Training Employment - Application Service (For Corporate Clients)
The Technical Intern Training program will be abolished simultaneously with the launch of Training Employment. Many companies will face a three-way choice: "transition to Training Employment / switch to Specified Skilled Worker / discontinue acceptance." We provide a transition roadmap tailored to your industry and staffing structure, coordination with supervising support organizations, and end-to-end application services for plan certification and Certificate of Eligibility.
About this page
The Training Employment system was promulgated in June 2024, and ministerial ordinances and notifications are currently being drafted. Information on this page includes projections based on currently published information and government deliberations. Specific implementation dates, procedures, and fees have not been finalized. For the latest updates, please check the official announcements of the Immigration Services Agency and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. We will update this page as new information becomes available.
Training Employment - Understanding through 3 features
Overview
Training Employment is a new system scheduled for implementation in 2027 as a developmental dissolution of the Technical Intern Training program (promulgated June 2024, to be implemented within 3 years of promulgation). The biggest difference is that the system is explicitly aimed at both "human resource development" and "securing labor," with the design strongly conscious of connection to Specified Skilled Worker (Type 1).
A system to develop unskilled to skilled
While Technical Intern Training nominally aimed at "international contribution," Training Employment explicitly aims at "human resource development and labor force securing." Accepting unskilled foreign workers and developing them to the level of passing the Specified Skilled Worker Type 1 exam in up to 3 years is the legal purpose.
Through supervising support organizations as a rule
The "supervising organizations" of Technical Intern Training will be renamed to "supervising support organizations." Permission requirements will be tightened, and existing supervising organizations will need to obtain new permission. Almost all accepting companies will receive foreign workers through these supervising support organizations.
Connection to Specified Skilled Worker Type 1
After completing 3 years of Training Employment and passing the prescribed exams (Japanese language proficiency, field-specific skills), one can change residence status to Specified Skilled Worker Type 1. This is the biggest difference from previous Technical Intern Training, and for companies, it clarifies the path for continued employment.
There are 2 reception types. Almost all companies use "Supervised type."
Reception Type
Training Employment has two types: "Supervised type" and "Standalone type." Under the Technical Intern Training program, the standalone type accounted for only 1.7%, and this trend is expected to continue under Training Employment. Standalone type is limited to companies with overseas subsidiaries, affiliates, or business partners.
| Item | Supervised type (default) | Standalone type (exception) |
|---|---|---|
| Target | Almost all accepting companies | Companies with overseas subsidiaries |
| Reception route | Through supervising support organization | Direct |
| Worker selection | Supervising support org + sending org | Self-selected |
| Plan certification | Joint application with supervising support org | Standalone application |
| Expected company size | All sizes from SME to large | Large/multinational companies |
| Share (Technical Intern era) | Over 98% | 1.7% |
Timeline of "next moves" facing Technical Intern accepting companies
Timeline
Companies currently accepting Technical Intern (Type 2/3) workers must decide before implementation how to handle these workers after the implementation date.
June 2024
Law amendment promulgated
Action for accepting companies:System framework established by law
~2026
Drafting of ordinances/notifications (in progress)
Action for accepting companies:Detailed rules being established sequentially; continue gathering information
From 2026
Supervising support org permission applications begin (expected)
Action for accepting companies:Confirm policy of contracted supervising organization
Before launch
Plan certification applications begin (expected)
Action for accepting companies:Outline Training Employment plan
Within 2027
System launch / Technical Intern Training abolished (planned)
Action for accepting companies:Begin operations under new system
After launch
On-site inspections begin
Action for accepting companies:Audit compliance system
6 items HR managers at accepting companies should act on now (2026)
Checklist
The following are the items we first confirm with clients when receiving consultations as of April 2026. They do not need to be done in order, but all 6 items must be in place before implementation.
Determine treatment policy for existing technical interns
Confirm whether the residence period of Technical Intern Type 2/3 workers spans the implementation. Decide early whether to use transitional measures or switch to Specified Skilled Worker.
Selection of supervising support organization
Confirm whether the currently contracted supervising organization will obtain permission as a supervising support organization or whether to switch to a different organization. The likelihood of obtaining permission varies by organization.
Outline of Training Employment plan
Determine industry, occupation, period (up to 3 years), and target Specified Skilled Worker exam field. Joint application for plan certification with supervising support organization is required.
In-house training system / OJT design
Since "development" is explicitly stated as the system's purpose, written documentation of OJT process tables, instruction systems, and target levels is required.
Accommodation / life support system
Standards for accommodation are expected to be stricter than Technical Intern Training. Audit privacy protection, area standards, manager assignments, etc.
Compliance system
Since transfers between companies are permitted under Training Employment, prepare procedures for transfer-related procedures, notifications, and penalty responses in advance.
Document creation by administrative scriveners, agency by supervising support orgs. Roles are clearly divided.
Triangle
Due to the 2026 amendment of the Administrative Scrivener Act, creation of documents such as Certificate of Eligibility application forms and status change application forms became the exclusive business of administrative scriveners. Supervising support organizations can stand between your company and Immigration within the scope of "agency," but creating the documents themselves would violate the Administrative Scrivener Act.
This system change means "responsibility allocation in procedures has been clarified" for your company. The supervising support organization handles consultations, local coordination, and life support, while the administrative scrivener (Jeepney) handles document creation and application service.
Supervising Support Org
Agency / consultations / life support / sending org coordination
Accepting Company
Employment contracts / OJT plans / compensation payment
Administrative Scrivener (Jeepney)
Document creation / application service / monthly reporting
Industry × Training Employment - Response policies
By Industry
Training Employment operations vary by industry in detail. Here, we present system-level points to note and Jeepney's response policies for the 3 industries with the most consultations.
Nursing care
Expected to continue to be recognized as a target industry for Training Employment. The biggest practical issues are confirming Japanese language requirements (N4 equivalent) and designing connection to certified care worker. Premised on transition to Specified Skilled Worker Type 1 (Nursing Care), an OJT plan is needed to pass both the Care Skills Evaluation Test and the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test during the 3 years of Training Employment.
Construction
Specified Skilled Worker Type 2 has already been introduced, making it an industry where it is easy to design a 3-stage rocket of Training Employment → Specified Skilled Worker Type 1 → Specified Skilled Worker Type 2. Alignment with CCUS (Construction Career Up System) under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and connection to skill levels are required.
Manufacturing
There is field consolidation into the "industrial product manufacturing" category for Specified Skilled Worker (consolidation of materials/industrial machinery/electrical-electronics into 3 fields), and the judgment of "which field to apply for" is also important when applying for plan certification under Training Employment. For companies with multiple sites, the unit of plan certification (per office or per legal entity) is a point of discussion.
Training Employment-related procedures we handle at Jeepney
Services
Training Employment plan certification
Plan outline support, application document creation, submission to OTIT
Certificate of Eligibility (COE) application
COE application creation, submission to Immigration, review response
Status change application (transitional)
Technical Intern → Training Employment change application set, statement of reasons, requirement check
Compliance system construction
Documentation support for training plan / OJT process / accommodation standards
Transfer response / notification
Training Employment-specific transfer procedures, notification documents, supervising support org coordination
Out-of-pocket costs (revenue stamps, postage, translation, etc.) charged separately. Pricing tiers vary by case scale and industry; formal quote provided after free consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions about Training Employment
FAQ
Q. When will Training Employment start?+
A. The law amendment was promulgated in June 2024, with implementation scheduled within 3 years of promulgation (by June 21, 2027). Drafting of ordinances/notifications is currently in progress, and the specific implementation date and the start of supervising support organization permission applications await official government announcements. For the latest information, please check official announcements from the Immigration Services Agency and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. We will update this page as information becomes available.
Q. Is transition from Technical Intern Training possible?+
A. Yes, transitional measures are planned. Procedures are expected to be established to transition currently held Technical Intern Type 2/3 foreign workers to Training Employment after implementation. However, this is not automatic transition for everyone—document applications and requirement confirmations are needed.
Q. Will supervising organizations automatically become supervising support organizations?+
A. Not automatically. Existing supervising organizations also need to apply for new permission as supervising support organizations, and permission requirements are expected to be stricter than before. As implementation approaches, it is important to confirm whether the contracted supervising organization has obtained permission (or plans to).
Q. What if our supervising organization decides not to seek supervising support organization permission?+
A. If the existing supervising organization decides not to seek permission, the choices are: switch to a different supervising support organization, consider the standalone type (exception), or stop accepting workers. We can help with introducing optimal supervising support organizations and comparison studies based on your company's situation.
Q. How does Training Employment differ from Specified Skilled Worker?+
A. Training Employment is a system to "develop from unskilled to skilled in 3 years," while Specified Skilled Worker is a system to "accept foreigners already at skilled level." The design allows connection to Specified Skilled Worker Type 1 after completing Training Employment and passing the exam.
Q. How much will the fees be?+
A. The official fees for Training Employment application work (plan certification application, COE application, change application) are scheduled to be published after system launch. At present, since specific application work has not yet occurred, we propose on a case-by-case consultation basis. Pre-launch preparation support (roadmap creation, advice on selecting supervising support organizations, etc.) can also be handled within the scope of the retainer agreement (from ¥22,000/month, consultation-based).
Q. I'm a representative from a supervising support organization—can you accept introductions?+
A. Yes, welcome. We accept document creation for your client companies as an external partner. We do not intervene in your main business (agency / consultations) and clearly divide roles for cooperation.
Latest updates: Training Employment articles
Blog
Shall we prepare together for the launch?
It would be too late to decide on Training Employment after the system starts. Companies that move early will start with full preparation at launch. In a 60-minute free consultation, we will hear about your company's situation and propose a response roadmap.