Specified Skilled Workers REGISTRATION SUPPORT
What is the "Specified Skilled Worker" residence status in Japan?
Since April 2019, the “Status of Residence 'Specified Skilled Worker's” specializing in 14 industries that were deemed as having a serious labor shortage was introduced by the Japanese Government.
Differences among the status of foreign workers
“Specified Skilled Workers” and “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services”
There are two types of residence status for foreigners to work in Japan.
The first one is Engineers/specialists in humanities/international services, which allows foreign workers with advanced specialized knowledge and technical skills to work in industries/businesses that make use of their abilities and awareness. On the other hand, Specified Skilled Workers residence status (Tokutei Ginou) allow foreign laborer to be engaged in activities within the 12 specified industries (image above).
Foreign workers who can be hired differ depending on the job content and company policy.
Specified Skilled Workers PREREQUIREMENTS
We will explain the conditions to apply as specified skilled workers, their responsibilities and the labor conditions.
Conditions for Specified Skilled Workers
Have a Japanese language proficiency certificate equivalent to or greater than JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) N4, or have passed the JFT-Basic test, and have passed the industry's "skill evaluation test".Working conditions
Employment form as "regular employee", working period is up to 5 years, working conditions such as wages, working hours, number of holidays are the same as Japanese employees.What kind of work can Specified Skilled Workers visa holders do ?
There are 14 industries that can be classified as Specified Skilled Workers: Construction, Shipbuilding and Ship Machinery, Automobile Repair and Maintenance, Aviation, Accomodation, Nursing Care, Building Cleaning Management, Agriculture, Fishery and Aquaculture, Manufacture of Food and Beverages, Food Service, Machine Parts and Tooling, Industrial Machinery, and Electric, Electronics and Information Industries. In some cases it is possible to hire foreigners in the "accommodation", "restaurant", and "nursing care" industries, but it is difficult to hire them as full-time employees.
What should the company do to hire Specified Skilled Workers
Companies accepting specialized skilled workers are required to carry out the following procedure under the Special Skilled Workers (I) Program.
【One example】
・Implementation of initial guidelines and life orientation
・Pick-up and drop-off at immigration
・Provide housing
・Support for lifetime required contracts (opening a bank account, mobile phone contract, water, electricity, gas contract, etc.)
・Provision of opportunities to learn Japanese
・Respond to workers' consultations or complaints
・Promoting exchanges with Japanese
・Job change support
・Regular interview (every 3 months)
・Preparation and submission of periodic reports to the Immigration Bureau (every 3 months)
This complicated procedure can be passed on to an agency called "registration support organizations" which are approved by the Immigration Bureau.
MPKEN's activities as a Registered Support Organizations (RSO)
What are RSOs
Registered Support Organizations (RSO) are organizations that have obtained permission from the Immigration Bureau to carry out all or part of the support under the Specified Skilled Worker (I) Program on behalf of the organization that accepts the particular skilled worker.
MPKEN as a RSO
MPKEN has both a national and foreigner staff with experience working in Japanese companies. They have been supporting foreign workers for a long time.
We also have an administrative expert office, meaning we also provide legal support such as visa application procedures.
【Example of support】
・Visa application procedure agency (administrative expert MP legal support)
・Implementation of preliminary guidance and life orientation
・Pick-up and drop-off at the time of immigration
・Securing housing
・Support for contracts necessary for life (opening bank accounts, contracts for water, electricity, gas, etc.)
・Provision of Japanese language learning opportunities
・Responding to consultations or complaints from specific skilled workers
・Promoting exchanges with Japanese people
・Consultation and support for changing jobs
・Regular interviews (every 3 months)
・Preparation and submission of periodic reports to the Immigration Bureau (every 3 months)
※The content of support will be implemented after consulting with the receiving company and the specific skilled worker.
【Language Support】
Support is available in Japanese, Vietnamese, English, Indonesian, and Chinese *Japanese and foreign staff are stationed
Track record of support as RSO (as of January 2022)
We support accepting companies and specific skilled foreigners in the following fields: catering or food service, accommodation, nursing care, and food and beverage manufacturing.
We can provide support in other fields, so please feel free to contact us.