INDUSTRY GUIDE | ESD & SSW

Food Service

Eligible work, entry requirements and practical employer controls for the food service field under Japan’s Employment for Skill Development and Specified Skilled Worker frameworks.

Eligible work

Food preparation, cooking, customer service and store management-related duties permitted in eligible food service businesses.

Eligibility is determined by the official work category and actual duties. A company’s general industry classification alone is not enough.

Entry and transition

Japanese communication and hygiene knowledge are important, and the actual role must remain within the designated category.

Candidates may qualify through the prescribed skill and Japanese-language examinations or, where permitted, through a recognized transition route from a relevant training or development program.

Employer checklist

  • Match the written job description to the permitted work category.
  • Confirm the applicable examination or transition exemption.
  • Provide equal or equivalent remuneration and lawful working conditions.
  • Prepare workplace instruction in a language the worker understands.
  • Check field council, certification and notification requirements.

Safety and supervision

Train workers in food safety, allergens, knives, burns, customer incidents, late shifts and emergency procedures.

Keep orientation, qualification, training, incident and corrective-action records. Review actual duties whenever the workplace or production process changes.