Manufacturing

　The manufacturing sector in Japan is currently experiencing a severe labor shortage due to factors such as a declining birthrate, an aging population, and the trend of younger generations moving away from the industry.

　As a result, increasing the acceptance of highly skilled foreign workers has become a critical priority.

　While the number of foreign workers continues to grow annually, the “Specified Skilled Worker” residence status is frequently utilized to help address labor shortages.

　Among the various industries using this status, the manufacturing sector is one of the largest creators of employment opportunities.

　For example, approximately half of the foreign workers accepted under the “Specified Skilled Worker” status are employed in the industrial product manufacturing and Food and Beverage Manufacturing Sector.

　In the industrial product manufacturing sector, workers are engaged in tasks such as assembling, polishing, welding, painting, and packaging—activities that occur during the actual process of creating products.

　In the food and beverage manufacturing sector, excluding alcoholic beverages, workers are involved in the manufacturing, processing, and quality control of food products throughout the production process.

　The “Specified Skilled Worker” residence status comes with a number of strict requirements that must be met by organizations accepting foreign workers under this system (referred to as “accepting organizations”).

　These requirements include compliance with the applicable industry sector, appropriate job categories, organizational eligibility, adherence to labor contracts, and conformity with support plans.

　If any of these conditions are not fulfilled, the employment of foreign workers under this status will be considered illegal, and the employer may be deemed to have facilitated illegal employment.

　Many businesses consider hiring foreign nationals under the “Specified Skilled Worker” status to address labor shortages.

　However, in order to do so, accepting organizations must complete the necessary procedures to establish an appropriate acceptance system and continuously comply with the required conditions mentioned above.

　As a result, some businesses may decide against employing foreign workers under this status.

　At our firm, certified intermediaries with in-depth knowledge of the “Specified Skilled Worker” residence status provide careful, customized advice tailored to your business situation.

　Please feel free to contact us for assistance.