Introduction
The Technical Intern Training Program in Japan (TITP) is a system where foreign nationals come to Japan for a limited time to learn skills through on-the-job training (OJT) and then use those skills back in their home countries. Officially, its purpose is human resource development and international cooperation, not simply filling labor shortages.
In reality, many people see it as “a way to work in Japan,” especially in sectors like manufacturing, agriculture, construction, and caregiving. Because of this, the system has seen both wide use and serious criticism.
This guide explains:
- what the Technical Intern Training Program actually is,
- who can join,
- how the 3 stages (No.1 / No.2 / No.3) work,
- how to apply from overseas,
- your rights and obligations as a trainee,
- and how this program connects to Specified Skilled Worker (SSW).
💡 If you want to work in Japan under SSW in the future, knowing how the Technical Intern Training Program works helps you plan the right path.
What Is the Technical Intern Training Program?
Key Organizations in the Program
Before we talk about the details, it helps to know the three main organizations involved in the Technical Intern Training Program:
- Sending Organization (in your home country)
This is the organization in your country that recruits candidates, helps you prepare documents, gives you basic Japanese/life training, and connects you with Japanese organizations and companies. - Supervising Organization (in Japan)
This is usually a non-profit or cooperative organization in Japan that manages and supervises host companies. It checks whether training is done properly and whether your working conditions follow the rules. - Host Company / Implementing Organization (in Japan)
This is the actual company where you work and learn skills. You are employed by this company, and they must follow the approved training plan.
Throughout this article, when we mention a sending organization or supervising organization, it refers to these official entities, not informal brokers or individuals.
Purpose of the Program
The Technical Intern Training Program (TITP) was started in the 1990s. Its official goal is:
- to accept people from developing regions for a certain period (maximum 5 years), and
- transfer skills and knowledge through OJT,
- so they can contribute to economic development after returning home.
In other words, Japan is not supposed to treat this system as “cheap labor.”
The law clearly says it is a training scheme, not a simple labor program.
Three Stages: No.1, No.2, No.3
The Technical Intern Training Program is divided into 3 stages, each with its own Status of Residence:
| Stage | Status of Residence | Typical stay | Main purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical Intern Training No.1 | 技能実習1号 | Around 1 year | Learn basic skills after coming to Japan |
| Technical Intern Training No.2 | 技能実習2号 | Up to 2 years | Practice and improve intermediate skills in the same occupation |
| Technical Intern Training No.3 | 技能実習3号 | Up to 2 more years | Long-term skill use and further development (only for organizations that meet strict conditions) |
In total, the maximum is about 5 years of stay as a technical intern trainee (No.1 + No.2 + No.3), depending on the occupation and whether the company and supervising organization meet the requirements.
💡 Some supervising organizations and host companies are allowed to accept trainees for longer periods or more people overall if they are evaluated as “excellent organizations,” but the trainee’s total stay under TITP is still basically limited.
Skills, Not Just “Work”
During most of the period, technical intern trainees have an employment contract and are covered by Japanese labor laws (minimum wage, working hours, etc.).
However, the activity must always be:
- training to learn and improve skills,
- in an occupation where those skills can later be used in the home country,
- based on a training plan approved by the organizations in charge.
If the real situation is just “simple labor with no training,” it is against the purpose of the program.
Who Qualifies (Eligibility)
Exact conditions depend on the sending organization in your country and the supervising organization in Japan, but in general:
- 18 years or older and in good health.
- No serious criminal record.
- Education or work background that fits the planned training (for example, some experience in agriculture if you apply for agricultural training).
- Basic Japanese ability sufficient for living and working safely (often required by sending organizations; some industries set their own standard).
Also, you cannot apply alone. You must go through:
- a sending organization in your home country, and
- a supervising organization in Japan (which works with one or more host companies).
💡 If an individual broker says “I can send you to Japan as a trainee if you pay a big fee,” be very careful. You should always check whether they are an official sending organization.
Program Structure & Length
As a technical intern trainee, you move through stages like this:
- Pre-entry training in your home country
- Japanese basics
- Information about life and work in Japan
- Arrival in Japan → classroom lectures
- Laws, safety, work rules (often around 1–2 months for group-supervised trainees)
- On-the-job training at the host company
- Practical skill training guided by experienced workers
Typical Timeline
A common pattern (for occupations that allow all three stages):
- Year 1: Technical Intern Training No.1
- Basic training and first skills test (fundamental level)
- Years 2–3: Technical Intern Training No.2
- More advanced skills; second skills test (intermediate level)
- Years 4–5: Technical Intern Training No.3
- Long-term practical use of skills (only if the company and supervising organization qualify as “good” and pass extra checks)
Not all fields offer No.3. Some occupations stop at No.2.
How to Apply (Step-by-Step)
From Overseas (Standard Route)
Most people start the Technical Intern Training Program from outside Japan. A simplified flow:
- Information & recruitment
- You apply through a sending organization in your home country (an organization that officially participates in TITP).
- Screening and matching
- The sending organization and the supervising organization in Japan match you with a host company.
- Pre-entry training in your home country
- Basic Japanese, work rules, and information about life in Japan.
- Preparation of documents
- Training plan, contracts, your documents, and company documents are prepared by the organizations.
- Certificate of Eligibility (CoE)
- The Japanese side applies to the immigration office in Japan for a CoE for “Technical Intern Training (No.1).”
- Visa application in your country
- You take the CoE and apply at the Japanese embassy/consulate for a technical intern training visa.
- Enter Japan
- At the airport, you receive your Residence Card, then join post-entry lectures and finally start OJT at the host company.
Inside Japan (Moving from No.1 → No.2 → No.3)
You do not apply from the beginning again. The host company and supervising organization:
- evaluate your progress,
- help you take the required skills test, and
- apply to extend your period and change your Status of Residence from:
Technical Intern Training (No.1) → Technical Intern Training (No.2) → Technical Intern Training (No.3)
if the occupation and organizations qualify.
💡 If the company or supervising organization fails inspections or has serious violations, they may not be allowed to move trainees to No.2 or No.3.
Required Documents
Exact documents differ by country and organization, but you can think in two sets: from you and from the Japanese company side.
From the trainee (you)
- Passport
- Application forms provided by the sending organization
- ID photos
- Education and work history documents (diplomas, certificates, etc.)
- Health certificate (to show you are fit to work)
- Japanese language certificate, if your sending organization requires it (for example, a basic level exam)
- Any skills certificates already obtained in your country
From the Japanese company side
- Documents of the host company (registration, financial information)
- Training plan describing what skills you will learn and how
- Documents of the supervising organization (for group-supervised types)
- Employment/Training contract (even though it is “training,” you will receive wages as a worker)
👉 Usually you do not prepare these alone. The sending organization and supervising organization work together with the company.
Rights & Obligations of Trainees
Even though it is called “training,” you are still working, and therefore protected by most Japanese labor laws.
Your rights
- Minimum wage or more must be paid for working hours.
- Overtime must follow the Labor Standards Act (extra pay, limits on hours).
- You are usually enrolled in social insurance systems (health, pension, etc.).
- You have the right to a safe workplace – no violence, threats, or sexual harassment.
- You may consult OTIT (Organization for Technical Intern Training) in your language if you are treated badly.
Your obligations
- Follow Japanese laws and workplace rules (safety, attendance, etc.).
- Carry your Residence Card with you.
- Participate in the training honestly (no long absences without reason).
- Do not run away or work illegally under a different employer without proper procedures.
💡 If something is wrong (no salary, violence, unsafe work), you should first contact your supervising organization and, if needed, OTIT or a support NGO, instead of simply disappearing from the workplace.
Technical Intern Training Program → SSW: How It Connects
For many trainees, the big question is:
“Can I stay in Japan and keep working after my Technical Intern Training ends?”
The main bridge is the Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) system.
Moving from Technical Intern Training to SSW (i)
If you complete Technical Intern Training No.2 in the same field, and your occupation is one of the SSW (i) fields, you usually:
- do not need to retake the skill test, and
- do not need a separate Japanese test for SSW (i) in that same field.
In that case, the process is often:
- Find a new employer (or sometimes the same company) that can accept you under SSW (i).
- Apply for Change of Status of Residence from “Technical Intern Training” to “Specified Skilled Worker (i)” at the immigration office.
If you want to move to a different SSW field (for example, from agriculture to food manufacturing), you will usually need to pass the skill test for the new field and meet all requirements for that field.
Long-term future and Permanent Residence
Important points:
- Time spent under the Technical Intern Training Program and SSW (i) is generally not counted as “work-status years” for the typical 5-year work requirement in many Permanent Residence explanations.
- Time under SSW (ii), however, is treated as a regular work status and can be counted if you meet all the other conditions (tax, income, behavior, etc.).
👉 Related: Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) Visa: How to Apply
Common Mistakes (to Avoid)
- Thinking “Technical Intern Training Program = normal work visa.”
It is officially a training program, with stricter limits on period, transfers, and future options than normal work visas. - Signing a contract you cannot read or do not fully understand.
Always ask for translations or help before you sign. - Paying very high fees to brokers or unregistered agents.
In many countries, charging large “introduction fees” is illegal or tightly regulated. - Working in tasks that are completely different from the approved training plan.
If you are supposed to be in agriculture but mainly clean unrelated facilities, there may be a problem. - Hiding problems and then suddenly running away.
Once you are “missing,” it becomes very hard to change status legally or move to SSW later.
💡 If you feel something is wrong, talk early to your supervising organization and, if needed, OTIT or local consultation centers, instead of trying to solve everything alone.
FAQ
Q1. What is the main difference between the Technical Intern Training Program and SSW?
The Technical Intern Training Program is officially a training program to learn skills for your home country, with a limited total stay (about 5 years). SSW is a work-oriented status that allows you to work directly for employers in certain industries, with clearer work rights and, for SSW (ii), no total time limit.
Q2. Can I bring my family to Japan as a technical intern trainee?
No. The Technical Intern Training Program does not allow family accompaniment. Your spouse and children cannot come to Japan under “Dependent” status based on this program.
Q3. Can I change companies while I am a technical intern?
In principle, changing host companies is very restricted. The idea of the system is that you train at the company named in your training plan. However, in cases of serious abuse or company problems, transfers may be allowed through official procedures, not by leaving on your own.
Q4. Is it difficult to move from the Technical Intern Training Program to SSW?
If you complete Technical Intern Training No.2 in the same field and that field is covered by SSW (i), moving to SSW (i) is relatively smooth — tests are often exempt and many companies are familiar with the process. But moving to a different field can be harder because you must pass the new field’s skill test and meet all its conditions.
Q5. Does Technical Intern Training count for Permanent Residence?
Generally, no. Time under the Technical Intern Training Program and SSW (i) is usually not counted toward the “5 years under work/residence status” often used in Permanent Residence explanations. Time under SSW (ii) and other work statuses can be counted if all other conditions are met (tax, income, behavior, etc.).
Conclusion
The Technical Intern Training Program in Japan is not just a job in Japan – it is a structured program with a clear training purpose, a maximum length, and strict rules for both companies and trainees.
If you understand:
- how the No.1 / No.2 / No.3 stages work,
- what your rights and obligations are, and
- how the program connects to SSW,
you can make safer decisions and avoid common problems. For many people, completing Technical Intern Training No.2 and then moving to SSW (i) in the same field is a realistic way to build a long-term career related to Japan.
👉 Related: Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) Visa: How to Apply
👉 Back to: Visa & Residency in Japan: Complete Beginner Guide
Note: This article is written for foreigners living in Japan or planning to move to Japan. Conditions and requirements may vary depending on individual circumstances.
