Tokyo: The Japanese government has proposed the inclusion of the aviation sector in its upcoming "employment for skill development" program for foreign workers, set to commence in April 2027. This program is intended to replace the existing technical intern training program. The proposal was presented at a meeting of an expert panel focused on revising operational policies for both the specified skilled worker program and the new initiative.

According to Philippines News Agency, the new program will operate alongside the specified skilled worker program, offering residence status for foreign workers. The government aims to finalize and adopt this change during a cabinet meeting in December. While the aviation sector is already a part of the specified skilled worker program, the proposed change will maintain the sector's combined upper limit for foreign workers at 4,900.

Under the new program, the aviation sector's role would specifically involve airport ground handling operations, such as loading and unloading cargo, increasing the sectors covered by the program to 18. The sector will have an upper limit of 4,600 foreign workers under the Type 1 specified skilled worker status, allowing stays of up to five years, and 300 workers under the employment for skill development program.

Additionally, the government plans to introduce new job categories within four existing sectors: industrial goods manufacturing, construction, food and beverage manufacturing, and fisheries. Consideration will be given to the content of tests required to assess the skills necessary for these new categories.

The overall intake cap through the end of fiscal 2028 remains at 1,231,900 workers, comprising 805,400 under the Type 1 specified skilled worker status and 426,500 under the new program. With the number of foreign workers nearing the 50,000 limit under the Type 1 status, the government temporarily suspended new admissions from April this year, leaving approximately 8,500 applications unprocessed, according to the Immigration Services Agency. As of the end of 2025, there were 382,341 foreign residents with Type 1 status and 456,618 under the technical intern program.