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Japan work visa requirements for Filipino citizens

For Philippines passport holders · Checked 2026-08-15

Route with conditions

Japan takes Filipino workers mainly through the Specified Skilled Worker route, which needs a skills test and a Japanese-language test before an employer can hire you.

What the employer must have

  • The Japanese employer (accepting organisation) must meet the Specified Skilled Worker programme's conditions and file the status-of-residence application — the worker cannot self-apply.
  • SSW Type 1 allows a total stay of up to five years and does not allow family members to accompany the worker; the sector must be one of the designated labour-shortage industries.
  • To hire a Filipino it must also be accredited with a DMW-licensed Philippine agency and its job order approved by the DMW.

What you must do before you leave

  1. Go through a DMW-licensed recruitment agency. Direct hiring is banned by Article 18 of the Labor Code — only the narrow categories listed in POEA Memorandum Circular 08-2018 are exempt — and you can check any agency's licence on dmw.gov.ph before you pay or sign anything.
  2. Your employment contract must be verified by the Migrant Workers Office (MWO, formerly POLO) at the Philippine post covering your destination before you can be deployed.
  3. Complete the Pre-Employment Orientation Seminar (PEOS) and the Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar (PDOS) and keep both certificates — they are part of the documentary requirements.
  4. Get your Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) before you leave. Every departing OFW needs one, it exempts you from travel tax and the airport terminal fee, and it is valid for 60 days from the date it is issued.
  5. Pass the industry skills test and the Japanese-language test BEFORE you accept an offer — no agency can waive them, and anyone promising Japan without them is selling you something that does not exist.

Things to watch

  • If you are hired as a household service worker you must NOT be charged a placement fee at all — Republic Act 10361 sec. 13 puts the recruitment cost on the employer, and collecting a fee from a domestic worker is a ground for cancelling the agency's licence. For every other job the placement fee is capped at one month's basic salary and may only be collected once you have a signed contract.
  • A job order on the DMW approved list means the government approved the employer's demand and the agency's licence. It does not mean you have been hired, and an order stops being real once its approved slots are filled.
  • A university degree is not required for SSW, which is why it is open to trades and care work — but the tests are, and they are the step most often misrepresented by illegal recruiters.

What you may lawfully be charged

THE MOST A LICENSED AGENCY MAY LAWFULLY CHARGE YOU is ONE MONTH of the basic salary written in your DMW-approved contract — and only after you have signed it. Not one month plus extras.

Section 56, Rule V, 2023 DMW Rules and Regulations.

⚠️ Never pay anyone for a job offer or a visa on this route. Legitimate employers and licensed agents do not charge workers for jobs.

Official sources

This describes the immigration system, not your personal case, and not this specific vacancy.

Common questions

Can a Filipino passport holder work in Japan?

Japan takes Filipino workers mainly through the Specified Skilled Worker route, which needs a skills test and a Japanese-language test before an employer can hire you.

What does an employer in Japan need before hiring a Filipino worker?

The Japanese employer (accepting organisation) must meet the Specified Skilled Worker programme's conditions and file the status-of-residence application — the worker cannot self-apply. SSW Type 1 allows a total stay of up to five years and does not allow family members to accompany the worker; the sector must be one of the designated labour-shortage industries. To hire a Filipino it must also be accredited with a DMW-licensed Philippine agency and its job order approved by the DMW.

What must a Filipino citizen do before leaving to work in Japan?

Go through a DMW-licensed recruitment agency. Direct hiring is banned by Article 18 of the Labor Code — only the narrow categories listed in POEA Memorandum Circular 08-2018 are exempt — and you can check any agency's licence on dmw.gov.ph before you pay or sign anything. Your employment contract must be verified by the Migrant Workers Office (MWO, formerly POLO) at the Philippine post covering your destination before you can be deployed. Complete the Pre-Employment Orientation Seminar (PEOS) and the Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar (PDOS) and keep both certificates — they are part of the documentary requirements. Get your Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) before you leave. Every departing OFW needs one, it exempts you from travel tax and the airport terminal fee, and it is valid for 60 days from the date it is issued. Pass the industry skills test and the Japanese-language test BEFORE you accept an offer — no agency can waive them, and anyone promising Japan without them is selling you something that does not exist.

What should Filipino workers watch out for with Japan job offers?

If you are hired as a household service worker you must NOT be charged a placement fee at all — Republic Act 10361 sec. 13 puts the recruitment cost on the employer, and collecting a fee from a domestic worker is a ground for cancelling the agency's licence. For every other job the placement fee is capped at one month's basic salary and may only be collected once you have a signed contract. A job order on the DMW approved list means the government approved the employer's demand and the agency's licence. It does not mean you have been hired, and an order stops being real once its approved slots are filled. A university degree is not required for SSW, which is why it is open to trades and care work — but the tests are, and they are the step most often misrepresented by illegal recruiters.

Should I pay an agent for a job in Japan?

No. Never pay anyone for a job offer, a visa, or a place on a list. Legitimate recruitment for this route does not require the worker to pay for the job itself. Verify any agent against the official registers linked on this page.

Other countries Filipino citizens can work in

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1,500 live Japan vacancies for Filipino workers

From the Philippines' DMW job orders — vacancies registered for Filipino workers.

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