Thorough Explanation] What is the "Specified Technical Skills" residence status? An easy-to-understand introduction to the system, its 14 fields, and application procedures.

Japanese society is facing a serious shortage of labor. In order to solve this problem, the **Specified Technical Skills** status of residence was introduced. In this article, we will provide an overview of the specified skills, the industries and occupations covered, application requirements, the flow of procedures, and points to note, carefully explained from the perspective of an administrative scrivener.

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1. what are "specific skills"?

With the new residency status established in 2019,A system that allows foreign nationals with certain expertise and skills to work immediately..

Currently, there are two types of "specific skills":

type	feature
Specified Skills 1	Work requiring a certain level of knowledge and skills (maximum 5 years, no family members allowed)
Specified Skills No. 2	Work that requires skilled skills (period of stay can be renewed, family members can accompany the applicant) *Currently only applicable to the two fields of construction and shipbuilding.

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2. 14 areas to be covered (No. 1)

Field name	Examples of Typical Work
care	Physical care in nursing homes, etc.
building cleaning	Building cleaning work
forges and foundries	Casting, metal stamping, painting, etc.
Industrial machinery manufacturing	Assembly and inspection of machine tools, etc.
Electrical, electronics and information related industries	Manufacture and maintenance of electronic equipment
construction	Formwork construction, plastering, scaffolding, interior finishing, etc.
Shipbuilding & Marine Industry	Welding, outfitting, etc.
automobile maintenance	Periodic inspections, repairs, etc.
aviation	Ground handling at airports, etc.
lodging	Front desk and customer service, etc.
agriculture	General farm work
fishing (industry)	Fish farming, catching, etc.
Food and beverage manufacturing	Food processing and manufacturing, etc.
restaurant industry	Kitchen, customer service, etc. (*Convenience stores are not included)

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3. main requirements for "Specified Technical Skill No. 1

Requirements for the foreign national himself/herself:

• skills assessment testPassing of the (conducted in each field)
• JLPT N4 or above(or JFT-Basic)
• Technical training No. 2.Completed in good standingThose who do are exempted from the examination.

Requirements of the accepting company:

• With foreignersdirect employment contract(In principle, dispatch is not possible).
• Appropriate working conditions (social insurance coverage, wage levels, etc.)
• **Preparation and implementation of the "Support Plan for No. 1 Specified Technical Foreigners "**.
• Registered Support Agencies(Our office can handle the contract with the company)

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4. application process

For residents abroad:

1. Passing the examination and certification of Japanese language proficiency
2. Employment contract with the host company
3. Application for Certificate of Eligibility
4. Visa Application and Arrival in Japan
5. Receipt of Residence Card

If you are in Japan:

• Transition from technical internship or change from a college student visa is also possible (application for permission to change).

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5. notes and issues of specific skills

• Must not be simple labor.Need to prove that the
• Different systems and examination schedules for different industriesPreparation of application is complicated
• Support systems are now mandatory.It is essential for companies to understand
• Transition to "No. 2" after 5 yearsThere are additional requirements for

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6. support by Alex International Office of Administrative Scriveners

• Explanation of the skill evaluation test system and advice on preparation
• Assistance in drafting employment contracts and support plans
• Acceptance support as a registered support organization (in cooperation with companies)
• Assistance in transitioning from technical internship, representation in application for change of status of residence

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summary

The "Specified Technical Skills" status of residence is a system that serves as a bridge between companies suffering from labor shortages and foreign nationals who wish to work in Japan. However, the application process requiresAccuracy of documents, understanding of the system, and support systemis required.

If you are a company considering hiring foreigners or a foreigner who wishes to find a job,Administrative scriveners with practical expertiseWe look forward to hearing from you.