How much is the monthly RSO fee?

Commonly around JPY 20,000–30,000 per worker, varying by headcount, region and scope.

Is there an initial fee?

A few tens of thousands of yen may apply for support-plan creation; referral fees apply separately if used.

In-house or outsourced — which is cheaper?

In-house can win at scale with a proper structure; outsourcing suits small numbers. Compare admin burden and quality too.

How do I compare costs?

Get quotes from several RSOs and compare breakdown transparency, language coverage and scope. Search by area and language on Watari.

Registered support organization fees: initial costs & monthly support commissions

By: Watari Editorial Team·Last updated: 2026-07-01

When hiring SSW (i) workers, employers commonly outsource the support plan to a registered support organization (RSO). This guide covers typical fees and their breakdown, comparison with in-house support, and ways to manage costs. Figures are general references and vary by organization, region and scope.

Overview

RSO costs split into an initial fee (one-time at onboarding) and a monthly support commission (per worker). Referral fees and status-application costs may apply separately.

Monthly support commission

Commonly around JPY 20,000–30,000 per worker per month, varying by headcount, region and scope. Bundling multiple workers or handling some support in-house can lower the rate.

Initial fee

A few tens of thousands of yen may be set for support-plan creation and pre-arrival guidance. With referral, a referral fee (tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands per hire) is common.

→ Cost guide by visa type

What you pay for

Mainly the mandatory support: pre-arrival guidance, transfers, housing help, life orientation, accompanying to procedures, Japanese-language opportunities, consultation, exchange promotion, job-change support, and periodic interviews/filings. Native-language handling affects cost and quality.

Vs. in-house support

In-house support avoids the commission but requires a qualifying structure, native-language capability and admin work. Outsourcing suits small numbers; in-house may suit larger, well-resourced operations.

Managing and assessing cost

Check breakdown transparency, clarify scope, balance language coverage and quality, and compare multiple RSOs. For Cambodian workers, Khmer support matters.

→ Find RSOs by prefecture and language

FAQ

How much is the monthly RSO fee?: Commonly around JPY 20,000–30,000 per worker, varying by headcount, region and scope.
Is there an initial fee?: A few tens of thousands of yen may apply for support-plan creation; referral fees apply separately if used.
In-house or outsourced — which is cheaper?: In-house can win at scale with a proper structure; outsourcing suits small numbers. Compare admin burden and quality too.
How do I compare costs?: Get quotes from several RSOs and compare breakdown transparency, language coverage and scope. Search by area and language on Watari.

Cost guide Registered support organizations Browse by prefecture About SSW

Figures are general references, not guarantees. Confirm actual costs with each registered support organization.