Long-term care visa

What is a long-term care visa?

The long-term care visa has been in operation since September 2017.
Long-term care visawork visaIf a foreigner wishes to stay in Japan to work, he or she must obtain a work visa.

A long-term care visa is required for foreign students to graduate from a long-term care welfare training facility such as a long-term care vocational school, pass the national long-term care welfare examination, and get a job as a long-term care welfare worker after obtaining the qualification.

Long-term care visaTechnical intern training "long-term care",Specific skill "nursing care"something different fromPlease be careful not to be confused.

Strictly speaking, the nursing care visa is“Nursing” status of residenceIt refers to
Strictly speaking, a visa and a status of residence are different things. Simply put, a visa is what a foreigner needs when coming to Japan, and a status of residence is what a foreigner needs to stay in Japan. .
However, since the term “caregiver visa”, which refers to the status of residence “nursing care”, is widely used, the term “caregiver visa” is used here instead of the status of residence “nursing care”.

Overview of long-term care visa

Currently, Japan is an aging society, and the nursing care industry is facing a serious labor shortage.
Considering the super-aging society that Japan will face in the near future, it is easy to imagine that there will be a further labor shortage.
If measures are not taken as they are, the number of people who need long-term care will increase, but the shortage of long-term care workers will increase, which will lead to a situation that cannot be seen.

Therefore, in order to solve the labor shortage in the long-term care industry, the labor force of foreigners attracted attention and a long-term care visa was established.

The period of stay for a care worker visa isUp to 5 yearsIt is possible to renew it many times by continuing to work as a care worker.
In addition, foreign spouses and children who have obtained a long-term care visa can obtain a status of residence for family stay and can live in Japan with their family.

Requirements for obtaining a long-term care visa

The requirements for obtaining a long-term care visa are the following three points.

• ■ Must be qualified as a care worker
• ■ Engaging in work as a care worker
• ■ You can receive compensation from your employer that is equal to or greater than the compensation of Japanese care workers.

The most difficult acquisition requirementObtaining certification as a certified care worker will be important.

Until 2016, we were able to obtain the long-term care welfare qualification by graduating from a long-term care welfare training facility such as a long-term care vocational school.
However, since 2017, graduates of the care worker training facility have also taken the qualification test, and if they do not pass it, they will not be able to obtain the care worker qualification.

According to the announcement by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the pass rate of the care worker examination, which was announced on March 2020, 3, is 25%, and the examination questions are only in Japanese, so foreigners take the examination. In some cases, high Japanese language ability and specialized knowledge and skills as a care worker are also required.

Because the road to qualification has become difficult, graduates of care worker training facilitiesTransitional measuresIs provided.
The content of the transitional measures is that graduates of the care welfare training facility up to 2021 will be treated as qualified to become care welfare for 5 years from the year following the graduation year, even if they have not passed the care welfare examination. It is the content.

Flow until getting a long-term care visa

Generally, when a foreigner obtains a long-term care visa, the procedure is as follows.

1. ① Come to Japan as a foreign student, study Japanese at a Japanese language vocational school, and graduate
2. ② Enroll in a long-term care welfare training facility such as a long-term care vocational school and graduate with the knowledge and skills necessary to become a long-term care welfare worker.
3. ③ Pass the national examination for care workers and obtain the qualification of care workers
4. ④ Hired by a workplace engaged in work as a care worker

By following the above steps, you can meet the requirements for obtaining a long-term care visa.

In addition, it is necessary to have the qualification of a care worker in order to obtain a care worker visa.
Foreigners who have already obtained a long-term care welfare qualification before the start of long-term care visa operation should obtain a long-term care visa if they decide to work for a company that can receive the same or higher compensation as Japanese as a long-term care worker. Is possible.

In addition, even if you have not passed the long-term care welfare examination, you can still obtain a long-term care visa by using the transitional measures, although the time limit is up to 5 years.

Documents required for application

The following documents are required for foreigners residing in Japan as international students to obtain a long-term care visa.

• ・ Application for permission to change status of residence
• ・Photo (length 4cm x width 3cm) 1 leaf
• ・Copy of certified care worker registration certificate
• ・ Copy of employment contract
• ・Certificate of registered information of the company where you plan to work
• ・Other documents clarifying the business details of the company you plan to work at

The above are the required documents when you have passed the examination for the qualification of a care worker and have completed registration as a care worker.
The applicant is required to prepare the necessary documents, apply to the Immigration Bureau of Japan under the jurisdiction of the address, and obtain permission.

When obtaining a long-term care visa by utilizing the transitional measures of a long-term care welfare worker, instead of a copy of the long-term care welfare worker registration certificate, a copy of the diploma of the long-term care welfare worker training facility or a graduation certificate (or a certificate of expected graduation) It is possible to obtain a long-term care visa by preparing).

Points to note when preparing application documents

1. All certificates issued in Japan must be submitted within 3 months from the date of issue.
2. If the documents to be submitted are in a foreign language, please attach a translation.