Technical intern training in Japan (TITP): requirements, costs, pay and the 2027 change
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.
Status as of 7 October 2026 Immigration Services Agency of Japan (出入国在留管理庁)
Summary
- Japan's Technical Intern Training (技能実習, TITP) is replaced by the Employment for Skill Development programme (育成就労) from 1 April 2027.
- Indonesian sending organisations must be recognised by the Indonesian government; the list on the OTIT website was updated on 29 September 2026.
- Interns and their families may not be charged a security deposit or bound by an agreement with penalties.
- As of 7 October 2026, Indonesia is not on the list of ESD cooperation memoranda on Japan's immigration website.
- At the end of 2025, Indonesia was the second largest country of origin of technical interns in Japan.
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On this page
- What are the requirements?
- What does it cost and who pays?
- How much does it pay?
- Which visa is used?
- What are the steps?
- Which schools or training lead to Japan?
- What changes on 1 April 2027?
- Can you apply for ESD from Indonesia yet?
- Who regulates technical internships in Indonesia?
- What are the warning signs of offers to Japan through this route?
| Route | Run by | Official link | Who pays placement costs | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technical Intern Training (TITP) 技能実習 · Technical Intern Training | Government-recognised internship sending organisation Immigration Services Agency of Japan | Official source | Through a government-recognised internship sending organisation. Check the programme-specific cost rules and written breakdown before paying. 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 Technical Intern Training (TITP)?
Placement channels from Indonesia for working in Japan through Technical Intern Training (TITP): Government-recognised internship sending organisation. Language tests asked for: 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.
- Placement channels from Indonesia
- Government-recognised internship sending organisation
- Job types
- Manufacturing, Construction, Agriculture, Fishery, Food processing, Nursing care, Building cleaning, and other trades on the technical intern training list
| Test | Level | CEFR equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| TITP nursing care, on entry to Japan | Equivalent to JLPT N4 | A2 |
| ESD (from 1 April 2027): JFT-Basic or JLPT N5 | A1 or higher, or an equivalent language course | A1 |
| ESD nursing care | A2.2 or higher | A2 |
What does working in Japan through Technical Intern Training (TITP) cost, and who pays?
The Technical Intern Training (TITP) route to Japan uses a government-recognised internship sending organisation. Costs follow this programme’s rules; check the written breakdown and the route-specific cost rules below before paying.
- Law 18/2017 Article 4(2) excludes students and overseas trainees from its definition of Indonesian migrant workers. Check the internship rules and this programme’s specific cost rules. Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id)
- Any request for money outside that document, in cash or to a personal account, is a red flag.
Cost rules for this route
- Security deposits and agreements with penalties: Prohibited. A training plan is approved only if the intern and family were not charged a deposit and not bound by penalty clauses. Sending organisations may not hold the intern's money or property under any name. Immigration Services Agency of Japan and Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
- Deductions from pay in Japan: Unfair deductions from an intern's pay are prohibited. Immigration Services Agency of Japan and Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
- Fees paid to sending organisations (ESD): For ESD, Japan uses cooperation memoranda with sending countries and mechanisms to keep the fees paid to sending organisations from being unduly high. Immigration Services Agency of Japan (出入国在留管理庁)
What is the minimum pay for working in Japan through Technical Intern Training (TITP)?
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.
| 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 |
Which visa do you need to work in Japan through Technical Intern Training (TITP)?
技能実習 (Technical Intern Training): the status of residence for technical interns. From 1 April 2027 it is replaced by the 育成就労 (Employment for Skill Development) status, except for interns entering under the transitional rules. Official source
What are the steps to work in Japan through Technical Intern Training (TITP)?
- Choose an internship programme from a sending organisation on the Indonesia list on the OTIT website, then check the LPK on Kemnaker's SIAPkerja.
- Go through selection and language and skills training in Indonesia as the sending organisation requires.
- The company and supervising organisation in Japan prepare a training plan that must be approved, then apply to Japanese immigration for a Certificate of Eligibility (COE).
- Once the COE is issued, apply for the visa at a Japanese embassy or consulate and depart. First-year interns take a course after arrival, including Japanese and labour rules.
- Training periods: stage 1 up to 1 year, stage 2 up to 2 years, stage 3 up to 2 years, up to 5 years in total.
- From 1 April 2027, the new ESD programme applies: 3 years of work with tests along the way up to SSW (i) level.
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 Technical Intern Training (TITP): LPK training institutes in Indonesia, Vocational high school (SMK) in Indonesia, BLK and BPVP, Language tests for working abroad.
- LPK training institutes in Indonesia: choosing a licensed one and spotting warning signs
- Vocational high school (SMK) in Indonesia: route to work, certificates and job centres
- BLK and BPVP: free government job training in Indonesia and how to register on Skillhub
- Language tests for working abroad: JFT-Basic, JLPT, EPS-TOPIK, IELTS, OET and telc
What changes on 1 April 2027?
From 1 April 2027, Japan replaces Technical Intern Training (TITP) with the Employment for Skill Development programme (ESD, 育成就労). The amending act was promulgated on 21 June 2024. ESD has a different aim: not skills transfer, but developing workers to SSW (i) level within 3 years in fields short of labour. According to the official ISA outline revised in July 2026, the differences are as follows.
| Item | TITP (until 31 March 2027) | ESD (from 1 April 2027) |
|---|---|---|
| Length | Up to 5 years (stages 1, 2 and 3) | 3 years, plus up to 1 year to retake tests |
| Japanese when starting work | Not required, except nursing care | A1 or higher, for example JFT-Basic or JLPT N5, or an equivalent course |
| Changing workplace | Basically not possible | Possible by own choice once field conditions are met |
| Sending organisation | Recognised or recommended by the sending country's government | Recognised or recommended by the sending country's government |
| Fields | Trades on the technical intern training list | 17 fields, close to the SSW fields |
Interns already in Japan on 1 April 2027 may finish under TITP rules. A training plan applied for before that date that starts within 3 months may still be approved.
Can you apply for ESD from Indonesia yet?
Not as of 7 October 2026. The ESD cooperation memoranda page on Japan's immigration website lists only Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Laos. ESD sending organisations must be recognised by the sending country's government under such a memorandum. Anyone selling ESD places now is selling a route that is not yet open to Indonesians. Watch official announcements from KP2MI, Kemnaker and Japanese immigration.
Who regulates technical internships in Indonesia?
Overseas apprenticeships are governed by Minister of Manpower Regulation PER.08/MEN/V/2008 on permits and organisation of overseas apprenticeships, which the Kemnaker legal database lists as in force on 7 October 2026. On the Japanese side, the two governments signed a technical intern training memorandum on 25 June 2019, and sending organisations recognised by the Indonesian government are listed on the OTIT website.
Indonesia's Law 18/2017 Article 4(2) says students and trainees abroad are not migrant workers under that law. So before you pay anything, ask for a written explanation of your status, the cost breakdown, and who covers insurance and the trip home.
What are the warning signs of offers to Japan through this route?
- The organisation offering an internship in Japan is not on the list of Indonesian sending organisations on the OTIT website.Organization for Technical Intern Training (外国人技能実習機構, OTIT)
- A recruiter promises departure under ESD (育成就労) now, although ESD only starts on 1 April 2027 and no ESD memorandum with Indonesia is listed as of 7 October 2026.Immigration Services Agency of Japan (出入国在留管理庁)
- You or your family are asked to hand over a deposit or other property as security, or to sign an agreement with penalties for going home early.Immigration Services Agency of Japan and Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
- You are asked to pay into a personal bank account with no written breakdown and no official receipt.Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id)
- You are offered a visit or tourist visa to work in Japan. Every country has a specific visa for working.Kementerian Luar Negeri RI
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Frequently asked questions
Can I still start Technical Intern Training after 1 April 2027?
According to the ISA, a technical intern training plan applied for before 1 April 2027 that starts within 3 months of that date may still be approved, so the intern can still enter as a technical intern. Interns already in Japan on that date may finish under the old rules.
How is TITP different from Employment for Skill Development (ESD)?
TITP lasts up to 5 years and interns basically cannot change workplace. ESD lasts 3 years to reach SSW (i) level, with tests along the way, and workers may change employer by their own choice once the conditions are met.
Does the LPK sending me have to be registered?
For Japanese technical intern training, the sending organisation must be on the list of organisations recognised by the Indonesian government on the OTIT website. Overseas apprenticeships are governed by Minister of Manpower Regulation PER.08/MEN/V/2008, which the Kemnaker legal database lists as in force. Also check the LPK on Kemnaker's SIAPkerja.
Are technical interns Indonesian migrant workers (PMI) under the law?
Law 18/2017 Article 4(2) says students and trainees abroad are not migrant workers under that law, while overseas apprenticeships fall under a separate Kemnaker regulation. That status decides which cost and protection rules apply to you, so ask the sending organisation to explain it in writing before you pay anything.
Who wrote and reviewed this page?
Sources
The facts on this page come from these sources. Dates show when we opened them.
- 外国人技能実習制度 (Technical Intern Training Program), Immigration Services Agency of Japan 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
- 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
- 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
- 育成就労に関する二国間の協力覚書 Immigration Services Agency of Japan (出入国在留管理庁) · accessed
- 育成就労制度 (Employment for Skill Development system), Immigration Services Agency of Japan Immigration Services Agency of Japan (出入国在留管理庁) · 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
- 送出国政府窓口と二国間取決め（技能実習） Organization for Technical Intern Training (外国人技能実習機構, OTIT) · accessed
- Permenakertrans Nomor PER.08/MEN/V/2008 tentang Tata Cara Perizinan dan Penyelenggaraan Pemagangan di Luar Negeri JDIH Kementerian Ketenagakerjaan · Permenakertrans PER.08/MEN/V/2008 · accessed
- SIAPkerja: Lembaga Pelatihan (Kemnaker) Kementerian Ketenagakerjaan RI · 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
- Undang-Undang Nomor 18 Tahun 2017 tentang Pelindungan Pekerja Migran Indonesia Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id) · UU 18/2017 · accessed
- 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
- Safe Travel Kemlu: tips bekerja di luar negeri Kementerian Luar Negeri RI · accessed
How to cite
KarirAman (2026). Technical intern training in Japan (TITP): requirements, costs, pay and the 2027 change. Updated 7 October 2026. https://kariraman.com/en/work-abroad/japan/technical-intern-training/
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