Japan unlikely to raise foreign-worker visa cap, minister says
Business groups want restrictions reconsidered, while the government plans changes for meal services in medical and welfare facilities.
Japan is unlikely to increase the limit on a visa program for workers in industries facing labor shortages, according to Kimi Onoda, the minister responsible for policies on foreign residents. Her comments come as business groups press the government to reconsider the restrictions, particularly for food service.
The food-service sector's limit under the Specified Skilled Workers (SSW) Type I category is 50,000 workers. The government stopped taking applications in April because it expected that ceiling to be reached, making the program a focus of debate within the industry.
With staffing shortages worsening, the government has said it plans to adjust the program to admit more foreign workers specifically for meal provision in medical facilities and welfare institutions. Those changes are intended to begin in April 2027.
