How Can an Organization Accept Foreign Workers under Specified Skilled Worker (i) in the Nursing Care Field?

When a nursing care facility or other organization accepts a foreign worker under Specified Skilled Worker (i) in the Nursing Care field, it is not sufficient for the foreign worker simply to have passed the required examinations.

The accepting organization must be an eligible nursing care facility, join the relevant council, and meet the applicable requirements, including the limit on the number of Specified Skilled Workers it may accept.

① The Accepting Organization Must Be an Eligible Facility under the Specified Skilled Worker “Nursing Care” Field

Foreign workers under Specified Skilled Worker (i) may only be accepted by eligible facilities and establishments that provide nursing care and related services as designated by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

📌 Special nursing homes for the elderly
📌 Long-term care health facilities
📌 Fee-based homes for the elderly
📌 Group homes
📌 Day care service facilities
📌 Disability welfare service facilities

The foreign worker must be accepted by an eligible facility or establishment.

Simply stating “nursing care business” in the company’s business purposes is not sufficient.

② Does the Accepting Organization Need to Employ a Qualified Professional Such as a Certified Care Worker?

For Specified Skilled Worker in the Nursing Care field, there is no uniform additional requirement that an accepting organization must employ a specific number of Certified Care Workers solely in order to accept Specified Skilled Workers.

However, the accepting nursing care facility or establishment must comply with the applicable staffing, equipment, and operational standards under the Long-Term Care Insurance Act, disability welfare laws, and other relevant regulations.

Depending on the type of facility or service, it may therefore be necessary to appropriately assign personnel such as:

✅ Managers
✅ Service Provision Managers
✅ Care Workers
✅ Nursing Staff
✅ Care Managers

In other words, qualified personnel are not required simply because the organization accepts Specified Skilled Workers; rather, the facility must already satisfy the staffing and qualification requirements applicable to its nursing care services.

③ There Is Also a Limit on the Number of Specified Skilled Workers That Can Be Accepted

In the Nursing Care field, there is a limit on the number of foreign workers under Specified Skilled Worker (i) that may be accepted at each establishment.

As a general rule, the number of Specified Skilled Workers accepted by an establishment may not exceed the total number of full-time Japanese and other eligible care workers employed at that establishment.

④ Membership in the Specified Skilled Worker Council for the Nursing Care Field Is Required

An organization that accepts foreign workers under Specified Skilled Worker in the Nursing Care field must become a member of the “Specified Skilled Worker and Employment for Skill Development Council for the Nursing Care Field.”

Currently, the accepting organization must join the Council before submitting the Specified Skilled Worker residence application to the Immigration Services Bureau and obtain a Certificate of Membership showing the registered information of the accepting facility or establishment.

⑤ The Foreign Worker Must Also Meet Examination and Other Requirements

As a general rule, the foreign worker must pass the following examinations:

✅ Nursing Care Skills Evaluation Test

✅ Nursing Care Japanese Language Evaluation Test

✅ Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese (JFT-Basic) or Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) N4 or higher

In other words, in the Nursing Care field, foreign workers must demonstrate not only general Japanese language ability but also Japanese language skills specifically required in nursing care workplaces.

However, certain examinations may be exempted for foreign nationals who have successfully completed Technical Intern Training (ii) in the nursing care occupation, graduated from a certified care worker training institution, or otherwise meet the applicable exemption requirements.

⑥ Support Is Also Required for Specified Skilled Worker (i)

When accepting a foreign worker under Specified Skilled Worker (i), the accepting organization must prepare a Support Plan for Specified Skilled Worker (i) and provide the required support.

📌 Pre-entry guidance
📌 Assistance with securing housing and daily living arrangements
📌 Orientation on daily life in Japan
📌 Opportunities to learn Japanese
📌 Assistance with consultations and complaints
📌 Regular meetings

If it is difficult for the accepting organization to establish an adequate support system on its own, the support services may be outsourced to a Registered Support Organization.

⑦ Process for Accepting a Specified Skilled Worker in the Nursing Care Field

STEP 1
Confirm that the facility or establishment where the foreign worker will be accepted is eligible under the Nursing Care field

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STEP 2
Confirm that the nursing care facility meets the applicable staffing and qualification requirements

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STEP 3
Confirm the maximum number of Specified Skilled Workers that the facility may accept

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STEP 4
Join the Specified Skilled Worker Council for the Nursing Care Field

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STEP 5
Confirm that the foreign worker meets the required skills and Japanese language requirements

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STEP 6
Prepare the employment contract, Support Plan for Specified Skilled Worker (i), and other required documents

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STEP 7
Submit an Application for a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) or an Application for Change of Status of Residence

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STEP 8
After approval, the foreign worker begins working under Specified Skilled Worker (i) in the Nursing Care field

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