What Is Employment for Skill Development? A Clear Guide to the New System Replacing Technical Intern Training [Starting April 2027]

On 1 April 2027 (Reiwa 9), Japan's system for accepting foreign workers changes significantly. The Technical Intern Training (技能実習) system, which has run for more than 30 years, is being wound up and succeeded by a new system, Employment for Skill Development (育成就労, Ikusei Shuro).

Technical Intern Training was a system whose purpose was "international contribution through the transfer of skills". Employment for Skill Development, by contrast, squarely states as its purpose the "development and securing of human resources" in fields facing labour shortages, and is intended to bring workers up to the level of Specified Skilled Worker (i) (特定技能1号) over three years of employment. In other words, Employment for Skill Development has been designed as an entry point leading into Specified Skilled Worker status.

The system does not take effect for some time yet, but preparations have already begun. Applications for authorisation as a Supervising Support Organisation (監理支援機関) have been accepted before the effective date since 15 April 2026, and applications for accreditation of an Employment for Skill Development Plan (育成就労計画) since 1 September of the same year. It is also becoming clear by when new Technical Intern Trainees can still be accepted.

This page sets out, from the purpose of the Employment for Skill Development system through to the differences from Technical Intern Training, the eligible fields, the Japanese-language requirements, the rules on changing employer, the allocation of costs, and the transitional measures for companies that currently host Technical Intern Trainees, as summarised by our firm. It is based on information published as of September 2026, and some of the standards are due to be announced.

For Specified Skilled Worker (特定技能), which is the "exit" from Employment for Skill Development, see What Is the Specified Skilled Worker Visa? A Clear Guide to the System from the Ground Up [2026 Edition]; for the hiring process as a whole, see Hiring Foreign Nationals in Japan: A Step-by-Step Overview for First-Time Employers.

Purpose of the Employment for Skill Development System and the Implementation Schedule

The Employment for Skill Development system was created by an amending Act promulgated on 21 June 2024 (Reiwa 6) (Act No. 60 of 2024). The Technical Intern Training Act has been renamed the Act on the Appropriate Implementation of Employment for Skill Development and the Protection of Foreign Nationals in Employment for Skill Development (the Employment for Skill Development Act, 育成就労法), and it takes effect on 1 April 2027, apart from certain provisions (see: Employment for Skill Development System: Overview and Related Legislation).

The Immigration Services Agency of Japan describes the purpose of the system as follows.

"To develop, through three years of employment in Japan in an Employment for Skill Development industrial field, personnel with skills at the Specified Skilled Worker (i) level, and at the same time to secure personnel in that field" (see: Overview of the Employment for Skill Development System (revised July 2026, Reiwa 8))

The key dates are as follows.

(see: Employment for Skill Development System Q&A, Transitional Measures for Technical Intern Training upon Implementation of the Employment for Skill Development System)

What Changes from Technical Intern Training

Because the purpose of the system has changed, the rules for accepting workers change substantially too. The main differences are summarised below.

The two points with the greatest practical impact are changing employer and the move to Specified Skilled Worker. Under Employment for Skill Development, a worker who meets certain requirements can move to another company at his or her own wish. And unlike the case of satisfactory completion of Technical Intern Training (ii), there is no exemption from the tests: to move to Specified Skilled Worker (i), the worker must pass them. Both points are explained in more detail below.

Eligible Fields and How Acceptance Works

The fields eligible for Employment for Skill Development (Employment for Skill Development industrial fields, 育成就労産業分野) are, in principle, aligned with the Specified Skilled Worker fields, but fields not suited to training within Japan are excluded. According to Immigration Services Agency materials, as of July 2026 (Reiwa 8), of the 19 Specified Skilled Worker fields, only two have no Employment for Skill Development setting: automobile transportation and aviation (see: Overview of the Employment for Skill Development System). The fields may be reviewed in future, so please check the same document for the latest list.

Agriculture, fisheries, food and beverage manufacturing, accommodation, food service, nursing care, construction and forestry, all of which matter a great deal to companies in Hokkaido, are among the eligible fields. Note also that acceptance through worker dispatch is permitted, under both Specified Skilled Worker and Employment for Skill Development, only in agriculture and fisheries.

There are two ways of accepting workers: the "stand-alone type", in which the company acts on its own, and the "supervised type", in which the company receives support from a Supervising Support Organisation. In either case, a three-year "Employment for Skill Development Plan" must be drawn up for each individual worker, and accredited by the Employment for Skill Development Organization (外国人育成就労機構) (this is the present Organization for Technical Intern Training, which is changing its name to coincide with the new system's implementation).

The body that plays the central role in the supervised type is the Supervising Support Organisation. It arranges the establishment of employment relationships and supervises whether Employment for Skill Development is being carried out properly. Supervising Support Organisations are subject to authorisation, and the authorisation standards are stricter than those for the supervising organisations (監理団体) under Technical Intern Training. Existing supervising organisations must also obtain fresh authorisation as a Supervising Support Organisation in order to provide supervision and support under Employment for Skill Development. It is worth checking early on whether the supervising organisation you work with plans to apply for authorisation.

Japanese Language and Skills: The Path to Specified Skilled Worker (i)

Employment for Skill Development sets staged targets for Japanese-language ability.

• Before starting work: passing a Japanese-language test at A1 level or above, or completing at least 100 hours of A1-level instruction at an accredited Japanese-language education institution (認定日本語教育機関)
• Over the three years: acquiring A2-level Japanese-language ability and passing the test (the level required differs by field)

(see: Employment for Skill Development System Q&A)

Instruction is also required after entry. As a basic rule, this is at least 320 hours for a worker who has not passed a Japanese-language test and at least 220 hours for one who has, and the post-entry hours are shortened if the worker has completed certain instruction before entry.

To move to Specified Skilled Worker (i) after the three years of training, the worker must pass both a skills test (Skill Certification Test Grade 3 or the like, or the Specified Skilled Worker (i) Evaluation Test) and a Japanese-language test (A2 level or above; JLPT N4 or the like). Unlike Technical Intern Training, there is no system under which the tests are waived for satisfactory completion.

In addition, where the host company has trained the worker properly but the worker nevertheless fails to pass the target tests, or is unable to sit them for unavoidable reasons such as illness or disaster, the period of Employment for Skill Development may in some cases be extended by up to one year.

If you think of Employment for Skill Development as the "entry point" and Specified Skilled Worker as what lies "beyond", it becomes important to draw up, from the hiring stage, a training plan that looks three years ahead. For the requirements and support duties of Specified Skilled Worker, see What Is the Specified Skilled Worker Visa? A Clear Guide to the System from the Ground Up [2026 Edition].

The Rules on Changing Employer at the Worker's Own Wish

Changing employer is one of the biggest changes under Employment for Skill Development. Under Technical Intern Training, a change of employer was permitted where there were unavoidable circumstances such as violence or harassment, but a change at the worker's own wish was not, in principle, permitted. Under Employment for Skill Development, this becomes possible subject to the following requirements (see: Employment for Skill Development System Q&A).

• The move is within the same work category
• The restricted period for changing employer (転籍制限期間) has elapsed: this is set for each field at between one and two years. For example, it is two years for fields such as nursing care, construction, and food and beverage manufacturing, and one year for fields such as accommodation, agriculture and fisheries. Even for a field where a period longer than one year is set, the host company may decide to apply one year. Where a period longer than one year is applied, however, the host company must take the measures for improving conditions that are prescribed for each field
• The worker meets certain levels of skills and Japanese language
• The worker has not used job placement or similar services from a private placement business
• The destination is a host company recognised as "excellent" (優良)

There are also restrictions on the company receiving the worker. The number of people who have arrived through a change of employer at their own wish must not exceed one third of all the company's Employment for Skill Development workers. In addition, where a company in a major metropolitan area takes on workers from the regions, a further cap of one sixth applies.

A mechanism will also be introduced under which the receiving company pays a set amount towards the initial costs that the previous employer incurred in accepting the worker, determined by how long the worker was employed there. However, the public notice that will set the standard amount had not yet been published as of September 2026.

For host companies, this also means that the assumption that "if we hire someone, they will work at the same workplace for three years" no longer holds. Creating a workplace that "continues to be chosen", through wages, the working environment and support for Japanese-language learning, will matter more than ever.

The Rules on Cost Sharing

Employment for Skill Development introduces rules intended to lighten the cost burden on the foreign workers themselves.

• Cap on fees paid to sending organisations: the fees that a foreign worker pays to a sending organisation in his or her home country are capped at two months' salary. Any cost above this is to be borne by the host company or the Supervising Support Organisation (see: Employment for Skill Development System Q&A)
• Cost of Japanese-language instruction: measures needed to improve Japanese-language ability, including the bearing of the cost, are to be taken by the host company or the Supervising Support Organisation

In addition, bilateral arrangements (memoranda of cooperation) are being drawn up with sending countries one after another. The latest position can be checked on the page on bilateral arrangements on the Organization for Technical Intern Training website. Because the costs of accepting workers may be higher than under Technical Intern Training, we recommend estimating them early.

Transitional Measures for Companies Currently Hosting Technical Intern Trainees

For a company that currently hosts Technical Intern Trainees, the biggest question is probably "what will happen to our current trainees?" The key points of the transitional measures are as follows (see: Transitional Measures for Technical Intern Training upon Implementation of the Employment for Skill Development System).

• Technical Intern Training being carried out as of 1 April 2027 may continue to be carried out after the system takes effect
• To accept new trainees, an application for accreditation of a Technical Intern Training plan must be filed by 31 March 2027, and the Technical Intern Training must start by 30 June 2027. After that, new acceptance will be under Employment for Skill Development
• To move from Stage (ii) to Stage (iii), the worker must have been engaged in Technical Intern Training (ii) activities for at least one year as of 1 April 2027. In other words, Stage (ii) activities must have started by 1 April 2026 at the latest (see: Leaflet on Moving to Technical Intern Training (iii))

Even where a move to Stage (iii) is not possible, a move to Specified Skilled Worker (i) can be considered if the requirements are met. Because each trainee's situation differs, we recommend listing each person's period of stay and current stage, and checking each case individually.

What to Prepare Now

About six months remain until the system takes effect. For companies considering accepting workers, we recommend the following preparations.

1. Check the deadlines for the transitional measures: if you plan to accept new Technical Intern Trainees, work backwards from the application deadline of 31 March 2027 for accreditation of the plan.
2. Confirm the policy of your Supervising Support Organisation: check early whether the supervising organisation you work with intends to obtain authorisation as a Supervising Support Organisation.
3. Check the eligible fields and work categories: confirm whether your company's work falls within the fields and work categories eligible for Employment for Skill Development.
4. Think about a training plan that looks three years ahead: map out the training path with the skills and Japanese-language tests required for the move to Specified Skilled Worker (i) in mind.
5. Estimate costs and the acceptance framework: work out the new burdens, such as the cap on fees to sending organisations and the cost of Japanese-language instruction.

Note also that the specific standards for excellent host companies and Supervising Support Organisations, the specific procedures for changing employer at the worker's own wish, and the standard amount of initial costs on a change of employer are to be announced in future. The details of the system may be updated before it takes effect, so please check the latest information with the Immigration Services Agency of Japan and the Organization for Technical Intern Training.

In Closing

Employment for Skill Development is a system premised on "training people and helping them to stay". The ability to change employer will raise the pressure on companies, but the flip side is that companies that put effort into training and into building a good workplace will find it easier to attract people, and to gain long-term workers who can go on to Specified Skilled Worker.

For Specified Skilled Worker, which lies beyond Employment for Skill Development, see What Is the Specified Skilled Worker Visa? A Clear Guide to the System from the Ground Up [2026 Edition]; for a comparison with other work-related statuses of residence, please also see Specified Skilled Worker vs Gijinkoku: A Clear Comparison for Recruiters [2026 Edition].

Our firm provides one-stop support, from applications for status of residence through to hiring foreign personnel and building the framework for accepting them. If you have any questions about moving on from Technical Intern Training or about accepting workers under Employment for Skill Development, please do get in touch for a consultation.

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