MONDAY, AUGUST 3, 2026
Turning policy into practical knowledge.
PRE-LAUNCH EDITION
REFORM / PRACTICE / BREAKING NEWS / ANALYSIS
BREAKING
Japan’s Employment for Skill Development Program is scheduled to take effect on April 1, 2027. Pre-enforcement applications for plan certification open on September 1, 2026. Check the official source ↗
COVER STORY | ESSENTIAL GUIDE

Employment for Skill Development:
from policy to practice.

What changes from the Technical Intern Training Program? We explain the new framework, application practice, and what accepting organizations, supervising support organizations, and foreign workers should prepare now.

SYSTEM GUIDETRANSITION PRACTICEUPDATED 2026.08.03
3 YEARSSkills development through employment, generally for three years
TRANSFERWorker-initiated transfers permitted when statutory conditions are met
PATHWAYDesigned to support progression to Specified Skilled Worker (i)

Understand the Systems

SYSTEM EXPLAINER
01NEW SYSTEM

Employment for Skill Development
Complete Guide

A practical overview covering objectives, eligible fields, development plans, transfers, and supervising support organizations.

Read the guide →02SPECIFIED SKILLED WORKER

Specified Skilled Worker
Practical Guide

A clear guide to Categories (i) and (ii), support plans, notifications, residence applications, and registered support organizations.

Read the guide →03COMPARISON

Technical Intern Training,
ESD & SSW Compared

Compare purpose, period of stay, transfers, family accompaniment, and support frameworks on the same basis.

View comparison →0419 INDUSTRY FIELDS

Fields & Work Categories
Practical Guide

Review work categories, additional requirements, and employer preparations across 17 ESD and 19 SSW fields.

Browse fields →

Practical Toolkit

PRACTICAL TOOLKIT
OPERATIONS

Supervising Support
& Accepting Organizations

Role-specific guidance on authorization, staffing, employment, development plans, supervision, and recordkeeping.

Open practical guide →DOCUMENTS

Applications・
Forms Portal

Current forms and pre-submission checks for supervising support organizations, ESD plans, and SSW procedures.

Browse applications →SENDING COUNTRIES

Sending Countries・
Approved Sending Organizations

Country-by-country guidance on MOCs, provisional and approved lists, sending agreements, and application checks.

Browse by country →

Roadmap to Implementation

IMPLEMENTATION ROADMAP

Field-specific standards and guidelines

Monitor official updates on eligible fields, additional standards, and sending-country arrangements.

Pre-enforcement applications open

Check procedures beginning before enforcement, including certification applications for ESD plans.

Scheduled program launch

Acceptance under the new program begins; transition measures from TITP also require attention.

Progression to Specified Skilled Worker

After three years of development and assessment, workers may progress toward SSW (i).

Find Guidance for Your Role

GUIDE BY ROLE
FOR EMPLOYERS

Accepting Organizations

Eligibility, headcount limits, costs, internal systems, recruitment, and commencement of employment.

Employer guidance →SUPERVISION

Supervising Support Organizations

Authorization requirements, supervising support duties, ESD plans, audits, and workplace guidance visits.

Supervision guidance →SUPPORT

Registered Support Organizations

Support plans, periodic and ad hoc notifications, and progression from ESD to SSW.

Support guidance →FOR WORKERS

Foreign Workers

Status of residence, transfers, Japanese requirements, consultation channels, and progression to SSW.

Worker guide →

Latest Articles & Policy Updates

NEWS & UPDATES

Stay ahead of policy updates.

We organize official announcements and explain who is affected and what action to take.

Read the latest updates →