Working in Japan through legal routes
Indonesians can work in Japan through SSW, technical intern training, the EPA nurse programme or the engineer visa. Ages, language and minimum wage.
Summary
- Legal routes to work in Japan for Indonesians include SSW, technical intern training, the EPA nurse and care worker programme, and the specialist visa.
- Since 13 April 2026, new Certificate of Eligibility applications for SSW food service have not been granted.
- From 1 April 2027, Technical Intern Training (TITP) is replaced by the Employment for Skill Development programme (育成就労).
- Japan sets minimum wages per prefecture; the fiscal 2026 rates take effect between 1 October and 2 December 2026.
- Under Indonesia's Law 18/2017 Article 30(1), Indonesian migrant workers may not be charged placement costs.
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On this page
Which legal work routes exist for Japan?
- Routes we cover
- 4
- Routes marked Open
- 4
- Status last checked
| Route | Status | Age | Language tests | Who pays placement costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services (Gijinkoku) | Open Status as of 7 October 2026 | Not stated | Proof of working-language ability (category 3 and 4 employers, jobs mainly using language): CEFR B2 equivalent; for Japanese, JLPT N2 or higher counts | Through a P3MI: the employer. Independent applications: check this route’s cost rules. |
| EPA programme for nurse and care worker candidates (G to G) | Open Status as of 8 October 2026 | at least 18 years | Japanese certificate equivalent to JLPT N5 from a licensed course provider: Required when registering; 6-month Japanese training in Indonesia: Must pass at N4 equivalent from the Japan Foundation | The employer; the worker pays official programme fees |
| Specified Skilled Worker (i) | Open Status as of 7 October 2026 | at least 18 years | Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese (JFT-Basic): Pass at the required level; Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT): N4 or higher | Through a P3MI: the employer. Independent applications: check this route’s cost rules. |
| Technical Intern Training (TITP) | Open Status as of 7 October 2026 | Not stated | TITP nursing care, on entry to Japan: Equivalent to JLPT N4; ESD (from 1 April 2027): JFT-Basic or JLPT N5: A1 or higher, or an equivalent language course; ESD nursing care: A2.2 or higher | Under the internship programme’s rules and written cost breakdown |
Compare with other routes to work abroad
- Open Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services (Gijinkoku) Open. Since 15 April 2026, category 3 and 4 employers must attach proof of CEFR B2-level language ability if your job mainly uses language to serve people.
- Open EPA programme for nurse and care worker candidates (G to G) KP2MI runs the G to G programme in batches. Registration for batch 20 (placement in 2027) closed on 28 May 2026; as of 8 October 2026 the next batch had not been announced.
- Open Specified Skilled Worker (i) Open in most fields. Food service: no new COEs since 13 April 2026. Logistics warehousing and resource circulation open only once their additional rules take effect.
- Open Technical Intern Training (TITP) Running until it is replaced by Employment for Skill Development (育成就労) on 1 April 2027. As of 7 October 2026, Indonesia is not on the list of ESD cooperation memoranda.
Which route suits you?
The right route depends on your education, experience and Japanese. As of 7 October 2026, KarirAman covers four legal routes, each run by a different body on the Indonesian side.
| Route | Who it is for | Indonesian placement channel |
|---|---|---|
| Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) (i) | Age 18 or older, passed a field skills test and a Japanese test | A licensed P3MI, or independently with a legal-entity employer |
| Technical Intern Training (TITP), until 31 March 2027 | Interns in trades on the technical intern training list | Sending organisations recognised by the Indonesian government (listed on the OTIT website) |
| EPA nurse and care worker programme | Nursing graduates, or D3 graduates with a care worker certificate; nurses also need an STR and 2 years of experience | KP2MI (G to G) |
| Specialist visa (Gijinkoku) | Graduates or experienced staff in engineering, humanities or foreign-culture work | Independently or through a licensed P3MI |
What is the minimum wage in Japan?
Japan sets minimum wages per prefecture, not one national figure. For fiscal 2026, the lowest hourly minimum is in Miyazaki and the highest in Tokyo, and each prefecture has its own effective date between 1 October and 2 December 2026. Before that date, the old rate still applies. These are official floors, not offered wages, and they are before tax, social insurance and dormitory deductions.
| Area or group | Official floor | Approximate rupiah value |
|---|---|---|
| Miyazaki Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Miyazaki prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,085 per hour JPY 1,023 still applies before 24 October 2026 In force from | about IDR 122,702 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Kochi Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Kochi prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,086 per hour JPY 1,023 still applies before 29 October 2026 In force from | about IDR 122,815 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Okinawa Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Okinawa prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,086 per hour JPY 1,023 still applies before 2 December 2026 In force from | about IDR 122,815 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Nagasaki Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Nagasaki prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,087 per hour JPY 1,031 still applies before 2 November 2026 In force from | about IDR 122,928 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Aomori Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Aomori prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,090 per hour JPY 1,029 still applies before 29 October 2026 In force from | about IDR 123,268 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Iwate Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Iwate prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,090 per hour JPY 1,031 still applies before 1 December 2026 In force from | about IDR 123,268 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Akita Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Akita prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,090 per hour JPY 1,031 still applies before 14 October 2026 In force from | about IDR 123,268 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Tottori Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Tottori prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,090 per hour In force from | about IDR 123,268 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Kagoshima Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Kagoshima prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,090 per hour JPY 1,026 still applies before 25 October 2026 In force from | about IDR 123,268 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Yamagata Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Yamagata prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,092 per hour JPY 1,032 still applies before 30 October 2026 In force from | about IDR 123,494 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Shimane Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Shimane prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,092 per hour JPY 1,033 still applies before 10 October 2026 In force from | about IDR 123,494 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Kagawa Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Kagawa prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,092 per hour In force from | about IDR 123,494 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Kumamoto Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Kumamoto prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,092 per hour JPY 1,034 still applies before 1 December 2026 In force from | about IDR 123,494 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Ehime Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Ehime prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,093 per hour JPY 1,033 still applies before 1 November 2026 In force from | about IDR 123,607 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Fukushima Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Fukushima prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,094 per hour JPY 1,033 still applies before 16 October 2026 In force from | about IDR 123,720 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Saga Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Saga prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,095 per hour JPY 1,030 still applies before 15 November 2026 In force from | about IDR 123,833 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Oita Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Oita prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,096 per hour JPY 1,035 still applies before 1 November 2026 In force from | about IDR 123,946 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Miyagi Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Miyagi prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,098 per hour In force from | about IDR 124,172 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Wakayama Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Wakayama prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,101 per hour In force from | about IDR 124,512 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Yamaguchi Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Yamaguchi prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,101 per hour In force from | about IDR 124,512 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Tokushima Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Tokushima prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,103 per hour JPY 1,046 still applies before 1 November 2026 In force from | about IDR 124,738 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Okayama Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Okayama prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,104 per hour In force from | about IDR 124,851 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Nara Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Nara prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,107 per hour In force from | about IDR 125,190 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Niigata Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Niigata prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,108 per hour In force from | about IDR 125,303 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Fukui Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Fukui prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,112 per hour In force from | about IDR 125,756 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Ishikawa Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Ishikawa prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,113 per hour In force from | about IDR 125,869 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Yamanashi Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Yamanashi prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,113 per hour JPY 1,052 still applies before 1 November 2026 In force from | about IDR 125,869 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Fukuoka Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Fukuoka prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,114 per hour In force from | about IDR 125,982 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Nagano Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Nagano prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,117 per hour In force from | about IDR 126,321 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Toyama Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Toyama prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,119 per hour In force from | about IDR 126,547 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Gunma Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Gunma prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,120 per hour In force from | about IDR 126,660 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Gifu Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Gifu prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,121 per hour In force from | about IDR 126,773 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Tochigi Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Tochigi prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,125 per hour In force from | about IDR 127,226 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Hokkaido Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Hokkaido prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,131 per hour In force from | about IDR 127,904 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Ibaraki Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Ibaraki prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,136 per hour JPY 1,074 still applies before 18 October 2026 In force from | about IDR 128,470 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Shiga Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Shiga prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,136 per hour In force from | about IDR 128,470 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Hiroshima Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Hiroshima prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,141 per hour JPY 1,085 still applies before 11 October 2026 In force from | about IDR 129,035 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Mie Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Mie prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,143 per hour In force from | about IDR 129,261 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Shizuoka Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Shizuoka prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,154 per hour JPY 1,097 still applies before 15 October 2026 In force from | about IDR 130,505 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Hyogo Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Hyogo prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,172 per hour In force from | about IDR 132,541 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Kyoto Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Kyoto prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,180 per hour JPY 1,122 still applies before 16 November 2026 In force from | about IDR 133,446 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Chiba Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Chiba prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,195 per hour In force from | about IDR 135,142 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Aichi Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Aichi prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,195 per hour In force from | about IDR 135,142 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Saitama Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Saitama prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,196 per hour In force from | about IDR 135,255 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Osaka Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Osaka prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,231 per hour In force from | about IDR 139,213 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Kanagawa Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Kanagawa prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,279 per hour In force from | about IDR 144,641 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| Tokyo Applies to: Regional hourly minimum wage of Tokyo prefecture for fiscal year 2026 | JPY 1,280 per hour In force from | about IDR 144,755 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan (厚生労働省)
How can you check that a job offer in Japan is legal?
Check three things before you pay or hand over documents. First, the P3MI must be listed as Aktif on SISKOP2MI and must not be on the administrative sanctions list. Second, the vacancy must appear on the SISKOP2MI vacancy list for Japan, or in KP2MI's G to G announcements for the EPA programme. Third, for technical intern training, the sending organisation must be on the Indonesia list on the OTIT website. Paste the offer text into Check a job to see common warning signs.
Which official channels can you contact?
-
Ministry for the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (KP2MI)
Overseas recruitment, illegal agents and migrant-worker protection
-
Licensed agency (P3MI) list on SISKOP2MI
Check a licensed migrant-worker placement agency and its status
-
Official overseas job orders on SISKOP2MI
Official job orders for migrant workers
-
Peduli WNI (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
Help for Indonesian citizens in trouble or danger abroad
+62-812-9007-0027WhatsApp +62-812-9007-0027 peduliwni.kemlu.go.id
Frequently asked questions
Which is the fastest route to work in Japan?
No route can be promised as fast. Timing depends on language study, test dates, selection and the Certificate of Eligibility process. The EPA programme, for example, runs in batches: registration for batch 19 opened in March 2025 and its departures were announced in June 2026.
Where can I find official job vacancies in Japan?
Official vacancies are on KP2MI's SISKOP2MI vacancy list, which can be filtered by destination country, including Japan. For the EPA programme, announcements are on the G to G Japan page of the KP2MI website.
Is there a maximum age for working in Japan?
Age limits differ by route. SSW requires a minimum age of 18 and official ISA material states no maximum. For the EPA programme, KP2MI's batch 20 announcement only sets a minimum age of 18. Individual vacancies may set their own limits, so check the official announcement.
Which language tests do you need to work in Japan?
The language tests the legal routes to Japan ask for: Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services (Gijinkoku): Proof of working-language ability (category 3 and 4 employers, jobs mainly using language): CEFR B2 equivalent; for Japanese, JLPT N2 or higher counts; EPA programme for nurse and care worker candidates (G to G): Japanese certificate equivalent to JLPT N5 from a licensed course provider: Required when registering; 6-month Japanese training in Indonesia: Must pass at N4 equivalent from the Japan Foundation; Specified Skilled Worker (i): Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese (JFT-Basic): Pass at the required level; Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT): N4 or higher; Technical Intern Training (TITP): TITP nursing care, on entry to Japan: Equivalent to JLPT N4; ESD (from 1 April 2027): JFT-Basic or JLPT N5: A1 or higher, or an equivalent language course; ESD nursing care: A2.2 or higher.
Which visa do you need to work in Japan?
The legal routes to Japan use these visas or permits: Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services (Gijinkoku): 技術・人文知識・国際業務 (Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services); EPA programme for nurse and care worker candidates (G to G): 特定活動 (Designated Activities); Specified Skilled Worker (i): 特定技能1号 (Specified Skilled Worker (i)); Technical Intern Training (TITP): 技能実習 (Technical Intern Training). Apply only through the destination government's official website or its mission.
What is the minimum wage for working in Japan?
The official minimum wage in Japan differs by area: lowest JPY 1,023 per hour in Miyazaki and highest JPY 1,280 per hour in Tokyo (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan (厚生労働省)). These are floors, not offered wages; the rate where you work applies.
Who wrote and reviewed this page?
Sources
The facts on this page come from these sources. Dates show when we opened them.
- Undang-Undang Nomor 18 Tahun 2017 tentang Pelindungan Pekerja Migran Indonesia Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id) · UU 18/2017 · accessed
- 特定技能制度 (Specified Skilled Worker system), Immigration Services Agency of Japan Immigration Services Agency of Japan (出入国在留管理庁) · accessed
- Initiatives to Accept Foreign Nationals and for the Realization of Society of Harmonious Coexistence: Specified Skilled Worker System (explanatory material) Immigration Services Agency of Japan · accessed
- 特定技能「外食業分野」における在留資格認定証明書交付の一時停止措置について Immigration Services Agency of Japan (出入国在留管理庁) · accessed
- Outline of Employment for Skill Development Program (English, revised July 2026) Immigration Services Agency of Japan (出入国在留管理庁) · accessed
- 外国人技能実習制度について (令和8年8月14日改訂版) Immigration Services Agency of Japan and Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare · accessed
- 外国政府認定送出機関一覧（技能実習） Organization for Technical Intern Training (外国人技能実習機構, OTIT) · accessed
- インドネシア、フィリピン及びベトナムからの外国人看護師・介護福祉士候補者の受入れについて Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan (厚生労働省) · accessed
- G to G Jepang: Pengumuman (KP2MI) Kementerian Pelindungan Pekerja Migran Indonesia (KP2MI) · accessed
- Pengumuman Pendaftaran Penempatan Calon Kandidat PMI Nurse (Kangoshi) dan Careworker (Kaigofukushishi) Program G to G ke Jepang Batch 20 Penempatan Tahun 2027 Kementerian Pelindungan Pekerja Migran Indonesia (KP2MI) · accessed
- 在留資格「技術・人文知識・国際業務」 Immigration Services Agency of Japan (出入国在留管理庁) · accessed
- 令和8年度 地域別最低賃金 全国一覧 Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan (厚生労働省) · accessed
- SISKOP2MI: Profil Lembaga P3MI, detail dan daftar sanksi administratif KP2MI/BP2MI (SISKOP2MI) · accessed
- SISKOP2MI: Daftar Lowongan KP2MI/BP2MI (SISKOP2MI) · accessed
How to cite
KarirAman (2026). Working in Japan through legal routes. Updated 7 October 2026. https://kariraman.com/en/work-abroad/japan/
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