2023-04-13

There are different types of visas, such as those based on qualifications to reside or work in Japan. A " Specified Skilled Worker" visa was introduced in April 2019 due to the revision of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act. However, many do not know exactly what occupations it covers, and that is what this article is about.

What is the Specified Skilled Worker Visa? 

It is a residency status that allows foreign nationals with considerable skills and knowledge to work in industries where there is a significant labor shortage.

Due to a revision of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, a new residency status, the Specified Skilled Worker Visa, was introduced in April 2019.

The requirement for designation of an industrial area as a “specified industrial area" to which this applies is that it be “an industry in which it is difficult to find labor even if measures are taken to improve productivity and to attract domestic labor, and in which the employment of foreign nationals is necessary to meet a labor shortage.

14 Specified Industry Fields

With this visa, you can work in manufacturing and services, but the Department of Justice regulation limits this to 14 types of “specified industries"

Nursing care, building cleaning management, machine parts & tooling industries, industrial machinery industry, electronic and information industries, construction industry, shipbuilding and ship machinery industry, automobile repair and maintenance, aviation industry, accomodation industry, agriculture, fishery & aquaculture, food and beverage manufacturing, and hospitality industry.

Specified Skilled Worker Visa (i)・Specified Skilled Worker Visa (ii)

There are two types of specified skilled worker visas: specified skilled worker visa (i) and specified skilled worker visa (ii).

• Specified Skilled Worker Visa (i)

This is a status that requires considerable knowledge or experience in a particular industry, as determined by the Minister of that industry.

It needs to be renewed every 1 year, 6 months, or 4 months, and the maximum length of stay is 5 years.

In principle, bringing family members is not allowed.

• Specified Skilled Worker Visa (ii)

This is a residence status determined by the Minister for foreigners with high technical skills who belong to a specific industry.

Specified Skilled Worker No. 2 must be renewed every 3 years, 1 year, or 6 months. However, there is no maximum length of stay.

Requirements for the issuance of a specified work visa

se language proficiency must be at least level N4 of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test or level A2 of the Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese (JFT-Basic). In addition, the applicant must pass the qualification test for the relevant field or business category.

Summary

Due to the revision of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act in April 2019, a new residency category “Specified Skilled Worker Visa" was introduced. There is the Specified Skilled Worker Visa (i) and the Specified Skilled Worker Visa (ii)

The Skilled Worker Visa (i) requires a high level of knowledge or experience while
Specified Skilled Worker Visa (i) requires high technical skills.

The specified worker visa (i) requires significant knowledge or experience, while the specified worker visa (ii) requires a high level of technical skills. 

To obtain a Skilled Worker Visa, the applicant must pass a Japanese language proficiency test and a job qualification test.