Business Manager Holders Have Until 16 October 2028 to Meet the ¥30 Million Rule
Japan's revised Business Manager criteria carry a transitional window that closes on 16 October 2028, and permanent residence applications are excluded from it.
Work Visas
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Survey Finds No Japanese-Language Teacher Lined Up at 36% of Employment for Skill Development Intermediaries
A state-run survey reported on 23 October 2026 found that about 36% of the organisations expected to deliver Japanese-language training under Employment for Skill Development have no teacher lined up, ahead of the status's April 2027 start.
Catering at Hospitals and Care Homes Would Move Out of the Closed Food Service Field
A draft put to the expert panel on 19 October 2026 would move medical and welfare facility catering out of the suspended Specified Skilled Worker food service field and into food and beverage manufacturing from FY2027.
Changing Employer Under Employment for Skill Development Carries Seven Conditions
The Immigration Services Agency's updated Employment for Skill Development Q&A sets out the conditions for a worker-initiated change of employer from 1 April 2027, including a restriction period of one to two years set by sector and a compensation payment whose amount has not yet been issued.
Specified Skilled Worker Support Caps Start 1 April 2027, with an Earlier Deadline for Support Organisations
From 1 April 2027 one support staffer may cover fewer than 50 Specified Skilled Worker (i) workers and, at a registered support organisation, fewer than 10 client employers, while organisations whose registration expires by 31 July 2027 must file renewals before that date to be judged under the current rules.
A Five-Year Period of Stay for Specified Skilled Worker (ii) Is Planned for January 2027
The Immigration Services Agency has consulted on adding a five-year period of stay to Specified Skilled Worker (ii), with the government planning a January 2027 start, while the five-year cumulative cap on Specified Skilled Worker (i) stays where it is.
B1 Japanese from 1 April 2027 for New Specified Skilled Worker Applications, No Date Yet for Residents
The Immigration Services Agency has set 1 April 2027 as the start of the "B1 or above" Japanese standard for Specified Skilled Worker certificate of eligibility applications, and says the timing for change-of-status and renewal applications is still under consideration.
Employment for Skill Development Starts 1 April 2027, and Technical Interns Cannot Switch Into It
The Employment for Skill Development programme begins on 1 April 2027, the employer and supervising-organisation filing windows are already open, and the Immigration Services Agency confirms that Technical Intern Training holders cannot transfer into it.
Aviation Joins the Employment for Skill Development Programme
The government presented a plan on 9 September to open the aviation field to Ikusei Shuro. The programme's overall ceiling does not move, so the new field draws on the existing allocation.
Japan and Thailand Sign a Cooperation Memorandum on Employment for Skill Development
Japan signed a memorandum of cooperation with Thailand on the Ikusei Shuro programme in June, part of the bilateral groundwork that has to be in place before the 2027 start.
Survey Finds Foreign Business Owners Squeezed by the New Business Manager Rules
Six months after Japan raised the capital and staffing bar for the Business Manager visa, a survey of foreign entrepreneurs shows how many are struggling to requalify at renewal.
Japan's Largest Work Visa Now Carries a Japanese-Language Requirement
From 15 April 2026 applicants for Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services status must show Japanese-language proficiency. The status covers more than 475,000 people.
Employment for Skill Development: Operational Guidelines Published Ahead of the 2027 Start
The Immigration Services Agency released the operating manual for Ikusei Shuro, the programme replacing technical intern training from April 2027, along with revised standards for two Specified Skilled Worker sectors.
J-Find Visa: Immigration Agency Updates the Eligible University List for 2026
The Future Creation Individual (J-Find) route lets graduates of highly ranked universities job-hunt in Japan for up to two years. The qualifying list was refreshed in January 2026.