Articles:Japan Immigration Topics

[Blog]Regarding change of residence status from technical intern training

2024-10-14

According to the article "Immigration Agency tightens screening for Myanmar residents for technical intern trainee qualifications" (2024/09/27 Okinawa Times), on the 27th, the Immigration Services Agency announced that the screening process of switching status of residence from "technical intern trainee" to "designated activities" for Myanmar residents will become stricter starting in October.

General Principles

According to the examination guidelines, in principle, changing the status of residence from "technical intern training" to anything other than "technical intern training" is not permitted unless the change is due to establishing a status relationship or preparing to depart from Japan. The reason for this is that technical interns are expected to return to their home countries immediately after their technical intern training, utilize the skills they have acquired through their technical intern training in their respective countries, and contribute to the economic development of their home countries.

Exceptions to the examination guidelines

However, the following two cases are listed as exceptions in the examination guidelines.

Exception 1 in the description of examination guidelines: Change to specific skill

Regarding applications from technical intern trainees to change their status of residence to "Specified Skilled Worker," they will be allowed to continue working at Japanese companies after completing their technical intern training. This is based on the idea that the maximum period of stay for "Specified Skilled Worker No. 1" is five years, and after that period, it is expected that the acquired skills, etc. will be utilized in each country.

Exception 2 in the examination guidelines: Change to other employment-related residence status

For example, a particularly talented technical intern trainee may work at the supervising organization or training implementing organization to which he or she belonged, using the skills acquired during the technical intern training to instruct the existing technical intern trainees. Activities such as serving as a lecturer on the skills acquired through technical intern training at training sessions for technical intern trainees after entering the country are recognized as being in line with the purpose of the technical intern training system. If the requirements are met, a decision will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Emergency evacuation measures for Myanmar residents based on the situation in their home country

In addition to the above, as an emergency evacuation measure for Myanmar nationals residing in Japan due to instability in their home country, a certain level of work is permitted even in the case of "technical intern training," which is not allowed to change to another status of residence in principle. It has been approved to change the status of residence to "Designated Activities".

However, according to an article in the Sankei Shimbun on September 18, 2024, it was learned through interviews with government officials on the 17th that 1,739 people, or more than 90%, of Myanmar technical intern trainees who disappeared last year were employed by Designated Activities with almost no restrictions on where they could work due to instability in their home country.The number of disappearances of Myanmar trainees has increased rapidly since 2021, when the change to Designated Activities was approved. There are suspicions that some individuals are abusing the system in order to change jobs, and the government is considering reviewing its operation.

The article at the beginning means that the content of the operational review is that if a person has not "completed technical intern training," a change of status of residence will not be allowed.