Specified Skilled Worker Visa (Tokutei Ginou): SSW 1 vs 2

Introduction

You want to keep working in Japan after graduation, but you went to a vocational school or a Japanese language school rather than a university, and the gijinkoku visa (Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services) looks out of reach. This is exactly the situation the Specified Skilled Worker visa (Tokutei Ginou) was built for. It judges you on exams instead of your academic background, so what you majored in doesn’t matter.

Before you start moving, though, there are two things we really want you to know. The first is that SSW 1 lets you stay in Japan for a total of five years, and no longer. If you have not moved to another status of residence by the time those five years run out, you go home. The second is that the food service field is currently closed to new applicants. If you have been preparing for a job at a restaurant, you will need to rethink your plan. We cover both in detail below.

The system itself has a lot to keep track of: the difference between SSW 1 and SSW 2, 19 fields, two kinds of exams, and rules the company hiring you has to follow. It is hard to see where to start. In this article we first sort out what this status of residence actually is. Then we walk through the steps for switching over from a student visa.

What kind of status of residence is this?

Specified Skilled Worker was created in 2019 so that people could work in industries facing serious labor shortages.

The big feature is that you are judged on skills, not on schooling. The gijinkoku visa asks for a connection between what you studied at university or vocational school and what you will do at work. Specified Skilled Worker asks you to pass a set of exams, and your academic background does not come into it.

The other feature is that you can do hands-on work. Assembly line work at a factory, helping with bathing and meals in nursing care, serving customers at a shop: you can take these jobs. They are the kind that rarely gets approved under gijinkoku.

As of the end of 2025, around 390,000 people were living in Japan on this status.

(Source: Immigration Services Agency, published figures on Specified Skilled Worker residents)

The difference between SSW 1 and SSW 2

There are two levels, SSW 1 and SSW 2. Everyone starts at SSW 1.

Note: the Japanese requirement for SSW 2 is set to change. The new field-by-field policy adopted by cabinet decision on January 23, 2026 sets a level of B1 or above on the Japanese Language Education Reference Framework (roughly JLPT N3) for SSW 2 as well. As of August 2026, though, the screening rules themselves have not been amended and no start date has been announced. If you are aiming for SSW 2, it is safer to prepare for N3-level Japanese anyway.

The biggest catch is that SSW 1 runs out after five years. Within those five years you have to either move up to SSW 2, change to a different status of residence, or leave Japan. Starting to think about it in year five is too late. Before your first day of work, decide what you are going to do after those five years.

Reaching SSW 2 changes your situation completely. There is no cap on renewals anymore, and you can bring your family to Japan. Once you reach SSW 2, living in Japan long term becomes realistic. To get SSW 2, though, you need work experience on top of the exam, and what counts differs by field. Some fields want experience leading people: a team leader in construction, a supervisor in shipbuilding, an assistant manager in food service. Others do not. Industrial product manufacturing and automobile maintenance ask for experience carrying out work on your own judgment. Find out early what your field asks for.

As of the end of December 2025, only 7,955 people had actually reached SSW 2, out of 390,296 on Specified Skilled Worker overall, about 2%. That said, it was 3,073 six months earlier, so the number is roughly 2.6 times what it was.

(Preliminary figures. Source: Immigration Services Agency, key figures on Specified Skilled Worker residents as of end-December 2025)

Here is something to watch out for. Not every field has an SSW 2. Only 11 of the 19 fields offer it, and nursing care is not one of them. If you want to work in nursing care beyond five years, you take the national Certified Care Worker (kaigo fukushi-shi) qualification and switch to the “Nursing Care” status of residence. Check whether the field you are choosing has an SSW 2 before you start working in it.

(Source: Immigration Services Agency, FAQ on the Specified Skilled Worker system)

There is also a case where up to six years is allowed: if you scored at least 80% of the passing mark on the SSW 2 exam but still failed, and you make a set of undertakings. Both are limited situations, so treat five years as the rule.

(Source: Immigration Services Agency, total period of stay)

The 19 eligible fields

A cabinet decision in January 2026 brought the number of eligible fields for SSW 1 to 19. In practice, though, only 17 of them are open to applications right now. Logistics warehousing and resource recycling have not started accepting anyone yet, because their exams are not ready.

(As of June 1, 2026. Source: Immigration Services Agency, fields eligible for Specified Skilled Worker)

That is a lot to take in, so we have split them into four groups by the type of work. The “SSW 2” column shows whether that field has an SSW 2 level.

Making and building things

Supporting daily life

Moving and maintaining

Farming, fishing, forestry, and the environment

Logistics warehousing, linen supply, and resource recycling were only added in January 2026. Linen supply opened first: you have been able to apply for SSW 1 in that field since June 1, 2026.

(Source: MHLW, Specified Skilled Worker in the linen supply field)

Logistics warehousing and resource recycling are still building their skills exams, and for logistics warehousing even the exam start date is undecided.

(Source: MLIT, Specified Skilled Worker in the logistics warehousing field)

None of the three fields has an SSW 2.

Each field is divided further into detailed work categories, and each category has its own exam. In a field like industrial product manufacturing, which has 17 categories, only 3 of them lead on to SSW 2. Do not judge by the field name alone. Check which specific category the exam you plan to take belongs to.

(Source: Immigration Services Agency, status of residence "Specified Skilled Worker")

We have put together the intake caps by field and the details of the new fields here.

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Food service is closed to new applicants

Since April 13, 2026, new SSW 1 intake in food service has been suspended in principle. The cap for the field, 50,000 people over five years, was projected to be exceeded, so intake was stopped before it was actually reached. Only SSW 1 is affected: the SSW 1 exam has stopped both inside and outside Japan, but the SSW 2 evaluation exam for food service is still being held.

(Source: Immigration Services Agency, temporary suspension of Certificates of Eligibility in the food service field)

If you are already working in food service, this does not affect you. Renewals of your period of stay, and job changes within food service, are processed as normal with no cut-off date. Applications to change into SSW 1 food service from another status, on the other hand, are cut off by the date the application was received. As of August 2026, changes from Designated Activities (preparation for transition to SSW 1) and from Technical Intern Training in meal preparation for medical and welfare facilities are processed only if they were received by July 31, 2026; anything later falls under the suspension. Immigration revises this date every month, so check the current cut-off before you apply.

(Source: Immigration Services Agency, screening status for SSW 1 applications in the food service field)

If you were planning to get Specified Skilled Worker in food service, your choice is to wait for the cap to be reviewed, or to switch to a different field such as food and beverage manufacturing or accommodation. The cap covers the five years from FY2024 through FY2028, so waiting could take a long time. We explain what to do in each situation here.

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The two exams you need for SSW 1

To get SSW 1, you generally need to pass two kinds of exams.

Skills exam

There is a separate exam for each field you might want to work in. Nursing care has the Care Worker Skills Evaluation Test, food and beverage manufacturing has the Food and Beverage Manufacturing Skills Test, and so on down the list. Most fields hold the exam both inside and outside Japan.

Japanese exam

You need to pass either the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) at N4 or above, or score 200 or higher out of a possible 250 (roughly A2.2) on the Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese (JFT-Basic).

(Source: Japan Foundation, about JFT-Basic)

Either one is fine. The JLPT is held twice a year, in July and December, while JFT-Basic is taken on a computer. If you are short on time before graduation, look up both schedules and take whichever one you can still make.

Nursing care is the one field with an extra requirement: you also need to pass the Japanese language section of the Nursing Care Specified Skills Evaluation Test. The pass marks in force since April 1, 2026 are 60% of the total score for the skills section and 73% of the total score for the Japanese section. These marks are reviewed each fiscal year, so check the current figures before you sit the test.

(Source: MHLW, accepting Specified Skilled Workers in the nursing care field)

When the exams are waived

If you completed Technical Intern Training (ii) with good results, meaning you finished at least two years and ten months as planned, the Japanese exam is waived, and that waiver applies no matter which occupation you trained in. The skills exam is waived only where your training occupation is recognised as related to the job you are taking on. So: same field, both waived; different field, you sit the skills exam only. That waiver is the reason so many people move from technical intern training into Specified Skilled Worker.

There are three exceptions. For nursing care, the Japanese section is not waived unless your training was in the nursing care occupation itself. For automobile transport (taxi and bus drivers) and railway (transport staff), N3-level Japanese is required, so you still have to prove your Japanese even if you completed Technical Intern Training (ii).

(Source: Immigration Services Agency, operational guidelines for accepting Specified Skilled Workers)

There is no waiver for students, so you will be taking both exams.

One more thing: from April 2027, technical intern training is being replaced by a new system called Employment for Skill Development (ikusei shuro). Finishing that new program will lead into SSW 1, and from there into SSW 2, as a single connected route. If you are already in Japan on technical intern training, or you are coming soon, ask your employer which of the two systems applies to you.

Japan expands the Specified Skilled Worker intake to 1.23 million

How to switch from a student visa

Here is how it actually works. The order of steps is different from switching to gijinkoku, so read this part carefully.

Step 1: Pick your field and pass the exams

Start by deciding what field you want to work in, then pass that field’s skills exam and the Japanese exam. This is your starting line. Nothing else can move until you have passed.

Exam timing and frequency vary by field. Some fields only hold theirs a few times a year, so count how many months you have left until graduation and build your plan from there. In fields where new intake is suspended, such as food service, the exams may be on hold too.

Step 2: Find an employer

Once you have passed, look for a company in that field that can hire you. Only companies that meet a set of standards are allowed to take on Specified Skilled Worker staff, so when you are going through job listings, check whether the company is set up for it.

Your employment contract has to pay you at least as much as a Japanese national doing the same work.

Step 3: Have a support plan drawn up for you

This step is unique to Specified Skilled Worker.

Companies hiring SSW 1 staff have a legal duty to provide support. That includes things like a pre-arrival briefing, help finding housing, an orientation on daily life in Japan, opportunities to study Japanese, and a channel for handling your questions and concerns. The company has to put all of this into a written plan.

Companies that cannot handle this in-house outsource it to an outside body called a registered support organization (touroku shien kikan). When you are choosing between employers, it is worth asking how their support is set up.

And before you apply to change your status of residence, the company is supposed to give you that briefing. If the application is already moving and nobody has explained anything to you, the order is wrong. Ask the company about it if you are worried.

Step 4: Apply to change your status of residence

Gather your documents and file with immigration. They split into what you prepare (application form, photo, passport, residence card, your resume, your graduation certificate, exam pass certificates, and a written statement explaining the reason for the change) and what the company prepares (employment contract, support plan, company documents).

The volume of paperwork on the company side is what sets Specified Skilled Worker apart. In practice the company or the registered support organization takes the lead, but it is your application, so check how far along it is yourself.

The fee is ¥6,000 at the counter and ¥5,500 online, but it is set to rise on October 1, 2026. The amended Immigration Control Act was promulgated on June 5, 2026, and the published draft puts the fee at ¥10,000 to ¥75,000 depending on your period of stay (up to ¥65,000 online). The standard processing time is one to two months; for applications approved in June 2026 the actual average was 63 days.

(Sources: Immigration Services Agency, application for change of status of residence; same, residence application processing times)

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Specified Skilled Worker or gijinkoku?

These two are what students most often get stuck between. Here are the differences side by side.

Three questions, in this order, will tell you which one fits you.

1. Have you graduated from a university or vocational school?

Japan or your home country both count, but without a degree or diploma, you cannot choose gijinkoku. If you have only completed a Japanese language school and did not go to university back home, Specified Skilled Worker is the realistic option.

2. Does the job you want connect to what you studied?

For gijinkoku, immigration checks whether what you studied at school connects to the content of the job. Vocational school graduates in particular get looked at more closely than university graduates on whether what they learned in class ties to the work. If that connection would be hard to explain, Specified Skilled Worker is the easier path to approval.

3. Will hands-on work be the core of the job?

Factory line work, helping with bathing and meals in nursing care, cooking and serving customers at a shop: these are jobs that rarely get approved under gijinkoku. If that kind of work is the main part of the job, Specified Skilled Worker is the one to choose.

If you have a university or vocational school qualification and can get a job related to your major, gijinkoku is the stronger choice. There is no cap on your period of stay, you can bring your family, and the time counts toward the working years when you apply for permanent residence. You can switch from Specified Skilled Worker to gijinkoku later, but the connection between your education and the job content is required there too.

We cover the gijinkoku requirements in detail here.

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Three things to check before you apply

Immigration also looks at how you have spent your time in Japan so far. When students switch to Specified Skilled Worker, these three things can get an application refused.

1. You worked more than 28 hours a week

Part-time work on a student visa is capped at 28 hours a week. If there is a record of you working more than that, immigration can decide you have not followed the rules and refuse the application. Your wages stay on record through tax procedures, so immigration finds out even if you never reported the work yourself. How the hours are counted, and what happens if you hold more than one job, are covered in the complete guide to part-time work for international students.

2. You have unpaid resident tax, pension, or health insurance

Whether you have properly paid your taxes and insurance premiums is also part of the screening. If you never filed for an exemption or deferral as a student and left periods unpaid, that will be pointed out. If anything here comes to mind, talk to your city hall or the pension office before you apply.

3. Your attendance was low, or you dropped out

A student visa exists so that you can attend school. If your attendance rate is very low, or you have already withdrawn, getting a change of status approved becomes difficult.

FAQ

Q: Can I get Specified Skilled Worker with only a Japanese language school qualification?

A: Yes. Specified Skilled Worker does not set an education requirement, so as long as you have passed the skills exam and the Japanese exam, you can apply. This is the single biggest difference from gijinkoku.

Q: Where can I take the exams?

A: It depends on the field. Many are held inside Japan, and some are also held overseas. Check the schedule and venues on the website of the body running your exam. Some fields only hold theirs a few times a year, so look into it early.

Q: What happens after the five years of SSW 1?

A: You move up to SSW 2, change to a different status of residence, or go home. To move up to SSW 2, you need to pass that field’s SSW 2 evaluation exam and build up work experience as a team leader or in a similar role. Remember that only 11 of the 19 fields have an SSW 2. Some fields, nursing care among them, have none, and in that case you look for another route, such as taking the Certified Care Worker qualification and moving to the “Nursing Care” status. Check whether your field has an SSW 2 back when you are starting out on SSW 1.

Q: Can I change jobs on Specified Skilled Worker?

A: Yes. Within the same field you do not need to retake the exams, and to move to a different field you pass that field’s skills exam. Either way, though, you have to apply for permission to change your status of residence. That is because your Specified Skilled Worker permission was issued as a set with a specific employer and specific job content, so a simple notification is not enough the way it is under gijinkoku. A new support plan also has to be drawn up at your new employer, and you cannot start work there until permission comes through, so give yourself plenty of time.

Q: Can I bring my family to Japan?

A: Not on SSW 1. Once you reach SSW 2, you can bring your spouse and children. This is one of the major differences between the two levels.

Q: Can I get permanent residence through Specified Skilled Worker?

A: Staying on SSW 1 takes a long time. A permanent residence application looks at your conduct, whether your livelihood is stable, and whether you have kept up with taxes, pension, and health insurance. On top of that there are two conditions about time: you have lived in Japan for 10 years or more, and at least 5 of those years were spent working on a status of residence that allows you to work. The guidelines explicitly exclude SSW 1 and technical intern training from that five-year working requirement. How the time is treated for the 10-year requirement is not stated in the guidelines, so check with immigration or a specialist before you apply.

(Source: Immigration Services Agency, guidelines on permission for permanent residence, revised February 24, 2026)

Once you reach SSW 2, the five years counts. If you are thinking about living in Japan long term, consider aiming for SSW 2, or switching to another status of residence such as gijinkoku.

Q: I wanted to get Specified Skilled Worker in food service. What should I do?

A: New intake is currently suspended and the SSW 1 exam is not being held (the SSW 2 exam continues). The route from Designated Activities (preparation for transition to SSW 1) is also closing: only applications received by July 31, 2026 are being processed, and anything filed now falls under the suspension. Immigration revises that cut-off every month, so check the current position first. Beyond that, the realistic move is to switch to a field where your experience still counts, such as food and beverage manufacturing or accommodation. The food and beverage manufacturing exam also covers hygiene management, so the food hygiene knowledge you picked up studying for food service is worth keeping. If you are already working in food service, renewals and job changes within the field still work as normal, so there is no need to rush.

Wrap-up: aiming for Specified Skilled Worker from a student visa

Specified Skilled Worker sets no education requirement, but in exchange you have to pass exams. If you are coming from a student visa, getting the order of steps wrong means running out of time before graduation.

Three things to hold on to:

• The exam comes first. Without a pass, you cannot find an employer and you cannot apply. Exam frequency varies by field, so count how many months you have until graduation and build your plan
• Choose your field carefully. Fields do close to new applicants, as food service has. Assume that popular fields can hit their caps
• SSW 1 runs out at five years. Checking whether your field has a path to SSW 2 before you start working is what saves you from scrambling five years later

And if you have a university or vocational school qualification and can land a job related to your major, look at gijinkoku first. No cap on your period of stay, and the option to bring your family: over the long run, those differences are big.

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Looking for jobs open to Specified Skilled Worker? The fastest route is to search among companies that are set up for it. On YOLO JAPAN you can filter listings by status of residence.

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