Japan Specified Skilled Worker (特定技能) 2026: Complete Guide to 16 Industries

Information current as of April 2026 based on the 2024/3/29 Cabinet Decision expanding to 16 fields, ISA 特定技能 required tests page, ISA 2号 expansion notice, ISA 特定技能 FAQ, and the 2024 育成就労 reform (effective April 2027).

The 特定技能 visa was introduced in 2019 to fill Japan's most severe labor shortages. It sits apart from the older 技能実習 system (which is being replaced by 育成就労 in 2027) and from the 技人国 (Engineer/Humanities/International Services) visa that covers professional/office work. 特定技能 is for skilled manual, service, and technical roles where demand outstrips the domestic supply of workers. This guide explains how the system works, what the tests actually look like, which industries are included, and how to progress from entry-level (1号) to long-term (2号).

特定技能1号 vs 2号 — the two tiers

Feature	1号	2号
Maximum stay	5 years cumulative	Indefinite (renewable)
Renewal cycles	1 year / 6 months / 4 months	3 years / 1 year / 6 months
Family accompaniment	Not permitted	Spouse + children allowed (家族滞在)
Path to PR (永住)	Years do NOT count toward 10-year PR requirement	Years DO count toward PR
Required support	登録支援機関 or in-house 支援計画 mandatory	No 支援計画 requirement
Industry coverage	All 16 fields	11 fields only
Skill level	Substantial knowledge/experience	Proficient, supervisory-capable

The 1号→2号 transition is the critical moment: pass the 2号 skills test and accumulate supervisory/practical experience, then change status. Fail to transition before 1号's 5-year cumulative cap, and you must leave Japan or switch to another visa category.

The 16 target industries (as of April 2024)

The original 2019 framework covered 12 fields. In March 2024, the Cabinet approved adding 4 new fields, bringing the total to 16.

Original 12 fields (both 1号 and 2号 available, except 介護)

1. 介護 (Nursing care) — 1号 only (介護福祉士 specialized status covers 2号 functions)
2. ビルクリーニング (Building cleaning)
3. 工業製品製造業 (Industrial product manufacturing — formerly 素形材 / 産業機械 / 電気電子情報関連 製造業; consolidated into one field)
4. 建設 (Construction)
5. 造船・舶用工業 (Shipbuilding & marine industries)
6. 自動車整備 (Automobile repair)
7. 航空 (Aviation — airport ground handling, maintenance)
8. 宿泊 (Accommodation — hotels, ryokan)
9. 農業 (Agriculture)
10. 漁業 (Fisheries)
11. 飲食料品製造業 (Food/beverage manufacturing)
12. 外食業 (Food service — restaurants, cafeterias)

New 4 fields (added 2024/3/29, 1号 only at launch)

1. 自動車運送業 (Automobile transport — taxi, bus, truck drivers)
2. 鉄道 (Railway — conductors, drivers, maintenance)
3. 林業 (Forestry)
4. 木材産業 (Wood/timber industry)

Total 5-year acceptance cap across all 16 fields (令和6年4月〜令和10年度): 820,000 workers, with large individual-field allocations for construction, manufacturing, and the four new fields. Field-by-field caps are set in each sector's 分野別運用方針 — check the latest ISA PDF for your specific industry.

介護 and the 4 new fields do NOT currently have a 2号 track. Workers in these fields on 1号 must either transition to a different status before the 5-year cap or leave Japan.

The two tests you need to pass

Skill test (技能測定試験)

Each of the 16 industries has its own test, administered by sector-specific bodies. Format varies — written for most, practical components for construction, nursing, and some manufacturing fields. Tests are held both inside Japan and in target-country locations (Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, Nepal, Cambodia, Mongolia, China being the main origins).

Level 1 (基礎的な知識・経験) for 1号; Level 2 (熟達した知識・経験) for 2号. Pass rates vary widely — 外食業 and 飲食料品製造業 typically 60–70%; construction and nursing around 50%.

Japanese test (日本語試験)

One of the following (whichever the candidate prefers):

• JFT-Basic (国際交流基金日本語基礎テスト) — basic business/daily communication, administered by the Japan Foundation in many countries. Score ≥200/250 passes.
• JLPT N4 (日本語能力試験) — reading/listening at CEFR A2/B1 threshold. Covers basic grammar and vocabulary.

Exceptions:

• 介護 requires an additional 介護日本語評価試験 (specialized vocabulary for care work)
• 自動車運送業 (taxi/bus), 鉄道運輸サービス require JLPT N3 — higher bar

技能実習2号 完了者 — the express lane

If you completed 技能実習2号 successfully (≥2 years 10 months of training per the approved plan), you can skip BOTH tests when transitioning to 特定技能1号 in the same field. This is the single most valuable shortcut in the system.

Exemption mechanics:

• Japanese test: exempt regardless of your 技能実習 trade (except taxi/bus/railway, which still need N3)
• Skill test: exempt only if your 技能実習 trade matches the 特定技能 field
• "Good completion" required: finished ≥2 years 10 months of training per approved plan without disciplinary termination

If your 技能実習 trade does NOT match a 特定技能 field, you still need the skill test but can skip the Japanese test — useful for mid-career pivots.

登録支援機関 — the mandatory support infrastructure for 1号

1号 workers require comprehensive support under 入管法57条の3. The employer (receiving organization / 特定技能所属機関) is obligated to provide 10 mandatory support items either in-house or through a 登録支援機関 (Registered Support Organization):

1. Pre-arrival orientation
2. Airport pickup and transport home
3. Housing support (finding accommodation, guaranteeing lease)
4. Living orientation (banking, transportation, waste disposal, emergency procedures)
5. Japanese learning opportunities (classes or self-study materials)
6. Companion support for public procedures (city hall, hospital, etc.)
7. Grievance/consultation handling
8. Cultural-exchange opportunities with Japanese co-workers/community
9. Return assistance (tickets home, settling affairs)
10. Regular meetings with supervisor for well-being check

Most SMEs cannot internalize all 10; they contract a 登録支援機関. There are approximately 9,500+ registered organizations (and growing). Quality varies — some are excellent, others are glorified paper-processors. If you can choose, check reviews and ask current workers about their experience with the specific 登録支援機関.

1号 → 2号 transition — the progression

Progressing to 2号 requires three things:

1. Pass the 2号 skill test (higher level than 1号 test)
2. Supervisory experience — typically 2+ years in 1号 supervising at least 2 workers. Exact requirements vary by field.
3. Demonstrated Japanese proficiency — no new test beyond 1号's N4, but in practice interview-level Japanese is scrutinized

Available fields for 2号 (11 of 16):

• ビルクリーニング, 工業製品製造業, 建設, 造船・舶用工業, 自動車整備, 航空, 宿泊, 農業, 漁業, 飲食料品製造業, 外食業

NOT available for 2号: 介護, 自動車運送業, 鉄道, 林業, 木材産業.

Path to permanent residence (永住)

Standard PR requires 10 years of continuous residence with at least 5 years on a working status. Critical: 1号 years do NOT count toward this, but 2号 years DO.

Typical real-world timeline for a 特定技能 worker aiming at PR:

• Years 0-5: 1号 (does not count)
• Years 5-15: 2号 after successful transition (counts toward PR)
• PR eligible around year 15 (10 years of working status, 5 of which qualifying)

Faster routes exist via 高度専門職 for foreigners with higher qualifications, but these require the 70+ point system.

Salary and working conditions

The 特定技能 visa requires the worker's salary to match that of Japanese workers in equivalent roles (同等以上の報酬). This was written explicitly to prevent systematic underpayment of foreign workers.

Typical monthly salary ranges (industry survey estimates; actual offers vary by region, employer, and experience):

• 介護: around ¥190,000–¥230,000 starting
• 建設: around ¥220,000–¥280,000 depending on role and region
• 外食業/宿泊: around ¥180,000–¥230,000
• 自動車運送業 (taxi/bus): around ¥220,000–¥300,000 including allowances

For authoritative pay data, check 厚生労働省 賃金構造基本統計調査 by occupation.

Social insurance (健康保険 + 厚生年金) is mandatory from day one. Any Japanese employer that does not enroll 特定技能 workers in 社保 is in violation — and the worker is exposed to the visa consequences described below.

The 6 most common failure modes

特定技能 visas are terminated or not renewed for specific, recurring reasons:

1. Employer non-compliance with support obligations — if the employer or 登録支援機関 fails the 10 mandatory supports, both the worker's visa renewal and the employer's ability to accept new 特定技能 workers are at risk
2. Salary below Japanese-equivalent — at renewal, ISA compares to domestic wage surveys; below-market pay triggers review
3. Unauthorized secondary work — 特定技能 does not allow side work unless explicitly authorized. Weekend part-time at a different employer is a 資格外活動 violation
4. Tax or pension arrears — especially relevant starting June 2027 visa check enforcement
5. Workplace abandonment (失踪) — leaving the employer without formal exit process has severe consequences; the worker becomes overstayer-equivalent
6. 5-year cap without 2号 transition — the default ending; plan the transition at least 12 months before the 5-year mark

育成就労 — what's replacing 技能実習

The 2024 immigration reform created a new 育成就労 status to replace 技能実習, effective April 1, 2027. Key differences from 技能実習:

• Clear bridge to 特定技能1号 (3 years of 育成就労 → automatic eligibility for 1号)
• Employer change permitted under specified conditions (技能実習 severely restricted this, creating exploitation)
• Greater 支援機関 oversight

For current 技能実習 workers, the transition rules matter: the 2号 good-completion exemption for 特定技能 continues, so existing 技能実習2号 workers can still use the tests-skipped path until the transition fully rolls in.

Family accompaniment realities

1号 workers cannot bring family. 2号 workers can — spouse and children come under 家族滞在 visas. This is one of the strongest motivators for completing the 1号→2号 transition.

For 1号 workers wanting their family in Japan, practical options:

• Spouse visits as short-term tourist (up to 90 days) during planned leave
• If spouse can independently qualify for another work or student visa, they enter separately
• After 2号 transition, file 家族滞在 認定証明書 for family to join

Application process

From overseas

1. Pass skill test and Japanese test in home country (or Japan)
2. Find a Japanese employer willing to sponsor (employer must also meet criteria)
3. Employer files 在留資格認定証明書 (Certificate of Eligibility) with ISA
4. Upon approval (typically 1-3 months), take the 認定証明書 to the Japanese embassy for visa issuance
5. Enter Japan, receive 在留カード at port of entry

From within Japan (status change)

1. Already meeting test requirements (or 技能実習 completion)
2. Employer and applicant prepare 在留資格変更 application
3. File at regional Immigration Bureau or online
4. Standard processing: 1-2 months

For status change mechanics: Japan Status of Residence Change Guide.

When to hire professional help

特定技能 applications typically flow through the employer's infrastructure (支援機関 handles most paperwork). But individual workers should consider outside help when:

• Changing employers within 特定技能 (procedurally complex, requires both old and new employer cooperation)
• Transitioning 技能実習 → 特定技能 with complications (employer objection, gap in work history)
• Preparing 1号 → 2号 transition while dealing with performance concerns
• Recovering from 失踪 status or past visa compliance issues

行政書士 specializing in 特定技能 typically charge ¥100,000–¥300,000 per case. 登録支援機関 membership fees are typically paid by the employer.

The bottom line

特定技能 is Japan's most open path to mid-skilled work — clearer, better-regulated, and higher-quality than 技能実習 ever was. For workers already in Japan via 技能実習2号, the transition exemption is the single biggest opportunity. For overseas workers, the skill+language test combination is demanding but passable with preparation. And for workers already on 1号, the 2号 transition is the make-or-break moment — start planning at year 2, not year 4.

For the complete visa risk map: Your Japan Visa: The 10 Threats. For employment-side protections: Freelance Protection Act, Force Employer Shakai Hoken Enrollment.