More than two years have passed since the Specified Skilled Worker system took effect.

Although the number of Specified Skilled Workers initially grew far more slowly than expected, when the impact of the coronavirus made it difficult for new technical intern trainees to enter Japan, a clear shift emerged toward transitioning technical intern trainees already in Japan to Specified Skilled Worker status, and partly as a result, the number of Specified Skilled Workers began to rise.

This article introduces the documents and procedures required when applying for the Specified Skilled Worker status of residence.

Required Documents Differ by Nationality

〇 Cambodia

Certificate of registration

〇 Thailand

Employment contract authenticated by the Labour Section of the Royal Thai Embassy in Japan

※ Required when changing status of residence to Specified Skilled Worker after completing Technical Intern Training.

〇 Vietnam

Recommendation form

※ When filing an Application for Certificate of Eligibility to obtain the Specified Skilled Worker status of residence, you must obtain prior approval of the recommendation form from DOLAB and submit it to the regional immigration services office together with the other required Specified Skilled Worker application documents. In addition, when filing an Application for Change of Status of Residence to Specified Skilled Worker, you must obtain prior approval of the recommendation form from the Embassy of Vietnam in Japan and submit it to the regional immigration services office together with the other required documents. Foreign nationals already residing in Japan under the Specified Skilled Worker status of residence do not need to obtain a new recommendation form. Furthermore, when a foreign national who has already obtained the Specified Skilled Worker status of residence files an Application for Change of Status of Residence to change accepting organization or field due to a job change, or files an Application for Extension of Period of Stay, submission of the recommendation form is not required.

※ Regarding the recommendation form, approval is also granted to those expected to complete Technical Intern Training who wish to transition to the Specified Skilled Worker status of residence, and to foreign nationals expected to graduate from the educational institution where they are studying. For such foreign nationals, when the Embassy of Vietnam in Japan grants approval, the recommendation form will state that graduation is expected. If that statement appears, former international students should, when submitting the recommendation form to the immigration services office with the Specified Skilled Worker application, also submit a document issued by the educational institution where they studied certifying completion of that institution’s educational program, together with the other required documents. For former technical intern trainees, documents concerning successful completion of Technical Intern Training (ii) are generally to be submitted, so a separate document certifying completion of Technical Intern Training is not required.

For the nationalities of foreign nationals introduced below, no documents need to be submitted to the Immigration Services Agency of Japan when applying for the Specified Skilled Worker status of residence, but each has required procedures.

〇 Philippines

For a Japanese accepting organization to employ a Philippine national as a Specified Skilled Worker, as a sending-side procedure in the Philippines the accepting organization must submit the required documents to the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) of the Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in Japan, undergo the necessary screening, and be registered with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) in the home country.

In addition, an Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) must then be obtained from POEA, and the OEC must be presented when departing the Philippines.

〇 Nepal

After an Application for Certificate of Eligibility to obtain the Specified Skilled Worker status of residence is granted, or after a change to the Specified Skilled Worker status of residence is permitted, if the person temporarily returns to Nepal under re-entry permission, an overseas labor permit must be obtained from the Japan desk of the Department of Foreign Employment, Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security of Nepal. The overseas labor permit must then be presented when departing Nepal.

〇 Indonesia

When Japanese accepting organizations recruit Indonesian nationals, the Indonesian side requests that Japanese accepting organizations register with the “Labor Market Information System (IPKOL)” managed by the Indonesian government for job openings and job seeking. ※ It does not appear to be mandatory at present. According to information from the Indonesian side, many Indonesian nationals are interested in the Specified Skilled Worker system, and Indonesians seeking employment in Japan access IPKOL to search for job openings. Registration in the system can be completed online.

〇 Myanmar

Under Myanmar’s system, Myanmar nationals applying for the Specified Skilled Worker status of residence as Specified Skilled Workers must apply to the Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population of Myanmar for an Overseas Worker Identification Card when working overseas.

〇 Mongolia

When a Japanese accepting organization newly accepts a Mongolian national as a Specified Skilled Worker, it is required to conclude a bilateral agreement with the General Office for Labour and Social Welfare Services (GOLWS) of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Mongolia regarding recruitment of Mongolian nationals.

Application Documents for the Immigration Services Agency of Japan

〇 Documents concerning the applicant (the foreign national)

・Application form

This is the application form in which information on the applicant who wishes to become a Specified Skilled Worker is entered.

・Statement of remuneration for the Specified Skilled Worker

A document stating the remuneration the Specified Skilled Worker will receive and the amount of remuneration of comparable Japanese workers.

・Employment contract

・Statement of working conditions

These are the contracts concluded between the Specified Skilled Worker and the accepting enterprise regarding employment conditions and related matters.

※ Accepting enterprises that implement a irregular working hours system must also submit a copy of a calendar written in the worker’s native language as well, and a copy of the agreement on the one-year irregular working hours system.

・Statement concerning the process leading to employment

A document stating expenses paid up to the conclusion of employment as a Specified Skilled Worker, among other matters.

・Statement of expenses to be collected

This covers various expenses to be collected from the Specified Skilled Worker.

・Results of a medical examination

For foreign nationals in Japan, submit the results of a medical examination received within the most recent one year. For foreign nationals coming to Japan from overseas, submit the results of a medical examination received within the most recent three months.

・Applicant’s declaration

A declaration stating that preexisting conditions and similar matters were explained to the physician at the time of the medical examination.

・Support plan for Specified Skilled Worker (i)

A document that mainly states the date of pre-guidance, the date of the living orientation, the consultation response framework, and related matters.

・Statement concerning the support outsourcing contract with a Registered Support Organization

A statement concerning the outsourcing of support for the applicant foreign national between the accepting enterprise and the Registered Support Organization.

〇 Documents prepared by the accepting enterprise

・Overview of the Specified Skilled Worker affiliated organization

A document stating matters such as employee turnover and financial results of the enterprise accepting Specified Skilled Workers.

・Certificate of registered matters

・Residence certificate of executive officers involved in business execution

・Written pledge concerning the officers of the Specified Skilled Worker affiliated organization

For officers not directly involved in duties related to the employment of Specified Skilled Workers, submission of this written pledge exempts them from submitting a residence certificate.

・Documents related to payment of labor insurance premiums (required documents differ depending on acceptance status)

・Social insurance premium payment status response form, or copies of health insurance and employees’ pension insurance premium receipts

・Tax payment certificate issued by the tax office

・Tax payment certificate for corporate inhabitant tax issued by the municipality

・Statement concerning fulfillment of public obligations

※ Submission of additional field-specific documents is also required.

Summary

This article introduced the documents that must be submitted when employing Specified Skilled Workers. Enterprises accepting such workers for the first time must submit all application documents, but many documents can be omitted for the second and subsequent applications, so please confirm the required documents at the time of application.