Starts April 1, 2027 — A1 Japanese before work, A2 within 3 years; employers must cover the courses
The Immigration Services Agency (ISA) has published a list (as of June 2026) showing which Japanese-language institutions can provide the training required under the Ikusei Shuro (Employment for Skill Development) system. The system starts operating on April 1, 2027, and includes built-in mechanisms for raising Japanese ability. Specifically, before starting work, an Ikusei Shuro foreign national must either pass a Japanese proficiency test at the A1 level of the "Reference Framework for Japanese Language Education" or complete an equivalent course (A1-equivalent training). In addition, before the three-year Ikusei Shuro period ends, they must take training aimed at reaching A2, the system's target level (A2-goal training). Crucially, the accepting company (the Ikusei Shuro implementer) and related parties are legally required to take measures to have workers receive this training, including bearing the cost. There is also flexibility on who may teach. In principle the course should be an "employment course" at a Certified Japanese Language Institution, but as a transitional measure for roughly five years after the Ikusei Shuro Act takes effect, courses taught by Registered Japanese Language Teachers are also accepted if they meet set conditions such as no more than 20 students per teacher. Institutions outside the certified category can therefore offer training through their registered teachers. The list is reference information, based on a survey, so that companies and supervising support organizations can arrange training smoothly.
For people working under Ikusei Shuro, Japanese study is not an optional extra — it is built into starting work and into the three-year stay. Because A1-level test success or A1-equivalent training is required before work begins, course scheduling will run alongside the job from soon after arrival. Importantly, the accepting company is obliged to take measures for this training, cost included, so you should not assume you must fund the courses entirely yourself. When signing a contract or receiving explanations, confirm which institution provides which course, when it will be held, and who pays. The transitional measure also means training can be provided outside certified institutions, so even in rural areas there may be a nearby institution or a registered teacher able to teach. Although the list is mainly reference material for employers, it is also a way to check who will provide your own training.
Japan's Immigration Services Agency published an 80-item Q&A on Ikusei Shuro, the work status starting April 1, 2027: three years of training toward Specified Skilled Worker (i) level, conditional worker-initiated transfers, and pre-launch filings from 2026.
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