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On April 13, 2026, the new acceptance of Specified Skilled Worker (i) in the Food Service Industry field was, in principle, suspended. This necessitates a review of future recruitment plans for restaurant owners and HR personnel hiring foreign human resources in the food service industry. This article will clarify the background of the suspension, its scope of impact, exceptional cases, and actions companies should take now, from the perspective of immigration practice.
The Specified Skilled Worker system sets an “estimated number of acceptances (acceptance cap)” for each field. The cap for the Food Service Industry field was set at 50,000 people, but as of the end of February 2026, the number of residents reached approximately 46,000 (preliminary figure), making it foreseeable that the cap would be exceeded around May 2026.
Article 7-2, Paragraphs 3 and 4 of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (hereinafter, Immigration Control Act) stipulate that temporary suspension measures for the issuance of Certificates of Eligibility shall be taken when the number of residents is expected to exceed the estimated number of acceptances.
In response, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Immigration Services Agency announced their policy on March 27, 2026. Following a request from the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to the Minister of Justice (April 3, 2026), formal suspension measures were activated on April 13, 2026.
📅 Summary of Important Dates
(Reference: Immigration Services Agency “Regarding the Operation of the Acceptance Cap for Specified Skilled Worker in the ‘Food Service Industry Field'” March 27, Reiwa 8)
While the term “acceptance suspension” tends to precede the details, the scope of the suspension varies depending on the type of application. The following table clarifies this.
| Type of Application | Treatment from April 13, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Application for Certificate of Eligibility (new entry from overseas) | Non-issuance (for applications accepted on or after April 13) |
| Change of Status of Residence from another Status of Residence to Specified Skilled Worker (i) in the Food Service Industry | Generally denied |
| Change to Designated Activities related to the Food Service Industry (preparation for transition to Specified Skilled Worker (i)) | Denial (with some exceptions) |
| Application for Extension of Period of Stay for those already residing as Specified Skilled Worker (i) in the Food Service Industry | Reviewed as usual |
| Application accompanying job change within the Food Service Industry (change within the same field) | Reviewed as usual |
The suspension targets “new inflows.” It does not affect the renewal or job changes within the same field for foreign human resources already residing as Specified Skilled Worker (i) in the food service industry.
Applications for Extension of Period of Stay will be accepted as usual. If the employment relationship continues, renewal procedures can still be carried out. Furthermore, job changes within the same Food Service Industry field (including those requiring an application) will also be reviewed as usual.
⚠️ Those who need to be aware: If you are currently staying under another Status of Residence such as “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services” and were considering changing to “Specified Skilled Worker (i) in the Food Service Industry,” applications submitted on or after April 13, 2026, will be generally denied. If you were considering such a change, please consult our office.
Applications for Certificate of Eligibility (COE) will not be issued for those accepted on or after April 13, 2026. If you are currently aiming to enter Japan under Specified Skilled Worker (i) in the Food Service Industry, you will need to consider switching to an alternative Status of Residence (e.g., Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, etc.).
If you had planned new recruitment (calling from overseas or changing from another Status of Residence), hiring under Specified Skilled Worker (i) in the Food Service Industry will, in principle, not be possible during the suspension period. For cases where job offers have already been extended or recruitment processes were underway, prompt status confirmation and consideration of alternative plans are necessary.
There are no issues with continuing employment. Applications for Extension of Period of Stay can also be processed as usual. However, if current employees wish to change jobs, it is possible within the same field, but a separate procedure will be required if they wish to change to a different field.
🏢 3 Points Companies Should Confirm Immediately
There are some exceptions to the suspension measures. If any of the following apply, permission may be granted after review, within the scope of the estimated number of acceptances (case (1) will be processed preferentially).
📋 Those who have completed Technical Intern Training (meal preparation work for medical/welfare facilities) and are transitioning to Specified Skilled Worker (i) in the Food Service Industry
📋 Cases where individuals who have already received permission for Designated Activities related to the Food Service Industry (preparation for transition to Specified Skilled Worker (i)) transition to Specified Skilled Worker (i). Note that the condition of having applied for membership to the Food Service Industry Specified Skilled Worker Council by March 27, 2026 applies not to this exception, but to applications for a change to Designated Activities (preparation for transition to Specified Skilled Worker (i)) accepted before April 13, 2026.
⚠️ Even for these exceptional applications, it is explicitly stated in the Immigration Services Agency’s policy that the Status of Residence may be changed to Designated Activities (preparation for Specified Skilled Worker (i) transition) instead of Specified Skilled Worker (i), or to an Application for Extension of Period of Stay (extension allowed only once), depending on the number of residents at the time of permission.
While the suspension of acceptance is considered a “temporary measure” until the number of residents falls below the cap, as of the current date (May 2026), no specific date for lifting the suspension has been announced. Given the high demand for foreign talent in the food service industry, it is realistic for companies to consider the following alternative measures:
| Status of Residence / System | Overview | Points to Note |
|---|---|---|
| Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services | Work such as interpretation, translation, and sales | Does not include simple labor |
| Designated Activities No. 46 (Work utilizing Japanese language skills) | General administrative work utilizing Japanese language proficiency | Japanese Language Proficiency Test N1, etc., is required |
| Nurturing and Working System (Scheduled to start in April 2027) | Successor system to the Technical Intern Training system | Confirm details with relevant ministries and agencies |
| Technical Intern Training (Food Service Industry / Food and Beverage Manufacturing) | Training aimed at skill transfer | The current system will transition by the end of March 2027 |
💻 Preparation for Transition to the Nurturing and Working System: It has been decided that the Technical Intern Training system will transition to the Nurturing and Working System in April 2027. If the suspension of Specified Skilled Worker (i) acceptance in the food service industry continues, considering the establishment of a talent acquisition route through the Nurturing and Working System from now on could lead to securing human resources in the medium to long term.
The suspension of Specified Skilled Worker (Food Service Industry) acceptance is a significant system change that directly impacts foreign employment in the food service industry. To summarize, it is as follows:
We recommend consulting with an expert early regarding the review of Period of Stay management, application schedules, and changes to recruitment plans. Our office provides consultations on foreign employment, including in the food service industry, based on the latest system trends.
Our office provides consultations to both foreign individuals and accepting companies, based on the latest system trends.
Please feel free to use our free consultation service.
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For those who will apply for a status of residence at the Immigration Services Bureau by themselves. Before you submit, we check your application form and supporting documents and tell you about any missing documents and points to watch. We accept checks online (Google Meet, about 20 minutes) or via LINE.
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・If we find that a document contains information that is not true, or that the application is not your own (or a family member’s), we will decline the check.
This article is written based on publicly available information as of May 2026. Details of the system and implementation dates may change in the future. For actual applications, please refer to the official information from the Immigration Services Agency or contact our office.
Author of this article: Administrative Scrivener Satoshi Nakayama
Representative, Administrative Scrivener Corporation Miyazaki International Legal Office
Location: Miyazaki City, Miyazaki Prefecture
