A company that accepts foreign nationals under Specified Skilled Worker (特定技能) “Nursing Care” (介護) joins the “Council for Specified Skilled Worker and Employment for Skill Development in the Nursing Care Field” of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare before applying to immigration. It then receives a membership certificate that lists the facilities where the workers will be accepted. Applications are accepted only online through the council application system, and there is no admission fee or annual fee.
The council’s name and membership rules were renewed on August 28, 2026. Even after joining, procedures continue, such as registering foreign workers within 4 months from the date of acceptance and renewing the certificate.
The content was checked on October 12, 2026 against materials from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) and the Immigration Services Agency (ISA). The overall conditions for acceptance, such as tests and headcount limits, are explained in the parent article.
→ [2026 Edition Accepting Specified Skilled Workers in the “Nursing Care” Field: Requirements and Process | Tests, the Council, and Home-Visit Care](https://kisaragi-office.com/immigration_journal/en/archives/2886)
What is the nursing care field council? (the Council for Specified Skilled Worker and Employment for Skill Development from August 28, 2026)
The council is a place where the national government, industry organizations, and accepting organizations share information and hold discussions so that foreign nationals are accepted properly. MHLW set it up, and accepting organizations become its members.
New name and rules
From August 28, 2026, the name became “Council for Specified Skilled Worker and Employment for Skill Development in the Nursing Care Field.” On the same day, the council’s establishment guidelines (the document that sets out how the council works), the membership rules, and the code of conduct were newly established.
The new name now includes “Employment for Skill Development” (育成就労). “Employment for Skill Development implementing organizations,” which accept foreign nursing care workers under the Employment for Skill Development system starting in April 2027, also become members.
→ What is the Employment for Skill Development system? A full guide to the differences from Technical Intern Training, transfers, and Japanese requirements [Starts April 2027](https://kisaragi-office.com/immigration_journal/en/archives/4796)
Who runs it
The council is presided over by the Director-General of the Social Welfare and War Victims’ Relief Bureau of MHLW. Its administrative work is handled by MHLW’s Office for Securing Welfare Human Resources and by the business operator that carries out MHLW’s project to support the acceptance and settlement of foreign care workers.
The contact point for membership applications and inquiries is the council secretariat, located within the Japan International Corporation of Welfare Services (JICWELS), a public interest incorporated association.
What it discusses
The establishment guidelines state that the council mainly discusses or shares information on the following.
- Spreading the purpose of the system and good examples of acceptance nationwide
- Encouraging accepting organizations to comply with laws and regulations
- Surveying the labor shortage in each region and preventing foreign nationals from concentrating too much in large urban areas
- Certifying that an accepting organization is a member
- Creating programs for the development and career building of foreign nationals, and a code of conduct
In principle, council meetings are closed to the public. However, the meeting materials and summaries of the proceedings are published on MHLW’s website.
Members
| Category | Main members |
|---|---|
| Ministries and agencies in charge of the system, etc. | ISA, the National Police Agency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, MHLW’s Employment Security Bureau and Director-General for Human Resources Development, the Organization for Technical Intern Training (after the Organization for Employment for Skill Development of Foreign Nationals is established, that organization) |
| Industry organizations, etc. | 14 organizations in nursing care, medical care, and other fields, such as the Japanese Council of Senior Citizens Welfare Service and the Japan Medical Association |
| Accepting organizations | Specified skilled worker affiliated organizations (特定技能所属機関, companies that employ specified skilled foreign workers), Employment for Skill Development implementing organizations |
| Ministries and agencies in charge of the industry, etc. | MHLW’s Office for Securing Welfare Human Resources, the business operator for supporting the acceptance and settlement of foreign care workers |
(Sources: MHLW, “Acceptance of Specified Skilled Foreign Workers in the Nursing Care Field”, Establishment guidelines of the Council for Specified Skilled Worker and Employment for Skill Development in the Nursing Care Field, Overview of the council, Steering committee, 1st meeting of FY Reiwa 8)
Who needs to join the council
Those who need to join are accepting organizations that employ specified skilled foreign workers. Registered support organizations (登録支援機関) are not listed in the rules as those who carry out the membership procedure.
Accepting organizations (specified skilled worker affiliated organizations)
Accepting organizations in the nursing care field are required to join the council before applying for the foreign national’s status of residence, and after joining, to provide the council with necessary cooperation. The field-specific operational policy and ISA’s nursing care field page also set becoming a member and cooperating with the council as conditions imposed on accepting organizations.
MHLW’s supplementary guidelines (nursing care field) explain that if an organization, for example, does not provide the council with necessary cooperation, it does not meet the standards and can no longer accept workers.
Also, from June 15, 2024, even when accepting a specified skilled foreign worker for the first time, the council certificate must be submitted with the application to immigration.
Registered support organizations
Under the membership rules, those who carry out the membership procedure are those who “intend to become” a specified skilled worker affiliated organization or an Employment for Skill Development implementing organization in the nursing care field. Registered support organizations are also not included in the member categories of the establishment guidelines.
On the other hand, the council’s “flow of procedures” does mention information on the person in charge at the registered support organization. It advises that the information on the persons in charge at the accepting organization and registered support organization registered with the council should be a phone number and email address at which they can always be reached.
This article is about the nursing care field council. For councils in other fields, please check the guidance for each field.
(Sources: Supplementary guidelines (nursing care field), Field-specific operational policy, Attachment 1: Nursing care (Cabinet decision of January 23, Reiwa 8), Immigration Services Agency, “Nursing Care Field”, Membership rules of the Council for Specified Skilled Worker and Employment for Skill Development in the Nursing Care Field, Specified Skilled Worker Council in the Nursing Care Field: flow of procedures)
Membership procedure: 4 steps when accepting workers for the first time
When accepting workers for the first time, proceed in this order: membership application, issuance of the certificate, application to immigration, and registration of the foreign national. All procedures with the council are online, and applications by fax or mail are not accepted.
| Step | What to do | Deadline / timing |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Enter information on the corporation and the facilities where you plan to accept workers in the council application system, and submit a “notice of designation of facility” for each facility | Before applying to immigration |
| 2 | Receive the membership certificate (it lists the facility information that the secretariat was able to confirm) | Usually about 2 weeks after the secretariat finishes its check |
| 3 | Apply to immigration for the status of residence. Submit a written pledge and a valid membership certificate that lists the facility | After receiving the certificate |
| 4 | Register the foreign national’s information. Submit the written employment conditions and support plan (copies of the latest versions submitted to immigration) and a copy of the residence card | Within 4 months from the date of acceptance |
Points to note when applying for membership
- Convert documents to PDF and upload them to the council application system. Additional documents may be requested as necessary.
- Membership requires the consent of the Director-General of the Social Welfare and War Victims’ Relief Bureau of MHLW. The certificate is issued after the secretariat confirms the requirements.
- It is advised that the information on the persons in charge at the accepting organization and registered support organization registered with the council should be a phone number and email address at which they can always be reached.
- The list of members is published on MHLW’s website, but only for members who have agreed to its publication.
Other documents submitted to immigration
In step 3, there are other documents to submit to immigration besides the council certificate and the written pledge. The list of documents is summarized in the following article.
→ Required Documents for Specified Skilled Worker “Nursing Care” | Attachments and Where to Submit for Certificate of Eligibility, Change, and Extension [2026 Edition](https://kisaragi-office.com/immigration_journal/en/archives/5167)
If the worker will work in home-visit services
When a worker will work in home-visit services such as home-visit care, a “certificate of conformity” must be obtained for each foreign national. When newly joining, submit the documents at the same time as the membership application. The conditions for the worker and what the facility must observe are explained in the following article.
(Sources: Specified Skilled Worker Council in the Nursing Care Field: flow of procedures (September 1, Reiwa 8), Membership rules of the Council for Specified Skilled Worker and Employment for Skill Development in the Nursing Care Field, MHLW, “Acceptance of Specified Skilled Foreign Workers in the Nursing Care Field”)
Procedures that continue after joining
Even after joining, procedures continue: adding facilities, registering foreign nationals, changing information, and renewing the certificate. The table below lists those with deadlines.
| Situation | What to do | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Accepting workers at a facility not listed on the certificate (including transfers of people already working) | Apply for the facility in the council application system and receive a certificate that lists that facility | Before acceptance / before the transfer |
| You accepted a foreign national | Register the foreign national’s information | Within 4 months from the date of acceptance |
| Registered information on the corporation, facility, or foreign national changed | Submit the changed information and documents (replace the written employment conditions, etc. with the latest versions) | Promptly |
| The certificate’s expiration date is approaching | Carry out the renewal procedure (also update the registered information on foreign nationals and facilities) | Possible from 4 months before the expiration date |
| A foreign national will newly work in home-visit services | Obtain a certificate of conformity for each foreign national | Before acceptance |
| A worker is working in home-visit services | Submit a career-advancement plan | Within 4 months after the previous evaluation period ends |
| You are no longer a specified skilled worker affiliated organization, etc. | Notify withdrawal | When that happens |
Validity period of the certificate
The validity period of the membership certificate is 1 year when first issued and 4 years after renewal. A certificate past its validity period becomes invalid.
However, for members who have never registered a foreign national, the validity period is 1 year even after renewal.
Specified skilled worker affiliated organizations that join or renew by May 31, 2027 will be issued a certificate named “Membership Certificate of the Specified Skilled Worker Council in the Nursing Care Field.”
When you cannot accept workers even at a facility listed on the certificate
Workers can be accepted only at facilities listed on the certificate. However, even if a facility is listed on the certificate, workers cannot be accepted at a facility that does not meet the standards set by public notice.
When notification of withdrawal is not required
Even if you no longer have any foreign workers, it is said that you do not need to notify withdrawal in cases such as when you plan to accept workers again within a certain period. If unsure, please check with the secretariat.
(Sources: Membership rules of the Council for Specified Skilled Worker and Employment for Skill Development in the Nursing Care Field, Specified Skilled Worker Council in the Nursing Care Field: flow of procedures (September 1, Reiwa 8), MHLW, “Acceptance of Specified Skilled Foreign Workers in the Nursing Care Field”)
What members must observe (the duty to cooperate), and what happens if they do not
Members must provide the council with necessary cooperation. If they do not comply and do not improve, they may be expelled and this may be made public.
Duty to cooperate
The membership rules state that members understand the purpose of the council, observe the establishment guidelines, and provide the council with necessary cooperation. Members must also observe the “matters to be observed by members” written on the certificate.
The code of conduct asks specified skilled worker affiliated organizations and others for cooperation such as the following.
- Taking necessary measures regarding matters agreed upon in council discussions
- Providing the council with necessary cooperation
- Cooperating with surveys, guidance, etc. carried out by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare (including surveys by the council or by MHLW-subsidized projects, and visits to the facilities where workers are accepted)
Main contents of the code of conduct
The code of conduct also includes the following. Please check the full text on MHLW’s page.
- Comply with immigration, labor, social insurance, and other laws, and respect the human rights of foreign nationals
- Cut ties with malicious intermediaries (brokers) and antisocial forces
- Create a workplace free of discrimination based on being a foreign national, and of violence and harassment
- Provide appropriate treatment, such as pay raises according to length of employment and skill level
What happens if members do not comply
- Guidance: The secretariat gives guidance when, for example, a member does not carry out change procedures, does not respond to contact from the secretariat, does not comply with laws or the rules, or neglects to cooperate with the council.
- Expulsion: If a member does not improve even after guidance, or became a member by improper means, the secretariat may expel the member.
- Publication: If a member does not comply with laws or the rules and does not improve despite repeated guidance, the member is expelled and this is published on the website and elsewhere.
- Cannot join for 5 years: An expelled member cannot join the council for 5 years from the date of expulsion.
Being a member of the council is one of the conditions for accepting workers in the nursing care field. If expelled, you may no longer be able to continue accepting workers.
(Sources: Membership rules of the Council for Specified Skilled Worker and Employment for Skill Development in the Nursing Care Field, Code of conduct for realizing the smooth and appropriate acceptance of specified skilled foreign workers and Employment for Skill Development foreign workers, Establishment guidelines of the Council for Specified Skilled Worker and Employment for Skill Development in the Nursing Care Field, MHLW, “Acceptance of Specified Skilled Foreign Workers in the Nursing Care Field”)
Frequently asked questions
Q Does a registered support organization also need to join the council? A Under the membership rules of the nursing care field, those who carry out the membership procedure are accepting organizations (specified skilled worker affiliated organizations) and Employment for Skill Development implementing organizations. Registered support organizations are also not among the member categories of the establishment guidelines. Note that the council’s “flow of procedures” advises that the information on the person in charge at the registered support organization registered with the council should also be a phone number and email address at which they can be reached.
Q Are there any costs to join? A No. MHLW’s page states that no admission fees, annual fees, etc. are collected.
Q Are council procedures needed when accepting a second or later worker? A If the accepting facility is listed on the certificate and the certificate is within its validity period, there is no council procedure before applying to immigration. If you will accept the worker at a facility not listed on the certificate, apply for the facility first. In either case, register the foreign national’s information within 4 months from the date of acceptance.
Q What about hiring a person who is working at another company under Specified Skilled Worker (Nursing Care)? A If the hiring company is not yet a member, it joins the council, receives a certificate that lists the facility where the person will work, and then applies to immigration. The status of residence procedures are explained in the following article.
Q What happens to certificates received before August 28, 2026? A Among the transitional measures in the supplementary provisions of the new rules, those concerning specified skilled worker affiliated organizations set the name and validity period of certificates issued to those who join or renew by May 31, 2027. The supplementary provisions do not say how certificates issued before that are treated. To find out how the certificate you have is treated, check its expiration date and the facilities listed on it, and if unsure, contact the secretariat. Because the necessary procedures may differ depending on individual circumstances, consulting a professional is also an option.
(Sources: Membership rules of the Council for Specified Skilled Worker and Employment for Skill Development in the Nursing Care Field, Specified Skilled Worker Council in the Nursing Care Field: flow of procedures (September 1, Reiwa 8), Establishment guidelines of the Council for Specified Skilled Worker and Employment for Skill Development in the Nursing Care Field, MHLW, “Acceptance of Specified Skilled Foreign Workers in the Nursing Care Field”)
Summary
- Accepting organizations join the council before applying to immigration. The procedure is online only and there are no costs. The certificate is usually issued about 2 weeks after the check is finished.
- The certificate must list the facility where the worker will work and must be within its validity period. Apply for the facility before a transfer as well.
- After joining, procedures continue: registering foreign nationals within 4 months from the date of acceptance, notifying changes, and renewing from 4 months before the expiration date. If you have never registered a foreign national, the validity period is 1 year even after renewal.
The overall conditions and process for acceptance are explained in the parent article.
→ [2026 Edition Accepting Specified Skilled Workers in the “Nursing Care” Field: Requirements and Process | Tests, the Council, and Home-Visit Care](https://kisaragi-office.com/immigration_journal/en/archives/2886)
Primary Sources Referenced in Article Creation
- MHLW, “Acceptance of Specified Skilled Foreign Workers in the Nursing Care Field”
- Establishment guidelines of the Council for Specified Skilled Worker and Employment for Skill Development in the Nursing Care Field (August 28, Reiwa 8)
- Membership rules of the Council for Specified Skilled Worker and Employment for Skill Development in the Nursing Care Field (effective August 28, Reiwa 8)
- About the Council for Specified Skilled Worker and Employment for Skill Development in the Nursing Care Field (overview of the council)
- Specified Skilled Worker Council in the Nursing Care Field: flow of procedures (September 1, Reiwa 8)
- Code of conduct for realizing the smooth and appropriate acceptance of specified skilled foreign workers and Employment for Skill Development foreign workers (August 28, Reiwa 8)
- Steering committee of the Council for Specified Skilled Worker and Employment for Skill Development in the Nursing Care Field, 1st meeting of FY Reiwa 8
- MHLW, “Supplementary guidelines for specific fields (nursing care field)”
- Field-specific operational policy, Attachment 1: Nursing care (Cabinet decision of January 23, Reiwa 8)
- Immigration Services Agency, “Nursing Care Field”
This article is a translation of the original Japanese version.
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