Japan Immigration News

Japan Rethinks Immigration Amid Labor Shortage and Foreign Population Rise

Release Date: 2025-11-07
Media: JAPAN Forward
Summary: Japan is expanding the acceptance of foreign workers to address labor shortages caused by a declining birthrate and aging population. The number of specified skilled workers—introduced in 2019 for industries with severe labor shortages—is rapidly increasing, reaching about 336,000 by June 2025. The government plans to raise the acceptance ceiling for this program to up to 820,000 over five years and may expand eligible sectors from 16 to 19.

The system has two levels: Type 1 allows work for up to five years, while Type 2 permits family accompaniment and offers a pathway to permanent residency. Meanwhile, the technical intern training program, which accepts less-skilled workers, has faced criticism for poor working conditions that cause trainees to leave their jobs.

Japan intends to abolish the intern training program and shift participants to the specified skilled worker system beginning in 2027. A government project team is also studying long-term immigration policies, considering whether to introduce nationwide limits on foreign residents, who may exceed 10% of Japan’s population in the future, while balancing economic needs with public safety concerns.
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2025-11-07

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2024-01-28

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2024-01-26

Japan eyes adding drivers, railway workers to skilled worker visa(NIKKEI Asia)

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2024-01-17

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Japan to add driving to specified foreign worker skills(Japan Times)

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