Japan's Ikusei Shuro Training Provider Lists: Plan Now for April 2027

Japanese-language training will be a built-in obligation under Japan's new 育成就労 (Ikusei Shuro) system—not something employers can leave entirely to workers. When the system begins operating on April 1, 2027, workers will face an A1 requirement before starting work and an A2-focused training requirement during the three-year program.

The Immigration Services Agency has published survey-based lists showing which Japanese-language institutions reported that they could provide this training, with the information current as of June 2026.

Keep the dates separate: the Ikusei Shuro system starts operating on April 1, 2027. The provider lists are a June 2026 snapshot. They are reference material for arranging training—not an announcement that applications opened in June 2026. No application-reception date is stated on the page.

Who's affected

Ikusei Shuro workers, who must meet the pre-work A1 requirement and take training aimed at reaching A2
Accepting employers, formally the Ikusei Shuro implementing organizations
Supervising support organizations and others involved in arranging the program
Japanese-language institutions planning to provide qualifying courses

The practical burden falls heavily on the accepting side. Employers and other responsible organizations must take measures to ensure workers receive the applicable courses, including bearing the training costs.

What workers must complete

Before starting work: an A1 test or course

Before employment begins, a worker must do one of the following:

Pass a Japanese-language test equivalent to A1 under Japan's Framework of Reference for Japanese Language Education
Take Japanese-language training equivalent to A1

The course is therefore an alternative to passing the test—not an additional requirement for everyone.

During the program: A2-target training

Workers must also take Japanese-language training designed to help them reach A2 by the end of the three-year Ikusei Shuro period.

That distinction matters for planning: passing an A1-equivalent test may remove the need for the pre-work A1 course, but it does not remove the A2-target training requirement.

What the provider lists actually cover

The lists are based on a survey of Japanese-language institutions and are intended to help employers and support organizations arrange training more smoothly.

The page provides separate survey-result tables covering:

Certified Japanese-language institutions offering a course for employment
Certified Japanese-language institutions more broadly
Designated Japanese-language institutions

A 認定日本語教育機関 is an institution certified by the Minister of Education under the law governing certified Japanese-language institutions. Its certified programs may include courses for study, employment, or daily life.

Certification alone is not enough to identify the right course. A certified Japanese-language institution may not offer a course for employment, so check the institution's exact program rather than relying on its general status.

A 告示日本語教育機関 is a Japanese-language institution designated by the Minister of Justice under the standards connected to the Student status of residence.

The catch: other providers may qualify temporarily

A certified institution's course for employment is not the only possible route during the transitional period.

For the time being—intended to be roughly five years after the Ikusei Shuro Act takes effect—a course may also be accepted if it satisfies specified conditions, even when it is not a certified institution's course for employment. Those conditions include:

Instruction by a registered Japanese-language teacher
No more than 20 students per teacher
Compliance with the other applicable course requirements

This means a non-certified Japanese-language institution may provide Ikusei Shuro training when a registered Japanese-language teacher affiliated with that institution delivers it and the course meets the required conditions.

But this is not blanket approval for every class at every school. The teacher, class size, and other course conditions still matter. The official page does not give a calendar end date for the transitional measure.

What you should do now

If you're an employer or support organization

Use the June 2026 lists as a shortlist, then confirm the provider's current availability and exact course.
Decide how each worker will meet the pre-work requirement: an A1-equivalent test or A1-equivalent training.
Arrange the separate A2-target course for the three-year program.
Budget for the training. The accepting side is responsible for taking the necessary measures, including covering course costs.
If relying on the transitional route, check that the instructor is a registered Japanese-language teacher, the class has no more than 20 students per teacher, and the other requirements are met.

If you're an incoming worker

Ask the accepting employer before work starts:

Whether you are expected to pass an A1-equivalent test or attend an A1 course
Which institution will provide any required training
When your A2-target course will begin
How the employer will handle the training costs

Do not assume that finding a school on the list settles the issue. The relevant course—not just the institution's name—must fit the Ikusei Shuro requirements.

Sources: Immigration Services Agency — Japanese-Language Training Provider Status Lists as of June 2026; Immigration Services Agency — Ikusei Shuro Q&A

Common questions

When does Japan's Ikusei Shuro system start operating?+

The system starts operating on April 1, 2027. June 2026 is the snapshot date for the published provider lists, not an application-reception date. The official page does not announce when applications will be accepted.

Must every Ikusei Shuro worker take an A1 Japanese course?+

Not necessarily. Before starting work, the worker must either pass a Japanese-language test equivalent to A1 or take equivalent A1 training. A2-target training must then be taken with the goal of reaching A2 by the end of the three-year program.

Can a non-certified Japanese-language school provide the training?+

Potentially. Under a temporary transitional measure intended to last roughly five years after the Ikusei Shuro Act takes effect, other courses may qualify if they meet specified conditions, including instruction by a registered Japanese-language teacher and no more than 20 students per teacher.