Japan halts Specified Skilled Worker applications as 50,000 cap nears April 13

Japan halts new restaurant SSW applications as 50,000 cap nears

Japan suspended new intake for the Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) Type 1 visa in the food service field for applications filed on or after April 13, 2026, the Immigration Services Agency confirmed. The freeze covers both Certificates of Eligibility for applicants abroad and most status-change requests inside Japan.

The five-year plan running April 2024 through March 2029 set a ceiling of roughly 50,000 workers for the restaurant sector. About 46,000 foreign nationals were already employed in the field by late February 2026, putting the cap on track to be hit by May. It's the first time a sector quota has triggered a halt since the SSW program began.

The Organization for Evaluation of Foreigners in the Food Industry has also suspended bookings for the food service skills test, both inside Japan and overseas, until further notice. Officials said issuance could resume once worker numbers drop back below the threshold, though no reopening date has been set.

Who feels the squeeze

The pause hits prospective cooks, servers and other restaurant staff hoping to enter Japan under SSW(1), along with students and technical interns planning to switch into the food service track. Test-takers preparing for the restaurant skills exam are blocked from booking sessions.

Workers already holding SSW(1) restaurant status can stay, renew within existing rules and, in narrow cases, change employers within the field. Tourists, short-term visitors and remote workers on visa-free entry aren't affected. Holders of other work statuses, including Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, Highly Skilled Professional and SSW fields like nursing care, agriculture and construction, can apply as normal.

Workarounds for would-be applicants

Food and beverage manufacturing remains open under a separate SSW quota and its skills tests are still running. Several other SSW sectors aren't projected to hit their caps until around 2028, per Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries figures.

Standard immigration filing fees haven't changed; the issue is that food service applications simply won't be processed. Applicants already mid-process should confirm filing dates with their employer or support organization, because submissions logged before April 13 may still move forward.

Read our full Japan guide for the complete picture and check our latest visa updates for sector reopening news.