whereTOemigrate
Get your free results
JP country scene

Specified Skilled Worker (i) — Construction

JapanWork

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

Official link

Get your free results Read the five questions ↓

What type of worker, employment situation, occupation or professional activity is this pathway actually designed for?

Construction work under the guidance and supervision of a supervisor, in three categories: civil engineering (construction, renovation, maintenance and repair of public facilities); building construction (construction, extension, renovation, relocation, repair and remodelling of buildings); and infrastructure facilities and equipment (maintenance, installation, modification and repair of infrastructure such as telecommunications, gas, water and power).

See recorded sources
  • https://www.ssw.go.jp/en/about/visa/construction_1/
    Civil engineering Performing work related to the construction, renovation, maintenance, and repair of public facilities under the guidance and supervision of a supervisor
  • https://www.ssw.go.jp/en/about/visa/construction_1/
    Building construction Performing work related to the construction, extension, renovation, relocation, repair, and remodeling of buildings under the guidance and supervision of a supervisor
  • https://www.ssw.go.jp/en/about/visa/construction_1/
    Infrastructure facilities and equipment Performing work related to the maintenance, installation, modification, and repair of infrastructure facilities & equipment, such as telecommunications, gas, water, and power, under the guidance and supervision of a supervisor

Does the applicant need a job offer, employer, sponsor, transfer relationship or other employer involvement? What is important about that employer relationship?

A job with a Japanese employer is required: the activity must be based on an employment contract with a public or private organisation in Japan designated by the Minister of Justice. The applicant must find an Accepting Organization and pass the company's employment interview to sign the contract; the Accepting Organization prepares some of the application documents, and the worker receives various forms of support from the company.

See recorded sources
  • https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/specifiedskilledworker.html?lang=ja
    法務大臣が指定する本邦の公私の機関との雇用に関する契約（入管法第２条の５第１項から第４項までの規定に適合するものに限る。次号において同じ。）に基づいて行う特定産業分野（人材を確保することが困難な状況にあるため外国人により不足する人材の確保を図るべき産業上の分野として法務省令で定めるものをいう。同号において同じ。）であって法務大臣が 指定するものに属する法務省令で定める相当程度の知識又は経験を必要とする技能を要す る業務に従事する活動
  • https://www.ssw.go.jp/en/faq/
    You can apply for the Specified Skilled Worker status of residence if you meet the requirements and find an Accepting Organization. In general, you must apply for the status of residence yourself, but your Accepting Organization will prepare some of the documents for you. Consult with the Accepting Organization.
  • https://www.ssw.go.jp/en/about/sswv/
    In order to sign a contract with a company, you need to take and pass an employment interview.
  • https://www.ssw.go.jp/en/about/visa/
    You receive various forms of support from your company.

What are the few decisive professional characteristics of the pathway: occupation, qualifications, experience, salary, skill level, shortage status, labour-market condition or equivalent?

Skill level is shown by passing the Construction field Specified Skilled Worker (i) Test or Level 3 of the skill exam, plus Japanese at the Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese or JLPT N4 or higher; both tests are waived for those who satisfactorily completed Technical Intern Training (ii) in related job categories (any job category for the language test). Pay is the same as for Japanese workers. The field is a designated industrial field where securing human resources is difficult, with an expected intake of 80,000 over the five-year period from April 2024 to March 2029.

See recorded sources

What work does the permission allow? Is the holder tied to an employer, occupation or sector? Can family accompany where clearly established?

Allows work in the jobs of this specified industrial field requiring considerable knowledge or experience, under an employment contract with a designated organisation. Job changes are allowed to another company in the same field; moving to a different field requires passing that field's skills test, and changing the affiliated organisation requires a change-of-status application. Part-time work is not allowed. Family cannot be brought to Japan.

See recorded sources
  • https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/specifiedskilledworker.html?lang=ja
    法務大臣が指定する本邦の公私の機関との雇用に関する契約（入管法第２条の５第１項から第４項までの規定に適合するものに限る。次号において同じ。）に基づいて行う特定産業分野（人材を確保することが困難な状況にあるため外国人により不足する人材の確保を図るべき産業上の分野として法務省令で定めるものをいう。同号において同じ。）であって法務大臣が 指定するものに属する法務省令で定める相当程度の知識又は経験を必要とする技能を要す る業務に従事する活動
  • https://www.ssw.go.jp/en/faq/
    Yes, you can change jobs (i.e. quit one company and join another in the same field) with the Specified Skilled Worker status of residence.
  • https://www.ssw.go.jp/en/faq/
    You can change jobs within the same industry. If you want to change jobs in different industries, you must take the skill test for your desired industry.
  • https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/specifiedskilledworker.html?lang=ja
    ※ 在留資格「特定技能」の方が所属機関を変更する場合は、在留資格変更許可申請が必要です。
  • https://www.ssw.go.jp/en/faq/
    Am I allowed to work part-time if I have the Specified Skilled Worker status of residence? You are not allowed to work part-time.
  • https://www.ssw.go.jp/en/about/visa/
    You cannot bring your family to Japan.

How long is the permission normally granted for, how is it renewed, and what longer-term residence direction exists if officially stated?

SSW(i): each grant is a period designated individually by the Minister of Justice within a range not exceeding 3 years; to keep doing the same activity, an extension application must be filed before the granted period expires; total SSW(i) stay is capped, in principle, at 5 years (SSW(ii) has no such cap). Permanent residence: one requirement is 10 or more years of continuous residence including 5 or more years with a work or residence status; time in SSW(i) or Technical Intern Training does not count as work-status time and SSW(i) stay is at most 5 years, so changing to Permanent Resident is difficult, whereas time in SSW(ii) counts. SSW(ii) is for workers with proficient skills, higher than SSW(i), confirmed by tests; it does not follow automatically from SSW(i). SSW(ii) accepts foreign nationals in 11 of the 16 SSW(i) fields, excluding nursing care, automobile transportation business, railway, forestry and wood industry.

See recorded sources
  • https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/policies/ssw/faq.html?lang=ja
    １号特定技能外国人については、３年を超えない範囲内で法務大臣が個々の外国人について指定する期間が、２号特定技能外国人については、３年、２年、１年又は６月の在留期間が付与され、引き続き同じ活動を行うために日本での在留を希望する場合には、付与された在留期間が満了する前に、在留期間更新許可申請を行ってください。 　また、１号特定技能外国人については、特定技能１号としての在留期間の上限があり、原則通算して５年を超えることはできません（２号特定技能外国人については、そのような上限はありません。）。
  • https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/policies/ssw/faq.html?lang=ja
    永住許可を受ける要件のひとつとして、「引き続き１０年以上本邦に在留していること。ただし、この期間のうち、就労資格（在留資格「技能実習」及び「特定技能１号」を除く。）又は居住資格をもって引き続き５年以上在留していることを要する。」と定められているところ、要件にあるとおり「特定技能１号」や「技能実習」の在留資格で日本にいる期間は就労資格として在留している期間に含まれないほか、「特定技能１号」の在留資格で日本に在留できる期間は最長５年であるため、「永住者」の在留資格へ変更することは難しいです。 　一方、「特定技能２号」の在留資格で日本にいる期間は就労資格として在留している期間に含まれるため、「永住者」の在留資格へ変更することが可能です。
  • https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/policies/ssw/faq.html?lang=ja
    「特定技能２号」は、熟練した技能を持つ外国人向けの在留資格であり、「特定技能１号」より高い技能を持つことが必要です。このような技能水準を持っていることは試験等によって確認されます。よって、「特定技能１号」を経れば自動的に「特定技能２号」に移行できるわけではありません。
  • https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/policies/ssw/faq.html?lang=ja
    「特定技能１号」の16の特定産業分野のうち、介護分野、自動車運送業分野、鉄道分野、林業分野及び木材産業分野を除く11の特定産業分野が「特定技能２号」による外国人の受入れ対象分野となっています。

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

Explore more pathways in Japan · All pathways

Your story.
Your next step.

Get your free results