Japan halts visa applications for foreign restaurant workers as cap nears

Japan has stopped accepting visa applications for foreign restaurant workers under its specified skilled worker programme, as the sector approaches its capacity limit. According to a report by The Japan Times, the decision took effect Monday, with authorities citing that the number of workers is likely to hit the capped quota by May 2026.

Foreign workers cap nearly reached

According to the Immigration Services Agency, around 46,000 foreign workers were already employed in the food service sector as of February-end, as cited by The Japan Times. The government has set a cap of 50,000 workers for the five-year period starting April 2024, prompting the halt in new applications announced on March 27.

Applications submitted after the cut-off will not be processed. For those already filed, certificates will be issued in sequence, provided the overall cap is not exceeded. Authorities have also warned of delays in processing.

Programme aimed at addressing labour shortages

Japan introduced the specified skilled worker programme in 2019 to address labour shortages across 16 industries, including food services, nursing care and construction. Most workers under the scheme hold Type-1 visas, allowing them to stay in the country for up to five years.

As of end-2025, about 390,000 foreign workers were part of the programme, as reported by The Japan Times. The government expects this number to rise to around 820,000 by fiscal 2029.