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Working in Japan as an EPA nurse or care worker candidate: requirements, costs and visa

Written by KarirAman editorial team Approved by Kaiser Khan (editor), Updated and verified

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.

Status as of 8 October 2026 Kementerian Pelindungan Pekerja Migran Indonesia (KP2MI)

Summary

  • The EPA programme is KP2MI's government-to-government placement of nurse (kangoshi) and care worker (kaigofukushishi) candidates to Japan.
  • Nurse candidates need a nursing degree or diploma, an STR registration and at least 2 years of nursing experience since the STR was issued.
  • You can only register through your own Sisko P2MI account, and you must verify your documents in person at a BP3MI or P4MI office.
  • In Japan, JICWELS is the only organisation that coordinates the acceptance of EPA candidates.
  • Since the amended Indonesia-Japan EPA took effect in August 2026, candidates from Indonesia may stay up to 5 years.
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On this page
  1. What are the requirements?
  2. What does it cost and who pays?
  3. How much does it pay?
  4. Which visa is used?
  5. What are the steps?
  6. Which schools or training lead to Japan?
  7. How do nurse and care worker candidates differ?
  8. How long can EPA candidates stay in Japan?
  9. Which documents do you need?
  10. What are the warning signs of offers to Japan through this route?
Official routes, who runs them, and their legal basis
Route Run by Official link Who pays placement costs Legal basis
EPA programme for nurse and care worker candidates (G to G) 経済連携協定（EPA）に基づく外国人看護師・介護福祉士候補者 · Foreign nurse and certified care worker candidates under the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) G to G (government to government) Ministry of Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection (KP2MI) Official source The employer bears placement costs; you pay only the components officially announced for this programme, such as exam fees. Everything else stays with the employer. See the cost rules Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id) Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id)

See this route in the comparison table

What do you need to work in Japan through EPA programme for nurse and care worker candidates (G to G)?

Placement channels from Indonesia for working in Japan through EPA programme for nurse and care worker candidates (G to G): G to G (government to government). Age limits: at least 18 years. Language tests asked for: 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.

Placement channels from Indonesia
G to G (government to government)
Age
at least 18 years
Job types
Nurse candidate (kangoshi) at a hospital, Care worker candidate (kaigofukushishi) at an elderly care facility
Language tests
TestLevelCEFR equivalent
Japanese certificate equivalent to JLPT N5 from a licensed course providerRequired when registeringA1
6-month Japanese training in IndonesiaMust pass at N4 equivalent from the Japan FoundationA2

What does working in Japan through EPA programme for nurse and care worker candidates (G to G) cost, and who pays?

On the EPA programme for nurse and care worker candidates (G to G) route to Japan, the employer bears placement costs and you pay only the components officially announced for this programme. The details are in the cost rules below.

  1. Law 18/2017 Article 30(1): Indonesian migrant workers may not be charged placement costs. Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id)
  2. Ministerial Regulation P2MI 17/2025: the employer bears placement costs. A worker may be charged only costs that are written and itemised in the Placement Agreement. Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id)
  3. Any request for money outside that document, in cash or to a personal account, is a red flag.

Cost rules for this route

  • Costs charged to you: Training, visa, tickets, medical checks and the passport are placement-cost components that Article 2(6) puts on the employer. An exception is lawful only if Article 3 allows it and it is written in the Placement Agreement. Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id)
  • E-KPMI card: Issuing and extending the E-KPMI is free of charge under Ministerial Regulation P2MI 34/2025 Article 10. Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id)

What is the minimum pay for working in Japan through EPA programme for nurse and care worker candidates (G to G)?

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.

Official floor
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
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)

Which visa do you need to work in Japan through EPA programme for nurse and care worker candidates (G to G)?

特定活動 (Designated Activities): the status of residence for EPA nurse and care worker candidates while they work and study at the host facility towards Japan's national exam. Official source

What are the steps to work in Japan through EPA programme for nurse and care worker candidates (G to G)?

  1. Watch the G to G Japan announcements on the KP2MI website. For batch 20 (placement in 2027), registration ran from 1 February to 28 May 2026.
  2. Open a Sisko P2MI account, choose the G to G Japan vacancy as a nurse or care worker, and upload your documents. You receive an application letter with a QR code.
  3. Go in person to the BP3MI or P4MI office you chose to have your original documents verified. No one else can do this for you.
  4. Take the basic Japanese test, the psychological test, the medical checks and the interview on the dates in the KP2MI announcements.
  5. Go through matching with a hospital or facility in Japan. Candidates who withdraw after passing matching cannot rejoin this programme for 2 years.
  6. Complete 6 months of Japanese training in Indonesia up to N4 level, then attend OPP and depart. Further training follows in Japan before work starts.
  7. Work and study at the host facility with Designated Activities status while preparing for Japan's national nursing or care worker exam.

The order and timings are editor estimates, not promises.

Which schools or training lead to Japan?

The education and training routes linked to working in Japan through EPA programme for nurse and care worker candidates (G to G): D3 vocational diploma in Indonesia, Bachelor's degree (S1) in Indonesia, Language tests for working abroad.

How do nurse and care worker candidates differ?

Nurse candidates work in hospitals and prepare for Japan's national nursing exam (看護師国家試験), while care worker candidates work in elderly care facilities and prepare for the national care worker exam (介護福祉士国家試験). The requirements in KP2MI's batch 20 announcement (placement in 2027) are as follows.

Requirements for EPA nurse and care worker candidates (KP2MI batch 20 announcement)
RequirementNurse (kangoshi)Care worker (kaigofukushishi)
Age18 or older18 or older
EducationD3, D4 or S1 in nursing plus the Ners professional programmeD3, D4 or S1 in nursing, or a non-nursing D3 with a care worker training certificate
Professional registrationSTR in Indonesian and EnglishNot stated
Work experienceAt least 2 years in total as a nurse since the STR was issuedNot stated
JapaneseCertificate equivalent to JLPT N5Certificate equivalent to JLPT N5

According to MHLW, the annual quota per country is 200 nurse candidates and 300 care worker candidates.

How long can EPA candidates stay in Japan?

According to MHLW, nurse candidates could originally stay up to 3 years and care worker candidates up to 4 years. For Indonesia, the limit became up to 5 years for both after the amended Indonesia-Japan EPA took effect in August 2026. Candidates who pass the national exam can keep working in Japan.

Which documents do you need?

KP2MI's batch 20 announcement asks for an e-KTP, a passport if you already have one, the job-seeker card (AK1), your diploma and transcript in Indonesian and English, written permission from a parent, guardian or spouse acknowledged by the lurah or village head, a valid police clearance (SKCK), a health certificate, a photo, several signed statements on stamped paper and the application form. You must hold a passport once you pass matching. Guides to getting a passport, an SKCK and visas are in the Related guides section below.

What are the warning signs of offers to Japan through this route?

  • Someone offers a special EPA route through an LPK or an individual for a fee. EPA registration is only through your own Sisko P2MI account, with in-person document checks at BP3MI or P4MI.
  • A recruiter claims they can add your name to a batch whose registration has already closed.
  • A Japanese N5 certificate is sold by a course provider without a licence from the district labour or education office.Kementerian Pelindungan Pekerja Migran Indonesia (KP2MI)
  • A recruiter claims to be an EPA placement agent in Japan. In Japan, JICWELS is the only organisation that coordinates EPA candidates.Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan (厚生労働省)
  • Someone asks for cash or a transfer to a personal account that is not written in the Placement Agreement.Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id)

How to check a P3MI agency in 5 steps Learn the signs of trafficking through job offers

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Not legal advice. Always check SISKOP2MI before you sign up.

Frequently asked questions

When does the next EPA batch open?

Registration for batch 20 (placement in 2027) has closed; according to KP2MI it ran from 1 February to 28 May 2026. As of 8 October 2026 the latest notice was the batch 20 interview (3 August 2026), and registration for the next batch had not been announced. Watch the G to G Japan page of the KP2MI website and Sisko P2MI; KarirAman does not guess the date.

Can a non-nursing D3 graduate apply as a care worker?

Yes, according to the batch 20 announcement, provided they hold a care worker training certificate from a training institution. An SSW programme certificate cannot replace the care worker training certificate.

Are EPA candidates paid like Japanese workers?

According to Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), the candidate's contract with the host facility is an employment contract. Pay must be equal to or higher than a Japanese worker in the same position, and Japanese labour and social insurance law applies.

What happens if I withdraw after passing matching?

According to the KP2MI batch 20 announcement, a candidate who withdraws after passing matching cannot join the G to G Japan programme for 2 years.

Who wrote and reviewed this page?

Written by KarirAman editorial team Published Updated

Prepared with AI assistance. Checked against official sources and approved for publication by Kaiser Khan (editor). Approval date: .

Sources

The facts on this page come from these sources. Dates show when we opened them.

  1. 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
  2. G to G Jepang: Pengumuman (KP2MI) Kementerian Pelindungan Pekerja Migran Indonesia (KP2MI) · accessed
  3. 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
  4. 経済連携協定（EPA）に基づく外国人看護師・介護福祉士候補者の受入れ概要 Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan (厚生労働省) · accessed
  5. 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
  6. 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
  7. Undang-Undang Nomor 18 Tahun 2017 tentang Pelindungan Pekerja Migran Indonesia Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id) · UU 18/2017 · accessed
  8. Peraturan Menteri P2MI/Kepala BP2MI Nomor 17 Tahun 2025 tentang Biaya Penempatan Pekerja Migran Indonesia Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id) · Permen P2MI 17/2025 · accessed
  9. Peraturan Menteri P2MI/Kepala BP2MI Nomor 2 Tahun 2026 tentang Tata Cara Penempatan Pekerja Migran Indonesia oleh Pelaksana Penempatan Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id) · Permen P2MI 2/2026 · accessed
  10. Peraturan Menteri P2MI/Kepala BP2MI Nomor 34 Tahun 2025 tentang Kartu Pekerja Migran Indonesia Elektronik Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id) · Permen P2MI 34/2025 · accessed
  11. Kementerian P2MI/BP2MI: beranda dan kontak pengaduan Kementerian Pelindungan Pekerja Migran Indonesia/BP2MI · accessed
How to cite

KarirAman (2026). Working in Japan as an EPA nurse or care worker candidate: requirements, costs and visa. Updated 8 October 2026. https://kariraman.com/en/work-abroad/japan/epa-nurse-care-worker/

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Change log
  • : Added the dated status of the next batch from KP2MI notices.