Specified Skilled Worker / Registered Support Organization
Specified Skilled Worker / RSO Support in Japan
Tommy’s Legal Service supports employers with Specified Skilled Worker applications, support plans, Registered Support Organization services, notifications, and practical acceptance structure review in Japan. We assist from pre-acceptance planning to post-acceptance compliance.
Practical support for SSW applications, support plans, and employer-side compliance
The Specified Skilled Worker system is a status of residence that allows foreign nationals with certain skills and Japanese language ability to work in specific industrial fields in Japan. It is not simply a hiring system.
Employers accepting Specified Skilled Workers must check the eligible field, job duties, employment conditions, support plan, council-related requirements, notifications, and post-acceptance management. Tommy’s Legal Service is a Registered Support Organization in Japan and supports practical immigration procedures and support arrangements for SSW cases.
Who this page is for
- Employers accepting Specified Skilled Workers for the first time
- Companies changing foreign nationals from Student, Technical Intern Training, Designated Activities, or other statuses to SSW
- Employers inviting SSW candidates from overseas
- Companies considering outsourcing support to a Registered Support Organization
- Employers already accepting SSW workers but concerned about notifications, records, or support implementation
- Companies that need to check sector requirements, tests, or council-related procedures
- Recruiters, overseas sending organizations, and business partners involved in SSW hiring
- Employers in nursing care, food service, food manufacturing, agriculture, accommodation, construction, industrial manufacturing, automobile transportation, and other SSW sectors
The key issue is preparation before acceptance
In SSW cases, it is not enough for the foreign national to want to work or for the company to want to hire them. Before filing, the employer should confirm whether the business, job duties, employment conditions, and support structure fit the SSW system.
The employer should check whether the business falls within an eligible SSW field, whether the proposed duties match the permitted scope of work, whether the candidate meets the skills and Japanese language requirements, and whether the support plan can actually be implemented.
Passing a skills test or receiving a candidate introduction is not enough. The employer’s business, actual job duties, support structure, and notification management must also fit the SSW system.
What a Registered Support Organization can do
For SSW (i), foreign workers may receive support related to work and daily life in Japan. Support may include pre-arrival guidance, airport pickup and departure support, housing assistance, life orientation, assistance with public procedures, consultation support, Japanese learning opportunities, regular interviews, and other support.
By outsourcing support to a Registered Support Organization, the employer can receive professional assistance with support implementation and record management. However, outsourcing support does not mean that the employer has no responsibility.
The employer remains responsible for proper employment management, appropriate job assignment, wage standards, workplace management, and required notifications. RSO support should be understood as part of a compliant acceptance structure, not as a complete transfer of employer responsibility.
Main services we support
| Support area | Typical case | Practical points |
|---|---|---|
| SSW eligibility review | Employers accepting SSW for the first time | Check field eligibility, job duties, candidate requirements, and sector rules. |
| Certificate of Eligibility | Inviting an SSW candidate from overseas | Organize employment contract, support plan, candidate documents, and company documents. |
| Change of Status | Changing from Student, Technical Intern Training, Designated Activities, etc. | Check test results, TITP completion, current residence status, and timing. |
| Extension of Period of Stay | Current SSW worker renewal | Check support implementation, notifications, employment status, tax and social insurance. |
| Support plan preparation | Employers and RSOs | Review support items, language support, consultation structure, and records. |
| RSO support services | Employers outsourcing support | Pre-arrival guidance, life support, consultation, regular interviews, and related support. |
| Regular and ad hoc notifications | Post-acceptance employer management | Manage deadlines, support records, and changes in employment or support status. |
| Coordination with recruiters and sending partners | Overseas recruitment and SSW hiring | Clarify contracts, fees, role sharing, and explanation to the worker. |
Points employers should check carefully
Employers should not rely only on the fact that a candidate has passed a test or wants to work in Japan. The employer should organize the following points before filing.
- Whether the actual job duties fit the relevant SSW field.
- Whether the employment contract and working conditions are appropriate.
- Whether the wage is equal to or higher than comparable Japanese workers.
- Whether social insurance, labor insurance, and tax matters are properly handled.
- Whether there is a support manager and support staff structure.
- Whether explanations can be provided in a language the worker understands.
- Whether housing, bank account, mobile phone, and public procedure support can be arranged.
- Whether regular interviews and support records can be maintained.
- Whether regular and ad hoc notifications can be filed on time.
- Whether sector-specific council requirements and additional rules have been checked.
Common risk points in SSW cases
- The actual duties fall outside the permitted SSW field.
- The outsourcing scope with the RSO is unclear.
- Fees and responsibilities involving recruiters or overseas sending organizations are unclear.
- The worker signs without fully understanding the conditions.
- Support records or regular interview records are not properly kept.
- Required notifications are filed late.
- The response to resignation, job change, or disappearance is delayed.
- Company staff do not sufficiently understand the system.
- Sector council registration or sector-specific requirements are checked too late.
- The transition from Technical Intern Training to SSW is handled without properly checking the corresponding field or job category.
SSW cases require attention not only at the time of application but also after acceptance. Application documents, support plans, employment contracts, workplace duties, and notification management should all be consistent.
Our strengths
Process from consultation to acceptance
Need support with SSW hiring or RSO services in Japan?
The Specified Skilled Worker system can be an effective solution for labor shortages, but it requires careful preparation and ongoing compliance. Tommy’s Legal Service supports employers with immigration applications, support plans, Registered Support Organization services, notification management, and clear explanation to foreign workers.
Specified Skilled Worker (i) and (ii), Certificate of Eligibility, Change of Status, Extension of Period of Stay, Registered Support Organization services, support plan preparation, regular and ad hoc notifications, employer-side structure review, and coordination with recruiters or overseas sending partners.
The appropriate strategy may differ depending on the sector, candidate requirements, employer situation, council requirements, support structure, and previous residence history.