Japan SSW Visa from Nepal - Salary, Test & Process

Japan's Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) visa is the most strategic destination available to Nepali workers without a degree. Unlike the Gulf - where you have no path to permanent residency and limited workplace rights - SSW gives Nepalis the same labour protections as Japanese citizens, and the SSW-2 upgrade leads to permanent residency, family reunification, and eventually Japanese long-term residency.

There are 16 SSW sectors open to Nepalis: manufacturing, food service, agriculture, nursing care, building cleaning, construction, shipbuilding, auto repair, aviation, accommodation, fisheries, industrial materials, industrial machinery, electric/electronics, food/beverage manufacturing, and restaurant work. Each requires its own sector-specific skills test.

The catch: you need Japanese (JFT-Basic or JLPT N4) AND a sector skills test. Total prep time is typically 9-15 months from zero. That's longer than the Gulf (2-4 months) and similar to Korea EPS (12-24 months), but the long-term outcome is dramatically better.

SSW-1 is your entry ticket - 5 years total stay, no family, basic skills test required, single-sector mobility only. SSW-2 is the prize - renewable indefinitely with no maximum stay, full family reunification (spouse plus all dependent children), and a direct pathway to Japanese permanent residency. The current limitation is that SSW-2 was originally available in only 2 of the 16 sectors (construction and shipbuilding/machinery). MHLW (Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) is rolling out SSW-2 expansion to all 16 sectors over 2026-2028, with manufacturing and accommodation expected next. Plan your sector choice with this expansion timeline in mind.

What does the SSW-2 → PR pathway actually look like? Japan's standard requirement for permanent residence is 10 years of continuous residence, but SSW-2 holders can apply earlier under the high-skill professional exception if they meet income, tax, and integration thresholds. In practice: 5 years on SSW-1 + 5 years on SSW-2 + stable employment + tax filings on time + basic conversational Japanese (typically JLPT N3 equivalent) + clean criminal record = realistic PR application around year 10. After PR, Japanese citizenship becomes possible after a further 5 years - though Japan does not permit dual citizenship, so you would need to renounce Nepali citizenship.

1. Japanese language test (JFT-Basic or JLPT N4)

JFT-Basic is the official SSW Japanese test, designed specifically for SSW applicants. JLPT N4 is the older general Japanese test - also accepted. Either qualifies.

• Test centres in Nepal: Kathmandu (primary), Bhaktapur, Pokhara
• JFT-Basic format: CBT (computer-based), 60 minutes, 250 points, pass at 200
• JLPT N4 format: paper-based, twice yearly (July & December), pass at ~90/180
• Prep time from zero: 6-12 months of dedicated study
• Cost per attempt: NPR 3,000-5,000
• Study options: 30+ registered Japanese language schools in Kathmandu, JICA Nepal courses, online (Marugoto, Minna no Nihongo, NHK Easy Japanese)

2. Sector-specific skills test

Administered by Prometric Japan (the CBT testing company) in Kathmandu. You pick ONE of the 16 sectors and take the skills test for that sector. The test mixes theory and practical recognition (photos of tools, safety scenarios, common workflows).

• Free study textbooks available from JITCO (Japan International Trainee & Skilled Worker Cooperation Organization)
• Most popular sectors for Nepalis: food service, accommodation, building cleaning, nursing care, agriculture, manufacturing
• Pass rate varies - food service ~70%, nursing care ~50%, construction ~60%
• Re-take allowed after 45 days if you fail

Japanese language schools in Kathmandu have become a small industry of their own. There are 30+ DoFE-registered schools, plus another 50+ informal coaching centres. Six-month JFT-Basic preparation courses cost NPR 30,000-80,000 depending on the school's reputation and class size. The most recommended schools by past Nepali SSW workers are Everest Japanese Language School (Putalisadak), Kathmandu Japanese Language Academy (New Baneshwor), Nepal Japan Language Centre (Bhaktapur), and Sakura Japanese Language Institute (Maitighar). JICA Nepal (the Japan International Cooperation Agency office in Lazimpat) also offers heavily subsidised classes for serious learners - admission is competitive and class sizes are small, but graduates have the highest JFT-Basic pass rate in the country.

Sector skills test pass rates vary widely, and your sector choice should reflect both your prior work background and the test difficulty. The highest pass rates are in food service (~70%), accommodation/hospitality (~68%), and building cleaning (~65%) - these test fewer technical concepts and rely more on photo identification of tools and basic safety procedures. The hardest sectors are nursing care (~50% pass rate due to medical terminology and patient-handling protocols), construction (~55% due to safety-code memorisation), and industrial machinery (~58% due to technical drawings). Manufacturing, agriculture, and fisheries sit in the middle (~60-65%). If your prior work background matches one of the easier sectors, your odds are dramatically better - a former Kathmandu hotel worker passing the accommodation skills test is far more likely than a first-time entrant attempting construction.

1. Pick a sector (one of 16) - match it to your prior work experience for the best pass rate.
2. Enrol in a Kathmandu Japanese language school. Target JFT-Basic in 6-12 months.
3. Pass JFT-Basic (200/250) OR JLPT N4.
4. Pass your sector skills test at the Prometric centre in Kathmandu.
5. Apply to a Japanese employer - through licensed DoFE manpower agencies OR direct via Japanese job boards (GTalent, JapanCareer, Yolo Japan).
6. Receive Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) from the Japanese employer - they apply on your behalf at Japan's immigration bureau.
7. Complete DoFE Shram Swikriti via FEIMS - mandatory exit clearance. See the full DoFE Shram Swikriti guide.
8. Pre-departure orientation + insurance enrolment + medical.
9. Submit visa application at the Japanese Embassy in Kathmandu (or VFS Global Nepal for some categories).
10. Receive visa, fly out, undergo employer-provided post-arrival training (typically 1-2 weeks).

Step 5 in detail - matching with a Japanese employer

Once you've passed JFT-Basic and the sector skills test, your name enters one of two pools: the agency-mediated pool (where DoFE-licensed Nepali manpower agencies submit your profile to Japanese receiving organisations) or the direct-application pool (where you apply yourself via Japanese job boards like GTalent, JapanCareer, Yolo Japan, or NINJA). Direct application is increasingly common for SSW because Japan's MHLW publishes the full list of registered SSW employers, and English-speaking Japanese HR recruiters often interview by Zoom. Whichever pool you're in, the contract you receive should specify: (a) base monthly wage (must meet or exceed the prefectural minimum wage), (b) typical monthly overtime hours and overtime rate, (c) employer-provided housing arrangement and cost deduction, (d) annual paid leave days, (e) return-flight responsibility at end of contract, (f) sector and specific job title. Red flags: a contract that doesn't specify housing cost, vague references to "company decides" overtime, or unusually low base wages for the prefecture.

Step 10 in detail - TIA airport departure

On flight day, you need: your e-passport with valid Japan SSW visa stamp, printed copy of your FEIMS e-sticker (digital Shram Swikriti), your original employment contract, your Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) original, your insurance certificate, your medical certificate, and a single small carry-on with copies of every document plus your first month's living-expense cash (¥50,000-100,000 recommended). At Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), immigration officers will scan your passport and verify the e-sticker on the FEIMS database - without it, you cannot board. After clearing Nepali immigration, on arrival in Tokyo Narita, Haneda, or Osaka Kansai, you'll go through Japanese immigration where the officer will issue your Residence Card (在留カード) on the spot. Your Japanese employer will typically arrange airport pickup and transport you directly to your dormitory.

SSW minimum salary is set by Japan's prefectural minimum wage law - typically ¥1,000-1,150/hour. Most full-time SSW workers earn ¥200,000-280,000/month gross. After income tax, health insurance, pension, and rent deductions, take-home is roughly ¥150,000-200,000 (NPR 130,000-200,000).

Compare this to Nepal's minimum wage of NPR 19,000/month and you see the multiplier: an SSW worker in Japan earns 8-10× what they would earn at home, in legal wages, with full social security coverage.

Overtime culture matters as much as base wages. Most Japanese SSW employers operate on a 40-hour standard week, but the realistic monthly overtime is 20-40 hours at 125-150% of base rate (the legal minimum overtime premium is 125%; manufacturing and shipbuilding often pay 130-150%). Adding overtime, a typical SSW worker's gross income climbs to ¥220,000-280,000/month - about NPR 200,000-250,000. Some workers in construction or shipbuilding regularly exceed ¥300,000/month with maximum legal overtime (capped at 45 hours/month under Japan's 2019 Work Style Reform law). Refusing overtime is legally permitted but socially difficult in many Japanese workplaces - be prepared for the cultural expectation, even if you choose to limit your overtime hours.

Deductions take roughly 25-30% of gross income. Income tax (国所得税) at 5-10% for SSW wage levels, residence tax (住民税) at 10% applied to prior year's income, national health insurance (国民健康保険) at roughly 5% of income, employees' pension insurance (厚生年金) at 9.15% of income, employment insurance (雇用保険) at 0.6%. The key fact for Nepali workers: Japan's Lump Sum Withdrawal Payment (脱退一時金) system allows you to claim back the pension contributions you made when you leave Japan permanently. After 5 years of SSW-1 contributions, the lump sum refund typically equals 4-5 months of salary - claimable within 2 years of departure via your Japanese employer or the Japan Pension Service. This makes Japan's apparently-high deductions effectively much lower than they look on the payslip.

Nepal is now the 4th-largest foreign nationality in Japan, with 185,644 Nepalis registered as of late 2024 - behind only China, Vietnam, and Korea. Tokyo (especially Shinjuku, Shin-Okubo, Funabori), Osaka (Tsuruhashi), Nagoya, and Fukuoka have the biggest Nepali concentrations.

• 500+ Nepali restaurants across Japan (the famous 'Indian-Nepali' curry chains)
• Hindu temples and Buddhist viharas in most major Japanese cities
• Dashain and Tihar celebrated openly - Tokyo's Nepali community organises 5,000+ person gatherings
• Nepal-Japan Society and NRNA (Non-Resident Nepali Association) Japan provide newcomer support
• Remittance corridor: Nepal-Japan is the #3 remittance source to Nepal (after Gulf and Malaysia combined)

Specific neighbourhoods worth knowing: Shinjuku-ku and especially Shin-Okubo (often called "Tokyo's Little Kathmandu") host the densest concentration of Nepali businesses anywhere outside Nepal - Nepali grocery shops selling Wai Wai noodles, Sherpa Tibetan momos, Hindu temples for Dashain puja, and Nepali-language signage everywhere. Funabori in Edogawa-ku is the residential heartland for many Nepali families. In Osaka, the Nishi-ku and Tsuruhashi areas around the multicultural quarter have growing Nepali populations. Nagoya's Nakamura district and Fukuoka's Hakata are smaller but established communities. Dashain and Tihar celebrations now draw 5,000-10,000 attendees at Yoyogi Park (Tokyo) and Ogimachi Park (Osaka), with full traditional rituals, Newari food stalls, and visiting performers flown in from Kathmandu.

Support networks matter when you're new and don't yet speak fluent Japanese. The key organisations: Nepal Association Japan (NRNA Japan chapter, headquartered in Tokyo) runs newcomer orientation and emergency support; the Nepali Workers' Support Group (NWSG) helps with labour disputes and workplace harassment cases; the Embassy of Nepal in Tokyo operates a 24/7 emergency hotline for workplace accidents, deaths, or distressed-worker repatriation. Many Japanese SSW employers also partner with sending Nepali manpower agencies to provide a Nepali-speaking liaison officer for the first 6-12 months - ask whether your specific employer offers this before signing the contract.

Read our dedicated guides for Korea EPS from Nepal and Gulf work visas from Nepal to compare in detail.

Japan is the best LONG-TERM play for a non-degree Nepali worker. The SSW-2 pathway opens permanent residency, the family reunification rights are real once you upgrade, the pay is strong (NPR 170,000-250,000/mo), and the worker protections are world-class - Nepali SSW workers have the same legal status as Japanese workers for wages, overtime, leave, severance, and harassment recourse. The trade-off is the 9-15 month onramp and the requirement to learn enough Japanese to function in JFT-Basic. If you are 22-30 years old and willing to invest a year in language study, Japan is mathematically the highest-expected-value choice for a Nepali worker without a degree.

Korea pays more in the short term (NPR 200,000-280,000 vs Japan's NPR 170,000-250,000) and is the right call if your sole goal is maximum 5-year savings - but Korea has NO permanent residency pathway through EPS, you must leave at 4yr 10mo, no family, no settlement. Gulf is the fastest path (2-4 months entry) and the cheapest to enter (NPR 20,000-80,000), but pays the least (NPR 40,000-90,000 typical net), offers the weakest legal protections, and provides no long-term future. The right choice depends entirely on your timeline (how long can you wait before earning?), your family situation (do you want them to join you eventually?), and your long-term goals (one big payday, or permanent settlement?). For most Nepalis under 30 with a 5-10 year horizon, Japan SSW wins on every dimension except entry speed.

• Use DoFE-licensed manpower agencies only. Verify the licence at dofe.gov.np.
• Legitimate total cost: NPR 200,000-300,000 (language school + tests + visa fees + flight)
• Never pay an agency more than NPR 10,000 'placement fee' - this is the legal maximum
• Demand official receipts for every payment
• The Japanese employer pays its own Certificate of Eligibility fees - you should not
• Report fraud: DoFE complaint portal at dofe.gov.np/complain or call 1141

See our full DoFE Shram Swikriti guide for the legal process every Nepali worker must complete before leaving - no exceptions, even for Japan.