Japan has stopped accepting new certificates of eligibility for foreign restaurant workers under its Type I Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) visa after the sector neared its 50,000-person cap, the country's Immigration Services Agency confirmed on April 14, 2026.

The freeze began on April 13, 2026, when the agency suspended issuing certificates for any Type I SSW applications filed in the food service industry. Applications submitted before that date will still be processed in order of receipt until the quota closes.

What does the rule change?

The food service sector is the first of the 19 sectors under the SSW programme to trigger the legal ceiling. The Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act requires the agency to halt certificate issuance once a sector approaches its cap.

Why now?

According to preliminary data, about 46,000 foreigners held Type I SSW status in food service work by the end of February 2026 — roughly 4,000 slots from the ceiling.

Which workers are affected?

Three groups face immediate impact:

• New external applicants to the Type I SSW food service track from abroad
• Existing SSW holders in other sectors requesting a job transfer into restaurants — these are not being accepted in principle from April 13
• Technical interns completing programmes in food service and seeking to convert to SSW status, although this group receives priority screening

What stays open?

The broader SSW programme remains active. In January 2026, Tokyo set a total ceiling of 805,700 specified skilled workers across 19 sectors — including nursing care, forestry and railways — to be admitted through March 2029. Sector caps reflect official estimates of staffing gaps.

What are the two visa types?

Type I permits a stay of up to five years. Type II allows unlimited renewals and provides a pathway to permanent residency. Japan's food service trigger applies only to Type I certificate issuance.

Why food service first?

"The food service industry was quicker to employ foreign skilled workers than in other sectors," an official at Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries told The Straits Times. However, "there is room for debate as to whether efforts to secure domestic talent, a prerequisite of the system, are being carried out to the fullest extent," the official added.

What is the programme's history?

Japan introduced the SSW programme in fiscal 2019 to address chronic labour shortages. The programme was expanded to its present 19-sector configuration in January 2026, with caps calibrated to projected staffing gaps in each field.

Applicants and employers should confirm certificate status directly with the Immigration Services Agency of Japan, which posts operational notices on its official website.