What Is a Supervising and Support Organization? Licensing Requirements and Differences from Technical Intern Training Supervising Organizations

A Supervising and Support Organization is an organization that supervises and supports accepting companies under Employment for Skill Development. This article explains the type of acceptance it covers and its main roles.

Point ① A nonprofit corporation supporting the supervised-type system

The Employment for Skill Development System (育成就労制度) is a system that will come into effect on April 1, 2027. Supervising and Support Organizations are nonprofit corporations in Japan.

Employment for Skill Development has a “supervised type” and an “independent type,” and Supervising and Support Organizations are involved in the supervised type. Under the system, an accepting company is called a “supervised-type implementing organization for Employment for Skill Development (育成就労実施者).”

Supervising and Support Organizations will take over the role of supervising organizations under the Technical Intern Training (技能実習) System. The objectives and licensing requirements were revised when the Technical Intern Training Act (Act No. 89 of Heisei 28) was amended to become the Act on Employment for Skill Development.

Point ② Support for employment, audits, and consultations

• Employment placement: They arrange employment relationships through a sending organization (送出機関).
• Audits and on-site guidance: They regularly check and provide guidance to accepting companies.
• Consultations in workers’ native languages: They respond to consultations from foreign workers participating in Employment for Skill Development.

Employment for Skill Development is a system designed on the premise that workers will transition to Specified Skilled Worker (i) (特定技能1号). Supervising and Support Organizations are expected to continuously support workers’ skill development.

The development process aims for workers to reach a certain level of skills and Japanese-language proficiency within 3 years. Supervising and Support Organizations support them throughout the process toward achieving that goal.

The difference from a supervising organization is not merely a change in name. We will review the need to obtain a new permit and the changes to the audit system.

Important Point ① No Automatic Transition from a Supervising Organization

Existing supervising organizations will also not automatically transition to Supervising and Support Organizations.To continue accepting workers under Employment for Skill Development, they must apply for a permit again.

Important Point ② An External Auditor Is Mandatory

Under Technical Intern Training, organizations were permitted to appoint either an external auditor or a designated external officer. A designated external officer is an officer who has a certain degree of independence.

Under Employment for Skill Development, the designated external officer method has been abolished to prevent audits from becoming a mere formality. The appointment of an independent external auditor is mandatory.

You can also review the changes to the system as a whole in Differences Between Employment for Skill Development and Technical Intern Training.

The licensing criteria are intended to ensure the protection of foreign workers and independence from the accepting organization (受入れ機関). The requirements, which are stricter than those for supervising organizations under Technical Intern Training, are organized below by category.

Requirement 1: A Nonprofit Corporation in Japan

As a general rule, a Supervising and Support Organization must be a nonprofit corporation in Japan. Typical examples include business cooperatives and chambers of commerce and industry.

For-profit corporations, such as stock companies, generally cannot obtain a license. The corporation's legal form must be confirmed.

Requirement 2: Staffing with Full-Time Officers and Employees and Caseload Limits

To properly perform supervision and support duties, the organization must have at least 2 full-time officers or employees. It must also maintain a staffing structure appropriate to the number of companies and foreign nationals for which it is responsible.

Each full-time officer or employee may be responsible for fewer than 8 implementing organizations for Employment for Skill Development and fewer than 40 foreign nationals. Here, foreign nationals means foreign nationals participating in Employment for Skill Development.

As a general rule, there must be at least 2 implementing organizations for supervised Employment for Skill Development subject to supervision and support. Alternatively, there must be a reasonable expectation that there will be at least 2 promptly after the license is granted.

Requirement 3: Financial Standing, Independence, and Consultation Support

• Financial requirements: A financial foundation that allows the organization to continue operating is required, including not having liabilities exceeding assets.
• Independence: To maintain neutrality, restrictions are placed on the involvement in audits of officers and employees who have a close relationship with an accepting organization.
• Consultation support: A system must be in place to respond to consultations from foreign nationals participating in Employment for Skill Development in their native languages or other appropriate languages and to handle emergencies.
• Sending organization: If one is used, as a general rule, an organization accredited under a Memorandum of Cooperation (二国間取決め) (MOC) must be selected. Its information must be included in the application form.

An MOC means a Memorandum of Cooperation between 2 countries. When using a foreign sending organization, confirm that it is accredited under this Memorandum of Cooperation.

Depending on the sector, there may also be additional licensing criteria. These apply to sectors such as nursing care, industrial product manufacturing, automobile repair and maintenance, logistics warehouses, and fisheries.

A Registered Support Organization is an organization that implements support plans for Specified Skilled Workers. Let us review the differences between it and a Supervising and Support Organization in terms of systems, requirements, and duties.

Point ① Differences in the Applicable System and Entry Requirements

Although their names and roles are similar, the applicable systems and requirements are different. Let us use the comparison table to understand the position of each organization.

Point ② Differences Between the Roles of Supervision and Support

A Supervising and Support Organization is a licensed nonprofit organization responsible for both supervision and support.Supervision includes the role of checking the circumstances of accepting companies.

A Registered Support Organization is a registered organization specializing in support after acceptance. For-profit legal entities may also participate.

You can learn about the overall framework of the Specified Skilled Worker system in What Is Specified Skilled Worker (ii) (特定技能2号)? A Complete Guide.

In preparation for the system’s implementation, advance applications will be accepted in stages. Companies and organizations considering accepting foreign nationals when the system begins should work backward from the schedule and prepare accordingly.

Step 1: Check the Schedule for Permission Applications and Plan Approval

Permission as a Supervising and Support Organization and approval of the Employment-for-Skill-Development Plan (育成就労計画) prepared by the accepting company are separate procedures. Check the application start date for each procedure and the system’s implementation date.

1. From April 15, 2026: Pre-implementation applications for permission as a Supervising and Support OrganizationApplications for permission as a Supervising and Support Organization before the implementation date are now being accepted. Applications should be submitted to the Gaikokujin Gino Jisshu Kiko (OTIT; scheduled to be renamed the Employment-for-Skill-Development Organization (外国人育成就労機構) after implementation).
2. From September 1, 2026: Applications for approval of Employment-for-Skill-Development PlansApplications for approval of Employment-for-Skill-Development Plans prepared by accepting companies will begin.
3. April 1, 2027: Implementation of the Employment for Skill Development SystemThe system will officially begin, making it possible to accept foreign nationals under Employment for Skill Development.

Step 2: Check How Technical Intern Training Permissions Will Be Handled

Because this is a new system, the schedule and permission criteria may change. When carrying out the procedures, check the latest official information.

For an implementing organization for Employment for Skill Development that accepts foreign workers, selecting a Supervising and Support Organization is important. In addition to its authorization status, check its systems for training and consultation.

Point 1: Check the authorization status and support system

• Authorization status: Check whether the supervising organization that is your business partner has already obtained, or plans to obtain, authorization as a Supervising and Support Organization.
• Sending organization and field: Check whether the field in which you wish to accept workers can be handled by a sending organization in a country that has concluded a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC).
• Consultation and learning support: Check whether the systems for consultation in workers’ native languages and support for learning Japanese and acquiring skills are actually functioning.
• Training plan: Check whether the organization can develop a plan that looks ahead from Employment for Skill Development through the transition to Specified Skilled Worker.

You can find candidate supervising organizations in the published list provided by the Gaikokujin Ginou Jisshuu Kikou (OTIT). On the operating company’s website, “JWC (Find a supervising organization),” you can filter the organizations in the published list by region, country of origin of accepted workers, occupation, and excellent organization classification. Because the listings cover supervising organizations under Technical Intern Training, confirm each organization’s authorization status as a Supervising and Support Organization directly with that organization.

Point 2: Perspectives on retention and career development

Employment for Skill Development is a system based on the premise of transitioning to Specified Skilled Worker (i). When selecting a Supervising and Support Organization, look ahead to the worker’s further development.

In addition to handling procedures, it is important to determine whether the organization can work with you to support the retention and career development of foreign workers.For Japanese-language and skills test requirements, please also refer to Japanese-language requirements for Employment for Skill Development.

A Supervising and Support Organization is responsible for supervising accepting companies and supporting foreign workers under Employment for Skill Development. Supervising organizations will not transition automatically, and they must obtain new permission and confirm that the required organizational structure is in place.

However, the appropriate preparation process differs depending on the field in which workers are accepted and the current organizational structure. Review the matters your company needs to confirm based on the permission requirements and application schedule.

If you are unsure how to prepare for accepting or developing workers, please consult us about an approach suited to your company’s circumstances.