Japan Weighs Moving 300 Airport Workers to New Visa Program as Food-Service Cap Nears 50,000
Updated
Updated · The Japan Times · Sep 9
Japan Weighs Moving 300 Airport Workers to New Visa Program as Food-Service Cap Nears 50,000
3 articles · Updated · The Japan Times · Sep 9
Summary
Japan is considering adding airport ground handling to its Employment for Skill Development program, due to start in April 2027, by shifting 300 workers from the existing Specified Skilled Worker track.
The change would not raise overall foreign-worker intake: combined projections for the two programs would stay at about 1.23 million, even as the aviation sector's total need is estimated at 4,900 workers.
Officials said the aviation expansion would cover ground handling only, not aircraft maintenance, and similar classification changes are also under review in manufacturing, construction and fishery without altering headline intake estimates.
In food service, new Certificates of Eligibility for specified skilled workers were suspended from April 13 after applications neared the 50,000 ceiling; about 8,500 earlier filings are still being reviewed.
Those food-service applications will be processed in filing order as departures or status changes reopen slots, while residency-status change requests are being prioritized.