skills test, and Japanese test or documented exemption are usable now.
- Check your country procedure. ISA's country-specific SSW page explains where bilateral procedures or approved sending organizations apply. Nationality and residence can also change embassy documents and pre-entry health checks.
- Satisfy the test or exemption conditions. Keep official results and exemption evidence.
- Find a qualifying employer and review the written conditions. The employer, field, duties, workplace, pay, deductions, hours, and support plan all matter.
- Complete the COE process in Japan. The employer or another eligible proxy commonly supports the application. A contract is not a COE, and a COE is not a visa approval.
- Apply for the SSW visa through the responsible Japanese mission. MOFA currently requires the COE for this visa and says nationality-specific additions may apply.
- Travel only with the correct documents and plan. Visa issuance does not guarantee landing permission. Begin work only after the correct status and permission are in place.
Do not copy another applicant's packet. ISA's required-documents page separates COE applications from status changes and renewals, while field, employer, nationality, residence, and bilateral procedures can add different evidence.
Process If You Are Already In Japan
A student, technical intern, or other resident does not gain SSW work permission by passing a test or signing a contract.
- Check what your current status permits and whether a change to SSW can be applied for from your current facts.
- Verify the field, duties, availability, tests or exemption, Japanese, and country-specific procedure.
- Secure a qualifying employer contract and SSW(i) support plan where relevant.
- Apply for permission to change status through the current ISA procedure.
- Do not begin the new SSW activities before permission is granted.
The food-service restriction has separate rules and exceptions for some inside-Japan cases, so use the current notice rather than assuming the overseas COE rule applies in exactly the same way.
If you are currently at language school, the Japanese language school Student route guide explains the study boundary. Student status, part-time-work permission, test eligibility, a job offer, and full-time SSW permission are separate things.
Employer Contract, Pay, And SSW(i) Support
Read The Written Conditions, Not Just The Offer Message
Before signing, confirm in writing:
- employer's legal name, workplace, and whether the organization qualifies for the field
- exact duties and how they map to the official SSW job description
- contract period, working days, hours, shifts, overtime, rest days, and leave
- base pay, overtime calculation, pay date, bonuses if any, and comparison used for Japanese workers doing comparable work
- every deduction, including tax, social insurance, housing, utilities, equipment, transport, meals, or agency-related charges
- housing address, room arrangement, deposit, guarantor, rent, utilities, and what happens when the employment ends
- who provides each SSW(i) support item and in which language
- probation, renewal, resignation, dismissal, transfer, and employer-change conditions
The official overview says SSW workers receive the same salary as Japanese workers. Treat that as an employer and immigration condition about comparable remuneration, not a national SSW pay scale, a guaranteed wage amount, or proof that every contract is fair.
For relocation costs outside the SSW application itself, use the cost to move to Japan guide. Do not let a recruiter turn a rough moving budget into an invented “standard SSW fee.”
The Ten SSW(i) Support Categories
The official company support page lists ten forms of SSW(i) support. Grouped for planning, they are:
| Stage | Official support categories |
|---|---|
| Before the application | 1. Advance explanation of the contract, work, and living conditions before the status application |
| Travel | 2. Airport pickup on arrival and accompaniment to the airport when returning home |
| Starting daily life | 3. Help securing housing and arranging a bank account, phone, electricity, and gas; 4. orientation on life in Japan; 5. accompaniment and form help for city-hall and other public procedures |
| Language and community | 6. Help finding Japanese study; 8. opportunities and information for communicating with people in the local community |
| Problems and complaints | 7. Advice and responses in a language the worker can understand |
| Employment continuity | 9. Help finding another job if the company intends to lay the worker off |
| Ongoing oversight | 10. Meetings with the responsible manager more than once every three months |
The accepting organization remains responsible for the support plan even when a registered support organization performs it. Support does not mean all housing, utilities, travel, study, or daily-life costs are free. Ask what help is provided, who pays each cost, and how to raise a complaint if the plan is not delivered.
After arrival, use the first-month checklist for resident setup and the foreign-resident bank account guide for the bank process. Those guides do not replace the employer's SSW(i) support duties.
Recruitment And Contract Safety Checks
- Use ISA's country page to see whether an approved sending organization or a bilateral procedure applies to you. Do not assume a procedure used in one country is universal.
- Verify any sending organization against the current government list and check whether its fees are allowed and reasonable.
- Do not pay an unverified recruiter for a guaranteed job, test result, COE, visa, status change, entry, renewal, or SSW(ii) progression.
- Do not sign a contract with blank duties, unexplained deductions, a different workplace from the offer, or housing charges you cannot calculate.
- Keep copies of the advertisement, written employment conditions, receipts, messages, test results, application records, passport, and residence documents.
- For immigration procedure questions, use ISA's contact details on the required-documents page. For wages, deductions, hours, or labor conditions, use MHLW's foreign-language worker counseling services.
Once a real employer path exists, prepare with the Japanese job interview guide. It can help with the conversation, but it is not an immigration or contract source.
Changing Employers Or Fields
Do not treat SSW as permission to change jobs freely. The official English steps page tells workers to complete the required status process before working at a different company and says a worker cannot simply change to a different field under the existing permission.
A new employer can trigger immigration applications or notifications, a new contract review, employer-eligibility checks, and a revised support plan. A new field can also require that field's skills test and a new permission decision. Do not start the new work first and try to correct the paperwork later. Ask ISA which application and notifications apply to the exact employer, field, and timing.
FAQ
Do I Need A Degree For Specified Skilled Worker?
A university degree is not a general requirement at the center of SSW. That does not make it a general no-degree visa. You still need a listed and operating field, permitted duties, tests or a qualifying exemption, Japanese ability, a qualifying employer contract, support where required, and immigration approval.
What Jobs Are Covered By SSW In Japan?
The current structure lists 19 SSW(i) fields, from nursing care and building cleaning through manufacturing, construction, transport, agriculture, food, forestry, wood, linen, logistics, and recycling. Only defined duties within those fields qualify. Use the field table and open the official job description before judging a vacancy.
What Japanese Level Do I Need?
The baseline SSW(i) test route uses JFT-Basic or JLPT N4 or higher. Taxi and bus driving and railway transport-operation work use JLPT N3 or higher, while nursing care adds a nursing-care Japanese test. Exemptions and other conditions are field-specific, so confirm the current field page.
Do I Need An Employer Before Applying?
Yes. The official process puts the qualifying employment contract before the status application. A passed test, recruiter introduction, informal offer, or job interview is not a substitute for the employer contract and application.
Can Technical Intern Training Exempt Me From Tests?
Sometimes, when you satisfactorily completed qualifying Technical Intern Training (ii) and can document the official mapping. Moving to a different SSW field still requires that field's skills test, and field-specific language requirements can remain. Not every training or internship counts.
Can My Family Come Under SSW(i) Or SSW(ii)?
The official overview says family cannot accompany a worker under SSW(i), while family can accompany under SSW(ii). For SSW(ii), that is still conditional: the qualifying relationship, dependent status, documents, support, and immigration decision have to fit. It is not automatic permission for every relative.
Can I Change Employers Or Fields?
Not by simply starting the new job. A new employer can require an immigration process, notifications, a qualifying contract, and updated support. A different field can require a new skills test and permission. Confirm the live procedure with ISA before changing work.
Does SSW(ii) Lead Automatically To Permanent Residence?
No. SSW(ii) has no overall stay limit under that status, but it does not guarantee permanent residence. Permanent residence is a separate application and decision under its own current rules.
Is Food-Service SSW(i) Currently Accepting Applications?
The official overview currently says no new applications. More precisely, ISA temporarily stopped issuing COEs for SSW(i) food-service applications received from April 13, 2026, and MAFF says the SSW(i) food-service test is paused in Japan and overseas. Other application types have separate rules and exceptions, so check the current ISA notice rather than applying that sentence to every case.
Can I Enter As A Tourist, Take A Test, And Start Working?
No. Even if the test provider and your entry conditions allow you to take a test, passing it does not create work permission. You still need the employer, contract, application, and granted SSW status before beginning SSW work. Do not build a relocation plan around switching casually after tourist entry.
Official Sources And Next Steps
Use official pages for the decision; use Omnishoku for planning context.
| Need | Official source |
|---|---|
| SSW(i), SSW(ii), live field list, stay, family, salary, and support overview | ISA What Is the Specified Skilled Worker Status? |
| Field-to-test-to-employer-to-application sequence and language exceptions | ISA Steps to Working in Japan |
| Current field menu and field-specific rules | ISA field information and field-operation policies |
| Current system notices, forms, and rule updates | ISA Specified Skilled Worker system hub |
| Skills and Japanese test providers | ISA SSW test hub |
| Test route and Technical Intern Training (ii) framing | ISA How to Obtain SSW |
| SSW(i) support | ISA Getting Company Support |
| COE, status change, renewal, and immigration contact | ISA Required Documents |
| Country procedures and sending organizations | ISA country-specific SSW information |
| Overseas SSW visa periods and COE requirement | MOFA Specified Skilled Worker visa |
| SSW compared with other work statuses | MOFA Work or Long-term Stay |
| Food-service SSW(i) restriction | ISA COE suspension notice, ISA detailed handling, and MAFF food-service field page |
| Labor-condition help | MHLW foreign-language counseling services |
For broader route selection, return to moving to Japan or moving without a degree. Then use cost to move to Japan, Japanese job interview guidance, the first-month checklist, and the bank account guide for their separate planning tasks.
For country-specific visa routing, start with the Japan visa hub, Canada visa resource, or United States visa resource, as relevant. Recheck the SSW field and official notices immediately before paying, applying, changing jobs, or traveling.