Nursing Care Visa Strategy
Comparing the 3 routes: Care Worker qualification, EPA, and Specified Skilled Worker
There are multiple routes for foreign nationals to work in nursing care in Japan: ① Residence status 'Nursing Care' (passing the national care worker exam), ② Specified Skilled Worker 1 (nursing care field), ③ EPA (Economic Partnership Agreement) nursing care worker candidate, ④ transitioning from Technical Intern Training (nursing care) to Specified Skilled Worker. Requirements, stay periods, and career paths differ significantly between routes.
Who this is for: Foreign nationals wishing to work in nursing care and welfare in Japan. Nationals of EPA countries (Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam) have a special route available.
Case-by-Case Review Points & Strategies
Case 1: Working Under SSW 1 (Nursing Care)
Low RiskSituation
From Nepal, meeting SSW 1 (nursing care) requirements and wanting to work at a Japanese nursing care facility
Strategy
① Pass the nursing care skills evaluation test (for non-EPA countries). ② Pass a Japanese language test (JLPT N4+ or JFT-Basic). ③ Pass the Nursing Care Japanese Language Evaluation Test (an additional requirement only for the nursing care field). ④ Confirm requirements of the accepting facility (specified skilled worker organization). ⑤ Apply for a certificate of eligibility or status change.
Key Point: The nursing care field of SSW has more test requirements than other fields (3 tests: skills evaluation test + Japanese language test + Nursing Care Japanese Language Evaluation Test). Those who completed Technical Intern Training Level 2 are exempt from tests, but the Nursing Care Japanese Language Evaluation Test is not exempted.
Case 2: Coming to Japan as an EPA Candidate (Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam)
ModerateSituation
Coming from the Philippines to Japan as an EPA nursing care worker candidate, working at a facility while aiming to pass the national exam
Strategy
EPA candidates are selected and matched through government processes. Rather than individual applications, this goes through JICWELS (Japan International Corporation of Welfare Services). If the national exam is not passed within 3 years (nurses) or 4 years (care workers) of arriving in Japan, repatriation is required. Parallel study of Japanese language and professional knowledge is important.
Key Point: After coming to Japan as an EPA candidate and passing the national care worker exam, you can change to the 'Nursing Care' residence status (no work restrictions) and work in Japan indefinitely. This is the most stable career path.
Common Mistakes & Pitfalls
SSW (Nursing Care) has the same cumulative 5-year stay limit as the other 12 fields. Since obtaining the care worker qualification allows changing to a 'Nursing Care' visa (no limit), it is strongly recommended to prepare for the care worker exam in parallel while working under SSW.
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