Japan Freezes Visa Applications for Foreign Restaurant Workers
Yukana Inoue, Japan Times, April 13, 2026
Japan stopped accepting visa applications for foreign restaurant workers under the specified skilled workers program on Monday as the number of those allowed to work in the restaurant sector is nearing capacity.
As of the end of February, there were around 46,000 foreign specified skilled workers in the food service industry, according to the Immigration Services Agency.
The agency said at this rate, it will most likely reach 50,000 — set as the capacity for the restaurant sector over the five-year period starting in April 2024 — by May 2026, and consequently announced on March 27 it would stop accepting new applications.
Visas will not be issued for applications received after Monday. For those who have submitted applications prior to that, certificates will be issued in order as long as the quota is not exceeded. Significant processing delays are to be expected.
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Looking at overall numbers, as of the end of 2025, there were around 390,000 foreign workers in the program. By the end of fiscal 2029, it is expected to be around 820,000 workers.
More openings are available in other industries besides the food sector, such as in nursing care, which currently has around 68,000 Type-1 visa holders, well below the 135,000 capacity.
