Addition of Specified Skilled Worker No. 2 in the Manufacturing Field

• The Cabinet decided that all 11 fields, including the fields of the machine parts and tooling, industrial machinery and electric, electronics and information industries, are subject to the Specified Skilled Worker No. 2 system so that foreign human resources who have acquired proficient skills through experience in the system for foreign human resources with specified skills No. 1 can continue to work in the manufacturing industry as skilled workers or in management positions.
• The requirements for establishments that can accept specified skilled workers No. 2 are the same as for No. 1.(There is no change in the requirements.)

	Specified skilled worker No. 1	Specified skilled worker No. 2
Outline	A status of residence for foreign nationals engaged in work requiring skills that need considerable knowledge or experience (*1)	A status of residence for foreign nationals engaged in work requiring proficient skills (*2)
Status of residence	Renewed for a period not exceeding one year, as specified by the Minister of Justice for each foreign national, for a maximum stay up to five years in total	Renewed every 3 years, 1 year or 6 months, no upper limit
Skill standards	Checked by examinations, etc. (Foreigners who have successfully completed Technical Intern Training No. 2 are exempt from the examination, etc. requirement)	Checked by examinations, etc.
Japanese language level	Japanese language skills necessary for daily life and work are checked through examinations, etc. (Foreigners who have completed Technical Intern Training No. 2 are exempt from the examination, etc. requirement)	Check by examination, etc. is not required in principle.
Estimated number of accepted workers (upper limit)	Yes	No
Accompaniment by family members	Basically, not permitted	Permitted if requirements are met (spouse, children)
Support	Eligible for support by accepting organizations or registered support organizations	Not eligible for support by accepting organizations or registered support organizations
Field	Nursing care, building cleaning, machine parts and tooling, industrial machinery and electric, electronics and information industries, construction industry, shipbuilding and ship machinery industry, automobile repair and maintenance, aviation, lodging, agriculture, fisheries, food and beverages manufacturing industry, food service industry (12 fields in total)	Building cleaning, machine parts and tooling, industrial machinery and electric, electronics and information industries, construction industry, shipbuilding and ship machinery industry, automobile repair and maintenance, aviation, lodging, agriculture, fisheries, food and beverages manufacturing industry, food service industry (11 fields in total)

1. Skills that require a considerable period of work experience, etc., but are of a level that enables the employee to immediately perform work at a certain level without special training or development.
2. Proficient skills acquired through years of work experience, etc. and that require a high level of expertise or skills equivalent to or greater than that of a foreign national with the current status of residence in the professional/technical field.
   The skills are, for example, at a level at which the employee is able to perform highly specialized and technical work based on his/her own judgment, or is able to perform the work with proficient skills while supervising the work as a supervisor.

Requirements for Obtaining the Status of Residence for Foreign Human Resources with Specified Skills No. 2 in the Manufacturing Industry

• The ideal person with specified skills No. 2 is a human resource who possesses proficient skills based on work experience, etc., and is able to unite, guide, and supervise other workers on site.
• To obtain this status of residence, the requirements of one of two roadmaps below must be met. Both roadmaps require a minimum of three years of work experience at a manufacturing site in a company based in Japan.

	Roadmap for the Specified Skills No. 2 Assessment Test	Roadmap for the National Trade Skill Test & Certification (NTSTC)
Requirements	All three of the following must be met. Obtaining Grade 3 for the Business Skills Test - Business Career Kentei (Either of the following categories: Production Management Planning, Production Management Operation) Passing the Specified Skills No. 2 Assessment Test for Manufacturing Field (Any of the following categories: Machining and Metal Pressing, Electric and Electronic Equipment Assembly, Metal surface Treatment) At least 3 years of work experience at a manufacturing site in a company based in Japan. This is required when applying for the Specified Skills No. 2 Assessment Test	All two of the following must be met. Obtaining Grade 1 for the National Trade Skill Test & Certification (NTSTC) (Any of the following categories: Casting, Forging, Die Casting, Machining, Metal Press, Iron Work, Factory Sheet Metal Work, Electroplating, Aluminum Anodic Oxidation, Finishing, Machine Inspection, Machine Maintenance, Electronic Equipment Assembling, Electrical Equipment Assembling, Printed Wiring Board Manufacturing, Plastic Molding, Painting, Industrial Packaging) At least 3 years of work experience at a manufacturing site in a company based in Japan. This is required when notifying the Immigration Services Agency.

Outline of the Specified Skills No. 2 Assessment Test for Manufacturing Field

The outline of the Specified Skills No. 2 Assessment Test for Manufacturing Field is as shown in the table below. Please check the portal site for the latest information.

Examination classification	All three classifications See below for a list of skills included in each examination classification.
Examination location	View the page of Prometric Evaluation Test for SSW(ⅱ) in Manufacturing Fields Examinations are not held outside of Japan.
Language	Japanese We do not plan to make examinations in any other languages.
Examination format	Computer-based testing (CBT)
Examination level	The standard is equivalent to the passing level of the National Trade Skill Testing & Certification Grade 1, which is an examination for highly skilled workers
Application	Posted on this website around June 10. When applying, you will need to submit a document in advance certifying that you have at least three years of practical experience in the manufacturing industry of a company based in Japan.(The application method will also be posted on this website around June 10)
Examination fee	15,000 yen

Sample questions and skills assessed in each examination category

	Machining and metal processing	Electric and electronic equipment assembly	Metal surface treatment
Sample questions	Sample questions	Sample questions	Sample questions
Included skills	Casting, Forging, Die casting, Machining, Metal press, Iron work, Factory sheet metal work, Finishing, Machine inspection, Machine maintenance, Electric equipment assembling, Plastic molding, Painting, Welding, Industrial packaging	Machining, Finishing, Machine inspection, Machine maintenance, Electronic equipment assembling, Electric equipment assembling, Print wiring board manufacturing, Plastic molding, Industrial packaging	Electroplating, Aluminum anodizing

• Sample questions are available only in Japanese.

Test Information (FY2024)

Examination Evaluating Category 2 Specified Technical Skills route

Examination Evaluating Category 2 Specified Technical Skills for Manufacturing Sectors [Implementing organization: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry]

The schedule for the 2024 fiscal year will be available here.

Business Skills Test - Business Career Kentei [Implementing organization: Japan Vocational Ability Development Association]

First examination: Sunday, October 6, 2024 (Application period: Monday, April 22, to Friday, July 12, 2024)
Second examination: Sunday, February 16, 2025 (Application period: Monday, October 7, to Friday, December 6, 2024)
Website

National Trade Skill Testing & Certification route

National Trade Skill Testing & Certification [Implementing organization: Prefectures, Designated Examining Bodies]

Second examination: Thursday, December 5, 2024, to Sunday, February 16, 2025 (Application period: Monday, October 7, to Friday, October 18, 2024)
Website

Prevention of poaching

This system allows specified skilled workers to change jobs between companies or industries as long as they remain within the scope of their categories. However, unregulated poaching of foreign workers among receiving organizations could disrupt the order of employment in the industry and encourage the excessive concentration of foreign nationals in large cities.
Taking this point into account, employers must refrain from actively poaching foreign workers from the perspective of preventing an excessive concentration of foreign nationals in specific companies or in specific regions such as metropolitan areas.