Ikusei Shuro Nepal Guide: 2024 MOC, Labor Permit, and the Fast-Rising Nepalese Worker Pipeline

Nepal is one of the fastest-rising sources of foreign workers to Japan. The technical-intern bilateral MOC was signed at Tokyo on December 6, 2023 and at Kathmandu on January 1, 2024, opening the TITP pipeline more formally. The Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) issues the mandatory Labor Permit (श्रम स्वीकृति); deployment without it is illegal. This guide explains the regulatory chain, fee structure, JFT-Basic access in Kathmandu, and the support network for Nepalese workers in Japan.

Bottom line: Nepal is one of the fastest-rising sources of foreign workers to Japan, especially for Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) and the new Ikusei Shuro program. Three Nepal-specific facts every applicant must know:

Bilateral MOC for technical-intern was signed at Tokyo on December 6, 2023 and at Kathmandu on January 1, 2024 — recent enough that the deployment infrastructure is still maturing. The Specified Skilled Worker MOC was signed earlier (March 25, 2019).
Labor Permit (श्रम स्वीकृति) is mandatory. Every Nepalese foreign worker must obtain the Labor Permit from the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) before departure. Bypassing this is a criminal offense under the Foreign Employment Act.
Specific 2022 debt survey data for Nepal was not collected (Nepal was not one of the six countries surveyed). Anecdotal reports place Nepalese Ikusei Shuro applicant debt in the mid range — variable, depending on agency and home region.

Information current as of May 2026, based on the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE), the Embassy of Japan in Nepal, the Immigration Services Agency Nepal procedures (PDF), and the Ikusei Shuro Q&A. This is general information for Nepalese applicants. It is not legal advice. Confirm with DoFE, the Embassy of Japan in Kathmandu, or your licensed manpower company.

If you are reading this in English, you are probably a Nepalese worker already in Japan, a family member, or a Japanese employer evaluating Nepalese candidates. Nepal differs from older sending countries: the framework for Japan deployment is newer, the regulatory infrastructure is still maturing, and both upsides (less entrenched broker abuse) and downsides (less established support networks) follow from that.

Why Nepal matters and why it's growing

Nepalese nationals have long worked abroad — Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Malaysia, and South Korea — but Japan was a smaller share of the destination mix until the late 2010s. Two developments changed the trajectory:

2019 SSW MOC. Nepal was one of the early SSW partner countries. Nepalese language ability (English plus often Hindi or other regional languages) was an asset, and the Nepalese government actively promoted Japan.
2024 TITP MOC. Signed at Tokyo on December 6, 2023 and at Kathmandu on January 1, 2024, this opened the TITP pipeline more formally. From 2024 onward, Nepalese arrivals in TITP began climbing.

For Ikusei Shuro starting April 2027, Nepal is expected to be a meaningful and growing sending country, though probably smaller than the major five (Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Myanmar, China).

The Nepal regulatory chain

Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (MoLESS) — sets policy.
Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) — issues Labor Permits, licenses manpower companies, regulates fees, manages worker welfare.
Foreign Employment Promotion Board (FEPB) — promotes legal foreign employment, runs the Foreign Employment Welfare Fund.
Foreign Employment Tribunal — adjudicates disputes between workers and manpower companies.
Manpower companies — licensed private recruitment agencies that deploy workers abroad. Verify on DoFE's published list.

On the Japan side, the TITP MOC (January 2024) and SSW MOC (March 2019) govern the relationship. Both are expected to be supplemented for Ikusei Shuro before April 2027.

The Labor Permit (श्रम स्वीकृति) — the central document

Every Nepalese worker deploying abroad must obtain a Labor Permit from DoFE before departure. The Permit confirms:

The destination country and employer.
The duration and conditions of work.
That the manpower company is licensed.
That fees fall within DoFE-set limits.
That Foreign Employment Welfare Fund contribution has been made.

Deployment without a Labor Permit is illegal under the Foreign Employment Act. Workers found at Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport without a Permit are turned back. The Permit is also the document that activates worker welfare benefits (insurance, repatriation, etc.).

The Immigration Services Agency in Japan recognizes the Permit as part of the standard Nepalese documentation, alongside the visa and passport. See the Immigration Services Agency Nepal procedures (PDF) for the Japan-side documentation requirements.

How to verify a legitimate manpower company

Nepal's manpower-company landscape is more fragmented than Vietnam's or Indonesia's, and broker activity historically targeted Gulf-bound workers more than Japan-bound. Still, verify before signing:

Check DoFE's licensed manpower-company directory. Available at dofe.gov.np. If the agency name is not listed, walk away.
Cross-check on OTIT's sender list. The OTIT approved foreign sending agencies list shows Nepalese agencies partnered with Japanese supervising organizations.
Demand a written Nepali-language contract. Total fees, payment timing, destination employer, refund conditions. Verbal-only is a red flag.
Verify Japanese supervising organization. A reputable manpower company will identify the receiving company and supervising organization (under Ikusei Shuro: 監理支援機関) up front.
Confirm Labor Permit timing. The Permit is issued only after the deployment is complete on paper. If your manpower company is collecting fees before processing the Permit, ask why.

What the legal fees look like

DoFE periodically sets ceiling fees for different destinations. For Japan, applicable fees include:

Cost category	Approximate range (NPR)	Who pays
Passport, medical, police clearance	NPR 10,000–25,000	Worker (government / clinic fees)
Manpower company service charges	DoFE-regulated	Mixed; under Ikusei Shuro, Japanese employer covers a portion
Foreign Employment Welfare Fund	NPR 1,500 (one-time)	Worker
Pre-departure orientation training	Government-mandated, modest fee	Worker
Japanese-language training (optional, depending on entry route)	Variable	Worker (if self-arranged)

Total legitimate worker costs typically run NPR 50,000–200,000 (¥50,000–¥200,000) depending on choices. If a manpower company is asking for NPR 500,000+ (¥500,000+), ask for itemized justification.

Japanese language: JFT-Basic and JLPT in Nepal

Ikusei Shuro requires CEFR A1 Japanese on entry. Nepalese applicants typically meet this through:

JLPT — administered biannually (July and December) in Kathmandu.
JFT-Basic — administered year-round by Prometric at the Prometric Testing Center in Kathmandu. From August 2026, JFT-Basic separately reports A1, A2.1, and A2 results.
Self-arranged 100+ hour course — many Nepalese applicants prepare through private Japanese-language schools in Kathmandu. Quality varies; verify alumni JFT-Basic pass rates.

Nepal has a strong informal network of Japanese-language schools, many staffed by Japan-returnees. The Embassy of Japan in Nepal coordinates with the Japan Foundation on language-promotion programs.

What changes under Ikusei Shuro (vs. technical intern)

Issue	Under TITP (until 2027)	Under Ikusei Shuro (from April 2027)
Maximum stay	5 years (1+2+2)	3 years, then SSW1 (5 yrs) → SSW2 (indefinite)
Sending agency fee	DoFE-regulated, paid by worker	Receiving employer covers a portion
Job transfer in Japan	Effectively prohibited	Allowed after 1–2 year sector waiting period and 5 conditions
Family accompaniment	Not allowed	Still not allowed (only at SSW2)
Japanese on entry	None required (caregiving: N4)	A1 / JLPT N5 / JFT-Basic A1 or 100+ hours training
Labor Permit (Nepal side)	Mandatory	Mandatory

After arrival in Japan: your first 90 days

Within	What to do
Day 1	Confirm 在留カード (residence card) is given to you, never to the employer.
Week 1	City hall registration (住民票). Bank account opening.
Week 2	Confirm enrollment in 健康保険 and 厚生年金.
Month 1	First pay slip review.
Connect	Nepalese community in Japan is well-established. Major hubs: Shin-Okubo (Tokyo), Yokohama, Nagoya, Osaka. Find Nepalese Christian / Buddhist / Hindu cultural centers if relevant.
If anything wrong	OTIT multilingual hotline (Nepali supported, confidential). Nepalese Embassy / Consulate-General.

If anything goes wrong: support structure

OTIT multilingual hotline (otit.go.jp) — Nepali supported, confidential, independent of supervising organization.
Embassy of Nepal in Tokyo — consular services and worker support. Located in Meguro-ku, Tokyo.
Houterasu (Japan Legal Support Center) — free legal triage with Nepali interpretation at Houterasu multilingual hotline.
Labor Standards Inspection Office — for wage and labor violations. Some prefectures with growing Nepalese populations are adding Nepali interpretation.
Foreign Employment Welfare Fund — for repatriation and other welfare benefits if you contributed before deployment.

The 28-hour rule and Nepalese students

Many Nepalese first arrive in Japan on student visas (Nepal is among the top student-visa sources). Student visas allow 28 hours of work per week (more during long vacations). Working beyond this is a basis for visa cancellation. If you are a student considering switching to Ikusei Shuro, the formal pathway is a status-of-residence change application, which requires meeting Ikusei Shuro entry conditions including A1 Japanese.

Some students overstep the 28-hour limit and face consequences when they later try to convert visa status. The Immigration Services Agency screens for past work-hour compliance; consistent overage can be a basis for refusal.

Frequently asked questions

My manpower company is asking NPR 500,000 in "service fees." Is this legal?

That's about ¥500,000 — substantially above typical legal fees for Japan deployment. Ask for itemized justification against DoFE's published fee schedule. If the breakdown does not stand up, file a complaint with DoFE or the Foreign Employment Tribunal.

Can I bring my spouse and child on Ikusei Shuro?

No. Family accompaniment becomes available only at SSW2, typically reachable after about 8 years total on the work track.

I'm a current technical intern who arrived under the 2024 MOC. Should I switch to Ikusei Shuro?

Almost certainly not. Switching restarts the clock and forfeits the "good completion" SSW1 exemption. Stay on TITP. See our transition guide.

I'm a Nepalese student in Japan thinking about switching to Ikusei Shuro. What should I check?

Confirm: (1) you have JLPT N5 or JFT-Basic A1; (2) you have not exceeded 28 hours/week of work during your student period; (3) you have a confirmed Ikusei Shuro receiving company and Supervising/Support Organization. Then apply for status-of-residence change at the Immigration Services Agency.

What's the realistic timeline to permanent residence?

Roughly 10–18 years from first arrival, assuming Ikusei Shuro → SSW1 → SSW2 progression and meeting permanent-residence criteria. See our long-term roadmap.

Sources

Nepal's foreign employment framework continues to evolve. Verify current procedures with DoFE and your manpower company before committing. If you are in Japan and facing problems, the Nepalese Embassy in Tokyo and OTIT are both useful first contacts.