2025-08-18

There is a serious shortage of labor in Japan, and the transportation industry is one of them. In order to solve this labor shortage, there is a specific skill system. Here, we will explain in detail about the specific skills required for drivers.

What are specific skills?

Specified Technical Skills is a system for companies and others that have difficulty securing human resources in Japanese industrial fields to hire foreigners with certain expertise and skills.

There are two types of “Specified Technical Skills” residence statuses: “Specified Technical Skill No. 1” and “Specified Technical Skill No. 2. Specified Technical Skills No. 1 is a status of residence for foreigners who have the knowledge and experience to work in a specific industrial field. On the other hand, “Specified Technical Skill No. 2” is a status of residence for foreigners who possess the skilled skills to engage in a specific industrial field.

The period of stay for foreigners with “Specified Technical Skills I” is “a period not exceeding one year” as designated by the Minister of Justice. The requirements for the status of residence are confirmed by examining the level of skills, etc. However, foreigners who have successfully completed Technical Internship No. 2 are exempted from the examination. Japanese language proficiency will be verified through tests, etc., as necessary for daily life and work, but foreign nationals who have successfully completed Technical Internship No. 2 will be exempted from the tests, etc. In principle, family members are not allowed to accompany the trainee. Support is provided by the host institution and registered support organizations.

On the other hand, the period of stay for foreigners with “Specified Technical Skills II” is either 3 years, 1 year, or 6 months. The requirement for the period of stay is confirmed by examining the level of proficiency. The level of Japanese language proficiency is not checked by examinations, etc. Accompanying family members is permitted if certain requirements are met. There is no support provided by the host institution or registered support organization.

What kind of work is possible?

The “automobile transportation industry,” which has a serious shortage of labor, can employ foreign nationals with specified skills. However, the types of business that can accept foreign nationals are limited to three types of business: trucking, cab, and bus transportation.

Foreign drivers who are accepted may be engaged in the operation of commercial motor vehicles and in general work incidental to the operation of commercial motor vehicles. Incidental work" refers to work performed by Japanese drivers employed by the same company as part of their regular duties, such as packing, storing, and sorting cargo.

Application Requirements

In order to employ a foreign national with specified skills, the requirements for the applicant (foreign national) and the requirements for the employing company must be met.

The requirements for foreign nationals are that they “possess the knowledge or skills necessary for the work in which they are engaged” and that they “possess the Japanese language skills necessary for life in Japan and the Japanese language skills necessary for their work. Of these, the knowledge or skills required for the job are, for example, a Class 1 driver’s license for trucking and a Class 2 driver’s license for bus transportation.

The requirements for employers are as follows
・As a “business operator operating a motor transportation business” as stipulated in Article 2, Paragraph 2 of the Road Transportation Law.
・To have received the “Certification System for Good Working Environment for Drivers” or to have a “Good Safety Office (G Mark)”.
・To fall under the Japanese industry field “43 Road Passenger Transport Industry” or “44 Road Freight Forwarding Industry”. The applicant must be a member of “43 Road Passenger Transport Industry” or “44 Road Freight Forwarding Industry”
・Join the Automobile Transport Industry Specified Skills Council
・Conduct “New Driver Training” (for cabs and buses)
・Conduct “Initial Driver Training” (for trucks)

Summary

When employing a foreigner with a specified skill in a transportation company, the requirement is that the foreigner has the knowledge and skills necessary for the work. In addition, the employing company must be a member of the Council for Specified Skills in the Motor Transport Industry.