HR managers and business leaders often say, “We want to hire international talent under the Specified Skilled Worker system, but we can’t see the full picture of what it will actually cost.” If you move forward knowing only recruitment-stage fees, unexpected costs after onboarding can easily derail the plan.

Costs of hiring Specified Skilled Worker foreign nationals are spread across multiple phases: recruitment agency fees, status of residence application costs, fees paid to a Registered Support Organization, social insurance premiums, and more. This article organizes when costs arise and typical amounts by phase—from hiring through ongoing post-hire operations—so you can build a hiring budget and decide whether to adopt the system with clearer numbers.

Overall cost picture for Specified Skilled Worker hiring

Costs incurred when accepting Specified Skilled Worker foreign nationals fall into four broad categories.

  1. Recruitment and placement costs (recruitment agency fees, job advertising, pre-employment health checkups, etc.)
  2. Status of residence application costs (revenue stamps, document acquisition fees, professional service fees, etc.)
  3. Support outsourcing fees to a Registered Support Organization (monthly outsourcing fees)
  4. Post-hire and ongoing costs (social insurance premiums, training costs, renewal application fees, etc.)

Because timing and scale differ sharply by category, it is important to design the budget with the full lifecycle in view from the hiring-planning stage. Each category is explained in detail below.

The way costs arise is also different from Technical Intern Training. Under Technical Intern Training, employers pay supervision fees to a supervising organization; Specified Skilled Worker has no supervising organization, and the employer either provides the mandatory support itself or outsources it to a registered support organization. On the other hand, Specified Skilled Workers can change employers within the range of work for which their skill level has been confirmed, so if you want the people you spent money hiring to stay, you need to design the conditions for retention before they join: pay level, prospects for raises, housing and the system for consultations.

Typical costs in the recruitment and placement phase

Fees paid to recruitment agencies

When you hire Specified Skilled Worker talent through a recruitment agency, typical fees are about15–30% of the candidate’s theoretical annual salary. For a hire with an annual salary of ¥3 million, placement fees are roughly ¥450,000–¥900,000.

Fee levels vary widely by service model. Under a retainer (upfront fee) model, tens of thousands to several hundred thousand yen may be charged in advance regardless of whether a hire is made, so costs arise even if recruitment fails. Under a success-fee model, costs stay at zero until an offer is accepted, so you can search for candidates while keeping hiring risk to a minimum.

YourBright uses a pure success-fee model with ¥0 initial and operating fees. We introduce candidates from a database of more than 170,000 international talent, and no fees are charged until an offer is accepted.See details on our international talent business here.

Job advertising and media listing fees

Using job services specialized in Specified Skilled Worker talent or foreign-language media incurs separate listing fees. Typical market rates are roughly tens of thousands to several hundred thousand yen per month, depending on the medium and plan. When you use a recruitment agency, you often do not pay separate job advertising costs, so it is important to compare channels on total cost, not each line item alone.

Pre-employment health checkup costs

Under Article 66 of the Industrial Safety and Health Act, pre-employment health checkups must be conducted at the accepting employer’s expense. Typical costs are about ¥5,000–¥15,000 per person and vary by medical institution. The same obligations that apply to Japanese workers also apply to Specified Skilled Worker foreign nationals, so you need to build checkup costs for the planned headcount into the budget.

Breakdown of status of residence application costs

Application fees to the Immigration Services Agency of Japan

Official fees for applications to the Immigration Services Agency of Japan are set by law, and these application fees were revised on 1 April 2025 (Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, “Application for Change of Status of Residence” and “Application for Extension of Period of Stay”; verified 28 August 2026).

Application for Certificate of Eligibility (when inviting someone from overseas)

  • Application fee: Free
  • Visa application fees in the home country may be charged separately by local authorities.
  • International postage and document translation costs are also incurred at actual expense.

Application for Change of Status of Residence (for foreign nationals already in Japan)

When changing the status of residence of international students, technical intern training completers, or others already living in Japan to Specified Skilled Worker, the following costs apply.

  • Application fee: ¥6,000 over the counter / ¥5,500 online (both paid by revenue stamp; revised 1 April 2025)
  • Residence card issuance fee: Free

Application for Extension of Period of Stay (incurred at each renewal)

The period of stay for Specified Skilled Worker (i) is granted as 1 year, 6 months, or 4 months, and multiple renewal applications are required within the cumulative 5-year limit.

  • Application fee: ¥6,000 over the counter / ¥5,500 online (both paid by revenue stamp; revised 1 April 2025)
  • Applications are accepted from 3 months before the expiration date. Failure to renew on time causes the status of residence to lapse, so solid management processes are essential.

Typical costs of obtaining documents

Status of residence applications require many supporting documents, and obtaining them also costs money.

Certificate of registered matters (corporate registry)

  • At a Legal Affairs Bureau counter: ¥600 per copy
  • Online request (Registration Information Service): ¥480–¥332
  • A current copy is required for each application, so acquisition costs arise each time when hiring multiple people.

Residence tax taxation certificate and tax payment certificate

  • Amounts vary by municipality, but about ¥300–¥400 per copy is typical.

Skills evaluation test and Japanese language test fees

As a rule, changing status of residence to Specified Skilled Worker (i) requires passing the skills evaluation test for the relevant industry and a Japanese language test (N4 equivalent or higher). Exam fees are in principle paid by the individual, though some accepting employers cover them as support. Skills evaluation test fees vary by testing body and industry and are generally about ¥5,000–¥10,000.

Note that talent who have successfully completed Technical Intern Training (ii) or (iii) are exempt from both the skills test and the Japanese language test where the occupation and tasks they completed are recognized as related to the duties they will perform under Specified Skilled Worker. Where that relatedness is not recognized, the Japanese language test is still waived but the skills test must be passed. Where the exemption route applies, hiring Technical Intern Training completers is advantageous on cost as well, because exam costs can effectively be zero.

Costs when outsourcing applications to a professional

Status of residence application documents require specialized knowledge, so outsourcing to an administrative scrivener (gyoseishoshi) is common. Market fees are typically about¥50,000–¥150,000 per case. If a Registered Support Organization also handles application agency work, it may be covered without extra charge. Confirm whether application agency is included and how fees are structured before signing a contract.

For more on types of status of residence and application overviews, see this article as well.

Typical support outsourcing fees to Registered Support Organizations

Why outsourcing to a Registered Support Organization is often needed

Companies that accept Specified Skilled Worker (i) foreign nationals must, under the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, provide all of the following mandatory support.

  • Pre-arrival guidance (providing life and work information before entry)
  • Airport pickup and drop-off on entry and departure
  • Support securing housing and concluding contracts needed for daily life
  • Life orientation (explaining rules and systems in Japan)
  • Providing opportunities for Japanese language learning
  • Handling consultations and complaints
  • Support promoting interaction with Japanese people
  • Job-change support in cases of involuntary separation
  • Regular interviews and reporting to administrative agencies

Companies can deliver all of this in-house, but staffing multilingual personnel, running regular interviews, and similar work require substantial resources. For that reason, many accepting organizations outsource the work to a Registered Support Organization.

Market rates for monthly outsourcing fees

Fees paid to Registered Support Organizations are typically about¥20,000–¥50,000 per person per month. Some providers also charge initial fees of about ¥30,000–¥100,000, so it is important to review the full contract fee structure, not only the monthly amount.

If you outsource one person at ¥30,000 per month for the maximum Specified Skilled Worker (i) period of 5 years (60 months), cumulative fees reach¥1.8 million. Accepting five people at the same time can mean up to about ¥9 million in outsourcing costs over five years. As headcount grows, there is more room to negotiate unit prices, so companies planning multiple hires should consider negotiating in advance.

Points to check when choosing a Registered Support Organization

Choosing on price alone can lead to inadequate support quality and higher risk of turnover or trouble. Compare the following points together with cost.

  • Whether native-language staff are available and which languages are covered
  • Night and holiday emergency contact arrangements
  • Past support track record and average retention period
  • Whether status of residence application agency is offered, and at what cost
  • Frequency and method of regular interviews (in person, online, etc.)

Typical pay for Specified Skilled Workers and how the minimum wage applies

Of the hiring budget, the largest cost that keeps arising every month after joining is pay. Because Specified Skilled Worker sets institutional requirements on how pay is decided, do not set the amount from job-board rates alone; check the following three points before building it into the budget.

Pay equal to or higher than for Japanese workers is a requirement

The standards for a Specified Skilled Worker employment contract require that the foreign worker’s pay be equal to or higher than the pay a Japanese worker would receive for the same work (Immigration Services Agency, “特定技能外国人受入れに関する運用要領 (Operational Guidelines on Accepting Specified Skilled Workers)” (in Japanese)).

Where there is a Japanese worker with a similar level of skill, be ready to show that the duties and level of responsibility are equivalent and to explain that the pay is equal to or higher than that Japanese worker’s pay. Even when there is no Japanese worker to compare with, you explain, based on your wage rules or the duties and level of responsibility, that the pay is at least what you would pay a Japanese worker. In other words, exceeding the minimum wage is not enough on its own; the minimum wage is only the floor. When researching typical pay, use what you pay Japanese workers in the same workplace and the same job as the benchmark, and then compare it with local job-offer levels.

Checking the minimum wage and what happens in case of a violation

There are two kinds of minimum wage: the regional minimum wage and the specified minimum wage, which is set for particular industries at a higher level than the regional minimum wage. When both apply at the same time, the employer must pay at least the higher of the two (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, “賃金 (Wages)” (in Japanese)).

Even if the employer and worker agree on pay below the minimum wage, that part is invalid by law and is treated as an agreement for the same amount as the minimum wage. If you have paid less than the minimum wage, you must pay the difference; paying below the regional minimum wage is subject to the penalty under the Minimum Wage Act (a fine of up to 500,000 yen), and paying below a specified minimum wage is subject to the penalty under the Labor Standards Act (a fine of up to 300,000 yen) (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, “最低賃金制度とは (What is the minimum wage system?)” (in Japanese)).

Regional minimum wages are revised almost every year, and the revised amount applies from its effective date. For monthly salaries, divide the monthly salary by the average scheduled working hours per month and compare that hourly amount with the minimum wage. In doing so, do not include overtime, holiday and late-night premiums, commuting allowances, family allowances or perfect-attendance allowances in the amount being compared. Set a procedure to check, at every revision, that no employee is paid below the minimum wage for their place of work.

Check the latest amount and effective date for the prefecture of the place of work in the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare “地域別最低賃金の全国一覧 (National list of regional minimum wages)” (in Japanese).

Premium pay and deductions from pay

Overtime beyond statutory working hours and late-night work between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. must be paid at a premium of at least 25%, and work on statutory holidays at a premium of at least 35% (Nara Labour Bureau, “改善事項　割増賃金 (Items for improvement: premium wages)” (in Japanese)).

The premium rate for overtime exceeding 60 hours a month has applied to small and medium-sized enterprises as well since April 2023, rising from at least 25% to at least 50% (Hokkaido Labour Bureau, “2023年4月1日から月60時間を超える時間外労働の割増賃金率が引き上げられます (The premium rate for overtime exceeding 60 hours a month rises from April 1, 2023)” (in Japanese)).

In workplaces with a lot of overtime or night shifts, include these premiums in your labor-cost estimate.

Wages must in principle be paid in full; the exceptions that allow deductions are cases where laws and regulations provide otherwise, such as deducting taxes, and cases where there is a labor-management agreement (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, “確かめよう労働条件 (Check your working conditions)” (in Japanese)).

The main items actually deducted from pay are health insurance, employees’ pension insurance and employment insurance premiums, income tax and resident tax, and long-term care insurance premiums are added for people aged 40 to 64. Because resident tax is levied on the previous year’s income, it is usually not deducted right after arrival and often starts from the following fiscal year, which is worth telling the worker in advance. If you deduct items such as dormitory fees from pay, conclude a labor-management agreement and state the amounts and details at the employment-contract stage.

The gap between gross and take-home pay is a common source of complaints such as “this is not the pay I was told” after arrival, and of early resignations. Before signing the employment contract, explaining the gross pay, the breakdown of deductions and an estimate of take-home pay in a language the person fully understands helps prevent trouble after they join.

Ongoing costs after joining

Social insurance premiums (employer share)

Enrollment in social insurance is mandatory for all workers, including Specified Skilled Worker foreign nationals (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare: Guidelines on improving employment management of foreign workers). The main premiums employers pay each month break down as follows.

Employees’ pension insurance premiums (employer share)

The employer share is 9.15% of standard monthly remuneration (split equally with the employee). For an employee with a monthly salary of ¥250,000, the employer share is about ¥22,875.

Health insurance premiums (employer share)

For Japan Health Insurance Association (Kyokai Kenpo) coverage, the FY2024 premium rate in Tokyo is 10.00% (employer share 5.00% under equal split). At a monthly salary of ¥250,000, the employer share is about ¥12,500 per month.

Employment insurance premiums (employer share)

For general businesses, the employer share is 9.5/1,000 of total wages (FY2024). At a monthly salary of ¥250,000, the employer share is about ¥2,375 per month.

Workers’ accident compensation insurance premiums

These are fully borne by the employer, and rates vary by industry. For manufacturing, a rough guide is about 4/1,000 of total wages.

If you hire one Specified Skilled Worker on a monthly salary of 250,000 yen, the employer’s total social insurance contribution comes to roughly 35,000 to 40,000 yen per month. Plan for an ongoing annual cost of 420,000 to 480,000 yen.

Costs of renewing the period of stay

The maximum period of stay for Specified Skilled Worker (i) is five years in total, and an application to the Immigration Services Agency of Japan is required for each renewal. The application fee is 6,000 yen per filing over the counter, or 5,500 yen if you file online (both paid by revenue stamp; revised 1 April 2025), but if you outsource to an administrative scrivener, expect an additional roughly 30,000 to 50,000 yen. Failing to manage the renewal schedule risks the status of residence expiring, so it is important to put a system in place for tracking renewal deadlines.

Costs of training and Japanese-language education

Training costs aimed at improving job skills, embedding workplace rules, and maintaining and raising Japanese-language ability also arise as ongoing expenses. If you do not have an in-house training system, you will incur fees for external training programs or Japanese-language classes. Amounts vary widely by content and frequency, but budgeting roughly several tens of thousands to several hundred thousand yen per person per year provides peace of mind.

Also budget for translating the employment contract, work rules, occupational safety and health training materials and similar documents into a language the person understands. Specified Skilled Worker requires the support plan to be prepared and handed over in a language the person fully understands, and making sure workplace rules and safety precautions are correctly understood also helps prevent industrial accidents and early resignations. Costs differ depending on whether you ask a registered support organization or an outside vendor to translate or prepare the materials in-house, so confirm the scope of translation at the quotation stage.

Three points for keeping Specified Skilled Worker hiring costs down

Point 1: Prioritize changing the status of residence of talent already in Japan

Costs and hiring lead times differ substantially between inviting talent from overseas and changing the status of residence of foreign nationals already living in Japan to Specified Skilled Worker. Using talent already in Japan (such as international students or those who have completed Technical Intern Training) eliminates the need to obtain a Certificate of Eligibility. The timeline from hiring to start of employment can usually be shortened to about one to three months, and international postage and translation costs are also unnecessary.

In addition, talent who have successfully completed Technical Intern Training (ii) or higher are exempt from both the skills exam and the Japanese-language exam when changing to Specified Skilled Worker (i), provided the occupation and tasks they completed are recognized as related to the duties they will perform. Where that relatedness is not recognized, the skills exam must still be passed. Where the exemption applies, this is also advantageous because exam-related costs can effectively be reduced to zero. See here for a detailed explanation of the foreign hiring process.

Point 2: Choose a success-fee talent introduction service

With retainer-based talent introduction services, fees arise even if hiring does not result. The longer the hiring process runs, the more costs accumulate and pressure the overall hiring budget. By choosing a success-fee service where no fees arise until an offer is accepted, you can tie hiring costs to hiring outcomes and achieve more cost-effective recruitment.

Point 3: Engage a Registered Support Organization that also handles application agency services

If you split status-of-residence applications with an administrative scrivener and support work with a separate Registered Support Organization, costs can arise twice. When a Registered Support Organization also provides application agency services, consolidating with one provider can reduce total cost. When obtaining quotes, it is important to compare not only the monthly outsourcing fee but the overall amount including whether application agency is included and at what cost.

Note that, according to the Immigration Services Agency of Japan’s Information by Field, Specified Skilled Worker covers 17 designated fields as of 1 June 2026 (verified 28 August 2026). Two further fields, logistics warehousing and resource circulation, were added by a Cabinet decision on 23 January 2026, but acceptance has not yet begun in them. The required exams and documents differ by field. Field-specific requirements are explained in detail in our list of Specified Skilled Worker eligible fields, so please also check the requirements for the field you are considering hiring in.

Summary

An overview of the costs of hiring Specified Skilled Workers is as follows.

  • Talent introduction fee: 15–30% of theoretical annual salary (0 yen until offer acceptance for success-fee models)
  • Status of residence application fees: 6,000 yen over the counter or 5,500 yen online (revenue stamp, revised 1 April 2025) for both change and renewal; professional outsourcing roughly 50,000–150,000 yen per case
  • Registered Support Organization outsourcing fees: 20,000–50,000 yen per month (up to 1.8 million yen per person over five years)
  • Social insurance premiums (employer share): roughly 35,000–40,000 yen per month for a monthly salary of 250,000 yen
  • Health checkups and training costs: roughly several tens of thousands of yen per person per year

To optimize hiring costs, it is effective to combine use of a success-fee talent introduction service, prioritizing status-of-residence changes for talent already in Japan, and consolidating application agency with a Registered Support Organization. Using the system after carefully assessing costs leads to building a stable long-term hiring framework.

If you would like to discuss Specified Skilled Worker hiring costs and procedures, including a concrete estimate, please feel free to contact us. YourBright, which holds a talent database of more than 170,000 people, provides end-to-end support from hiring plan design through post-hire support. For phone consultations, call 03-6908-6143 (hours: 9:00–18:00).