Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) visa: fields, tests and how to apply

Rules and fees change often. Last checked: 7 November 2026. Always confirm with the official sources below before you apply.

Specified Skilled Worker (特定技能, tokutei ginō) is a work status for jobs in industries that cannot find enough workers in Japan. It started in April 2019 and has two levels. SSW (i) is for people with “considerable knowledge or experience” in a field. SSW (ii) is for people with proficient skills, and it can be renewed without limit.

Changes in 2026. (1) Three new fields were added in January 2026: linen supply, warehousing and resource circulation. Warehousing and resource circulation start only “once preparations are completed”. (2) Since 13 April 2026, ISA has in principle stopped issuing new Certificates of Eligibility for SSW (i) in food service, because the field reached its limit. (3) Fees for change of status and extension in Japan went up on 1 October 2026. (4) From 1 April 2027, SSW (ii) is scheduled to require Japanese at B1 level.

Who it is for

SSW (i) is for people aged 18 or older who want a full-time job in one of these fields. As of 7 November 2026 there are 19 fields for SSW (i) and 11 for SSW (ii):

• Nursing care (SSW (i) only)
• Building cleaning management
• Linen supply (new in 2026, SSW (i) only)
• Industrial product manufacturing (SSW (ii) only in machining and metal processing, electric and electronic equipment assembly, and metal surface treatment)
• Construction
• Shipbuilding and ship machinery
• Automobile repair and maintenance
• Aviation
• Accommodation (hotels)
• Automobile transportation: truck, bus and taxi drivers (SSW (i) only)
• Railway (SSW (i) only)
• Warehousing (new, starts when preparations are complete, SSW (i) only)
• Agriculture
• Fishery and aquaculture
• Food and beverage manufacturing
• Food service (new Certificates of Eligibility stopped since 13 April 2026)
• Forestry (SSW (i) only)
• Wood industry (SSW (i) only)
• Resource circulation (new, starts when preparations are complete, SSW (i) only)

Each field has its own job categories and rules. Read the field page on the SSW portal before you choose.

Requirements

In short: you need a job offer from a Japanese employer, a pass in the skills test for that field, and a pass in a Japanese test. If you finished Technical Intern Training (ii) well in a related job, you do not need to take the tests. Your pay must be at least what a Japanese worker gets for the same work. Nobody may take a deposit from you or make you sign a contract with penalties. The full checklist is in Who is eligible below.

Your employer (or a registered support organisation working for it) must also support you: life orientation, help with housing and official procedures, and a meeting with you every three months. Since January 2024 these regular meetings must, in principle, be face to face.

Japanese level needed

For SSW (i) you must prove Japanese at about CEFR A2 level (“A2.2” in ISA’s materials). The usual ways are the Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese (JFT-Basic) or the JLPT at N4 or higher. JFT-Basic is held most months, and you get your result quickly.

• Nursing care: you also need the Nursing Care Japanese Language Evaluation Test.
• Bus and taxi drivers: B1 level is required. For shared buses and taxis, A2.2 is accepted if a Japanese-language supporter is with you (conditions apply).
• Railway: B1 level for transportation staff; A2.2 for the other railway jobs.
• SSW (ii): B1 level is scheduled to become a requirement from 1 April 2027.

JLPT N5 alone is not enough for SSW, but it is the right first step. Start with our JLPT N5 course. Lesson 23: Workplace basics covers greetings, safety words and reporting to your boss. Lesson 24: Reading short notices helps with signs at work, and the N5 mock test shows you where you are.

How to apply, in short

From abroad: pass the tests, sign a contract with an employer, and the employer applies for your Certificate of Eligibility (COE). ISA’s standard processing period for a COE is 1 to 3 months, and the COE itself is free. You then apply for the visa at the Japanese embassy (or the centre it uses) and enter Japan. If you already live in Japan on another status, such as Student, you apply for a change of status instead. The detailed steps are in How to apply, step by step below.

Applying from Bangladesh. Since 3 November 2024 the Embassy of Japan in Dhaka accepts visa applications only through VFS Global (Gulshan-2, Dhaka). You must book online; new appointments for the month after next usually open on the 15th of each month. The embassy’s standard processing time is 7 working days from the day VFS receives a complete application, and longer if documents are missing. Mid-March to early June and mid-September to late October are very busy, mainly with students, so book early.

Agencies in Bangladesh. ISA says that for Bangladesh, using a sending agency is optional. If you use one, it must be an agency certified by the Government of Bangladesh. The certified list is published by the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment on probashi.gov.bd (linked from ISA’s page in the sources below). Other countries have different rules: for example, Viet Nam requires the Japanese employer to sign a contract with a certified Vietnamese sending organisation, and the Philippines publishes its certified organisations through the Department of Migrant Workers.

Other countries. Each Japanese embassy has its own system. The Embassy of Japan in Nepal also takes applications only through VFS Global. Other embassies use their own application centres or accredited agencies, and these have changed recently in some countries, so always check your own embassy’s visa page. If you are a national of the Philippines, Viet Nam or Nepal, you also need a TB clearance certificate from a designated clinic (see below). Indonesia’s screening starts on 2 November 2026, and the certificate is required from 4 January 2027.

Visa fee. MOFA raised visa fees for applications accepted from 1 July 2026: about ¥15,000 for a single-entry visa and about ¥30,000 for a multiple-entry visa, paid in local currency. MOFA also says the fee may not be required, or may be different, depending on your nationality. The Embassy of Japan in Bangladesh says the visa is free for Bangladeshi nationals (its page is dated October 2024, before the July 2026 change, so confirm with VFS Global when you book). VFS Global charges its own service fee.

Working rules

• You may only do the work of your field and job category, for the employer named in your permission.
• You can change jobs within the same job category, or to a job category where the skills are confirmed by a test as common. A new employer means a new change-of-status application. For example, ISA lists “job changes within food service” as a separate kind of application.
• When your contract ends or you sign a new one, you must notify ISA within 14 days.
• Dispatch work (working through a staffing agency) is allowed only in agriculture and fishery.
• Your employer must pay you at least what a Japanese worker would get for the same work.

Family

SSW (i): your family basically cannot join you. SSW (ii): your spouse and children can join you on the Dependent status if you meet the requirements. See our Dependent visa guide.

How long you can stay

• SSW (i): each permission is for up to 3 years. The total is in principle 5 years (6 years if ISA accepts there are reasonable grounds). Time you could not work because of pregnancy, childbirth, childcare or other unavoidable situations is not counted.
• SSW (ii): 3 years, 2 years, 1 year or 6 months at a time, renewable without limit.
• Permanent residence: ISA’s guideline says years on SSW (i) and Technical Intern Training do not count toward the 5 years “on a work status” that permanent residence usually needs. See our permanent residence guide.

Changing status

• From Technical Intern Training (ii): if you completed it well and your new job is related, you can change to SSW (i) without the tests. ISA warns that trainees cannot work once their training plan has ended, so apply at least 2 months before you plan to start. See our TITP and ESD guide.
• From Student or another status: pass the skills test and the Japanese test, get a job offer, then apply for a change of status. See our Student visa guide.
• From SSW (i) to SSW (ii): pass the SSW (ii) test for your field (or the trade skill test named for it). Not every field has SSW (ii).

Common mistakes and scams to avoid

• Paying for the COE. ISA charges no fee for a Certificate of Eligibility. If someone asks you to pay “COE fees” to immigration, ask for an official receipt and check with ISA.
• “No test needed” offers. SSW always needs the skills and Japanese tests, unless you completed Technical Intern Training (ii) in a related job.
• Deposits and penalty contracts. One of ISA’s requirements is that no deposit has been collected from you and no contract with penalties has been signed. If an agent wants a deposit, or makes you or your family sign a promise to pay if you leave, that agent is breaking the rules.
• Uncertified agents. In Bangladesh you do not need an agent, but if you use one, check it is on the government’s certified list.
• Food service jobs right now. New COEs for food service have been stopped since 13 April 2026. Be careful with anyone who promises a quick food-service visa from abroad.
• Missing deadlines. Apply for an extension or change before your period of stay ends, and report a new employer within 14 days.

Free official help. The Immigration Services Agency’s information centre answers questions about forms and documents: 0570-013904 (from IP phones or overseas: 03-5796-7112).