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Specified Skilled Worker (ii) — Industrial product manufacturing

JapanWork

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

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

Advanced industrial production in three categories (machining and metal processing, electric and electronic equipment assembly, or metal surface treatment), performing work and managing processes while supervising multiple skilled workers.

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Limits of the record
  • Condition: the activity is limited to the authorised job category; the common rules on the employment contract and on changing employer also apply.
  • Statement not used as evidence (its source document could not be captured): an examination guideline of July 2026 is said to list 17 categories for SSW(i) but only three for SSW(ii) (machining and metal processing, electric and electronic equipment assembly, metal surface treatment).

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

A contract of employment with a public or private organisation in Japan designated by the Minister of Justice is required, for the authorised SSW activities.

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

Skills are shown by the Examination Evaluation Category 2 Specified Technical Skills for Manufacturing Sectors together with Level 3 of the Business Career Test, or alternatively Level 1 of the skill exam. Remuneration must be equal to or higher than that of Japanese nationals performing equivalent work, and Specified Skilled Workers must be 18 years of age or older. SSW(ii) does not follow automatically from SSW(i); it can be obtained directly by demonstrating the skills.

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Limits of the record
  • Condition: the pay requirement is a comparison with Japanese workers; the source does not state a fixed national minimum amount in yen.
  • Statement not used as evidence (its source document could not be captured): for the SSW(ii) industrial test, three years of practical experience in industrial production at a company based in Japan, completed by the day before the exam and shown by a certificate.
  • Statement not used as evidence (its source document could not be captured): an examination guideline of July 2026 is said to list 17 categories for SSW(i) but only three for SSW(ii) (machining and metal processing, electric and electronic equipment assembly, metal surface treatment).
  • Not found: the minimum experience for the Level 1 skill exam alternative, separately from the three years to sit the SSW(ii) industrial test.

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

The permission allows advanced industrial production in three categories (machining and metal processing, electric and electronic equipment assembly, or metal surface treatment), performing work and managing processes while supervising multiple skilled workers. Changing the SSW employer requires an application for permission to change status of residence, and work remains limited to the authorised job category and skills; part-time work is not allowed. The official source does not state whether family can accompany the holder.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • Condition: work remains limited to the authorised job category and skills.
  • Condition: the activity is limited to the authorised job category; the common rules on the employment contract and on changing employer also apply.
  • Statement not used as evidence (its source page could not be captured): for SSW(ii), a spouse and children may accompany the holder if the applicable requirements are met.
  • Statement not used as evidence (its source document could not be captured): an examination guideline of July 2026 is said to list 17 categories for SSW(i) but only three for SSW(ii) (machining and metal processing, electric and electronic equipment assembly, metal surface treatment).

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

SSW(ii) has no overall cap on cumulative stay. It remains a status of residence subject to renewal and is not automatically permanent residence. The current Immigration Control Enforcement Regulations list SSW(ii) periods of three years, two years, one year or six months. Renewal must be applied for before the granted period expires, in order to continue the same activity. SSW(ii) does not follow automatically from SSW(i); it can be obtained directly by demonstrating the skills. Permanent residence: one of the requirements is ten years of continuous residence, including at least five continuous years with a work or residence status (excluding technical intern training and SSW(i)); time as SSW(i) does not count towards those five years, time as SSW(ii) does.

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Limits of the record
  • The source establishes the current legally enforced consolidation as of25September2026; it does not date the first historical introduction of these period options or establish all transitional arrangements.
  • Tabela: 特定技能２号, coluna 在留期間
    ３年、２年、１年又は６月
  • ISA Japanese SSW FAQ Q28 — complete question and answer
    Ｑ28 特定技能外国人に付与される在留期間はどれくらいになりますか。 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。）。通算在留期間の５年を超えて在留できる場合については、 通算在留期間 のページ を御確認ください。
  • ISA Japanese SSW FAQ Q12 — complete question and answer
    Ｑ12 「特定技能２号」はどのような在留資格ですか。「特定技能１号」を経れば自動的に「特定技能２号」に移行できますか。 「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。他方で、高い技能を持っており、試験等によりそれが確認されれば、「特定技能１号」を経なくても「特定技能２号」の在留資格を取得することができます。
  • ISA Japanese SSW FAQ Q10 — complete question and answer
    Ｑ10 「特定技能」の在留資格から、永住許可は認められますか。 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://laws.e-gov.go.jp/api/2/law_data/356M50000010054 (Appendix2, Specified Skilled Worker row; CurrentEnforced revision20260901)
    特定技能 一　法別表第一の二の表の特定技能の項の下欄第一号に掲げる活動を行う者にあつては、三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 二　法別表第一の二の表の特定技能の項の下欄第二号に掲げる活動を行う者にあつては、三年、二年、一年又は六月
  • https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/policies/ssw/faq.html?lang=ja Q28
    Ｑ28 特定技能外国人に付与される在留期間はどれくらいになりますか。
  • https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/specifiedskilledworker.html?lang=ja SSW(ii) application field list
    ビルクリーニング 工業製品製造業 ※機械金属加工、電気電子機器組立て、金属表面処理の業務区分のみが特定技能２号の対象 建設 造船・舶用工業 自動車整備 航空 宿泊 農業 漁業 飲食料品製造業 外食業

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

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