SSW Visa Requirements (2026): Who Actually Qualifies
The exact eligibility for Japan's Specified Skilled Worker visa — language, skills test, age, and the 16 eligible fields.
May 28, 2026
The Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) visa is deliberately practical. You don't need a degree or years of experience — you need to prove you can do a specific job and communicate at a basic level in Japanese. Here's exactly what's required.
1. Age and background. You must be at least 18, in good health, and have no criminal record or immigration violations.
2. Japanese language. You must pass one of:
- JFT-Basic (Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese) at A2 level or higher, or
- JLPT N4 or higher.
This proves you can handle everyday and basic workplace communication. (Nursing care has an additional care-specific language test.)
3. A skills test. Each field has its own skills evaluation test that checks you can actually do the work. You take it for the single field you plan to work in.
4. A sponsoring employer. SSW is tied to a job — you need a job offer from a Japanese employer who will sponsor your status and meet support obligations.
The 16 eligible fields (SSW Type I): nursing care, building cleaning, food & beverage manufacturing, food service, construction, shipbuilding & marine, automobile maintenance, aviation, hospitality (hotels), agriculture, fisheries, manufacturing of industrial products, automobile transportation, railway, forestry, and lumber (the last four were added in the 2024 expansion). Japan is also considering adding logistics, linen supply, and recycling.
Type I vs Type II. Type I allows up to 5 years total and does not permit bringing family. Type II — available in a smaller set of fields for more advanced workers — allows indefinite renewals, family accompaniment, and a pathway to permanent residency. Many workers start on Type I and progress to Type II.
No degree required. This is the key difference from the standard work visa: SSW prioritises competence over credentials, which is why it's open to so many more people.
Next: how to apply, step by step · what it costs from India. Always confirm the current rules on the official Immigration Services Agency site (ssw.go.jp).