Guides to hiring foreign workers in Japan
Plain-language explainers on Japan's frameworks, costs, and how to choose partners.
What is Specified Skilled Worker (SSW)?Fields, (i) vs (ii), the hiring flow and costs of the SSW status.SSW in the care sectorRequirements, tests, staffing and costs for hiring SSW workers in nursing care.SSW in road transport (new 2024 field)Trucking, bus, taxi: requirements, licenses and employer conditions.New SSW fields (2024)Road transport, railway, forestry, timber added — 16 fields in total; what changed.SSW documents & application flowThe intake flow, an overview of key documents, the support plan and timing.Registered support organizations: role & how to chooseWhat a registered support organization does, typical fees, and how to choose one.Registered support organization feesInitial and monthly support-commission ranges, breakdown, and in-house comparison.Supervising organizations vs. RSOsThe role of supervising organizations and how they differ from registered support organizations.Employment for Skill Development (Ikusei Shuro)The new program replacing Technical Intern Training: overview, timing, and differences from SSW.Ikusei Shuro vs. Technical Intern TrainingA six-axis comparison of the new and old programs.From Technical Intern Training to SSWExam-exemption conditions, the status-change flow, documents, timing and cost.Hiring from CambodiaSending organizations, Khmer-language support, costs and the hiring flow.Subsidies for hiring foreign workers?General employment/training subsidies that may apply, and the caveats.Downsides & worries of hiring — and fixesHonest look at the challenges and practical countermeasures.Specified Skilled Worker (ii)No renewal cap, family accompaniment, expanded fields, and the path to PR.Hiring from VietnamDOLAB-licensed sending, costs and the hiring flow.SSW field councils (kyogikai)Required membership, timing, and field-specific points like construction/JAC.How to find Japanese employers & support orgsFor overseas sending/support orgs: find and contact Japan-side partners.Cost guide for hiring foreign workersTypical initial and running costs by visa type.