The Japanese government has decided to reorganize the Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) No. 1 visa system to resume accepting foreign workers for catering and meal preparation duties at medical, welfare, and educational facilities.
While new admissions across the entire 'Food Service' sector remain suspended, this measure exceptionally reopens visa issuance for catering operations that carry high social necessity.
Transfer from 'Food Service' to 'Manufacture of Food and Beverages' Sector
The Japanese government presented this operational reform plan during an expert panel meeting on the Specified Skilled Worker and Training and Employment systems.
The main points of this reform plan are as follows:
- Resumption of Food Service Intake: Resuming the intake of SSW No. 1 workers exclusively for catering and meal preparation roles in medical institutions, social welfare facilities, and schools.
- Sector Transfer: Reclassifying and transferring meal service operations from the former 'Food Service' sector to the 'Manufacture of Food and Beverages' sector.
- Continued Suspension of General Food Service: Maintaining the suspension of new admissions across the broader food service sector, including general restaurants and eateries.
The Japanese government cited the indispensability of securing meal service personnel to maintain essential operations in medical and welfare settings as the reason for this resumption.
Implementation Schedule and Total Acceptance Cap
The Japanese government plans to finalize the reform plan through a Cabinet decision by the end of the year, targeting a full-scale resumption of worker intake from April 2027.
Meanwhile, the overall ceiling on the maximum number of foreign workers (approximately 1.23 million) accepted under the combined SSW No. 1 and Training and Employment systems through the end of fiscal year 2028 remains unchanged.
Significance for Foreign Job Seekers
This measure could offer new opportunities for foreign nationals seeking employment in culinary and food-related sectors in Japan, or those preparing to switch to a Specified Skilled Worker visa.
Although new visa issuance for general restaurants remains restricted, the path to obtaining a visa and securing stable employment in high-public-interest food service settings—such as hospitals, schools, and welfare facilities—is expected to reopen.
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Source: 読売新聞