Note: This article is based on Japanese laws and materials published by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF, 農林水産省) as of October 9, 2026.
In the "food service industry" field (外食業分野) of Specified Skilled Worker (特定技能), for Applications for Certificate of Eligibility (COE, 在留資格認定証明書交付申請) for Specified Skilled Worker (i) (特定技能1号) accepted on or after April 13, 2026, the COE is not issued. For a change of status of residence as well, applications accepted on or after the same date are, in principle, denied.
On the other hand, extensions of the period of stay, and applications accompanying a job change within the food service industry field, are examined as usual. The timing of resumption has not been indicated (as of October 9, 2026). This article explains how each type of application is handled and how far the examination has progressed, in line with the materials of the ISA and MAFF.
Contents
- Can a company newly accept specified skilled workers (i) in the food service industry now?
- How each type of application is handled
- Can a person change to Designated Activities (preparation for transition to Specified Skilled Worker (i))?
- Hiring international students or specified skilled workers from other fields
- How far has the examination progressed?
- Has the timing of resumption been indicated?
- Effect on Specified Skilled Worker (ii) and the tests
- What companies can do now
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Summary
- References
Can a company newly accept specified skilled workers (i) in the food service industry now?
New acceptance in the form of bringing workers from overseas has been stopped since April 13, 2026. This is because the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA) has taken measures to temporarily suspend the issuance of Certificates of Eligibility (the certificate used to bring a person who is overseas to Japan).
The reason is that the number of people residing under Specified Skilled Worker (i) in the food service industry field was expected to exceed the expected number of acceptance (受入れ見込数; operated as the upper limit on acceptance: 50,000 people). The Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (入管法) provides for measures to temporarily suspend the issuance of Certificates of Eligibility in such cases (Article 7-2, paragraphs 3 and 4 of the Act).
| Point in time | Number of people residing under Specified Skilled Worker (i) in the food service industry field |
|---|---|
| End of February 2026 (preliminary figure) | About 46,000 |
| End of July 2026 (preliminary figure) | 49,290 (98.6% of the expected number of acceptance of 50,000) |
The expected number of acceptance of 50,000 is the number for the period through March 2029, set by a Cabinet decision on January 23, 2026.
The course of events leading up to the measures is as follows.
- March 27, 2026: The ISA and MAFF announced the policy of taking the measures on April 13 and how each application would be handled
- April 3, 2026: The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries requested the Minister of Justice to suspend issuance
- April 13, 2026: The ISA began the measures to temporarily suspend issuance
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Operation of the Upper Limit on Acceptance in the "Food Service Industry" Field of Specified Skilled Worker" (in Japanese), "Measures to Temporarily Suspend the Issuance of Certificates of Eligibility in the "Food Service Industry" Field of Specified Skilled Worker" (in Japanese), "Expected Number of Acceptance and Number of Residents for Specified Skilled Worker (i) (as of the end of July 2026; preliminary figures)" (in Japanese)
How each type of application is handled
For applications accepted on or after April 13, 2026, the handling differs according to the type of application and the applicant's current status of residence. The handling the ISA announced on March 27, 2026 is as follows.
| Type of application | Applications accepted on or after April 13, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Application for Certificate of Eligibility (bringing a person from overseas) | Not issued |
| Change to Specified Skilled Worker (i) (food service industry field): people residing under Specified Skilled Worker (i) in the food service industry field (applications accompanying a job change, etc.) | Examined as usual |
| Same change: people who have completed Technical Intern Training (Meal processing work for Medical and welfare facilities, 医療・福祉施設給食製造作業) and are transitioning | After examination, permitted in order, within the expected number of acceptance (processed with priority) |
| Same change: people who have already received permission for Designated Activities (preparation for transition to Specified Skilled Worker (i), 特定活動（特定技能1号移行準備）) in the food service industry field and are transitioning | After examination, permitted in order, within the expected number of acceptance |
| Same change: people other than the three above | In principle, denied |
| Application for Extension of Period of Stay (在留期間更新許可申請) | Examined as usual |
For the third and fourth rows of the table, depending on the number of residents at the time of permission, the applicant may be guided to Designated Activities (preparation for transition to Specified Skilled Worker (i)) instead of Specified Skilled Worker (i). What the applicant is guided to is a change to this Designated Activities status or an extension of its period of stay (once only).
Applications accepted on or before April 12, 2026, both COE applications and applications for change, are, after examination, issued or permitted in order, within the expected number of acceptance. For COE applications, because applications for change are processed with priority, a considerable delay before issuance is expected. For applications for change, there is the same note that the applicant may be guided to Designated Activities.
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Operation of the Upper Limit on Acceptance in the "Food Service Industry" Field of Specified Skilled Worker" (in Japanese; March 27, 2026)
Can a person change to Designated Activities (preparation for transition to Specified Skilled Worker (i))?
In the food service industry field, applications for change to Designated Activities (preparation for transition to Specified Skilled Worker (i)) are also denied. However, the following three are examined as usual.
Designated Activities (preparation for transition to Specified Skilled Worker (i)) is a status of residence for preparing for the transition while working at the accepting organization where the person plans to work under Specified Skilled Worker (i).
- Applications from people residing under Specified Skilled Worker (i) in the food service industry field (applications accompanying a job change, etc.)
- Applications from people who have completed Technical Intern Training (Meal processing work for Medical and welfare facilities)
- Applications accepted before April 13, 2026, for which an application to join the Food Industry Specified Skilled Worker Council (食品産業特定技能協議会) was made on or before March 27
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Operation of the Upper Limit on Acceptance in the "Food Service Industry" Field of Specified Skilled Worker" (in Japanese), "Designated Activities Related to Specified Skilled Worker (For Those Wishing to Transition to "Specified Skilled Worker (i)")" (in Japanese)
Hiring international students or specified skilled workers from other fields
When a company hires, in the food service industry, an international student or a person under Specified Skilled Worker (i) in another field, this comes under "people other than the three above" in the table on how each type of application is handled, and the application is, in principle, denied. The ISA's materials do not name these two situations. The following table is our office's application of these situations to the classifications in the materials.
| Hiring situation | Classification in the ISA's materials | Our office's reading (applications accepted on or after April 13) |
|---|---|---|
| Hiring an international student, after graduation, under Specified Skilled Worker (i) in the food service industry | "Applications for change from statuses of residence other than (1) to (3)" (「(1)から(3)以外の在留資格からの変更申請」) | In principle, denied |
| Hiring, in the food service industry, a person under Specified Skilled Worker (i) in another field | What is examined as usual is an application by "a person residing under Specified Skilled Worker (i) in the food service industry field" (「外食業分野で特定技能1号として在留する方」) | In principle, denied |
| Hiring a person who works at another company under Specified Skilled Worker (i) in the food service industry | "Job change within the food service industry field" (「外食業分野内での転職」) | Examined as usual |
Among changes from Technical Intern Training, those covered by permission in order are people who have completed "Meal processing work for Medical and welfare facilities." The materials do not list any other job category and operation of technical intern training (職種・作業).
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Operation of the Upper Limit on Acceptance in the "Food Service Industry" Field of Specified Skilled Worker" (in Japanese), "Status of Examination of Residence Applications for Specified Skilled Worker (i) (Food Service Industry Field)" (in Japanese)
How far has the examination progressed?
The ISA is proceeding with issuance and permission in order of the date of receipt, within the expected number of acceptance. The status-of-examination page continues to be updated, and the most recent posting is dated September 10, 2026 (checked on October 9, 2026).
| Application | Covered by issuance or permission (posted September 10, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Application for Certificate of Eligibility | Applications received on or before January 31, 2026 |
| Change: from Technical Intern Training (Meal processing work for Medical and welfare facilities) | Applications received on or before August 31, 2026 |
| Change: from Designated Activities (preparation for transition to Specified Skilled Worker (i)) in the food service industry field | Applications received on or before August 31, 2026 |
| Change: from Specified Skilled Worker (i) (food service industry field) (job change within the food service industry field) | All applications |
| Change: from statuses of residence other than the three above | Applications received on or before April 12, 2026 (applications accepted on or after April 13 are, in principle, denied) |
| Application for Extension of Period of Stay | As usual, permitted in order as soon as the examination is completed |
COE applications are issued in order of the date of receipt, when issuance is possible in light of each month's number of residents, after applications for change have been processed with priority. Applications for change are permitted as usual as soon as the examination is completed, taking the expected number of acceptance into account.
- Even while issuance and permission are stopped, the applicant may be asked to correct or add to the submitted documents
- The order may change depending on the content of the application, the state of the submitted documents, and the date of expiration of the period of stay
- For an application where the period of stay is expected to expire before its turn comes, the applicant may be guided to make a request to change the content of the application (申請内容変更申出) to Designated Activities, in order to prevent overstaying (permission to extend the period of stay under this Designated Activities status is limited to one time)
- A person permitted Designated Activities through a request to change the content of the application applies for a change to Specified Skilled Worker (i) (food service industry field) roughly 3 months before the period of stay expires. The only documents to be submitted are the application form and a photograph
- Technical intern trainees cannot work after completing the technical intern training plan. For a change from Technical Intern Training, applicants are advised to apply 2 months or more before the planned date of starting work
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Status of Examination of Residence Applications for Specified Skilled Worker (i) (Food Service Industry Field)" (in Japanese; posted September 10, 2026)
Has the timing of resumption been indicated?
The timing of resumption has not been indicated (as of October 9, 2026). MAFF's Q&A answers a question about the prospects for resumption as follows.
At present it is undecided, including whether measures for resumption will be taken. It is envisaged that, taking into account various circumstances such as whether there is sufficient room under the upper limit of 50,000 people for acceptance, measures to resume issuance will be taken, after an announcement in advance, when this is judged appropriate. (Original: 現時点で再開の措置をとるかどうかを含め未定です。受入れに当たって5万人の上限に十分な余裕があるかなど諸般の事情を考慮し、適当と判断した場合に、事前にアナウンスした上で交付の再開の措置を行うことが想定されています。)
In other words, whether to resume has not been decided either, and if issuance is resumed, notice will be given in advance. This Q&A does not state the date on which it was prepared. As of October 9, 2026, it is posted on MAFF's page.
The reference material the ISA added on April 22, 2026 also describes the timing of the resumption of acceptance as "undecided" (未定). In a figure in this material, "resetting of the expected number of acceptance" (受入れ見込数再設定) is written at the position of the end of FY2028 (the end of March 2029).
The same material introduces, as a statement in the Government's Basic Policy, that the expected number of acceptance is operated as the upper limit on the acceptance of specified skilled workers (i) unless a major change in economic conditions occurs.
Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, "Q&A on the Operation of the Upper Limit on Acceptance in the "Food Service Industry" Field of Specified Skilled Worker" (in Japanese); Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Response to the Expected Number of Acceptance Being Exceeded in the "Food Service Industry" Field of Specified Skilled Worker" (in Japanese; added April 22, 2026)
Effect on Specified Skilled Worker (ii) and the tests
Specified Skilled Worker (ii) (特定技能2号) is outside the scope of these measures, and applications for change from (i) to (ii) in the food service industry field are examined as usual. For the tests, the handling differs between (i) and (ii).
| Test | MAFF's description |
|---|---|
| Food Service Industry Specified Skilled Worker (i) Test (外食業特定技能1号評価試験) | Not held for the time being, either in Japan or overseas |
| Food Service Industry Specified Skilled Worker (ii) Test (外食業特定技能2号評価試験) | Held in Japan by computer-based testing (CBT) from June (the material states neither the date it was prepared nor the year) |
The schedule of the (ii) Test is published on the website of the test administrator (Organization for Technical Skill Assessment of Foreign Workers in Food Industry (OTAFF), 一般社団法人外国人食品産業技能評価機構). Applications are accepted only from companies (as of the Q&A prepared in August 2026). To take the test, a person needs, among other things, to have gained 2 years or more of practical experience equivalent to that of a manager (管理者相当の実務経験; supervisory experience) in the food service industry field by the day before the test (from May 1, 2026).
The requirements for (ii) as a whole are explained in our overview of Specified Skilled Worker.
Total period of stay for people who did not pass the (ii) Test
The period for which a person can reside under Specified Skilled Worker (i) is, in principle, 5 years in total. In the food service industry field, even a person who did not pass the (ii) Test can reside beyond 5 years, for up to 1 year, if all of the following apply.
- Meets requirements such as having obtained a score of 80% or more of the passing score on the Food Service Industry Specified Skilled Worker (ii) Test
- Has obtained N3 or higher on the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT, 日本語能力試験)
- Is found to have reasonable grounds for residing beyond 5 years
This covers test result notices (試験結果通知書) with an issue date on or after June 30, 2025. A pledge by the person, and the accepting company's having the intention to continue employing the person and a system of guidance and support toward passing, are also requirements. The application can be made from 3 months before the 5 years in total expire until they expire. It is stated that, on or after October 17, 2025, a case where the person has N3 or higher and has obtained a score of 80% or more of the passing score may also be covered.
Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, "Acceptance of Foreign Human Resources in the Food Service Industry Field" (in Japanese), "Q&A on the Operation of the Upper Limit on Acceptance in the "Food Service Industry" Field of Specified Skilled Worker" (in Japanese), "Q&A on Specified Skilled Worker (ii) in the Food Industry Fields" (in Japanese; version prepared in August 2026); Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Total Period of Stay" (in Japanese)
What companies can do now
Even while bringing workers from overseas is stopped, job changes by people residing under (i) in the food service industry, extensions of the period of stay, and changes to (ii) are examined as usual. The points to note for each situation are as follows.
| Situation | Points to note stated in the published materials |
|---|---|
| Hiring a person residing under Specified Skilled Worker (i) in the food service industry (job change) | A certificate of council membership (加入証) of the Food Industry Specified Skilled Worker Council is required at the time of the application for change. The examination for joining takes 2 to 3 months |
| Hiring a person who is completing Technical Intern Training (Meal processing work for Medical and welfare facilities) | Applicants are advised to file the application for change 2 months or more before the planned date of starting work |
| Extending the period of stay of a person under (i) who works at your company | Examined as usual |
| Having a person under (i) who works at your company aim for (ii) | The company applies for the (ii) Test. Companies are advised to have the person gain practical experience equivalent to that of a manager by assigning the position, as far as possible, through a written notice of appointment (辞令) or a written work order (職務命令書) |
| Already applied and waiting for issuance or permission | The applicant may be asked to correct or add to the documents. A person whose date of expiration of the period of stay comes first may be guided to make a request to change the content of the application to Designated Activities |
MAFF advises companies to apply early to join the council.
If you cannot determine which application your company's hiring comes under, we check this in a consultation on Specified Skilled Worker, based on the applicant's status of residence and the date of receipt.
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Status of Examination of Residence Applications for Specified Skilled Worker (i) (Food Service Industry Field)" (in Japanese); Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, "Acceptance of Foreign Human Resources in the Food Service Industry Field" (in Japanese), "Q&A on the Operation of the Upper Limit on Acceptance in the "Food Service Industry" Field of Specified Skilled Worker" (in Japanese), "Q&A on Specified Skilled Worker (ii) in the Food Industry Fields" (in Japanese)
Frequently Asked Questions
Can we accept a person changing jobs even if we applied to join the council on or after March 28, 2026?
Yes, you can. A certificate of council membership is required at the time of the Application for Change of Status of Residence (在留資格変更許可申請) accompanying the job change. MAFF's Q&A states that, even when the application to join was made on or after March 28, it is possible to become the new employer of a person residing under Specified Skilled Worker (i) in the food service industry field.
Can we ask the immigration office to tell us where an application stands in the order of issuance or permission?
No, you cannot. The ISA states that inquiries about the status of issuance and permission cannot be answered, whether they are made to the ISA, a Regional Immigration Services Office (地方出入国在留管理官署) or MAFF. Progress is checked by the dates of receipt posted on the ISA's status-of-examination page.
Will Employment for Skill Development in the food service industry field also be stopped?
MAFF states that, for Employment for Skill Development (育成就労) in the food service industry field, it is proceeding with preparations toward the start of operation in April 2027 (Q&A on the suspension measures). The content of the system is summarized in an overview of the Employment for Skill Development Program.
Summary
In the "food service industry" field of Specified Skilled Worker, for Applications for Certificate of Eligibility for (i) accepted on or after April 13, 2026, the COE is not issued, and applications for change are, in principle, denied. Applications accompanying a job change within the food service industry field, extensions of the period of stay, and changes to (ii) are examined as usual.
The timing of resumption has not been indicated (as of October 9, 2026). If you are considering hiring, first check which row of the table the person's current status of residence comes under. If you have already applied, it is reassuring to compare the dates of receipt posted in the ISA's status of examination with the person's date of expiration of the period of stay.
References
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Operation of the Upper Limit on Acceptance in the "Food Service Industry" Field of Specified Skilled Worker" (in Japanese; March 27, 2026)
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Measures to Temporarily Suspend the Issuance of Certificates of Eligibility in the "Food Service Industry" Field of Specified Skilled Worker" (in Japanese; April 13, 2026; reference material added on April 22)
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Response to the Expected Number of Acceptance Being Exceeded in the "Food Service Industry" Field of Specified Skilled Worker" (in Japanese; added April 22, 2026)
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Status of Examination of Residence Applications for Specified Skilled Worker (i) (Food Service Industry Field)" (in Japanese; posted September 10, 2026)
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Expected Number of Acceptance and Number of Residents for Specified Skilled Worker (i) (as of the end of July 2026; preliminary figures)" (in Japanese; updated October 6, 2026)
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Designated Activities Related to Specified Skilled Worker (For Those Wishing to Transition to "Specified Skilled Worker (i)")" (in Japanese)
- Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, "Acceptance of Foreign Human Resources in the Food Service Industry Field" (in Japanese)
- Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, "Q&A on the Operation of the Upper Limit on Acceptance in the "Food Service Industry" Field of Specified Skilled Worker" (in Japanese)
- Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, "Q&A on Specified Skilled Worker (ii) in the Food Industry Fields (the Manufacture of Food and Beverages Field and the Food Service Industry Field)" (in Japanese; version prepared in August 2026)
- Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, Article 7-2, paragraphs 3 and 4
