The Japan Special Skilled Visa has just been put into effect by the Japanese government. In addition to those who have never been to Japan, this visa also applies to trainees who have returned home. This article will  Guide to change visa status from trainee to Japanese specific skills the best.

Summary of Japan Special Skills Program

With the decline in the labor force and the high demand for jobs in Japan, the Japanese engineering and technical internship programs cannot meet the labor demand in Japan. Therefore, the “Specific Skills” Program – Tokutei ginou (特定技能) was born with the aim of attracting foreign workers.

Tokutei Gino 1: 5-year visa for workers with Japanese language proficiency and experience and skills that meet the job requirements.
Tokutei Gino 2: Employees will have to pass a competency assessment, live in Japan for a long time, and sponsor their family members to come to Japan to live together.

From April 1, 2022, after the revised entry law was put into effect implementation, Japanese interns completed the internship program (including employees with a visaspecial activity ” in the  construction and shipbuilding industry), these subjects will be exempted from the No. 1 specific skills exam and also the Japanese language exam.

In particular, pending the implementation of visa conversion procedures, as well as procedures related to the agency supporting workers, workers will be granted a “special operation” visa to ensure the problem of time. duration of stay and complete the formalities.

2. How can an existing trainees Visa be converted to a TOKUTEI GINOU Visa?

These are trainees who have successfully completed phase 1 and phase 2 of the current capital.

Those who have finished trainees 3 years back home, have taken the exam and have a 3rd year certificate of skill (3kyu, or Senmonkyu), you are fully eligible to participate in this program.

Those who have finished the 3-year trainees and returned home, have not taken the exam or have not obtained the 3rd year skills certificate (3kyu, or Senmonkyu), you will have to apply for an internship certificate at the receiving company and the old union to certify that you “completely” the TTS process in Japan

Note: If you go to the right profession that you have finished 3 years of trainees, you will be exempt from the above conditions. If you want to return to work in another profession, you must take the exam and get a certificate. just according to the profession you want to go.

Those who are currently living in Japan under the trainees regime, can they change to TOKUTEI GINOU visa?

→ you have completed the internship period of 2 years and 10 months and are eligible (passing the 3kyuu skills exam or having a certificate of “good completion” from the receiving company), then you can can be converted to TOK

Conditions for trainees to convert to Japan Special Skilled Visa

As of March 1, 2022, all national immigration authorities will be accepting applications. Application form and documents include the following

• Registration form for change of status of residence

– Affidavit of the receiving company employee

• Documents related to the contract, labor contract during the period of transition to skill visa, specific number 1 (copy of Contract, labor recruitment, Documents, recruitment conditions, etc.)

– Copy of Salary Book of the person registered at the previous workplace (of the last 1 year)

– The reason why is compiled by the receiving company labor (The process of converting visa status to the number 1 specified skill is necessary for time (for example, support agency for employees who have not completed the registration procedure). registration), estimated time to complete other registrations, content of activities
the expected action of the specified skill number 1…)

• Documents proving that you have completed the 2nd technical trainee program, and that the skills gained in that industry can satisfy the job requirements same industry as thespecific skillsand have a good command of the English language. Japan to be exempted from the specific skill exam (Copy of technical internship plan sheet, certificate of  Skills exam level 3 or  practice test for assessment of equivalent skill practice.

4. Notes when converting TTS visa to Japan Special Skilled Visa

– The processing of registration documents will be carried out from April 1, 2022.

– Subject to approval of documents registration,time of stay as “Special activity” (Can work) will be counted towards the total 5 years allowed to work with special skill status No.1.

– Quickly apply for registration to switch to the status of residence Specific skill No.1 when preparation of registration documents is done.

– For trainees with stay period until March 2019, they can continue to stay but are not allowed to work , and complete procedures to change the status of residence to specific skills (can work) ), and based on the contract signed with the labor-receiving company in advance, apply for attached documents such as the commitment letter of the applicant for the visa transfer (as per form) and the commitment of the labor-receiving company (according to sample).

– Pending the results of the Special Skills (workable) visa and the trainee visa has expired then from that time until the result is available (about 2 months after the visa expires), you can continue continue to stay but are not allowed to work.