Japan plans to restart special visas for foreign catering staff in hospitals and nursing homes
The Japanese government will propose to reopen a special visa track for foreign workers who provide catering services to medical and nursing facilities, starting next April.
The government of Japan announced plans to revive applications for a special visa aimed at foreign catering staff serving medical and nursing care facilities, with implementation slated for next April. Authorities intend to reclassify these catering roles from the restaurant-services group to the food-processing category, addressing a halt on restaurant-industry visas that began in April due to an anticipated breach of the 50,000-person quota by March 2029.
Data from an August health-ministry survey indicated that all surveyed providers of such catering services are experiencing labor shortages, raising concerns over patient and resident nutrition, particularly in rural hospitals and elder-care homes. While the Type I visa program imposes sector-specific caps, the higher-skill Type II visas remain uncapped. The government aims to finalize the proposal before the end of the year.
Why it matters
Restoring these visas could ease staffing gaps that threaten food quality in Japan's hospitals and elder-care facilities.
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