SSW Visa Japan: How to Apply for the Specified Skilled Worker Visa

Japan's labor shortage is real, and the government has stopped pretending otherwise. The Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) visa — launched in 2019 and significantly expanded since — exists because Japan needs workers in 16 industries right now, and it cannot fill those roles from its own population alone. As of June 2025, there were 336,196 SSW residents in Japan, up 18.2% from the previous year. The quota for 2024–2029 is set at 820,000 workers. Slots are available, but competition is real and the process has real requirements.

Here is exactly what you need to know to apply.

What Is the SSW Visa?

The Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) status of residence — formally called 特定技能 (tokutei gino) — is a Japanese work visa for people with demonstrated skills in designated shortage industries. Unlike the Technical Intern Training Programme (TITP) it is replacing, the SSW visa treats you as a worker, not a trainee. You have real employment rights, you can change employers within your industry, and for SSW Type 2, there is a path to stay permanently.

The two categories:

Most applicants start with Type 1. Type 2 requires advanced skills and supervisory experience — it is available in 11 of the 16 industries (nursing care is excluded, as it has its own separate visa pathway).

The 16 Designated Industries

The SSW program covers these sectors as of 2026:

1. Nursing Care
2. Building Cleaning
3. Industrial Product Manufacturing (includes casting, welding, machining, electronics)
4. Construction
5. Shipbuilding and Ship Machinery
6. Automobile Repair
7. Aviation
8. Accommodation
9. Agriculture
10. Fishery and Aquaculture
11. Food and Beverage Manufacturing
12. Food Service
13. Automobile Transportation (added 2024)
14. Railway
15. Forestry
16. Wood Industry

Note: the Food Service sector had its Type 1 Certificate of Eligibility applications suspended in April 2026 because it approached its cap of 50,000 workers. If you are targeting food service, check the current suspension status at ssw.go.jp before you start.

Who Qualifies

Eligibility is based on competency, not academic credentials. You do not need a university degree. You need:

• At least 18 years old
• Valid passport from a country that cooperates with Japan's immigration standards
• No deportation history, no criminal record, no outstanding tax or social insurance debt if you previously lived in Japan
• Passed the relevant industry skills test
• Passed a Japanese language test (JLPT N4 or JFT-Basic A2)
• A job offer from a registered "Accepting Organization"

One important exception: If you completed Technical Intern Training Type 2 in the same industry, you are exempt from both the skills test and the language test. This makes the TITP-to-SSW pipeline one of the most straightforward routes.

Nationals of the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Nepal, Myanmar, and China must also complete Japan Pre-Entry Tuberculosis Screening (JPETS) — a chest X-ray at a designated panel clinic. The TB clearance certificate is valid for 180 days from the date of the X-ray.

Step-by-Step Application Process

Step 1: Pass your exams

Do not apply for jobs until you have your exam results in hand. You need to pass:

• An industry-specific skills evaluation test (managed by Prometric for most sectors, JAC for construction, Pearson VUE for building cleaning)
• A Japanese language test: either the JFT-Basic (offered up to 6 times per year, results same day) or JLPT N4 (offered twice per year in July and December, results 2 months later)

Exam fees range from ¥1,000 for construction to ¥10,000 for manufacturing. Language tests cost $30–$70 USD depending on country.

Step 2: Find a job offer

Locate a company registered as an Accepting Organization with the Immigration Services Agency (ISA). The employer must offer you a salary equivalent to what a Japanese person would earn in that role and city — this is legally mandated, not optional.

Never pay a broker to find you a job. Legitimate Japanese employers and registered agencies do not charge placement fees. Illegal brokers charge $2,000–$7,000 depending on your country — that is debt you would spend your first year repaying.

Step 3: Sign your employment contract

The contract must specify your salary, working hours, job scope, and support arrangements. Review it carefully. Penalty clauses for quitting and "security deposits" are both illegal.

Step 4: The employer submits the Certificate of Eligibility (COE) application

The COE is the core of the SSW application process. Your employer (or their Registered Support Organization) submits it to the Regional Immigration Bureau on your behalf. Processing typically takes 1–3 months.

If you are already in Japan on a student visa, you can apply to change status directly without leaving — but immigration will scrutinize your attendance records. Poor attendance at a language school is a common ground for denial.

Step 5: Visa issuance at your embassy

Once the COE arrives, take it to the Japanese embassy in your home country. Visa issuance takes 5–10 business days. The COE is valid for 3 months — enter Japan within that window.

Step 6: Entry and registration

Enter Japan at a major international airport (Narita, Haneda, Kansai, etc.). Your Zairyu Card (residence card) is issued at the airport. Register your address with your local city hall within 14 days.

Required Documents

The medical exam must be conducted within 3 months of your visa application date. It covers blood pressure, BMI, vision, hearing, liver function, and glucose.

Costs You Are Responsible For

Recruitment is employer-paid. But you cover your own preparation costs:

Total out-of-pocket before you start working: roughly $400–$1,000, depending on your country and how much test prep you do.

What Happens After You Arrive

SSW Type 1 workers are legally entitled to 10 mandatory support services from their employer or Registered Support Organization (RSO). These include airport pickup, housing assistance, bank account setup, life orientation (earthquakes, public transport, social rules), and quarterly check-in meetings. RSO fees (¥20,000–¥40,000 per month) are paid by the employer — never by you.

You are also entitled to change employers within your industry. If you quit or are laid off, you have 14 days to notify the ISA and 3 months to find a new employer before your status lapses.

If you want to go deeper on any part of this process — from choosing the right industry exam to verifying your employer is legitimate — the Japan Specified Skilled Worker Visa Guide covers each step with detailed checklists and the exact documents you need at every stage.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Do not skip the medical timing. If your health checkup is older than 3 months when you apply for the visa, it is invalid and you start over.

Do not ignore the sector quota. If your target industry is near its cap, your COE application may be suspended — check ssw.go.jp before committing to a sector-specific exam.

Do not pay a broker upfront. Any agency demanding thousands of dollars before you have a job offer or a COE is operating illegally. Verify Japanese employers on the ISA portal and verify sending agencies through your country's official labor authority (POEA/DMW for Philippines, DOLAB for Vietnam, BP2MI for Indonesia).

Do not take the language test lightly. Failing the JLPT means waiting 6 months for the next sitting. The JFT-Basic is offered more frequently and gives same-day results — most applicants find it the better choice for timeline management.

The 2027 Reform on the Horizon

The Technical Intern Training Programme is being phased out in April 2027 and replaced with the Ikusei Shuro (Employment for Skill Development) system. Under this new system, workers can transfer employers after 1–2 years in the internship phase — something that was previously impossible and caused significant abuse. If you are currently a TITP intern, your path to SSW Type 1 remains intact; TITP Type 2 completers are still exempt from SSW tests when moving to the same industry.

The trajectory is clear: Japan is building a system for long-term foreign workers, not just short-term ones. Getting your SSW Type 1 now positions you to qualify for Type 2 — and eventually permanent residency — under a framework that is only getting more stable over time.

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