In response to the pressing need to fill labor shortages, the Japanese government has announced plans to include additional job categories in the Type 1 specified skilled worker visa program. These new categories, including automotive transportation, railways, forestry, and the lumber industry, aim to attract foreign workers to help meet the demand for skilled labor in these sectors. The visa program allows workers to reside in Japan for up to five years without the option of bringing their families along.
The government's decision to expand the skilled worker program comes as part of a comprehensive migrant labor policy approved by the Cabinet. This policy targets the acceptance of 820,000 foreign workers over the next five years, with the goal of addressing labor shortages across various industries. Under this initiative, foreign nationals can only work in fields facing a shortage of local labor, following efforts to prioritize domestic recruitment and enhance productivity in those sectors.
As of the end of the previous year, a significant number of individuals, totaling 208,462, were already residing in Japan under the specified skilled worker visa status. Looking ahead, the government projects an influx of 173,000 workers in industrial manufacturing, making it the largest group, along with substantial numbers in food and beverage manufacturing, nursing care, construction, and agriculture. The program's expansion has led to an increase in the number of workers coming into Japan in 10 out of the 12 existing work fields, with building cleaning and the restaurant industry being the exception.