Five Points for Registered Support Organizations to Consider When the Specified Skilled Worker “Food Service Industry” Quota Is Reached

Introduction: Purpose of This Material

On March 27, 2026, the Immigration Services Agency of Japan announced that the number of Specified Skilled Worker (i) residents in the food service sector is expected to reach the acceptance ceiling of 50,000, and indicated a policy of generally suspending new acceptances from April 13 onward.

You have likely already reviewed the Immigration Services Agency’s announcement itself. Rather than summarizing the announcement, this material organizes five issues directly linked to management decisions for registered support organizations.

Issue 1: Quantifying “Remaining Capacity” in Other Sectors

When considering shifting personnel from food service to other sectors, the most important decision-making factor is “which sectors have how much remaining capacity.” The figures below are based on publicly available data.

† Expected acceptance figures are based on the Cabinet decision of March 29, 2024 and publicly released materials from the Immigration Services Agency of Japan. For the food service sector, the Immigration Services Agency announcement dated March 27, 2026 explicitly states “50,000.” Note that the expected acceptance figures were revised by the Cabinet decision of January 23, 2026, bringing the total across all sectors to 805,700; please check the latest sector-specific figures in information published by the Immigration Services Agency. The number of residents is based on Table 2 of the Immigration Services Agency’s “Number of Specified Skilled Worker (i) Foreign Nationals Residing in Japan (as of the end of June 2025).” Please note that the numbers have increased further as of April 2026.

Issue 2: Practical Hurdles in Changing Sectors — The Barrier of Non-Interchangeable Exams

It is often said that “workers can simply move from food service to food and beverage manufacturing,” but caution is required because the skills evaluation exams are not interchangeable.

Procedures Required to Shift from Food Service to Food and Beverage Manufacturing

Route for Technical Intern Training Graduates

When Technical Intern Training (ii) is successfully completed, the Specified Skilled Worker sectors available for transition are designated by job category.

• Medical and welfare facility meal preparation work → Food service and food and beverage manufacturing; transition to both sectors possible
• Technical intern training job categories related to food and beverage manufacturing → Food and beverage manufacturing; skills exam exempted
• No technical intern training job category directly corresponds to food service

Issue 3: What Can Be Done by April 13 — Practical Judgment on Last-Minute Applications

Only about ten days remain. A calm assessment is necessary.

Items That May Still Be Possible

• Applications for permission to change status of residence for residents in Japan: Applications “accepted before” April 13 will be processed sequentially within the expected acceptance ceiling. However, screening usually takes two to three months, so this means “getting onto the examination track,” not a guarantee of approval.
• Applications for Certificate of Eligibility for new arrivals from overseas: Same as above. However, the Immigration Services Agency has clearly stated that it will prioritize processing changes of status of residence for residents in Japan, so substantial delays are expected for COE issuance.

Issue 4: Reassessing Specified Skilled Worker (ii) as an “Alternative Route”

Often overlooked, Specified Skilled Worker (ii) is not counted toward the expected acceptance ceiling. This treatment has been consistent since the system began in 2019.

In other words:

• Even if the SSW (i) ceiling of 50,000 in the food service sector is reached, transitioning to SSW (ii) in the food service sector avoids the ceiling restriction
• The SSW (ii) evaluation exam for the food service sector is being conducted; eligible sectors were expanded in 2023
• However, SSW (ii) requires “proficient skills,” along with at least two years of practical experience, passing the SSW (ii) evaluation exam, and Japanese language proficiency of JLPT N3 or above

Utilization Scenario for Registered Support Organizations

Foreign personnel who have stayed in Japan for three to four years as SSW (i) workers in food service are at the stage where transition to SSW (ii) should be considered. Transitioning to SSW (ii) means:

• No upper limit on the period of stay; renewals possible
• Family accompaniment permitted
• Support obligations by registered support organizations no longer apply, meaning support fee revenue for registered support organizations disappears

Issue 5: Predicting “the Next Sector to Stop” and Acting Ahead

The food service sector is the first sector in the Specified Skilled Worker system to reach its acceptance ceiling in the form of a full-scale long-term suspension. There was a precedent in 2022 when the industrial machinery manufacturing sector temporarily stopped after exceeding its ceiling, but it was resolved in a short period through the integration of the three manufacturing sectors. However, other sectors face the same risk.

Sectors to Watch in Order of Utilization Rate

1. Food and Beverage Manufacturing (Utilization Rate Approx. 60%): Holds the largest number of residents and has a fast growth pace. Inflows from food service may accelerate this further. There is a risk that the ceiling issue will become apparent in two to three years.
2. Construction (Utilization Rate Approx. 54%): There are also limits based on the number of full-time employees at each company, so the sense of capacity pressure may be greater than the overall sector figures suggest.
3. Agriculture (Utilization Rate Approx. 45%): Because of seasonality, the annual utilization rate fluctuates, but the trend is upward.

Implications for Management Strategy of Registered Support Organizations

• Dependence on a single sector is a management risk. Registered support organizations that grew while specializing in food service are the most affected this time.
• A system capable of handling multiple sectors, including administrative scrivener networks, exam information, and customer bases, should be built at an early stage.
• The ability to manage applications across sectors within a system will determine the future competitiveness of registered support organizations.

Summary: Three Actions

This material was prepared based on publicly available information as of April 3, 2026. Please check information published by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan for the latest operational status.
This material is intended to provide general information and does not constitute legal advice. Please consult an administrative scrivener or other specialist for decisions on individual applications.