The Nursing Care visa (介護) was established in 2017 as Japan's response to its rapidly aging population and acute shortage of care workers. It is available to foreign nationals who have obtained the Japanese Certified Care Worker (介護福祉士) qualification — a nationally recognized credential that requires completion of specialized training and passing a national examination.
This visa reflects Japan's long-term commitment to professionalizing elder care and ensuring that foreign workers in this critical field meet high standards of competency and language ability. Care work in Japan demands not only technical skills but also significant Japanese language proficiency, as workers must communicate empathetically with elderly residents and their families, read medical records, and coordinate with healthcare teams.
The Nursing Care visa is renewable and provides a stable pathway to long-term residence in Japan. With Japan's care worker shortage projected to worsen as the population ages, qualified foreign care professionals are highly sought after, and this visa offers meaningful employment stability and a potential route to permanent residency over time.
Who Is This For
- ✓Certified care workers (介護福祉士) employed at nursing homes and care facilities
- ✓Foreign nationals who have graduated from Japanese social welfare schools with care worker qualifications
- ✓Care professionals entering Japan through bilateral Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA)
Validity Periods
Single Residence Period: Up to 5 years
Requirements
- •Possession of the Japanese Certified Care Worker (介護福祉士) qualification
- •Employment at a recognized care facility, nursing home, or in-home care provider in Japan
- •Sufficient Japanese language proficiency (N4 or above recommended; N3 or above preferred by employers)
- •Employment contract with a licensed care facility
- •Clean background with no criminal record
- •Valid passport
Costs & Fees
Full breakdown of Immigration fees, scrivener rates, and all other costs for this visa type.
Required Documents
- Valid passport
- Application for Certificate of Eligibility
- Recent passport-size photograph
- Certificate of Certified Care Worker qualification (介護福祉士登録証)
- Employment contract from the care facility
- Facility's registration documents and accreditation information
- Proof of Japanese language ability (JLPT certificate or equivalent)
- Resume / CV detailing care work experience and training
Where to Apply
Application Process
- 1Obtain the Japanese Certified Care Worker (介護福祉士) qualification, either through completing a care worker training course in Japan or through the EPA pathway
- 2Secure employment at a licensed care facility in Japan
- 3Have the employer apply for a Certificate of Eligibility
- 4Receive the COE and apply for a visa at the Japanese Embassy or Consulate
- 5Enter Japan and register your address at the local municipality within 14 days
- 6Begin work at the designated care facility
Apply for the Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
Once you've chosen your visa, your Japan-side sponsor (employer / school / family) files the COE with Immigration — then you exchange it for a visa at the embassy.
Residence Status (COE) Review Time
Average processing days as of Jun 2026, based on official Ministry of Justice statistics.
Figures include waiting time for supplementary documents. Denied and withdrawn applications are excluded.
Renewal and change-of-status 'notice' figures include the wait between review completion and pickup at Immigration Bureau.
Work Restrictions
Family & Dependents
Renewal & Extension
Common Visa Transition Paths
These are the most common paths — many other transitions are possible if you meet the eligibility criteria for another residence status.
Important Notices
- ⚠Must pass Japans national Certified Care Worker examination
- ⚠Japanese language proficiency requirements are fairly high (at least JLPT N2)
- ⚠Graduates of training facilities have transitional period arrangements
Practical Tips
- →Japan faces serious aging issues; care workers are in extreme shortage with excellent job prospects
- →Can obtain qualification through the route: student visa → training facility → national examination
- →EPA (Economic Partnership Agreement) member countries have special pathways