Kaoru Miyatake
Author Kaoru Miyatake Gyoseishoshi / Juris Doctor (J.D.) | MOJ-Certified Application Agent Chairperson, Sakura Training Organization (Public Interest Corporation) / Sakura Central Legal Office

The Immigration Services Agency (ISA) partially amended the “Operation Guidelines on Acceptance of Specified Skilled Workers” on October 19, 2026, and the annex “Operation Guidelines for Specified Skilled Workers in Specified Fields — Standards for the Food Service Sector” on October 26. The ISA page only says “amended” or “updated”; the content is published in comparison-table PDFs. This article organizes what those tables say. The ISA does not give reasons for the amendments.

Operation Guidelines (October 19): “Persons Being Instructed” for Category 2 Workers

A Category 2 Specified Skilled Worker’s usual duties must not be the same as those of technical intern trainees or Category 1 workers; the worker must perform instruction or management duties, or professional and technical work on their own judgment, while instructing at least the number of persons set for each specified industrial field. The amendment adds the following on how those “persons being instructed” are treated (Chapter 3, Section 2, notes).

📌 Key points of the amended text
  • The worker must normally be instructing at least the required number, and must do so stably and continuously
  • Persons who work at a different workplace are in principle not counted, but where reasonable circumstances are recognized according to the characteristics of the field, they are treated flexibly even if they do not work at the same workplace
  • Persons instructed by another Category 2 worker are counted where there is a reasonable reason, such as Category 2 workers with different specialties instructing the same person, or circumstances specific to the field
  • Where there are reasonable circumstances, such as the persons to be instructed being in the hiring process and not yet decided at the time of application, flexibility is applied even if the required number is not met

The previous text said that persons working at a different workplace, persons not working full time and persons instructed by another Category 2 worker “are not included.” The amended text has no wording on “persons not working full time.” The ISA’s materials do not confirm whether the treatment of that group has changed. The “Pledge on the Duties of a Category 2 Specified Skilled Worker (Reference Form 1-32)” is also listed among the amended items.

Food Service Annex (October 26): Main Amendments

The comparison table shows 25 amended places. The main ones are as follows.

  • Updated basis: the preamble now refers to the sector operation policy approved by Cabinet on January 23, 2026 (“Policy on the Operation of the System for the Specified Skilled Worker Status of Residence and the System for Employment for Skill Development in the Food Service Sector”). A table of contents was added
  • Test names and transitional measure: the “Food Service Specified Skilled Worker No. 1 Skills Measurement Test” became the “Food Service Specified Skilled Worker No. 1 Evaluation Test,” and the No. 2 test was renamed likewise. Persons who passed the old tests are deemed to have passed the new tests (newly added transitional measure)
  • Practical experience for Category 2: the text keeping the requirement of two years of experience as a person assisting store management (deputy manager, sub-manager, etc.) while instructing and supervising multiple part-time staff or Specified Skilled Workers at a restaurant with a Food Sanitation Act license remains. The amended text adds that, for those who had worked as Category 1 workers in the food service sector for more than two years and six months as of June 9, 2023, the target is instructional experience equal to the remainder of the five-year total period of stay minus six months. A calculation example was added (e.g., with 1 year 11 months 10 days remaining, at least 1 year 5 months 10 days after deducting six months)
  • Japanese level: for Category 2, the text says that from April 1, 2027 a level of B1 or above in the “Japanese Language Education Reference Framework” will be required, with handling to be announced separately. The current submission is a copy of a JLPT N3 or higher certificate (only where judged B1 or above on the CEFR)
  • Category 1 Japanese documents: for the Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese, “copy of pass certificate” was changed to “copy of the result notice (A2.2 or above)”
  • New “Training and Career Formation Program”: a new Part 6 describes a program guiding human resource development in the food service sector across the Employment for Skill Development system, Category 1 and Category 2. It is to be posted on the website of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Practical Points (including the scrivener’s view)

  • For Category 2 instruction targets, the amended text gives concrete cases for “flexible” treatment, but whether reasonable circumstances exist is judged case by case. When applying, prepare materials that explain the instructed persons’ workplaces, the instruction given and hiring plans
  • When submitting a test pass certificate in the food service sector, certificates under the old or new test names are treated under the transitional measure. Check the document names against the latest guidance of the ISA and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
  • The ISA says it will announce separately how the B1 Japanese requirement for Category 2 will be handled. If you plan to move to Category 2, watch for that guidance
  • The suspension of issuing certificates of eligibility in the food service sector (from April 13, 2026) is a separate measure from this amendment. For procedures, see our Specified Skilled Worker guide. The proposals presented at the 15th expert panel are covered in this article

Sources