What is Specified Skilled Worker “とくていぎのうVisa” of Japan ?
Assumed that you hope to work in Japan. However in order to work in Japan, you need to find a job that requires high skill basically, like interpreter, computer programmer, language teacher, system engineer etc.
Basically, foreign nationals can obtain status of residence (work permit) with a job that requires real high skill.
So if you hope to work in Japan as a System Engineer, you need to have such skill and find a such job.
However you may not have such skill. And even if you have such skill, your Japanese language skill may not be sufficient to work as a SE.
Moreover even if you have high skill and enough Japanese language skill, you may not be able to find a such job.
On the other hand, you can not work in hotel as a cleaning staff basically.
Because Japanese government deems that job of a cleaning staff is not high skilled work.
You can not work in restaurant as a waiter basically.
Because Japanese government deems that job of a waiter is not high skilled work.
Though you can not find a job as a computer programmer (Real high skilled job), you may be able to find a job as a cleaning staff or waiter or construction worker.
In that case you may be able to obtain status of residence named “Specified Skilled worker” 「とくていぎのうびざ」and work in Japan.
If you can obtain status of residence of Specified Skilled Worker, you can work in Japan as a waiter or construction worker, caregiver etc (unskilled job).
In the case of unskilled job, high leveled Japanese language skill will not be required.
So as far as you have basic Japanese language skill and pass a test, you may be able to obtain status of residence of Specified Skilled Worker.
Though name of Specified Skilled Worker includes “skilled”, you do not need to have a high skill.
In Japan, there are some labor shortage in specific field.
So government of Japan tries to solicit foreign nationals to work in such field to solve the problem.
In the case of restaurant business or construction business, there is a shortage of workers.
However job as a waiter or a construction worker is not included in real high skilled work.
So, even if a restaurant business operator or construction company tries to hire foreign nationals as a waiter or construction worker, foreign nationals could not obtain status of residence legally.
(In the case of foreign student or dependent, they can engage in such job as a part time worker with limitation of 28 hours per week)
However government of Japan introduced Specified Skilled Worker.
In the case of Specified Skilled Worker, foreign nationals can work as a full time employee as a water or sheet metal worker etc.
Limited kinds of business can use Specified Skilled Worker = Tokutei Gino Visa
Even if a company hopes to hire foreign nationals as a Specified Skilled Worker, if her business is NOT included in following businesses, her company can not apply for Specified Skilled Worker.
1 Building cleaning business
2 Forging technology business
3 Industrial machinery manufacturing business
4 Construction business
5 Automobile maintenance business
6 Hotel business
7 Farming business
8 Fishery business
9 Restaurant Business
etc
There is a labor shortage in above business field especially. So Government of Japan introduced system of Specified Skilled Worker.
Rank of Specified Skilled Worker = Tokutei Gino Visa
There are 2 ranks in Specified Skilled Worker and they are 1st Specified Skilled Worker and 2nd Specified Skilled Worker.
In the case of 2nd Specified Skilled Worker, foreign nationals need to have higher skill compared to 1st Specified Skilled Worker.
In order to become Specified Skilled Worker, you need to pass a test. 「特定技能技能測定試験」.
If you hope to work in construction business, you need to pass a test relating to construction business.
If persons have completed 2nd technical intern (3 years),they will have sufficient skill.
So they do not need to pass the test.
And in order to become Specified Skilled Worker, foreign nationals need to have basic Japanese language skill.
So they need to pass Japanese language test of JLPT(N4 or more) or JFT-basic.
On the other hand, if persons have completed 2nd technical intern, they will have sufficient Japanese language skill.
So they do not need to pass Japanese language test.
In the case of 1st Specified Skilled Worker, they can live in Japan less than 5 years as a 1st Specified Skilled Worker.
In the case of 2nd Specified Skilled Worker, they can live in Japan more than 5 years as a 2nd Specified Skilled Worker and invite family members to Japan.
