Japan’s construction sector is one of the founding categories of the Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) system, which lets foreign workers take defined skilled roles. This guide explains the SSW construction route, the exams required, and what pay to realistically expect.
The SSW Construction Route
The Specified Skilled Worker visa for construction is a defined skilled-work category, not a general labour visa. SSW(i) lasts a maximum of 5 years; upgrading to SSW(ii) allows renewal and family accompaniment. The category and its limits matter: SSW(i) alone does not lead to permanent residence on its own terms.
Exams, Language and Employer Match
Applicants need basic Japanese — JFT-Basic or JLPT N4 — plus the construction-sector SSW skill exam, a match with a JAC-registered accepting employer, and a Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) from that employer. All of these steps must line up; passing an exam alone does not create a visa without an accepting employer and a CoE.
Salary — A Safe Range
Published guides cluster around a safe range of ¥190,000–¥300,000 per month, varying by region, trade and overtime (overtime is commonly quoted at 125%, with allowances on top). One guide quotes up to ¥350,000, but that top figure is not used as the headline. The guiding legal principle, per guides, is that SSW pay cannot be below that of a Japanese worker doing the same job.
What Is Not Claimed — Age Limits and Deadlines
Guides give conflicting typical age ranges (18–40 in one, 18–45 in another), and no official age limit was verified in the fresh research, so no age limit is stated in this post. Likewise, no live vacancy, employer or deadline is claimed, because none was verified. Be cautious of any advert that adds an age cut-off or a deadline without a verifiable official source.
Conclusion
Japan’s SSW construction route is structured and exam-based: basic Japanese, a sector skill exam, a registered employer and a CoE. With pay in the ¥190,000–¥300,000 monthly range and a 5-year SSW(i) horizon, it suits workers prepared for the exam and employer-matching steps — not anyone promised a job without them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What visa covers construction work in Japan under this guide?
The Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) visa, construction category.
What exams are required?
Basic Japanese (JFT-Basic or JLPT N4) plus the construction-sector SSW skill exam, along with a JAC-registered accepting employer and a Certificate of Eligibility.
How long does SSW(i) last, and can it lead further?
SSW(i) lasts a maximum of 5 years; upgrading to SSW(ii) allows renewal and family accompaniment.
Is there an age limit for SSW construction work?
No official age limit was verified in the fresh research, despite conflicting typical ranges in guides, so no age limit is stated in this post.
