TOKYO (Agencies): The Japanese government is no longer issuing visas for foreign specified skilled workers in the restaurant sector as the quota of 50,000 has nearly been reached – the first restriction of its kind since the current limit was set.
The Immigration Services Agency of Japan suspended issuing certificates of eligibility for Type I Specified Skilled Worker visa applications received from April 13, as reported by Kyodo news and Japan Times.
The agency said that, according to preliminary data, the number of foreigners with Type I status working in the food service industry reached roughly 46,000 by the end of February.
It said that for applications received before April 13, certificates will be issued in order up to the quota limit.
In January 2026, the government decided to accept up to 805,700 individuals, expanded to 19 sectors, under the specified skilled worker program through March 2029, with the caps decided based on the degree of labor shortage in the respective fields.
“The food service industry was quicker to employ foreign skilled workers than in other sectors,” said an official at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
“However, there is room for debate as to whether efforts to secure domestic talent, a prerequisite of the system, are being carried out to the fullest extent,” said the official.
The Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act stipulates that the issuance of certificates of eligibility will be suspended if the number of foreign specified skilled workers is expected to exceed the quota.
The agency also said that from April 13, requests from foreign skilled workers to switch to jobs in the food service industry are not being accepted in principle.
But technical interns who are already working in Japan and transitioning to a specified skilled worker visa in the sector will be given priority in the screening process, it said.
Japan introduced the specified skilled worker programme in fiscal 2019 to address chronic labour shortages.
The sectors also include nursing care, forestry, railways and others, aside from the food service industry.
There are two types of visas for specified skilled workers. Type I permits a total stay of up to five years, while Type II allows unlimited renewals and effectively provides a pathway to permanent residency.
Looking at overall numbers, as of the end of 2025, there were around 390,000 foreign workers in the programme. By the end of fiscal 2029, it is expected to be around 820,000 workers.
More openings are available in other industries besides the food sector, such as in nursing care, which currently has around 68,000 Type-1 visa holders, well below the 135,000 capacity. -- Agencies
