As of the end of 2020, there were 590 Specified Skilled Workers in Gunma Prefecture.
This figure is 6.8 times the previous year.
Compared with 86 people at the end of 2019, the number rose to 169 at the end of March 2020, 208 at the end of June, and 295 at the end of September.

According to materials from the Immigration Services Agency of Japan, there were 111 people in Isesaki City, 64 in Maebashi City, and 56 in Ota City, showing that Specified Skilled Workers are increasing mainly in Gunma’s urban areas.

Factors behind the increase in Specified Skilled Workers

According to immigration authorities, companies face severe difficulty bringing foreign workers into Japan due to the impact of COVID-19.
As a result, many businesses change the status of residence of technical intern trainees they already employ and rehire them.

Holders of Technical Intern Training (ii) can change to Specified Skilled Worker status without taking an exam.
About 503 Specified Skilled Workers changed status without an exam, while 87 passed the exam.

Although cross-border travel remains difficult due to COVID-19, status changes from technical intern trainees account for 85%, which is believed to have driven the increase in Specified Skilled Workers.

Vietnamese nationals make up the overwhelming majority of Specified Skilled Workers

A survey of nationalities of Specified Skilled Workers in the prefecture found that Vietnamese nationals make up the large majority.
By nationality, about 70% of Specified Skilled Workers are Vietnamese, totaling 405 people.
They are followed by Indonesia with 66, China with 50, and the Philippines with 26.
By industry, food and beverage manufacturing accounts for about half, with 289 people.
Other industries include agriculture with 59, nursing care and industrial machinery manufacturing with 57 each, the forming and fabricating materials industry with 53,
electrical, electronic, and information-related industries with 38, and construction with 24.

Number of Specified Skilled Workers nationwide

There are 15,663 Specified Skilled Workers nationwide. This figure increased roughly tenfold over one year. By prefecture, Chiba has the most with 1,260, followed by Aichi with 1,250 and Tokyo with 1,016. Gunma ranks 10th among the prefectures.

Japan’s population is declining year by year

As of April 1, 2021, Japan’s total population stood at 125.41 million. *Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications
This is a decline of about 520,000 people compared with the same month of the previous year.

According to a survey in November 2020, the population aged 15–64 was 74.453 million, down 606,000 from the same month of the previous year. By 2050, the population aged 15–64 is projected to fall to about 57.866 million, a decrease of 16.587 million.

Given the clear impact of population decline in recent years, it is understandable that many companies across Japan are hiring Specified Skilled Workers.

Projected intake over five years

The government has set the projected intake of Specified Skilled Workers at 345,000, and the achievement rate as of May 3, 2021 stands at about 4.5%.
Currently, about 12,000 people who passed exams overseas cannot enter Japan due to COVID-19.
Going forward, Japan plans to work with other countries on arrangements to send them to Japan.