On 29 May 2026 (Reiwa 8), the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) revised its "Guidelines for Employers on the Appropriate Improvement of Employment Management for Foreign Workers" (外国人労働者の雇用管理の改善等に関して事業主が適切に対処するための指針) via MHLW Notification No. 227 (厚生労働省告示第227号). June also marks "Foreign Worker Employment Awareness Month" (外国人雇用啓発月間, slogan: "Toward a society where we work together and support each other"), with multilingual consultation services and stepped-up oversight running alongside the revision.
- From 14 June 2026: employers must pay attention to applying the equal-pay-for-equal-work guidelines to part-time, fixed-term and dispatched foreign workers. 「事業主は、日本語教育の推進に関する法律に基づき、…その雇用する外国人労働者及びその家族に対する日本語学習の機会の提供その他の日本語学習に関する支援に努めることが定められております。」 ("Under the Act on Japanese Language Education Promotion, employers are required to make efforts to provide their foreign employees and families with opportunities for, and other support toward, Japanese-language learning.")
- From the same date, using the residence card reader application (在留カード等読取アプリケーション) is treated as appropriate practice when filing the notification of foreign employment status. Penalties for facilitating illegal employment were also tightened — currently up to 3 years' imprisonment / a ¥3 million fine, rising to up to 5 years' imprisonment / a ¥5 million fine from 1 April 2027.
- From 1 October 2026: the items that must be disclosed to part-time and fixed-term workers at hiring will add the right to request an explanation of the content and reasons for any difference in treatment — this also applies to foreign workers.
- From 1 April 2027: aligned with the launch of the Ikusei Shuro (育成就労, "Employment for Skill Development") programme, the guidelines call for appropriate employment management, including capping fees paid to sending organisations at no more than two months' salary and requiring an explanation of any restrictions on changing employers.
Accepting organisations in Sapporo should first confirm what changes on 14 June — notification practice and Japanese-language learning support.
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (guideline revision) / (Awareness Month) Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
