Receiving a Specified Skilled Worker job offer in Japan is exciting — but it's also the moment when poor decisions cause the most damage to a foreign worker's career. The right offer sets you up for years of stable, growing income. The wrong offer can lead to wage theft, illegal working conditions, visa problems, and the financial pressure of having to find a new job in a hurry.
This article gives you a structured 25-point checklist organized into 7 categories. Print it, screenshot it, or bookmark it — and use it for every offer you receive. If an offer fails on more than 2–3 important points, ask the employer to clarify or correct them before signing. If the employer refuses to explain or fix serious issues, you should strongly consider walking away.
Category 1: The Employer Itself (4 points)
1. Verified company registration
Search the company name on the National Tax Agency corporate number publication site. Confirm the company exists, the registered name matches, the address matches, and the company is currently active.
2. Real physical business address
Look up the company's address on Google Maps and Street View. Confirm it is a real business location. Note that legitimate businesses may sometimes use shared offices or coworking spaces — appearance alone is not enough. Major warning signs include addresses that match obviously residential apartments without any office signage, abandoned buildings, or postbox-only / virtual office services. Cross-check the address against the corporate registry and license records.
3. Years in business
Companies that have been operating for several years are typically easier to verify, but establishment date is only one factor. Newly registered companies are not automatically bad, and older companies are not automatically safe. Check the company's establishment date in the corporate registry along with other verification items.
4. Track record with foreign workers
Has the employer hired SSW workers before? Ask how many. Ask if you can speak with current or former foreign workers where possible. Some employers may not be able to arrange this for privacy or operational reasons, but they should still be able to explain their experience supporting foreign workers. Search the company name with terms like "bad", "unethical", or your language equivalents.
Category 2: The Employment Contract (4 points)
5. Written contract provided in advance
The employment contract and the working conditions notice must be provided in writing. Under Japan's Labor Standards Act Article 15, this is a legal requirement. You should receive these BEFORE signing day, with time to review.
6. Contract in your language available
The Japanese version is usually the legally binding document, but you should receive an explanation or translation in a language you fully understand before signing. The employer should expect you to have the contract reviewed by a bilingual person before signing.
7. Contract terms match the verbal offer
Carefully compare what the recruiter told you in conversation with what's actually in the contract. Salary, hours, days off, accommodation, allowances — every detail must match. Verbal promises that aren't in the contract have no legal force.
8. Specific job duties listed
The contract must specify what work you will actually do. Vague descriptions like "general work" or "support tasks" are red flags. The job duties should match the SSW field, business category, and activities permitted under your status of residence and designated document.
Category 3: Salary & Allowances (4 points)
9. Base salary clearly stated
The monthly base salary and how it's calculated must be explicit. Watch for hidden conditions like "salary depends on attendance evaluation" without clear criteria.
10. Salary at or above prefectural minimum wage
Each prefecture sets its own minimum hourly wage. Convert your monthly wage to an hourly amount using the employer's stated monthly or annual scheduled working hours (a common estimate is 8 hours × 22 days = 176 hours/month, but actual scheduled hours vary), then compare against the applicable prefectural minimum wage. A salary below minimum is illegal. Cross-check against our SSW salary comparison guide.
11. Salary equal to or above same-role Japanese workers
The Specified Skilled Worker basic standards require that you be paid the same as or more than Japanese workers doing the same work. Ask the employer to confirm this in writing.
12. All allowances itemized
Every allowance — housing, commuting, qualifications, night shift, hazard, long-service — should be listed with amount and conditions. Vague references to "various allowances" without specifics are not enforceable.
For Foreign Workers Looking to Build Their Career in Japan
TreeGlobalPartners' service is completely free for foreign workers — no fees of any kind, no hidden charges. We support your appropriate job change or new employment in Japan with verified employers. Visa applications, status changes, and registered support procedures are handled through our group's affiliated Tree Administrative Scrivener Corporation, giving you a true one-stop service across the group.
Consult TreeGlobalPartners →Category 4: Working Hours & Overtime (3 points)
13. Standard hours and days off clearly stated
Standard work week is 40 hours (8 hours/day, 5 days/week). The contract should specify daily hours, weekly days, and break times. You should also know how many holidays per year (typically 105–125 days).
14. Overtime calculation explained in writing
Japan law: overtime pay is at least 25% above base for hours over 8/day or 40/week, at least 25% above base for late-night work (10pm–5am), and at least 35% above base for legal holidays. Additionally, overtime exceeding 60 hours in a single month must be paid at 50% above base (applies to all employers since April 2023). Premiums stack: late-night overtime is 25% + 25% = 50%. Confirm the contract reflects these minimums and explains how overtime is calculated.
15. Realistic monthly overtime expectation
Ask: "How many hours of overtime do workers in this role typically do per month?" If the answer is consistently 80+ hours, this exceeds legal limits in most cases — under Article 36 of the Labor Standards Act, overtime is capped at 720 hours/year, with a maximum of 100 hours in any single month and an average of 80 hours over any 2–6 month period. If the answer is "no overtime", confirm whether overtime opportunities are available (some workers want them).
Category 5: Accommodation & Living Support (3 points)
16. Accommodation address and details provided
If accommodation is provided, you should know exactly: address, distance from work, room size, who you'll share with, kitchen/bathroom arrangements. Get this in writing or with photos.
17. Accommodation cost is reasonable
Company accommodation cost should be reasonable relative to local rents in the area where you will work. Red flags include accommodation that appears expensive compared with local market rents, especially if it is a shared room and the employer cannot explain how the cost is broken down (rent, utilities, furniture). Compare against typical rental rates in the same neighborhood.
18. Initial setup support clarified
Who pays for first-month rent, deposit, key money, utility setup, basic furniture? Who provides the bedding? Who handles bank account and phone setup? Good employers cover or assist with all of these.
Category 6: Visa & Support Organization (4 points)
19. Registered support organization named
SSW Type 1 employers must provide support either in-house (only for qualifying companies) or through a registered support organization. Get the support organization's name, address, and contact details. Verify they are on the Immigration Services Agency public list.
20. Support services in your language
The support organization should provide consultation in your native language or a language you understand. They handle pre-arrival orientation, life support, regular interviews, and emergency consultation.
21. Visa application timeline understood
If you are changing employers under SSW, you generally need to apply for permission to change your status of residence (the official standard processing period is 1–2 months, though actual timing varies) before starting work for the new employer, even if the field is the same. Confirm who handles the paperwork — you, the employer, the support organization, or an administrative scrivener (certified immigration specialist).
22. Visa cost responsibility
Who pays for the visa application, certified copies, translations? Many responsible employers cover or assist with reasonable visa-related costs, but responsibility should be confirmed in writing for each item (application fees, translations, certificates, professional service fees).
Category 7: Career Growth & Termination Terms (3 points)
23. Career path and qualification support
Does the employer support qualification training? Is there a clear path to higher pay grades? For nursing care, is there Certified Care Worker path support? For other fields, is there SSW Type 2 exam preparation?
24. Notice period for both sides
For employer-side dismissal, Article 20 of the Labor Standards Act requires at least 30 days' prior notice (or payment of 30 days' average wage in lieu). For employee-side resignation, Article 627 of the Civil Code only requires 2 weeks' notice for indefinite-term contracts, though many employment contracts include a customary 30-day (1-month) notice clause. Confirm both in writing, and watch for unfair one-sided clauses (e.g., 60+ days for you to quit but 30 days or less for them to fire you).
25. Severance / unemployment insurance terms
Confirm enrollment in employment insurance so you're covered if dismissed. Enrollment is mandatory for most employees with scheduled working hours of 20 or more per week AND expected employment of 31 days or more (SSW workers typically meet both, as full-time direct employment is standard). Understand any company severance policy. The contract should clarify what happens to your accommodation if you leave or are dismissed (notice period to vacate, etc.).
How to Use This Checklist
Receive the offer in writing
Get the written job offer, employment contract, and working conditions notice from the employer. Do not start the checklist until you have these documents.
Take 3–7 days to review
Block out time to read carefully. If the employer pressures you to decide faster, that's already a red flag. A reasonable employer expects this review process.
Go through all 25 points methodically
Mark each as: ✓ pass / ? unclear / ✗ fail. Don't skip points just because you assume they're fine.
Have a second person review
Ask a Japanese-speaking friend, your registered support organization, a placement agency consultant, or call the Yorisoi Hotline (0120-279-338, free; press 2 after the guidance for foreign language line; available daily in approximately 10 languages including English, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Spanish, Portuguese, Thai, Nepali, and Indonesian — coverage varies by day and time).
Decide based on the totals
If 2 or more points fail, raise them with the employer for clarification or correction. If they refuse to clarify or fix, walk away. There are other employers.
Pro tip: Don't sign anything in person under pressure. Take the documents home, review them privately, and respond after thorough consideration. A good employer respects this process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Summary
- 25-point checklist organized into 7 categories — covering employer, contract, salary, hours, accommodation, visa, and termination terms
- Category 1 — Employer: verify registration, address, years in business, foreign worker track record
- Category 2 — Contract: written in advance, in your language, matches verbal offer, specific job duties
- Category 3 — Salary: base clearly stated, at or above prefectural minimum, equal to Japanese workers, all allowances itemized
- Category 4 — Hours: standard hours stated, overtime calculation explained, realistic monthly overtime
- Category 5 — Accommodation: address provided, cost reasonable, setup support clarified
- Category 6 — Visa & Support: registered support organization named, language support, visa timeline, cost responsibility
- Category 7 — Career & Termination: qualification support, balanced notice period, employment insurance enrollment
- Process: get written offer → take 3–7 days → check all 25 points → have second person review → decide based on totals
- If 2+ points fail and the employer won't fix them, walk away. There are other employers
- Free help: Yorisoi Hotline 0120-279-338 (approximately 10 languages; press 2 for foreign language line) for free contract consultation; TGP for pre-vetted offers
The single most expensive mistake an SSW worker can make is signing a bad contract under time pressure. This 25-point checklist gives you the structured review process to catch problems before signing — not after. Print it, share it with friends, and use it for every offer. The 30 minutes spent reviewing protects years of your career in Japan.
For Foreign Workers Looking to Build Their Career in Japan
TreeGlobalPartners' service is completely free for foreign workers — no fees of any kind, no hidden charges. We support your appropriate job change or new employment in Japan with verified employers. Visa applications, status changes, and registered support procedures are handled through our group's affiliated Tree Administrative Scrivener Corporation, giving you a true one-stop service across the group.
Consult TreeGlobalPartners →Disclaimer: Information in this article is accurate as of May 2026 and is based on Japan's Labor Standards Act (including the April 2023 amendment requiring 50% premium for overtime exceeding 60 hours/month for all employers), Employment Security Act, SSW Standards Ordinance, Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, Civil Code, Minimum Wage Act, and related regulations as currently in force (including the October 2025 SSW reform). The forthcoming Ikusei Shuro (Training and Employment) system, effective from April 2027, may affect future SSW-related procedures. Specific legal interpretations may vary. For individual situations, consult the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the Labor Standards Inspection Office, or a qualified labor lawyer. This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or employment advice.