Japan has halted new visas for foreign skilled restaurant workers after nearly hitting its 50,000 quota

Tokyo, – Japan’s Immigration Services Agency has suspended new Type I Specified Skilled Worker visas for the restaurant sector after nearly reaching its 50,000 cap, marking the first such restriction since quotas were set in January.

Certificates of eligibility are no longer issued for applications received from Monday onward, with preliminary data showing about 46,000 foreign workers already in food service by late February. Pre-Monday applications will process sequentially up to the limit. The move aligns with the Immigration Control Act’s quota safeguards.

In January 2026, Japan allocated 805,700 spots across 19 labor-shortage sectors through March 2029, including nursing care and railways. Launched in 2019, the program addresses chronic shortages; Type I visas allow up to five years, while Type II offers indefinite renewals toward permanent residency—only Type I faces caps.

A Ministry of Agriculture official highlighted the sector’s swift foreign hiring but urged stronger domestic recruitment efforts as a program condition. Job switches to food service are paused, though current technical interns transitioning to skilled visas get priority screening.