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23/12/2025
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Schedule of Test of "Specified Skilled (i) and (ii)" for the Food/beverage products manufacturing industry ※ Updated continuously
24/12/2025
OTAFF Organization for Technical Skill Assessment of Foreign Workers in the Food IndustryHP quoted from ＞ external link
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| Domestic Annual Schedule | Detailed Schedule (Skill Level 1) | Detailed Schedule (Skill Level 2) |
| Food & Beverage Manufacturing Industry Specified Skilled Worker (i) Skills Assessment Exam Detailed Examination Schedule (Locations, Venues, Times, etc.) Here |
For Examinees Taking the Food & Beverage Manufacturing Industry Specified Skilled Worker (i) Skills Assessment Exam Outside Japan FY2025 Exam Information |
1. Specified Skilled Worker and Exam Purpose
Due to the revised Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act that started on April 1, 2019, a new residence status called "Specified Skilled Worker" was created.
The "Specified Skilled Worker" system allows foreign workers with specialized skills to be accepted for jobs in Japan where there is a shortage of personnel, such as in the food service and food & beverage manufacturing industries.
To obtain the Specified Skilled Worker (i) residence status in the food & beverage manufacturing industry, candidates must pass both the "skill level" and "Japanese language proficiency level" assessments.
The "Japanese language proficiency level" is determined either by the "JFT-Basic" conducted by the Japan Foundation or the "JLPT" conducted by the Japan Foundation and the Japan Educational Exchanges and Services (JEES).
The "skill level" in the food & beverage manufacturing industry is assessed through the "Food & Beverage Manufacturing Industry Specified Skilled Worker (i) Skills Assessment Exam" conducted by the OTAFF (General Incorporated Association for Foreign Food Industry Skill Evaluation Organization). (OTAFF may abbreviate the exam name as needed.)
For applications regarding the Specified Skilled Worker residence status, please contact the Immigration Services Agency of Japan at the Ministry of Justice. OTAFF cannot answer questions unrelated to the Specified Skilled Worker (i) Skills Assessment Exam for the food service and food & beverage manufacturing industries.
2. Eligibility
Those eligible to take the Specified Skilled Worker exam for the food & beverage manufacturing industry within Japan are persons who meet both conditions (a) and (b) on the exam day.
a. Have a valid residence status (Note 1) and be at least 17 years old on the exam day.
b. Possess a passport issued by a foreign government or authority recognized by the Minister of Justice as cooperating with the smooth enforcement of deportation orders (Note 2).
(Note 1) Persons legally residing in Japan may take the exam. Even those on a short-term stay without a residence card may take the exam if they comply with Japanese law. Persons staying illegally in Japan are not eligible.
(Note 2) Currently, candidates with passports issued by foreign governments or authorities other than the Islamic Republic of Iran are eligible.
(Important Notes)
■ Passing this exam does not guarantee obtaining the "Specified Skilled Worker" residence status. Passing the exam and applying for a Certificate of Eligibility or a change of residence status does not ensure that the certificate will be issued.
■ Even if a Certificate of Eligibility is issued, visa applications will undergo separate review by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, so a visa is not guaranteed.
3. Exam Subjects, Implementation Method, etc.
(All exam questions are written in Japanese with furigana for kanji.)
Exam Subjects: Written Test and Practical Test (2 subjects) Exam Time: 70 minutes
Implementation Method: Paper-based test (using a multiple-choice answer sheet)
(1) Written Test
This test covers general hygiene management based on HACCP, as well as knowledge of occupational safety and health.
| Item | Main Content | No. of Questions (Q) |
Points per Question (pts) |
Total Points (pts) |
| Basic Knowledge of Food Safety and Quality Control | ・Necessity of food safety ・Knowledge of food poisoning |
25 | 3 | 75 |
| Basics of General Hygiene Management | ・Hygiene management before, during, and after work, and food safety awareness ・Implementation of 5S activities ・Foreign object contamination control |
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| Basics of Production Process Management | ・Raw material management ・Production process management and precautions ・Product management ・Allergen management |
|||
| Hygiene Management based on HACCP | ・What is HACCP ・Hazard analysis ・7 Principles of HACCP ・Basics of HACCP hygiene management |
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| Knowledge of Occupational Safety and Health | ・Workplace hazard prevention measures ・Follow work procedures and 5S ・Response to abnormal situations |
5 | 5 | 25 |
| Total | 30 | 100 | ||
2) Practical Test ("Judgment Test" and "Planning Test")
The "Judgment Test" evaluates the examinee's ability to determine correct actions by looking at diagrams or illustrations, while the "Planning Test" evaluates the ability to create a work plan using calculation formulas.
| Item | Main Content |
No. of Questions (Q) | Points per Question (pts) |
Total Points (pts) |
||
| Judgment Test | Planning Test | Total | ||||
| Basic Knowledge of Food Safety and Quality Control | ・Necessity of food safety ・Knowledge of food poisoning |
4 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 30 |
| Basics of General Hygiene Management | ・Hygiene management before, during, and after work, and food safety awareness ・Implementation of 5S activities ・Foreign object contamination control |
|||||
| Basics of Production Process Management | ・Raw material management ・Production process management and precautions ・Product management ・Allergen management |
|||||
| Hygiene Management based on HACCP | ・What is HACCP ・Hazard analysis ・7 Principles of HACCP ・Basics of HACCP hygiene management |
|||||
| Knowledge of Occupational Safety and Health | ・Workplace hazard prevention measures ・Follow work procedures and 5S ・Response to abnormal situations |
4 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 20 |
| Total | 8 | 2 | 10 | 50 | ||
| Food & Beverage Manufacturing Industry Specified Skilled Worker (i) Skills Assessment Exam Detailed Examination Schedule (Locations, Venues, Times, etc.) Here |
For Examinees Taking the Food & Beverage Manufacturing Industry Specified Skilled Worker (i) Skills Assessment Exam Outside Japan FY2025 Exam Information |
| Click here for detailed exam information and schedules |