Politics · Japan · 1 hr ago
Japan considers separate quota to restart foreign meal-service worker intake
Japan has stopped accepting new applications for foreign workers in food service after the sector nearly reached its quota.
The pause covers meal preparation jobs at restaurants as well as at hospitals, care facilities and schools.
These workers come under Japan’s Specified Skilled Worker program, which brings in workers for industries facing serious labor shortages.
The government is considering counting workers who prepare meals at institutions under the food and beverage manufacturing quota, which still has room.
New intake for restaurants and other eating and drinking businesses would remain suspended.
The government plans to present the proposal to an expert panel within the month and aims to make a Cabinet decision by the end of the year.
If approved, it plans to resume accepting meal-service workers for institutions.
Japan is considering a separate quota arrangement to resume accepting foreign workers for meal preparation at hospitals, welfare facilities and schools.
The workers are currently counted under the food service sector of the Specified Skilled Worker (i) program.
Japan suspended new food service applications after the sector approached its cap of 50,000 workers.
The government plans to present a quota merger proposal to an expert panel within the month and aims for a Cabinet decision by year’s end.
New intake for restaurants and other eating and drinking establishments would remain suspended.
- Who
- The Japanese government is considering the change; affected workers are foreign meal preparation workers.
- What
- It plans to combine meal preparation at institutions with the food and beverage manufacturing field’s quota to resume intake. Restaurant intake would remain suspended.
- When
- The government plans to present the proposal within the month and aims to make a Cabinet decision by the end of 2026.
- Where
- Japan.
- Why
- The food service sector reached its acceptance cap, while medical and welfare facilities have appealed over severe labor shortages.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The government set a Specified Skilled Worker (i) acceptance cap of 805,700 through the end of fiscal 2028, including 50,000 for food service.
The Immigration Services Agency announced it would stop accepting new food service applications from April 13, citing expectations that the sector would exceed its cap.
The suspension of new food service applications took effect.
The food service sector had 49,290 Specified Skilled Worker (i) residents, or 98.6% of its quota.
The government plans to present its quota merger proposal to an expert panel.
The government aims to make a Cabinet decision and resume accepting meal preparation workers.
- Food service quota
- 50,000 workers
- Food service residents
- 49,290 at the end of July, or 98.6% of the quota
- Food and beverage manufacturing quota
- 133,500 workers
- Food and beverage manufacturing residents
- 101,922
- Overall Specified Skilled Worker (i) cap
- 805,700 through the end of fiscal 2028
Sources
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