How to Check If a Japan Labor Agency Is Licensed by DOLAB

The agency sitting across from you has a license certificate on the wall. That does not mean they are operating legally. Vietnamese labor dispatch agencies for Japan are licensed by DOLAB, but licenses can be valid while specific practices remain illegal. A license is a starting point for verification, not a conclusion.

Here is how to do the verification properly — and what to do if you want to bypass the agency system entirely.

Step 1: Check the DOLAB Registry

The Department of Overseas Labour (Cục Quản lý Lao động Ngoài nước — DOLAB) maintains a public registry of companies licensed to send workers overseas. Every legitimate sending organization must hold a "Giấy phép hoạt động dịch vụ đưa người lao động đi làm việc ở nước ngoài" (License for Overseas Labor Service).

How to verify:

1. Go to dolab.gov.vn and navigate to the enterprise registry section
2. Search by company name or permit number — both are searchable
3. Confirm the permit has not expired and the company is listed as active
4. Note the permit number to cross-reference at the next step

The DOLAB list contains more than 500 licensed companies as of 2025. Being on this list is a necessary condition but not sufficient — it only means the company is authorized to operate, not that it is operating fairly.

Step 2: Verify the Japanese-Side Arrangement

DOLAB licensing verifies the Vietnamese sending organization; it does not by itself verify the Japanese employer or the specific job. Ask for the Japanese employer or accepting organization, the job description, and the receiving-side details before signing. For current Japanese-side SSW requirements, use the Immigration Services Agency's SSW information at https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/policies/ssw/nyuukokukanri10_00001.html.

How to verify:

1. Confirm the Japanese employer or accepting organization named in the placement documents
2. Check the current SSW requirements published by Japan's Immigration Services Agency
3. Confirm that the job, employer, and support arrangements match the written contract

A company being listed by DOLAB does not make every individual placement compliant. If a recruiter will not disclose the Japanese employer, job, or support arrangements, that is a serious red flag.

Step 3: Verify the Japanese Receiving Side

For SSW placements, ask for the specific Japanese employer or accepting organization and verify the employer-side requirements through the Immigration Services Agency's SSW information at https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/policies/ssw/nyuukokukanri10_00001.html. A recruiter who cannot give you the specific Japanese company name before you sign anything is not operating transparently.

Contract Red Flags: What to Look For

Once you have verified the agency's licenses, the contract itself requires close reading. Vietnamese sending organization contracts run to 10–20 pages and are often in small print.

Red flags that indicate an illegal or exploitative contract:

• A "guarantee deposit" or refundable security fee. Under DOLAB rules, an agency should not hold money as a "deposit against absconding." If you see any line item described as a deposit, guarantee fee, or surety — even if labeled as fully refundable — treat it as a red flag and ask for the legal basis in writing.

• Service fees above the legal cap. For a three-year Japan contract, the service fee cannot exceed approximately 90 million VND. Any package exceeding 120 million VND (including all legitimate training and documentation costs) warrants a line-by-line justification.

• No itemized cost breakdown. Legitimate agencies can provide a breakdown showing exactly which fee covers which service. A single "package price" with no line items is a concealment strategy.

• A vague or absent job description. The contract must specify the industry, the job type, and the approximate prefecture in Japan. "Manufacturing work" is not sufficient. You need to know whether you will be working in food processing, construction, or electronics assembly — because the salary ranges, working conditions, and exam requirements differ significantly.

• No mention of the Japanese employer or supervisory union (kumiai). You should know who your Japanese-side employer is before signing. If the agency refuses to disclose this, you have no way to verify the placement is real.

• Pressure to sign immediately. Legitimate agencies do not need to create artificial urgency. "This spot will be taken by tomorrow" is a sales tactic, not a logistics reality.

Well-Known Compliant Agencies

Among Vietnamese agencies with established reputations for transparency and quality pre-departure training, three names consistently appear in community reviews: Suleco (state-owned, long track record), Esuhai (private, strong Japanese language training program), and Dũng Giang Nozomi. This is not an exhaustive list and does not constitute an endorsement — the DOLAB verification and Japanese-side checks apply to all agencies regardless of reputation.

The Vietnam Association of Manpower Supply (VAMAS) also publishes annual rankings of member agencies. Cross-referencing a company's DOLAB status with their VAMAS standing provides a second independent signal.

Going Without a Broker: Direct Hiring on the SSW Visa

This is the least-known option: Japanese employers can hire SSW workers directly without using a Vietnamese sending organization at all. Direct hiring is permitted under the SSW framework, and it eliminates the Vietnamese agency service fee entirely.

How direct hiring works:

1. The Japanese employer files the Certificate of Eligibility (COE) application with the Regional Immigration Bureau without a Vietnamese agency intermediary
2. The employer is responsible for the ten mandatory support services (or they contract a Japanese Registered Support Organization — RSO — to provide them)
3. The employer recruits through job boards, referrals, or direct outreach — including platforms like LinkedIn or Japan-specific job portals

For Vietnamese workers currently in Japan (on a student visa, previous work visa, or tourist entry), direct hiring is practical. For those applying from Vietnam, the main challenge is finding a Japanese employer willing to run the process without a Vietnamese intermediary, since most Japanese SMEs rely on agencies to handle the Vietnamese paperwork and pre-departure training.

The direct-hire option is more realistic for the Engineer/Specialist visa — Japanese IT companies and manufacturing firms frequently hire Vietnamese engineers directly, paying zero recruitment fees on the worker's side.

How to Apply for the Japan Work Visa Without a Broker (Engineer Route)

If you have a relevant university degree:

1. Build a Japanese or English CV tailored to the specific job type
2. Apply directly to Japanese companies via Mazii Job, Jobs in Japan, or LinkedIn targeting companies with Vietnamese employee reviews
3. If you receive an offer, the employer's HR or their immigration lawyer handles the COE application — you do not need a Vietnamese agency involved at any point
4. Your out-of-pocket costs are limited to document translation, notarization, and the health exam — typically 5–10 million VND total

The Vietnam → Japan Work Visa Guide includes the DOLAB verification checklist, a contract red-flag scorecard, and a direct-hire readiness assessment — tools designed for workers who want to navigate this process without relying on agency claims.

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