![[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/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/a-0011-en-v2.png)
To accept a foreign national under Specified Skilled Worker (特定技能) in the “Nursing Care” (介護) field, three things are required: (1) the worker passes the tests (or qualifies for an exemption), (2) the facility meets the conditions on eligible facilities, headcount limit, and direct employment, and (3) the facility joins the council set up by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. The council membership certificate must be obtained before applying to immigration. There is no admission fee or annual fee.
In 2026, the test name changed to “Nursing Care Specified Skills Evaluation Test,” and from April 1 the passing standards and test fees (about 2,000 yen each) also changed. The council’s new membership rules took effect on August 28, and the extension of the total period of stay through partial passes of the certified care worker national exam has also started.
The contents of this article were checked against materials from the Immigration Services Agency (出入国在留管理庁, ISA) and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (厚生労働省, MHLW) on October 9, 2026.
What is Specified Skilled Worker “Nursing Care”? The work allowed and the differences from other systems
People working under Specified Skilled Worker “Nursing Care” mainly provide care that involves direct physical contact with users (physical care). Because there is no Specified Skilled Worker (ii) (特定技能2号) in the nursing care field, the period you can work under Specified Skilled Worker is, in principle, up to a total of 5 years.
The work allowed
The core work is physical care according to each user’s physical and mental condition, such as help with bathing, eating, and toileting. The field-specific operational policy of January 2026 defines the work as “physical care, etc.”
The MHLW supplementary guidelines (revised April 2025) and the ISA page on the nursing care field also list support work that accompanies physical care, such as running recreational activities and assisting with functional training.
It is acceptable to do, as incidental work, related tasks that Japanese staff doing the same job normally do (such as managing notices and posted materials, or restocking supplies). However, doing only the related tasks is not allowed.
There is no Specified Skilled Worker (ii)
The nursing care field is not covered by Specified Skilled Worker (ii). This is because there is a status of residence (在留資格) “Nursing Care” under which people with the certified care worker (介護福祉士) qualification can work. Under Specified Skilled Worker (i) (特定技能1号), you can stay for up to a total of 5 years in principle. Career paths after 5 years are explained later in this article.
Differences from other systems
| System | Main target | Period you can stay |
|---|---|---|
| Specified Skilled Worker (i) (Nursing Care) | People who passed the tests, or who qualify for an exemption | Up to a total of 5 years in principle |
| Status of residence “Nursing Care” | People registered as certified care workers | No upper limit on the total |
| Employment for Skill Development (育成就労) (Nursing Care) | A system starting on April 1, 2027. Develops human resources through 3 years of work | The Employment for Skill Development period is 3 years |
There are other statuses of residence under which people can work in the nursing care field.
Employment for Skill Development is the system that replaces Technical Intern Training (技能実習). In the nursing care field as well, acceptance will start in April 2027.
→ 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)
Expected number of workers to be accepted
Under the field-specific operational policy approved by the Cabinet on January 23, 2026, the expected number of Specified Skilled Worker (i) workers to be accepted in the nursing care field is 126,900 over the 5 years from fiscal 2024. This number is applied as the upper limit on acceptance for the 5 years through the end of fiscal 2028.
(Sources: Immigration Services Agency, “Nursing Care Field”, Field-specific operational policy, Attachment 1: Nursing Care (Cabinet decision of January 23, Reiwa 8), MHLW, “Supplementary guidelines for specific fields (nursing care field)”, Immigration Services Agency, “Main points of the field-specific operational policies”, Measures to extend the total period of stay through partial passes of the certified care worker national exam (full text after revision))
Requirement 1 for acceptance: requirements for the foreign national (tests and exemptions)
The worker must pass tests in nursing care skills and Japanese. People who have satisfactorily completed Technical Intern Training (ii) and certain others are exempt from some or all of the tests.
Tests that must be passed
| What is checked | Test | Passing standard |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing care skills | Nursing Care Specified Skills Evaluation Test (Skills) | 60% or more of the total score |
| Japanese for nursing care | Nursing Care Specified Skills Evaluation Test (Japanese) | 73% or more of the total score |
| Japanese for daily life | Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese, or the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (N4 or above) | The standard of each test |
The passing standards of 60% and 73% have applied since April 1, 2026.
On the MHLW page, the test name became “Nursing Care Specified Skills Evaluation Test” from the tests held in April 2026. The previous names were “Nursing Care Skills Evaluation Test” and “Nursing Care Japanese Language Evaluation Test.” Some ISA materials still use the old names.
Test format and fees
- Format: The tests are taken on a computer (CBT). The skills test has 45 questions in 60 minutes, and the Japanese test has 15 questions in 30 minutes.
- Fees: For tests taken on or after April 1, 2026, the fee is about 2,000 yen each (before the revision, about 1,000 yen each). The fee is decided by the date you take the test, not the date you apply.
- Who can take the test: People aged 17 or older (18 or older for Indonesian nationals). When taking the test in Japan, it is limited to people who have a status of residence and hold a passport of a country or region designated by the Minister of Justice in a public notice.
- Retaking: After taking a test, you cannot take the next test for 45 days.
Passing the tests does not guarantee that a status of residence will be granted. The MHLW page also explains that passing does not guarantee the granting of a status of residence.
Note that the field-specific operational policy of January 2026 sets the Japanese level as a level equivalent to A2.2 or higher of the “Japanese Language Education Reference Framework,” plus the Nursing Care Specified Skills Evaluation Test (Japanese). Check the MHLW page for the latest information on which tests to take.
People exempt from the tests
| Who | Tests exempted |
|---|---|
| People who satisfactorily completed Technical Intern Training (ii) in the nursing care job category | All of skills, Japanese for nursing care, and Japanese for daily life |
| People who completed a certified care worker training facility | All of skills, Japanese for nursing care, and Japanese for daily life |
| People who completed the 4-year period of stay as an EPA certified care worker candidate | All of skills, Japanese for nursing care, and Japanese for daily life |
| People who satisfactorily completed Technical Intern Training (ii) in a job category other than nursing care | Only Japanese for daily life (skills and Japanese for nursing care must be passed) |
To receive the exemption based on completing Technical Intern Training (ii) in the nursing care job category, submit the certificate of passing the practical part of the Nursing Care Technical Intern Training Evaluation Test (specialist level) taken at completion. If the person did not pass it, they either pass the tests or submit an evaluation document prepared by the implementing organization of the training.
For EPA certified care worker candidates, it must be confirmed that, in the most recent certified care worker national exam, they scored at least 50% of the passing score and scored in all subject groups.
(Sources: MHLW, “Acceptance of Specified Skilled Foreign Workers in the Nursing Care Field”, MHLW, “Revision of the test fees for the Nursing Care Skills Evaluation Test and the Nursing Care Japanese Language Evaluation Test”, Implementation guidelines for the “Nursing Care Specified Skills Evaluation Test (Skills)”, Implementation guidelines for the “Nursing Care Specified Skills Evaluation Test (Japanese)”, Supplementary guidelines (nursing care field), Field-specific operational policy, Attachment 1: Nursing Care)
Requirement 2 for acceptance: requirements for the facility (eligible facilities, headcount limit, employment type)
The accepting facility must be an eligible facility that provides nursing care work, must be within the headcount limit, and must employ the foreign national directly.
Eligible facilities
Eligible facilities are those set by MHLW among the facilities where work experience counts as “nursing care work, etc.” for eligibility to take the certified care worker national exam. The MHLW list names facilities and businesses under the following categories.
- Facilities and businesses under the Child Welfare Act
- Facilities and businesses under the Act on the Comprehensive Support for the Daily and Social Lives of Persons with Disabilities
- Facilities and businesses under the Act on Social Welfare for the Elderly and the Long-Term Care Insurance Act (special nursing homes for the elderly, long-term care health facilities, day care services, etc.)
- Facilities under the Public Assistance Act (生活保護法)
- Other social welfare facilities, etc.
- Hospitals or clinics
Some are only partly eligible. For example, in small-scale multifunctional in-home care, working in home-visit services is excluded.
Headcount limit: up to the number of full-time care staff who are Japanese nationals, etc.
Each facility can accept Specified Skilled Worker (i) foreign nationals only up to the total number of its full-time care staff who are “Japanese nationals, etc.” Who is and is not included in “Japanese nationals, etc.” is as follows.
| Included in “Japanese nationals, etc.” | Not included in “Japanese nationals, etc.” |
|---|---|
| Japanese nationals | Technical intern trainees |
| EPA certified care workers who passed the certified care worker national exam | EPA certified care worker candidates |
| People with the status of residence “Nursing Care” | International students |
| People with statuses of residence based on personal status or position, such as Permanent Resident or Spouse or Child of Japanese National, and Special Permanent Residents | － |
Also, only “full-time staff whose main duty is nursing care, etc.” are counted. For this reason, office staff at care facilities, staff who provide employment support, and nurses and assistant nurses doing nursing work are not counted even if they are Japanese. However, nursing assistants at medical institutions, and nurses and assistant nurses who supervise nursing assistants on the same ward, are counted.
Employment type: direct employment only
In the nursing care field, dispatch (temporary staffing) is not allowed. You can neither dispatch foreign nationals nor accept dispatched foreign nationals. If you violate this, you will not be able to accept Specified Skilled Worker foreign nationals for the following 5 years.
As standards common to all fields, the scheduled working hours must be equal to those of regular workers employed by the accepting organization, and pay must be equal to or higher than what a Japanese person doing the same work would receive. Other requirements include complying with labor, social insurance, and tax laws, and having a system to support foreign nationals.
(Sources: MHLW, “Eligible facilities for accepting Specified Skilled Worker (i) foreign nationals in the nursing care field”, Supplementary guidelines (nursing care field), Ministerial Ordinance on Standards for Specified Skilled Worker Employment Contracts and Support Plans for Specified Skilled Worker (i) Foreign Nationals (e-Gov))
Requirement 3 for acceptance: joining the nursing care field council
Before applying to immigration, the organization becomes a member of the “Council for Specified Skilled Worker and Employment for Skill Development in the Nursing Care Field” set up by MHLW, and receives a membership certificate in which the accepting facility is registered.
From June 15, 2024, even for a first-time acceptance, the council certificate must be submitted with the application to immigration.
Membership procedure
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| How to apply | Online only, through the council application system (no fax or mail) |
| Documents for joining | A “notice of designation of the facility” for each facility planning to accept workers |
| Time until issuance | Usually about 2 weeks after the secretariat finishes its check |
| Cost | No admission fee or annual fee |
| Validity of the certificate | 1 year the first time, 4 years after renewal |
| Renewal procedure | Possible from 4 months before the expiration date |
For members who have never registered information on a foreign national, the validity period is 1 year even after renewal.
Membership rules from August 28, 2026
The council’s membership rules were renewed on August 28, 2026. The council’s name has also become “Council for Specified Skilled Worker and Employment for Skill Development in the Nursing Care Field.”
As a transitional measure, accepting organizations that join or renew by May 31, 2027 will be issued a “Membership Certificate of the Specified Skilled Worker Council in the Nursing Care Field.”
Under the membership rules, those who carry out the membership procedure are accepting organizations (those who intend to become a specified skilled worker affiliated organization (特定技能所属機関)) and Employment for Skill Development implementing organizations. When support is entrusted to a registered support organization (登録支援機関), the contact details of the person in charge at the registered support organization are also registered in the council application system.
Members who do not comply may be expelled
If a member does not comply with laws or rules and does not improve even after receiving guidance, the secretariat can expel the member. If expelled, this is announced on the website and elsewhere, and the organization cannot join the council for 5 years. Being a council member is one of the conditions for accepting workers in the nursing care field, so care is needed.
(Sources: MHLW, “Acceptance of Specified Skilled Foreign Workers in the 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, Supplementary guidelines (nursing care field))
The process up to acceptance (when inviting from overseas and when hiring someone in Japan)
The process is almost the same whether you invite someone from overseas or hire someone already in Japan. The only difference is the type of application submitted to immigration.
| Step | What to do | Deadline / guideline |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Check the worker’s requirements (tests or exemptions) and the facility’s conditions | Before deciding to hire |
| 2 | Sign an employment contract (雇用契約) and prepare a support plan (if entrusting, sign a contract with a registered support organization) | Before applying |
| 3 | Join the council and receive a membership certificate in which the facility is registered | Usually about 2 weeks after the check |
| 4 | Apply to immigration (from overseas: Application for Certificate of Eligibility (在留資格認定証明書交付申請); from within Japan: Application for Permission to change status of residence (在留資格変更許可申請)) | After receiving the certificate |
| 5 | Start work | After permission |
| 6 | Register the foreign national’s information with the council | Within 4 months from the date of acceptance |
Nursing care field documents to submit to immigration
In addition to the documents common to all fields, the following documents are submitted for the nursing care field.
- Written pledge on accepting Specified Skilled Worker foreign nationals in the nursing care field (Field Reference Form No. 1-1)
- Outline of the facility where nursing care work will be carried out (Field Reference Form No. 1-2)
- Certificate of council membership (within its validity period and listing the accepting facility)
The field reference forms for the nursing care field (No. 1-1 and No. 1-2) are on the MHLW page “Acceptance of Specified Skilled Foreign Workers in the Nursing Care Field.” Forms common to all fields are in the ISA “List of application and notification forms related to Specified Skilled Worker.” If the worker will work in home-visit services, the “certificate of conformity” described in the next section is also required.
What you need to prepare may change depending on missing documents or the circumstances of the worker or the facility. If you are unsure, consult a specialist such as a gyoseishoshi lawyer (administrative scrivener).
(Sources: Specified Skilled Worker Council in the Nursing Care Field: flow of procedures, Supplementary guidelines (nursing care field), Immigration Services Agency, “List of application and notification forms related to Specified Skilled Worker”, MHLW, “Acceptance of Specified Skilled Foreign Workers in the Nursing Care Field”)
When workers will work in home-visit services such as home-visit care
With the revision of the public notice and other rules on April 21, 2025, Specified Skilled Worker (i) foreign nationals who meet the conditions can now work in home-visit services such as home-visit care. Both conditions for the worker and obligations for the facility are required.
Conditions for the worker
- Having completed the initial training course for care workers or similar (the same as for Japanese staff)
- Having, in principle, at least 1 year of work experience at a care facility or similar
If a person with less than 1 year of work experience is exceptionally assigned to this work, it is limited to people with a higher level of Japanese, such as equivalent to JLPT N2. In addition, longer accompanied visits are required for each user (for example, half a year for a service provided once a week).
What the facility must do
- Provide training that covers the basics of home-visit services and situations such as emergencies
- Have a service provision manager or similar accompany and guide the worker until they can provide services appropriately on their own
- Prepare a career development plan while confirming the worker’s wishes
- Take measures such as setting up a consultation desk to prevent harassment
- Set up an environment, including the use of information and communication technology (ICT), such as a contact system for emergencies
In addition, give a written explanation to users and families whom the foreign national may visit, and ask for their signature.
Certificate of conformity and career development plan
To assign a foreign national to home-visit services, you must submit documents for each foreign national to the council secretariat and receive a “certificate of conformity.” If newly joining, submit them at the same time as the membership application; if already a member, submit them before accepting the worker. The certificate of conformity has no expiration date.
The career development plan is evaluated every year. Submit the next plan to the itinerant visit implementing organization within 4 months from the day the previous evaluation period ended.
These conditions are checked by the itinerant visit implementing organization before the worker is assigned to the work, not at the time of the application to immigration.
(Sources: Supplementary guidelines (nursing care field), MHLW, “Foreign care workers working in home-visit services”, 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”)
What to do after acceptance
Procedures with the council and immigration continue after acceptance. The table below lists those with deadlines.
| What to do | Submit to | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Register the foreign national’s information (written employment conditions, support plan, copy of the residence card) | Council | Within 4 months from the date of acceptance |
| Update the registered information when it changes | Council | Promptly |
| Renew the membership certificate | Council | From 4 months before the expiration date |
| Apply for a facility when the worker will work at a facility not on the certificate (including transfers) | Council | Before acceptance or before the transfer |
| Notify a change in the employment contract when the workplace changes (attach the facility outline) | Immigration | Within 14 days |
| Periodic notification | Immigration | Every year from April 1 to May 31 |
| Career development plan (for home-visit services) | Itinerant visit implementing organization | Within 4 months after the previous evaluation period ends |
Notifications to immigration
Accepting organizations of Specified Skilled Workers must make a periodic notification once a year, and ad hoc notifications (within 14 days) when there are changes such as to the employment contract. The full picture of notifications is explained in the following article.
Support and renewal of the period of stay
The accepting organization supports the foreign national according to the support plan. Support can be provided in-house or entrusted to a registered support organization. Before the period of stay (在留期間) expires, an application for renewal is also required.
(Sources: Specified Skilled Worker Council in the Nursing Care Field: flow of procedures, Membership rules of the Council for Specified Skilled Worker and Employment for Skill Development in the Nursing Care Field, Supplementary guidelines (nursing care field), Immigration Services Agency, “Notifications by specified skilled worker affiliated organizations and registered support organizations”)
Career paths after 5 years: certified care worker, extension of the total period of stay, permanent residence
To keep working in nursing care in Japan after the total of 5 years, the basic path is to obtain the certified care worker qualification and change to the status of residence “Nursing Care.” From 2026, an extension of the total period of stay through partial passes of the national exam has also started.
Pass the certified care worker exam and move to the status of residence “Nursing Care”
You can take the certified care worker national exam after, for example, working in nursing care for 3 years or more. Once you pass and are registered as a certified care worker, you can change to the status of residence “Nursing Care.” The status of residence “Nursing Care” has no upper limit on the total period of stay.
Extension of the total period of stay through partial passes
From the 38th certified care worker national exam (held in 2026), people who meet the following conditions may be able to continue staying until their total period of stay reaches 6 years. The extension is up to 1 year.
- They took all parts of the national exam in the last fiscal year before reaching the total period of stay of 5 years
- They passed 1 or more parts in that exam
- Their total score in that exam was 80% or more of the passing score (for the 38th exam, 52 points or more, which is 80% of the passing score of 64 points)
- They pledge to study for and take the national exam in the following fiscal year, to apply to change to the status of residence “Nursing Care” if they pass, and to return to their home country if they do not pass
The accepting organization must intend to continue employing the worker. In addition, the person responsible for support meets with the worker and prepares a study plan.
For the procedure, the accepting organization first asks MHLW for confirmation. Documents can be sent by mail only, and the deadline is the end of April in the year the exam was taken (postmark valid). When the result confirmation notice (valid for 1 year) arrives from MHLW, apply to immigration before the period of stay expires. Even if the notice is issued, renewal of the period of stay is not necessarily permitted.
If you aim for permanent residence
The path toward Permission for permanent residence (永住許可) and points to note in the permanent residence guidelines revised in October 2026 are explained in the following article.
(Sources: MHLW, “Measures to extend the total period of stay through partial passes of the certified care worker national exam”, Same, notice (full text after revision), Same, overview)
Frequently asked questions
Q Can workers be accepted through dispatch or as part-timers? A Dispatch is not possible. The nursing care field is limited to direct employment. The scheduled working hours must also be equal to those of regular workers employed by the accepting organization.
Q Is there a Specified Skilled Worker (ii)? A No. To work for a long time, there is the path of obtaining the certified care worker qualification and changing to the status of residence “Nursing Care.”
Q Can we apply to immigration before joining the council? A No. The application to immigration requires the council certificate listing the accepting facility.
Q What if we want to transfer the worker to another facility? A If the new facility is not on the certificate, apply to the council for that facility before the transfer. After the transfer, notify immigration of the change in the employment contract (attach the facility outline).
Q Are tests required when switching from a technical intern trainee? A People who satisfactorily completed Technical Intern Training (ii) in the nursing care job category are exempt from the skills and Japanese tests. For job categories other than nursing care, they must pass the skills test and the Japanese for nursing care test. This may change depending on individual circumstances, so if you are unsure, consult a specialist.
(Sources: Supplementary guidelines (nursing care field), Specified Skilled Worker Council in the Nursing Care Field: flow of procedures, Immigration Services Agency, “Nursing Care Field”, Ministerial Ordinance on Specified Skilled Worker Standards (e-Gov))
Summary
- There are three requirements for acceptance: the worker’s tests (or exemption), the facility’s conditions (eligible facility, headcount limit, direct employment), and joining the council.
- Obtain the council membership certificate before applying to immigration. After acceptance, register the foreign national’s information within 4 months.
- For home-visit services, in addition to the initial training course and, in principle, at least 1 year of work experience, a certificate of conformity is required for each foreign national.
- After 5 years, the basic path is to pass the certified care worker exam and move to the status of residence “Nursing Care.” There is also an extension of up to 1 year through partial passes.
Primary Sources Referenced in Article Creation
- Immigration Services Agency, “Nursing Care Field”
- Immigration Services Agency, “Basic policy, field-specific operational policies, and operational guidelines for the Specified Skilled Worker system”
- Field-specific operational policy, Attachment 1: Nursing Care (Cabinet decision of January 23, Reiwa 8)
- Immigration Services Agency, “Main points of the field-specific operational policies”
- Immigration Services Agency, “List of application and notification forms related to Specified Skilled Worker”
- Immigration Services Agency, “Notifications by specified skilled worker affiliated organizations and registered support organizations”
- MHLW, “Acceptance of Specified Skilled Foreign Workers in the Nursing Care Field”
- MHLW, “Supplementary guidelines for specific fields (nursing care field)”
- MHLW, “Eligible facilities for accepting Specified Skilled Worker (i) foreign nationals in the 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 (September 1, Reiwa 8)
- MHLW, “Revision of the test fees for the Nursing Care Skills Evaluation Test and the Nursing Care Japanese Language Evaluation Test”
- Implementation guidelines for the “Nursing Care Specified Skills Evaluation Test (Skills)”
- Implementation guidelines for the “Nursing Care Specified Skills Evaluation Test (Japanese)”
- MHLW, “Foreign care workers working in home-visit services”
- MHLW, “Measures to extend the total period of stay through partial passes of the certified care worker national exam”
- Ministerial Ordinance on Standards for Specified Skilled Worker Employment Contracts and Support Plans for Specified Skilled Worker (i) Foreign Nationals (e-Gov)
This article is a translation of the original Japanese version.
