TITP JAPAN

What is Specified Skilled Worker Program?

Background information

-The Government of Japan has created a new status of residence for the “Specified Skilled Worker” that became effective on April, 2019 to face/deal with serious shortage of labor due to its aging society, -The Government of Japan and the Government of Pakistan have signed the Memorandum of Cooperation on this program in December 2019.

Requirements for the foreign nationals

-Foreign nationals must first check with the Government of Pakistan for its requirements to send people to Japan under this program. -Foreign nationals should be at least 18 years old with good health condition. -Other requirements by Japan are as follows:

Common requirements for the “Specified Skilled Worker (i) and (ii)

-Foreign nationals should be at least 18 years old with good health condition. -Foreign nationals should hold passports issued by the foreign government that cooperates implementation of smooth deportation if necessary. -Foreign nationals should not pay a deposit and should not enter into a contract stipulating the payment of penalties. -Foreign nationals should understand and reach agreement on the expenses, if they have to make a payment for expenses such as traveling cost to supporting organizations. -Foreign nationals should have completed necessary procedures and requirements by the sending country if any. -If foreign nationals have to pay for the expenses of living such as food and housing in Japan, they should fully understand the content of the expenses and should reach agreement with accepting organizations. At the same time, the amount of expenses should be appropriate level of actual expenses, which should be proved with written document. -Foreign nationals should meet the standards/regulations which are unique to each 14 field.

Requirements for “Specified Skilled Worker (i)

-Foreign nationals have to prove their necessary level of skill and Japanese proficiency by appropriate means such as passing skill test (different type of test in 14 fields (see below *) and Japanese language test(see below *)).

Foreign nationals who have successfully completed “Technical Intern Training (ii)” are exempted from tests that are normally required for “Specified Skilled Worker (i)”.

• Care worker	• Building cleaning management
• Electric, electronics and information industries	• Machine parts & tooling industries
• Construction industry	• Industrial Machinery industries
• Automobile repair & maintenance	• Shipbuilding & ship machinery industry
• Accommodation industry	• Aviation industry
• Agriculture	• Fishery & aquaculture
• Manufacture of food and beverages	• Food service industry

Japanese language test:

N4 level or higher of Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) is required. JLPT will be held on July 5th and December 6th at the National University of Modern Languages (NUML) in Islamabad and on December 6th at the Japanese Consulate in Karachi. Application for JLPT on July 5th began on March 9th and due on March 27th. Studying online is an option.
https://www.jlpt.jp/samples/forlearners.html,  https://marugotoweb.jp/en/
Foreign nationals who are studying at the Japanese language schools in Japan have an option to apply to the “Specified Skilled Worker” if they pass the skill and language test conducted in Japan.

Requirements for “Specified Skilled Worker (ii)

This is a status of residence for foreign nationals with higher skill compared with the “Specified Skilled Worker (i). Currently only two fields (“Construction industry” and “Shipbuilding & ship machinery industry”) are applicable. -Foreign nationals should prove necessary skills by a test or other means.

Period of stay

-5 years in total at the maximum for the “Specified Skilled Worker (i)” -No maximum period of stay for the “Specified Skilled Worker (ii)”

Other useful information

-Change of workplace in the same job category (Type of work) can be permitted. -Family members are not allowed to accompany for the “Specified Skilled Worker (i)”. Exceptions are for the “Specified Skilled Worker (ii)”.

Other category (profession requiring higher expertise, technique or other element

-This category has a variety of fields. For example, following is the information on the status of residence on the “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services”: -This status of residence is permitted for foreigners who have higher expertise, technique such as academic background or career history with a contract with public/private entity in Japan. IT software engineers are included in this status of residence. This doesn’t have any restriction on the period of stay in Japan which is required for the “Technical Intern Training” and the “Specified Skilled Worker”.