Japan to Halt New Foreign Hires in Restaurant Sector From April 13

Tokyo correspondent Seo Hye-jin for The Financial News reported that the Japanese government will halt the intake of new foreign workers in the restaurant sector from April 13, as the number of foreign workers under this visa category approaches its cap. The decision has fueled growing concern in the local restaurant industry over labor shortages and is spreading confusion.
According to Nikkei Asia on the 29th, the Japanese government will stop accepting new Specified Skilled Worker applications in the restaurant sector from April 13. Any Specified Skilled Worker visa applications submitted after that date will not be approved. Applications filed from overseas by April 12 are also expected to face processing delays, as authorities will prioritize visa status changes for foreigners already residing in Japan.
The move comes as the number of foreign workers in the restaurant sector nears its upper limit. Japan operates a Specified Skilled Worker visa program that allows foreign employment in industries facing labor shortages, while setting caps for each sector.
The Immigration Services Agency of Japan projects that there will be 374,044 Specified Skilled Worker visa holders as of November 2025. This is still below the overall ceiling of about 805,700, but the number is rising rapidly.
However, there are large differences by industry. In the restaurant sector, the number of Specified Skilled Worker holders increased from 42,396 in November last year to about 46,000 in February this year. At the current pace, it is expected to hit the 50,000 cap around May.
Japan also temporarily suspended new intakes in the industrial machinery manufacturing sector in April 2022 after that field exceeded its cap, but resumed them in about two months. This time, however, some observers warn the suspension could last for several years.
Restaurant industry representatives argue that the government-set cap is too low. The government, however, remains cautious about expanding foreign employment and has effectively ruled out raising the ceiling. An official at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (MAFF) stated, "We must first improve working conditions and increase hiring of Japanese workers."
Authorities also note that Specified Skilled Worker holders account for only about 1% of all restaurant workers, estimated at around 4.05 million, and therefore expect the overall impact of the measure to be limited.
Even so, concern on the ground is significant, Nikkei Asia reported. About 60% of restaurant operators are sole proprietors, and 80% have capital of less than 10 million yen, leaving them with little room to raise wages.
The number of Specified Skilled Worker holders in the restaurant sector jumped 53% in less than a year after December 2024, far outpacing the overall industrial average increase of 32%. With about 78% of workers in the sector employed part-time, businesses have come to rely heavily on Specified Skilled Workers, who are more skilled and available for full-time shifts.
Voices of concern are mounting at worksites. A representative of a major restaurant chain said, "We are taken aback by such an abrupt decision," adding, "We now have to move up our hiring plans and at the same time rethink our medium- to long-term strategy." A food service provider also pointed out, "Labor shortages at hospitals and nursing homes are already severe. If we cannot secure Specified Skilled Workers, it could become difficult to keep operations running at all."
The industry is expected to look for ways to make greater use of international students as part-time workers. Of the roughly 202,000 foreign workers in the restaurant sector, more than half are international students, and there is no separate cap for them. However, the government is moving to tighten employment rules for international students, leaving considerable uncertainty there as well.


sjmary@fnnews.com Seo Hye-jin Reporter