Transitional Measures for Employment for Skill Development in Japan: What Happens to Technical Intern Trainees from April 2027? Stage (iii), New Entries, and Acceptance Quotas

When the Employment for Skill Development (育成就労) system starts in Japan on April 1, 2027, technical intern trainees will not all switch to Employment for Skill Development on that day. People who are in training on the start date can continue Technical Intern Training (技能実習) as it is. However, only people who have been in stage (ii) (2号) for 1 year or more as of the start date can move on to stage (iii) (3号), and new training can only be started by people whose plan is applied for by March 31, 2027 and who enter Japan by June 30.

This article explains, in order, how trainees are treated depending on their situation, how to count whether they can move on to stage (iii), the deadlines just before the start date, why they cannot switch to Employment for Skill Development, how acceptance quotas and supervising organizations are treated, and the options after completing training. The contents were checked on October 17, 2026 against the pages and materials of the Immigration Services Agency (出入国在留管理庁, ISA) and the Organization for Technical Intern Training (外国人技能実習機構, OTIT).

The Employment for Skill Development system as a whole (purpose, fields, transfers, Japanese language requirements, and so on) is explained in the following article.

→ 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)

Technical Intern Training after the start date is possible only in 3 cases

Technical Intern Training that can be carried out after the Employment for Skill Development system starts is limited to the following 3 cases. Other people cannot be accepted as technical intern trainees after the start date.

1. Technical Intern Training actually being carried out at the time of the start: “At the time of the start” means 0:00 on April 1, 2027. This covers people who, at that moment, are in training based on a technical intern training plan certified by OTIT.
2. Technical Intern Training whose plan is applied for before the start date and that begins within 3 months of the start date: This is training for which an application for certification of the technical intern training plan is made by March 31, 2027, and which begins after landing permission (上陸許可) is received by June 30, 2027.
3. The next stage of Technical Intern Training for people who complete the previous stage after the start date: People who complete stage (i) (1号) can move on to stage (ii), and people who complete stage (ii) can move on to stage (iii). However, only people who have been in stage (ii) for 1 year or more as of the start date can move on to stage (iii).

From the start date (April 1, 2027), applications for certification of technical intern training plans themselves can no longer be made. If none of the 3 cases above applies, you will need to consider accepting workers under Employment for Skill Development.

The diagram in the material on the transitional measures shows Technical Intern Training continuing until “around 3 years after the start (March 31, Reiwa 12 (2030)),” and only the Employment for Skill Development system after that. This is a “target” written in the diagram, not a deadline written in the law.

(Sources: Immigration Services Agency, “Q&A on the Transitional Measures for Technical Intern Training,” Questions 1 and 2, Immigration Services Agency and Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, “Transitional Measures for Technical Intern Training with the Start of the Employment for Skill Development System”, Supplementary Provisions Article 9 of the Amendment Act (Act No. 60 of Reiwa 6))

Which case applies to your company’s trainees? A quick reference table by situation

The table below summarizes how trainees are treated after the start date, depending on their situation as of the start date (April 1, 2027). The answer changes depending on each person’s date of entry and date of permission. Check with the residence card and the notice of plan certification at hand.

Some additional points:

• People whose training is suspended: If training was suspended before the start date and the suspension continues as of the start date, it cannot be resumed. On the other hand, if training is continuing as of the start date, it can be suspended and resumed after the start date as before.
• People with “Designated Activities”: People who lose the status of residence of Technical Intern Training after the start date (for example, by returning home) also cannot enter as technical intern trainees.
• People who have left Japan: If the plan for the next stage (stage (ii) or (iii)) is applied for before the start date and the person enters and starts by June 30, 2027, they can continue Technical Intern Training. Otherwise, they cannot re-enter as technical intern trainees. The Immigration Services Agency explains that, depending on the content of the Technical Intern Training, they may be able to enter as a foreign national in Employment for Skill Development after receiving certification of an Employment for Skill Development plan.

People who have the status of residence of Technical Intern Training as of the start date can, after the start date, still receive an extension of the period of stay and a change of status of residence from stage (i) to stage (ii) and from stage (ii) to stage (iii). However, people who change to a status of residence other than “Technical Intern Training” after the start date cannot go back to “Technical Intern Training.”

(Sources: Q&A on the Transitional Measures for Technical Intern Training, Questions 3, 4, and 13, Transitional Measures, p.3, Immigration Services Agency, “Q&A on the Employment for Skill Development System”, Supplementary Provisions Article 8 of the Amendment Act)

Only people with “1 year or more in stage (ii) as of the start date” can move on to stage (iii)

To move on from stage (ii) to stage (iii) after the start date, a person must have been in training with the status of residence “Technical Intern Training (ii)” for 1 year or more as of April 1, 2027. This means stage (ii) training must have started by April 1, 2026 at the latest.

The box at the top of the diagram shows how to count, and the 3 rows below show the results.

How to count the 1 year

• Start of counting: The date of permission for the change of status of residence to stage (ii). The “date of permission” is written on the residence card issued when the person changed to stage (ii), so check whether the time from that date to April 1, 2027 is 1 year or more.
• Periods not counted: “The period during which Technical Intern Training is carried out” is only the period during which the person is engaged in training with the status of residence of “Technical Intern Training.” The following periods are not included.
• The period of stay with “Designated Activities” for the transfer procedure
• The period during which training was suspended after submitting a notification of difficulty in carrying out Technical Intern Training
• Exception: If, after submitting the notification of difficulty, the person submits a written statement of reasons (free format) within 1 month of the cause of the difficulty occurring and resumes training, that period is excluded from the suspension period.

Even if the date of permission is before April 1, 2026, the total may not reach 1 year if there are periods that are not counted. Be especially careful with trainees who have had a transfer or a suspension along the way.

A rough guide based on the time of entry

OTIT warns that people who newly entered Japan as technical intern trainees on or after April 2, 2025 may not be able to transition to stage (iii). Because the length of stage (i) differs from person to person, this date is only a rough guide to the “possibility.” The final decision is based on the date of permission for stage (ii).

Other requirements for stage (iii)

Even if the conditions of the transitional measures are met, certification of a stage (iii) plan still requires the usual requirements. For example, the implementing organization must meet the “high standard” for its ability to have trainees acquire skills (a so-called excellent implementing organization). For supervised-type training, the supervising organization must also have a license for general supervising business.

The options for people who cannot move on to stage (iii) are explained later under “Options after completing Technical Intern Training.”

(Sources: Q&A on the Transitional Measures for Technical Intern Training, Questions 7 to 9, Leaflet on the transition to Technical Intern Training (iii), Organization for Technical Intern Training, “Guide to Technical Intern Training Plans”, Technical Intern Training Act, Article 8, Paragraph 4 and Article 9, Item 10 (e-Gov))

Deadlines for accepting new technical intern trainees just before the start date

When accepting new trainees just before the start date, the final deadline is June 30, 2027. Both entry (landing permission) and the start of training must be completed by this date.

The deadlines are explained below in order from the top of the diagram.

• Apply for the plan by February 2027: Applications for certification of a stage (i) plan can be made until March 31, 2027. However, OTIT states that if the application is made in March or later, the examination and entry procedures take time, and the trainee may not be able to receive landing permission by June 30. For this reason, it asks for applications to be made by February 2027.
• Training start date on or before June 30: A plan applied for before the start date may be certified on or after the start date. Even in this case, the training start date in the plan must be on or before June 30, 2027.
• Entry also by June 30: Even if the person has received the Certificate of Eligibility, they cannot receive landing permission with “Technical Intern Training” after June 30. Even if the training start date changes to July 1 or later, entry must be by June 30.
• When the certificate is issued after the start date: If a Certificate of Eligibility applied for before the start date is issued after the start date, the person must enter Japan within 3 months of the date of issue.
• The same applies to stages (ii) and (iii): When a person newly enters Japan with a Certificate of Eligibility and starts stage (ii) or (iii), entry by June 30 and a training start date on or before June 30 are also required.

OTIT advises that trainees who can move on to stage (ii) are those who have started stage (i) by June 30, 2027. If it looks like you will not make it in time, consider Employment for Skill Development. Applications for certification of Employment for Skill Development plans have been accepted since September 1, 2026 as applications before the start date.

(Sources: Q&A on the Transitional Measures for Technical Intern Training, Questions 10 to 13 and 18, Transitional Measures, p.1, Organization for Technical Intern Training, “About the Employment for Skill Development System”, Supplementary Provisions Articles 8 and 9 of the Amendment Act)

You cannot switch from Technical Intern Training to Employment for Skill Development

It is not possible to switch to Employment for Skill Development in the middle of Technical Intern Training. People carrying out Technical Intern Training after the start date will continue in Technical Intern Training until they complete it.

Leaving Japan once is required to do Employment for Skill Development

People who carried out Technical Intern Training on or after April 1, 2027 must leave Japan to do Employment for Skill Development. Leaving Japan with a re-entry permit (including a special re-entry permit) does not count as leaving Japan. However, if the re-entry permit expires while the person is outside Japan, it counts as leaving Japan.

The period of Technical Intern Training is treated as a period of Employment for Skill Development

When a former technical intern trainee does Employment for Skill Development, the period spent in Technical Intern Training is, in principle, treated as a period spent in Employment for Skill Development. Employment for Skill Development is limited to 3 years in total. The Immigration Services Agency explains that people who did Technical Intern Training for 2 years or more basically cannot do Employment for Skill Development in a field different from their Technical Intern Training.

Exception: when the period of Technical Intern Training is not counted

In cases such as when a test that is the same as, or equivalent to, the test that was the goal of Technical Intern Training is not set as a goal of Employment for Skill Development, the person can do Employment for Skill Development without taking the period of Technical Intern Training into account. Which tests correspond to each other is to be shown separately for each field.

Occupations not covered by Employment for Skill Development

Even among the occupations eligible for transition to Technical Intern Training (ii), the following 3 are not covered by the fields (job categories) of Employment for Skill Development.

• Cleaning (household cleaning work)
• Airport ground handling
• Boiler maintenance (boiler maintenance work)

(Sources: Q&A on the Transitional Measures for Technical Intern Training, Question 17, Transitional Measures, p.2, Q&A on the Employment for Skill Development System, Employment for Skill Development System Operational Guidelines, Chapter 4, pp.4-212 to 4-217, Supplementary Provisions Article 11 of the Amendment Act)

Practical points for accepting companies and supervising organizations: acceptance quotas, notifications, and license renewal

Companies that accept technical intern trainees and Employment for Skill Development workers during the same period need to be careful about how acceptance quotas are counted.

Acceptance quotas

• Stage (i) and stage (ii) trainees who continue Technical Intern Training after the start date are counted as foreign nationals in Employment for Skill Development. Stage (iii) trainees are not counted.
• The “full-time staff” used as the basis for the acceptance quota do not include people carrying out Technical Intern Training under the transitional measures.
• Conversely, foreign nationals in Employment for Skill Development are not included in the calculation of the acceptance quota for Technical Intern Training.

As an example, consider a company with 35 full-time staff (excluding technical intern trainees) that accepts foreign nationals in Employment for Skill Development under the supervised type. The basic acceptance quota is 12 people. If 5 stage (ii) trainees remain after the start date, those 5 are subtracted, so the company can accept about 7 new foreign nationals in Employment for Skill Development (quotas for excellent organizations and so on are separate). Stage (iii) trainees are not included in this calculation.

Notifications and penalties

For Technical Intern Training carried out under the transitional measures, the notifications required by the Technical Intern Training laws and regulations continue to be made. Penalties for acts committed after the start date also follow the previous rules (the Technical Intern Training Act).

Residence procedures and plan changes

Extensions of the period of stay and changes of status of residence from stage (i) to stage (ii) and from stage (ii) to stage (iii) are still possible after the start date. If a plan needs to be changed after the start date, such as when training is suspended because of illness or injury, certification of the change can be received.

Supervising organizations

Supervising organizations that continue the supervising business for Technical Intern Training after the start date can renew the validity period of their license and change their business category. An organization that has received a license as a supervising and support organization is deemed to have received a license for the general supervising business of Technical Intern Training, so it does not need to renew its supervising organization license separately. An organization licensed as a supervising and support organization can also act as a supervising organization for Technical Intern Training.

(Sources: Q&A on the Transitional Measures for Technical Intern Training, Questions 5, 6, 14, and 16, Q&A on the Employment for Skill Development System, Employment for Skill Development System Operational Guidelines, pp.4-107 to 4-108, Transitional Measures, pp.2 to 3, Supplementary Provisions Articles 10, 13, and 22 of the Amendment Act)

Options after completing Technical Intern Training (for trainees)

Even people who cannot move on to stage (iii) have ways to keep working in Japan after completing Technical Intern Training.

Move to Specified Skilled Worker (i)

Even after the Employment for Skill Development system starts, for the time being, people who have completed Technical Intern Training (ii) in good standing can move to Specified Skilled Worker (i) (特定技能1号) if the work they will do is related to the occupation and work of their stage (ii) training.

In contrast, moving from Employment for Skill Development to Specified Skilled Worker (i) requires passing a skills test and a Japanese language test. The conditions are different from those for moving from Technical Intern Training, so be careful not to confuse them.

If preparations for Specified Skilled Worker (i) will not be ready before the period of stay expires, there is a Designated Activities status that allows the person to prepare while working.

→ What Is Designated Activities (Preparation for Transition to Specified Skilled Worker (i)) in Japan? Eligibility, Requirements, Application Process, Use When Changing Jobs, and Points to Note

The tests that are exempted when moving to the nursing care field are explained in the following article.

Come to Japan again under Employment for Skill Development after returning home

People who have completed Technical Intern Training and returned home can also come to Japan again under Employment for Skill Development. However, the period of Technical Intern Training is treated as a period of Employment for Skill Development, and the limit is 3 years in total. People who did Technical Intern Training for 2 years or more basically cannot do Employment for Skill Development in a different field.

If you cannot move on to stage (iii), talk with your company early about when you will complete stage (ii) and about preparing for Specified Skilled Worker (i).

(Sources: Q&A on the Employment for Skill Development System, Organization for Technical Intern Training, “Guide to Technical Intern Training Plans”)

Checklist of what companies should do now

Before the start date, it is reassuring to check the following for each trainee.

• Checked the date of permission on each trainee’s residence card and made a list of whether they can move on to stage (iii)
• Identified trainees who have had a period with “Designated Activities” for the transfer procedure or a period of suspension
• Checked that no trainees will be suspended as of the start date (if a suspension continues, training cannot be resumed)
• If you plan to accept new trainees from April 2027 onward, decided whether to apply for a stage (i) plan by February 2027 or to use Employment for Skill Development
• Calculated the acceptance quota for accepting technical intern trainees and Employment for Skill Development workers at the same time
• Discussed options such as moving to Specified Skilled Worker (i) or returning home with trainees who are due to complete their training
• Checked with the supervising organization the status of its application for a supervising and support organization license and the validity period of its Technical Intern Training license

Whether a trainee can move on to stage (iii), and which procedures to take, depend on each trainee’s situation. If you are unsure, consult a specialist early.

Frequently asked questions

Q. On April 1, 2027, will all technical intern trainees switch to Employment for Skill Development? A. No. People in training on the start date can continue as they are in Technical Intern Training. It is also not possible to switch to Employment for Skill Development in the middle of Technical Intern Training.

Q. If the start date arrives during stage (ii), can the trainee move on to stage (iii)? A. If the period in stage (ii) is 1 year or more as of the start date, they may be able to. Count from the date of permission on the residence card, excluding periods with “Designated Activities” and periods of suspension.

Q. Will it be in time if we apply for the plan in March 2027? A. You can apply, but the trainee must enter Japan and start training by June 30, 2027. OTIT asks for applications to be made by February, because there is a possibility of not making it in time.

Q. Can we bring back, under Technical Intern Training, a former trainee who returned home before the start date? A. In principle, no. The exception is when the plan is applied for by March 31, 2027 and the person enters Japan and starts training by June 30 (the same applies when newly entering to start stage (ii) or (iii)). Otherwise, depending on the content of the Technical Intern Training, the person may be able to enter under Employment for Skill Development.

Q. Are technical intern trainees included in the acceptance quota for Employment for Skill Development? A. Stage (i) and stage (ii) trainees are counted as foreign nationals in Employment for Skill Development. Stage (iii) trainees are not counted.

Summary

• Technical Intern Training after the start date is possible only in 3 cases: people in training on the start date, people whose plan is applied for by March 31 and who enter and start by June 30, and those people moving on to the next stage.
• Only people who have been in stage (ii) for 1 year or more as of the start date can move on to stage (iii). Count from the date of permission on the residence card, excluding periods of Designated Activities or suspension.
• For new acceptance, the deadline for entry and the start of training is June 30, 2027. OTIT asks for applications to be made by February 2027.
• It is not possible to switch from Technical Intern Training to Employment for Skill Development partway through. Leaving Japan is required to do Employment for Skill Development, and the period of Technical Intern Training is treated as a period of Employment for Skill Development.
• Stage (i) and stage (ii) trainees who continue after the start date are counted in the acceptance quota for Employment for Skill Development.
• Technical Intern Training under the transitional measures is expected to end around 3 years after the start (March 31, 2030).

The Q&A on the transitional measures and the Operational Guidelines may continue to be revised or expanded. Before any procedure, check the latest information on the pages of the Immigration Services Agency and OTIT.

→ 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)

Primary Sources Referenced in Article Creation

• Immigration Services Agency and Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, “Transitional Measures for Technical Intern Training with the Start of the Employment for Skill Development System”
• Immigration Services Agency, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and Organization for Technical Intern Training, “Leaflet on the Transition to Technical Intern Training (iii)”
• Immigration Services Agency, “Q&A on the Transitional Measures for Technical Intern Training” (posted April 22, 2026)
• Immigration Services Agency, “About the Technical Intern Training Program for Foreign Nationals”
• Immigration Services Agency, “Q&A on the Employment for Skill Development System”
• Act Partially Amending the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act and the Act on Proper Technical Intern Training and Protection of Technical Intern Trainees (Act No. 60 of Reiwa 6)
• Immigration Services Agency, “Employment for Skill Development System Operational Guidelines”
• Act on Proper Technical Intern Training and Protection of Technical Intern Trainees (e-Gov Laws and Regulations Search)
• Organization for Technical Intern Training, “About the Employment for Skill Development System”
• Organization for Technical Intern Training, “Guide to Technical Intern Training Plans”