O u t l i n e o f
" E m p l o y m e n t f o r S k i l l D e v e l o p m e n t " P r o g r a m
On June 21, 2024, the "Act on Partial Revision of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act and the Act on Proper Technical Intern
Training and Protection of Technical Intern Trainees" was promulgated.
The Technical Intern Training Program (TITP), which aims at international cooperation through skills transfer, is fundamentally reviewed and
"Employment for Skill Development (ESD)" program is established to develop and secure human resources in industrial fields with labor
shortages (ESD program will come into effect on a date to be specified by Cabinet Order within three years from June 21, 2024).
Develop human resources with skills at the level of Specified Skilled Worker(SSW) (i) through
employment for three years in Japan in the ESD industrial fields* (fields that accept foreign nationals under
ESD program)", and secure human resources in these fields.
*Those should be fields which enables employees to acquire skills appropriately through employment among the
specified industrial fields of the SSW system.
Purpose of
ESD Program
Establish a basic policy for ESD program and field-specific operation policies for each ESD industrial field
(with hearing opinions from advisory panel comprised of experts and representatives of labor and
management in formulating the policies).
In the field-specific operation policies, set the expected number of acceptance for each field based on the
shortage of human resources despite improving productivity and securing domestic human resources, and use
the number as the upper limit of acceptance.
Basic policy・
field-specific
operation
policies
Establish a license system for supervising and support organization that are responsible for such roles
as supervising whether the plan is being properly implemented (and also mediating employment relationship
between foreign nationals and implementing organizations) (Criteria for license will be tightened. Supervising
organizations in TITP are not allowed to provide supervising and support services without obtaining a license
of supervising and support organization.).
License system
for Supervising
and Support
Organization
Establish an accreditation system by Employment-for-Skill-Development Organization (ESDO) for the
ESD Plan prepared for each foreign national (ESD Plan includes the term of skill development (within 3 years),
job category, goals (skill level, Japanese language proficiency, etc.), and details, etc.
Accreditation
system for
ESD Plan
・Ensure improvement of sending mechanism through Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) with sending
countries and introduction of mechanisms to ensure that fees paid to sending organizations are not
unduly high.
・Appropriately protect the rights of foreign nationals by allowing them to change employer at their will
with certain requirements, etc.
・Promote the development of the local accepting environment by organizing regional councils, etc.
Efforts to
improve the
sending
mechanism and
develop the
accepting
environment1O v e r v i e w o f E m p l o y m e n t f o r S k i l l D e v e l o p m e n t
P r o g r a m a n d S p e c i f i e d S k i l l e d W o r k e r S y s t e m
(Note 1) Those who fail the tests required for transition to SSW(i) will be allowed to stay for up to one year additionally
in order to retake the tests.
(Note 2) In principle, ESD industrial fields are the same as the fields of the SSW system. However, some fields of the SSW
system will be excluded because it is not suitable for skill development in those fields in Japan.HighSkill Level
(Before starting to work)
○しろまるPassing A1 or higher
level of Japanese
language proficiency
test (e.g., JLPT N5)or○しろまるTaking Japanese
language classes
equivalent to the
language proficiency
certified by above tests
Scope of acceptance: ESD industrial
fields (Note 2)
○しろまるBasic grade of Trade
Skill Test+○しろまる Japanese language
proficiency test (set for each
field within the range from A1
to the level required at
transition to Specified Skilled
Worker(SSW)(i))
⇒Passing the above exams is
one of the conditions for
voluntary change of
employers
○しろまるGrade 3 of the Trade Skill Test or
SSW(i) Evaluation Test+○しろまるA2 or higher level of Japanese
language proficiency test
(e.g., JLPT N4)
* It is also possible to take the test abroad
without undergoing ESD program and
enter Japan as SSW(i).
○しろまるSSW(ii) EvaluationTest+
○しろまるB1 or higher level of
Japanese language
proficiency test
(e.g., JLPT N3)ESD(3 years)
SSW(i)
(5 years)
SSW(ii)
(No upper
limit on the
times of
extension)
(Note 1)2O u t f l o w o f t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n s i n v o l v e d i n
E m p l o y m e n t f o r S k i l l D e v e l o p m e n t P r o g r a m
Competent Ministry
Sending organization
Skill Development
Employee(foreign nationals
accepted under ESD program)
Regional Immigration Services
Bureau
Employment-for-Skill-Development
Organization(ESDO)
Supervising and support
organizations
Implementing organizations
for ESD
(accepting organization)
Make new MOC
Employ and develop foreign nationals
as human resources who will support
the industries for the long term
(Aiming to develop and secure human
resources in labor shortage fields)
Government of
Sending Country
Accredit ESD Plans, on-site
inspection, guidance and advice, etc.
Hello Work
(Public Employment
Security Office)
Accredit ESD Plans and conduct on-
site inspections to check whether
employment and development based on
the plan are properly being
implemented.
collaboration
Support employer change in
cooperation with supervising
and support organizations and
ESDO.
Mediate employment relationships
between foreign nationals and
implementing organizations for ESD,
and conduct audit to ensure that ESD
plan is properly being implemented.
(no involvement under individual-
enterprise-type)
In principle,accept foreign
nationals only from
countries with singed MOCs.
Recruit those who want to be
employed under ESD program
and provide training to them
in advance
Act as
intermediaries for
job applications
from foreigners
who want to be
employed under ESD
program3S c h e d u l e f o r e m f o r c e m e n t ( p l a n n e d )
2024 2025 2026 2027
Establish basic
policy, ministerial
ordinances, etc.
Receive pre-application
(License for supervising
and support
organizations, etc.)
Establish field-
specific operation
policies (setting
of fields, etc.*)
EnforcementofESD
program
Negotiate, draft and sign MOCs with sending countries
* ESD industrial fields and specified industrial fields can be additionally set if necessary even after
establishment of fields at this point. 4
Entry Departure
Con ce pt of tran sition al me asu re s for
Te ch n ical In te rn Train in g5Enforcement date (scheduled in 2027)
Entry
Application
If you complete your technical intern training and leave Japan before the
enforcement date, you will not be allowed to enter Japan as a technical intern
trainee (Note 3).
(Note 3) Depending on the period of technical intern training and job
categories, you may be allowed to enter Japan under ESD program.
2 As long as you apply for accreditation of your technical intern training plan
(Note 2) before the enforcement date, you may be able to enter Japan as a
technical intern trainee after that date.
(Note 2) Accrediation is made only for technical intern training plans that start
the training within 3 months from the enforcement date.
Technical intern training plans may be accredited after the enforcement date.
1 If you enter Japan before the
enforcement date and are engaged in
technical intern training as of that date, you
will be able to continue your technical intern
training.
Entry
In the case where you fall under either 1 or 2 below, you will be able to continue your technical intern training even
after the enforcement date of the revised act. Besides, if you meet the requirements, you will also be able to continue your
technical intern training to the next stage(Note 1). In this case, the rules of the Technical Intern Training program will
be applied but you will not be allowed to transit from Technical Intern Training to Employment for Skill Development.
(Note 1) With the accreditation of the plan, the transition to "Technical Intern Training (ii)" will be available for those residing with the status
of residence "Technical Intern Training (i) " as of the enforcement date of the act. On the other hand, the transition to "Technical Intern
Training (iii)" is limited to a certain scope for those residing with the status of residence "Technical Intern Training (ii) " as of the
enforcement date of the revised act.