What Are the Record-Keeping and Reporting Obligations in Employment for Skill Development? How to Fill In Logs and Management Records

First, let us check the types of records that host companies must keep. Let us also understand how they differ from the documents prepared by the Supervising and Support Organization.

Point 1: Organize the host company's records

An implementing organization for Employment for Skill Development (育成就労実施者) means a host company or other organization that has foreign nationals work under Employment for Skill Development. Article 39 of the Enforcement Regulations sets out the following records and documents.

• Register of foreign nationals: A document for managing each person's information, employment conditions, and other details.
• Register of the plan's implementation status: A document for checking whether the approved plan is being carried out.
• Employment for Skill Development log: A document for recording the work actually performed and the guidance given.
• Training implementation records: Records of pre-entry and post-entry training (入国後講習) kept by sole-type implementing organizations.
• Field-specific documents: Required when additionally specified in the public notice for the relevant field.

The record for managing each person's information includes residence information, plan approval information, and other details. It also includes résumés, employment contracts, and documents showing working conditions.

Point 2: Distinguish between the responsibilities of the company and the organization

A Supervising and Support Organization is an organization that audits host companies and supports foreign nationals. Under Article 70 of the Enforcement Regulations, it keeps its own records separately from the company.

These include a register of supervision and support fees and records of consultations and the responses given. Even if the company shares documents with the organization, the company's obligation to keep records remains.

This article mainly explains the basic records of host companies that directly employ workers. For dispatch and similar arrangements, please also check the division of roles in the operational guidelines.

You can check how the system is positioned in the basic guide to the Employment for Skill Development System (育成就労制度).

When preparing records, first sort out the types of documents and who prepares each one.

The journal is a document that records the work carried out and the guidance given. Here we go through the order of filling it in, following the official reference form.

Step ①: Check the items for the target persons and the plan

Reference Form No. 4-3 includes a list on a separate sheet showing the target persons. Enter information such as each foreign national's name and Employment for Skill Development period.

The notes on the form state that if the Employment for Skill Development period, the work assigned, or similar details differ, separate journals should be kept.

In the column to the right of the work column, enter the number of the relevant content column in the Employment for Skill Development implementation plan. The Operational Guidelines also require that the implementation status of the mandatory work be recorded in concrete terms.

Step ②: Write the work and guidance in concrete terms

The main columns of the journal are the date, the work, the content of guidance, and the instructor's name. The example below is a fictional one, assuming the work in question is included in the certified plan.

Entries such as "regular work" or "guidance given" alone make it hard to look back on what was done. Keep records that show what was done and what was taught.

Step ③: Check the actual results and record them

The editorial team recommends filling in the journal while the guidance is still fresh in your memory. Do not simply copy the schedule; record what was actually done.

The form also has columns for the name or business name of the implementing organization and the name of the person in charge. Check for missing entries and keep the journal together with the management register.

Write the journal so that the items in the certified plan match the actual work and guidance.

The implementation status means how well things are being carried out according to the plan. Use records such as daily logs to check each item in the management register.

Step 1: Understand the items to check each month

Reference Form No. 4-2 has fields for entering the year and month covered. The main items to check are divided as follows.

• Implementation of the plan: Check that the certification notice is kept and how things are being carried out according to the plan.
• Post-entry training: Check attendance and whether the worker engaged in work during the training period.
• Acquisition of skills and Japanese: Check the level of acquisition and whether the worker has passed the tests set out in the plan.
• Accidents and legal compliance: Check for accidents such as industrial accidents, and whether labor-related laws and regulations are being followed.
• Living conditions: Check the worker's attitude in daily life, health condition, and whether there have been any rule violations or troubles.

Step 2: Make judgments based on records

The editorial team recommends cross-checking daily logs, training attendance records, and interview records. Avoid choosing "Good" or similar options based only on impressions.

For Japanese language acquisition, the points to check on the form are communication during instruction and whether the worker has passed tests. Check not only test results but also how the worker is doing at the workplace.

Step 3: Write any problems in the special notes

The reference form has a special notes field for when there was a problem. Write the relevant item and the facts you confirmed.

For example, record something like "The safety instructions had to be explained again because they were not understood when heard." This is a fictional example created by the editorial team.

Checking is easier if you make a record that shows what the problem was and how it was handled afterward. Adding the date of the response and the result of the follow-up check is also recommended.

The form has a field to confirm that the content entered matches the facts. Set up an internal procedure so that the person in charge can confirm it.

Use the management register as a document for verifying the implementation status of the plan based on evidence such as daily logs.

After creating records, set up where they are kept and how they can be retrieved. Check the starting point of the retention period and the conditions for electronic storage.

Point to Note 1: Keep records counting from the end date

Article 39 of the Enforcement Regulations and the Operational Guidelines require retention for 1 year after Employment for Skill Development ends. This is the handling confirmed as of October 2026.

The starting point is the day the Employment for Skill Development on which the records are based ended. It is not counted from the day the daily log was created.

Records must be kept at the workplace where the Employment for Skill Development is carried out. They need to be ready to present at the time of an inspection.

Point to Note 2: For electronic storage, check that records can be output

The Operational Guidelines also allow records to be created and stored as electronic data. They also describe storing paper documents by scanning them with a scanner.

Electronic storage requires that records can be displayed clearly and made into paper documents immediately. Make sure the records can not only be stored, but also checked and output at the workplace.

Point 3: Manage retention for each type of document

The Operational Guidelines also cover labor-related documents such as wage ledgers. For documents that other laws also require you to keep, check those rules as well.

Within the company, we recommend making a list of document names, the persons concerned, end dates, and retention deadlines. Also decide which staff members can view the records and how they will be handed over.

For retention, set up both deadline management based on the end date and a state in which records can be presented when needed.

For annual reports, distinguish between the company's implementation status report and the organization's business report. This article explains them based on the Enforcement Regulations and Operational Guidelines as of October 2026.

Step 1: Prepare the company's annual report

The receiving company prepares an implementation status report once every fiscal year. The form to use is Ministerial Ordinance Form No. 14.

The fiscal year covered by the report runs from April 1 to March 31 of the following year. Article 1 of the Enforcement Regulations defines this period as the Employment for Skill Development business year.

Under the Operational Guidelines, the submission period is from April 1 to May 31 of the following fiscal year. The report is submitted to the Certification Section of the Organization's regional office or branch office.

Companies under the supervised type prepare the report based on guidance from the Supervising and Support Organization. If the company did not receive anyone during the reporting period, the company's report is not required.

Point 2: Manage the organization's reports separately

The Supervising and Support Organization prepares a business report for each place of business. It attaches the required documents to Ministerial Ordinance Form No. 24 and submits it to the Examination Section of the Organization's head office.

The submission deadline is May 31 of the following Employment for Skill Development business year. The Operational Guidelines state that an organization that received a permit during the fiscal year must report even if it did not receive anyone.

In addition, when an audit is carried out, the organization prepares an audit report using Ministerial Ordinance Form No. 23. Under the law, it must report without delay after the audit is finished.

The Operational Guidelines require submission within 2 months after the audit is finished. The report is submitted to the Guidance Section of the Organization's regional office or branch office that has jurisdiction over the audited company.

For the organization's role, please also see the article explaining the Supervising and Support Organization.

Step 3: Set up an internal check before submission

Manage daily records, monthly checks, and the annual report as one connected process. The following steps are an example of internal operations suggested by the editorial team.

• Check the daily logs: The on-site staff checks for missing entries about work and guidance.
• Compare with the management register: The person in charge checks the implementation status of the plan against the daily logs.
• Prepare the report: The HR staff checks the items to fill in on the form and the attached documents.
• Keep submission records: Keep copies of the submitted documents and the date of submission.

To avoid missing a report, manage who submits, which form, the deadline, and where to submit separately.

The records for Employment for Skill Development are used to check the daily work and guidance, and the implementation status of the plan. Keep the reports of the company and those of the Supervising and Support Organization separate, and manage everything through to storage and submission.

However, the right approach differs depending on the type of acceptance, the field, and the company's internal staffing. Please check the certified plan and the latest official forms, and decide on procedures that fit your actual operations.

If you are unsure how to prepare for Japanese language education, please consult us about the participants' situation and how to conduct the course.