The Specified Skilled Worker system took effect in April 2019 as part of a key policy initiative of the Japanese government.

Even as the spread of COVID-19 has dealt a major blow to the Japanese economy and the job-to-applicant ratio has fallen to low levels across many industries, the number of companies hiring Specified Skilled Workers continues to grow.

In this article, we explain why the number of Specified Skilled Workers is increasing even amid the spread of COVID-19.

Most Specified Skilled Workers Have Gone Through a Change of Status Procedure

At present, most people residing in Japan as Specified Skilled Workers have obtained the Specified Skilled Worker status of residence after completing a change of status procedure.

What Is a Change of Status Procedure?

A change of status procedure is the process of changing from a status of residence already held to a different status of residence.

It is essentially a procedure taken by foreign nationals already in Japan, and is distinct from procedures for foreign nationals who are about to enter Japan or from procedures to renew the period of stay under a status already held.

The fact that more foreign nationals are obtaining Specified Skilled Worker status of residence through a change of status procedure suggests that most Specified Skilled Workers currently in Japan are not people who newly entered from their home countries, but rather people who were already in Japan and obtained Specified Skilled Worker status after meeting the requirements.

In addition, special measures are currently in place for foreign nationals who wish to become Specified Skilled Workers.

The procedures for obtaining Specified Skilled Worker status of residence are not simple, and depending on the field, completing all procedures can take more than six months.

To support these procedures for Specified Skilled Worker status, there is currently a Designated Activities status of residence. Although the period granted is four months, it is a status that allows the individual to work at the company where they plan to work after obtaining Specified Skilled Worker status while advancing the procedures.

Points to note when using this Designated Activities status are that it is premised on starting work as a Specified Skilled Worker within four months, and that an application cannot be made when there is ample time remaining in the preparation period to become a Specified Skilled Worker.

Fields with Large Numbers of Specified Skilled Workers

Looking at data released by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan, it is clear that employment of Specified Skilled Workers is concentrated in certain fields. Below we introduce some of the most notable points.

Manufacturing in Aichi Prefecture

Data show that large numbers of Specified Skilled Workers are employed in manufacturing within Aichi Prefecture. As of the end of March 2021, 802 Specified Skilled Workers were already working in the field. Even under current COVID-19 conditions, labor shortages persist in manufacturing in Aichi Prefecture, and many companies are advancing hiring with an eye toward the post-COVID period.

Food and Beverage Manufacturing Field

In the food and beverage manufacturing field, 8,104 Specified Skilled Workers were working as of the end of March 2021. This is the largest number among the 14 Specified Skilled Worker fields and can be seen as a figure that reflects labor shortages in this sector. Because food and beverage manufacturing relates to food—one of the essentials of daily life—it has been relatively unaffected by COVID-19, and many companies still face staffing shortfalls, which helps explain these results.

In addition, some companies have seen production increase due to stay-at-home demand and similar factors, and those companies have further stepped up their hiring activity—another reason for the growth.

Furthermore, in the food and beverage manufacturing field, companies engaged in confectionery manufacturing—which was not possible under the Technical Intern Training program—can also hire foreign nationals, so companies in these areas facing labor shortages are likely making active use of the system.

Under the Specified Skilled Worker system, a council is established for each of the 14 fields, and accepting organizations must join the relevant council. In some fields, joining the council can be difficult, but in food and beverage manufacturing the procedures are very simple with little screening, which can be cited as one reason for the increase in Specified Skilled Workers in this field.

Agriculture in Regions Such as Hokkaido

In agriculture, 3,359 Specified Skilled Workers were working as of the end of March 2021, the next highest figure after food and beverage manufacturing and the three manufacturing fields.

Agriculture has busy seasons, and with labor shortages deepening at many farms due in part to the declining birthrate and aging population, help from foreign workers is especially needed during peak periods.

Under the Specified Skilled Worker system, employment of Specified Skilled Workers in a dispatch arrangement is permitted only in agriculture and fisheries—precisely to meet this kind of peak-season demand.

In agriculture, hiring young Japanese employees is expected to remain difficult going forward, so the number of Specified Skilled Workers is expected to continue rising steadily.

Lack of Jobs Upon Returning Home Is Also a Major Reason

Amid the impact of COVID-19, infection has begun to spread even in countries such as Vietnam that had previously kept case numbers low.

Today, in many Southeast Asian countries that are home countries for large numbers of Specified Skilled Workers, the spread of infection has not been contained, and economic activity remains restricted in many of them.

Many Southeast Asian countries also have strong tourism industries and have been hit hard by COVID-19, leaving their economies stagnant. In this environment, even if workers return home they may not find employment for some time, and any jobs they do find would pay far less than work in Japan. Although it means remaining separated from their families, more foreign nationals are choosing to stay in Japan and continue working as Specified Skilled Workers—a factor behind the increase.

Some Hire as Substitutes for Technical Intern Trainees and Specified Skilled Workers Unable to Enter Japan

As was reported in the news for a time, some companies that depend on foreign workers—especially farms entering their busy season—have decided to hire Specified Skilled Workers because the technical intern trainees they had expected could not enter Japan.

In addition, under COVID-19 conditions, a small number of technical intern trainees and Specified Skilled Workers waiting in their home countries to enter Japan have canceled plans to work in Japan due to uncertainty about when they can enter and concerns about COVID-19 infection.

Hiring Specified Skilled Workers already in Japan who can be employed with certainty is one way companies fill those gaps—another reason they are being selected.

Even so, many accepting organizations that have already conducted interviews and have foreign workers lined up to start as soon as entry resumes are choosing not to hire new foreign workers and are waiting instead.

A major reason is that once a Specified Skilled Worker is accepted, although the employment contract period is set, it is difficult to dismiss them while the contract remains in effect—even after entry to Japan resumes. Moreover, recruiting Specified Skilled Workers on the premise of short-term employment is not seen as an attractive job offer, making it hard to attract applicants.

Conclusion

In this article, we explained why the number of Specified Skilled Workers is increasing even amid the ongoing spread of COVID-19.

At present, some companies and many people who have completed Technical Intern Training both face difficulties with job openings and job seeking. The government is also implementing various measures to create matching opportunities, so it is important to consider making use of those measures and choose the best approach.