Support-system requirements for SSW (i) change from April 2027

The support-system requirements for companies accepting Specified Skilled Workers (i) and for Registered Support Organizations will change on April 1, 2027 (Ministry of Justice Ordinance No. 45 of 2025). The revision concerns companies that provide support in-house and those considering doing so.

Main changes

• At least one support manager and one support staff member must be appointed from full-time officers or employees for each place of business where support is provided (for Registered Support Organizations, each office where support work is carried out). One person may serve in both roles.
• Only the support manager and support staff may engage in support work.
• Support managers will be required to complete a training course (covering the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, labor laws and more) every three years. For the time being, not having completed it is permitted.
• Limits per support staff member will be set. Both for in-house support and for Registered Support Organizations, each staff member may support fewer than 50 Specified Skilled Workers (i). In addition, Registered Support Organizations may accept fewer than 10 client organizations per staff member (in each case per place of business or office).

For companies continuing in-house support, we suggest reviewing, before April 2027, the appointment of full-time support managers and staff at each place of business, the number of support staff, and who is involved in support work. Transitional measures apply to applications made before the effective date and to employment contracts of workers already residing in Japan on that date (Supplementary Provisions, Article 9, Ministry of Justice Ordinance No. 45 of 2025). Office Ray offers consultation on building an in-house support system.

Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Revision of the support-system requirements for Specified Skilled Workers (i) (effective April 1, 2027)" (Japanese)
https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/10_00263.html

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