2025-08-20

A registered support organization is an organization that provides support to foreign nationals with specified skills who have been employed by a company or other organization. Since there is a serious shortage of human resources in various industrial fields in Japan, the employment of foreigners is an urgent necessity. Here, we will explain about the registered support organizations in Okinawa Prefecture.

What are specific skills?

Specified Skills is a system that allows Japanese industrial sectors that are short of human resources to hire foreigners with certain expertise and skills. The “Revised Immigration Control Act” was enacted in 2018, and a new status of residence, “Specified Technical Skill,” was established, allowing employment from April of the following year.

There are two types of “Specified Technical Skills” residence statuses: “Specified Technical Skill No. 1” and “Specified Technical Skill No. 2.

First, “Specified Technical Skill No. 1” is a status of residence for foreigners with skills to engage in specified industrial fields. The period of stay is a period not exceeding one year as designated by the Minister of Justice. The examination will check the level of skills, etc., but foreigners who have successfully completed Technical Internship No. 2 will be exempted from the examination, etc.

Japanese language proficiency is verified through tests and other means to determine whether the applicant has the ability necessary for daily life and work. However, foreign nationals who have successfully completed Technical Internship No. 2 are exempt from the examination. In principle, family members are not allowed to accompany the trainee. Support is also provided by the receiving organization, such as a company, or a registered support organization.

Next, “Specified Technical Skills II” is a status of residence for foreign nationals who possess skilled skills to engage in specified industrial fields. The period of stay is either 3 years, 1 year, or 6 months. The examination will check the level of skills through tests and other means. However, Japanese language proficiency is not tested. Family members are allowed to accompany the applicant if they meet the requirements. There is no support provided by companies or other host institutions or registered support organizations.

What is a registered support organization?

A receiving organization is a company or sole proprietor that hires and supports foreign nationals with the “specified skills” status of residence, and is also called a “specified skills affiliated organization. The host institution concludes a “specified skilled employment contract” with the foreigner.

A registered support organization is an organization that is commissioned by the host organization to provide support for a foreign national with the specified skills. A registered support organization must meet the following criteria
(1) There is no illegality (no violation of immigration or labor laws within 5 years, etc.).
(2) Have a support system for foreign nationals (e.g., be able to provide support in a language that the foreign national can understand, etc.).

In addition, to be registered as a registered support organization, the following requirements must be met
(1) There must be at least one person responsible for support and one person in charge of support.
(2) One of the following must apply.
The applicant must have a track record of accepting mid- to long-term residents within the past two years.
– The person in charge of support must have been engaged in various consultation services for foreigners for remuneration within the past two years.
– The person in charge of support must have engaged in consultation services for mid- to long-term residents for more than 2 years in the past 5 years.
– The applicant must be deemed to be able to provide the same level of support services appropriately.
(3) The applicant must not have caused any missing specified skilled foreign nationals or technical intern trainees due to reasons attributable to the applicant within the past one year.
(4) The cost of support should not be borne directly or indirectly by the foreigner himself/herself.
(5) The foreigner has not been penalized for violation of penal laws and regulations (e.g., punished under immigration or labor laws and regulations within the past five years).
(6)The applicant must not have committed any extremely unfair or unjust acts with regard to immigration or labor related laws and regulations within the past 5 years.

Registered Support Agencies in Okinawa Prefecture

Although somewhat outdated statistics, at the end of October 2018, there were 8,138 foreign workers in Okinawa Prefecture, an increase of 11.3% from the previous year. Of these, 1,414 were foreign technical intern trainees, a 52.7% increase over the previous year. The number of companies and establishments employing foreign nationals was 1,591, an increase of 10.1% over the previous year.

A search on the Internet by entering the words “Okinawa Prefecture Registered Support Organization” will reveal approximately 40 registered support organizations. However, all of them list the name, address, telephone number, and scheduled start date of support services, but no more detailed information is available.

Therefore, you should choose a registered support organization after making an actual inquiry by phone, etc. In addition to the names, the languages in which support and consultation are available are also listed, so you can refer to this information before actually making a phone call.

Summary

The Internet shows that there are about 40 registered support organizations in Okinawa Prefecture. However, the names and contact information are listed only, so we recommend that you make an actual phone call or other inquiry before making your choice.