Japan Specified Skilled Worker Visa (2026): 19 Fields, the Two Tests, and the Route to Unlimited Stay
The Specified Skilled Worker status is Japan's main work visa for people without a university degree: pass a basic Japanese test and a skills test for one of 19 fields, and a Japanese employer can hire you on the same pay as a Japanese worker. Stay long enough and pass the higher test, and the second tier has no upper limit on your stay and lets you bring your family. This guide follows the Immigration Services Agency's support website for the programme.
Quick answer
Specified Skilled Worker (i) lets you work in Japan for a total of five years in one of 19 fields, including nursing care, building cleaning, construction, manufacturing, food service and logistics warehousing. You cannot bring your family, you receive the same salary as Japanese workers, Japanese-language training and support from your company. To qualify you pass a Japanese language test, either the JFT-Basic (Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese) or the JLPT at N4 or higher, and a skills proficiency test for your field; people who completed Technical Intern Training (ii) are exempt from both unless they change field. Specified Skilled Worker (ii) covers 11 fields, has no upper limit on the length of stay and lets you bring your family; it requires the (ii) skills proficiency test, and work experience may be required to sit it. Taking the tests costs money; schedules are published by field and country.
The two tiers
| Specified Skilled Worker (i) | Specified Skilled Worker (ii) | |
|---|---|---|
| Fields | 19 | 11 |
| Length of stay | A total of five years | No upper limit |
| Family | Cannot bring family to Japan | Can bring family to Japan |
| Pay | Same salary as Japanese workers | |
| Tests | Japanese language test (JFT-Basic or JLPT N4+) and a field skills proficiency test | The (ii) skills proficiency test for the field; work experience may be required to sit it |
| Support | Japanese-language training and various forms of support from the company | — |
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, Support Website for the Specified Skilled Worker Program.
The 19 fields for tier (i)
The support site lists 19 employment fields for Specified Skilled Worker (i). They include nursing care, building cleaning management, construction, manufacturing, food service and the logistics warehouse field (receiving, shipping and storing goods at logistics warehouses, whose detail page the site marks as under construction). Each field has its own skills test and its own page on the site; some fields set a higher Japanese level than N4, so check the field page before booking a test.
The 11 fields for tier (ii)
Tier (ii) is narrower: 11 fields, among them building cleaning management and construction. It is the route to indefinite stay and to bringing a spouse and children, and the test is harder: a Specified Skilled Worker (ii) skills proficiency test, for which work experience might be required.
The language test: JFT-Basic or JLPT N4
For tier (i) you need to pass a Japanese language test and a skills proficiency test. The language requirement is met by the Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese (JFT-Basic) or by the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test at N4 or higher. The support site publishes the schedules: within Japan, JFT-Basic sittings ran through October and November 2026 and the JLPT on 6 December 2026; abroad, JFT-Basic dates are listed by country (for example the Philippines in October 2026). If you want to sit a test, check the website of the agency or organisation offering it and follow its procedure.
Exemption for technical intern trainees
If you have satisfactorily completed Technical Intern Training (ii), you do not need to pass the tests to move to Specified Skilled Worker (i) in the same field. To work in a different field, you still need that field's skills proficiency test.
What the employer must provide
Tier (i) is designed around support. The company pays the same salary as to Japanese workers, provides Japanese-language training and various forms of support; the support site's FAQ explains what support plans cover and how changing employers works. Family members cannot accompany a tier (i) worker; that right comes with tier (ii).
Planning the path
- Pick a field that exists in both tiers if you want to stay beyond five years.
- Sit the JFT-Basic early: it is offered in many sittings and countries, while the JLPT runs on fixed dates.
- Keep every test certificate; the status of residence application is document-based.
Frequently asked questions
How long can I stay in Japan on a Specified Skilled Worker (i) visa?
A total of five years. Specified Skilled Worker (ii) has no upper limit on the length of stay.
Which Japanese test do I need?
For tier (i), the JFT-Basic or the JLPT at N4 or higher, plus a skills proficiency test for your field. Technical Intern Training (ii) graduates are exempt in the same field.
Can I bring my family?
Not on tier (i). Tier (ii) lets you bring your family to Japan.
How many fields are there?
19 fields for Specified Skilled Worker (i) and 11 for Specified Skilled Worker (ii), per the Immigration Services Agency's support site.
Are the tests free?
No. The support site states that taking these tests costs money; fees are set by the testing bodies.