New Japan Residency Rules for Foreign Workers: What You Need to Know

In April of 2027, Japan will launch a completely new residency program for foreign workers that will be a major policy change that is fundamentally intended to attract bright global talent to Japan. This will replace the technical intern training program, which has been widely criticized and will launch a new “Employment for Skill Development” system that emphasizes long term skill development and retention.

Key Changes in the New System

The restructured system will unify the sectors to fit under the present Specified Skilled Worker (Type 1) framework, launched in 2019, which introduced a five year maximum work limit for foreign nationals working in Japan. The new system will offer training for unskilled foreign workers to develop their skills over three years to achieve the acceptable skill level for the visa status.

As opposed to the current trainee program, foreign workers can now change jobs within the sector of employment, so long as they qualify under conditions like successful completion of a skills test and a Japanese language test. To prevent job hopping, job changes will be limited in duration to a minimum of 1-2 years depending on the sector of employment.

Addressing Labor Shortages and Worker Rights

The overhaul is part of a response to criticisms of the old trainee system which was often abused for low cost labor and faced allegations of human rights abuses. The new regulations are designed to improve working conditions and allow for transfers to some blue chip companies with whom careful and strict standards are set.

Rural regions facing substantial labor shortages would be permitted to utilize up to 3x the foreign trainees than originally allowed while also implementing measures to control urban migration through transfer ratios where only one sixth of foreign trainees at urban companies are allowed to be transferred workers. 

The government is finalizing the industry specific rules and expects to implement the full policy package by the end of 2025 after advice from an individual expert panel.

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