Guide
Thailand Ikusei Shuro MOC: Japan's First Sending-Country Deal Starts June 2, 2026
Japan and Thailand signed the first cooperation memorandum for the new Ikusei Shuro system on June 2, 2026. It does not open applications by itself, but it sets the government-to-government rules for sending, receiving, and protecting Thai workers.
Japan has signed its first cooperation memorandum for the Ikusei Shuro system — and it is with Thailand.
The memorandum was created on June 2, 2026 between Japan's side — the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and National Police Agency — and Thailand's Ministry of Labour. The press release was issued on June 4, 2026.
Effective point: cooperation under this memorandum starts from the signing date: June 2, 2026.
Do not confuse this with an application start date. The release does not announce when applications by workers, employers, or sending organizations will be accepted under this Thailand route.
Who's affected
This matters most if you are connected to Thailand-to-Japan labour migration:
- Thai nationals planning to work in Japan under the future 育成就労 system
- Japanese employers expecting to receive Thai workers
- supervising/support organizations in Japan
- Thai sending organizations
- brokers, recruiters, and anyone advising workers on fees, documents, or job placement
The key point: this is not a worker-facing “you can apply now” announcement. It is a government-to-government framework for how Thailand and Japan will cooperate once the Ikusei Shuro system is operated.
What changes
Japan and Thailand already had a cooperation memorandum for the Technical Intern Training Program. This new memorandum was made because the Ikusei Shuro system will operate in place of Technical Intern Training.
The memorandum sets rules for both sides to cooperate on:
- sending Thai Ikusei Shuro workers to Japan
- accepting them in Japan
- protecting Ikusei Shuro workers
- keeping the system properly operated
- handling reports of improper employers, support organizations, or sending organizations
It is also the first cooperation memorandum Japan has created for the Ikusei Shuro system.
Japan's commitments
Japan's ministries and agencies commit to handling, under the Ikusei Shuro law standards:
- permission for supervising/support organizations
- certification of Ikusei Shuro plans
If Japan cancels permission for a supervising/support organization or cancels certification of an Ikusei Shuro plan, Japan will notify Thailand.
If Thailand reports an improper Ikusei Shuro implementing organization in Japan, Japan will:
- investigate
- take appropriate action
- report the result back to Thailand
Thailand's commitments
Thailand commits to properly handling certification of sending organizations under the standards in the memorandum.
If Thailand cancels certification of a sending organization, Thailand will notify Japan.
If Japan reports an improper sending organization, Thailand will:
- investigate
- take appropriate action
- report the result back to Japan
The catch
This memorandum is important, but it is not the whole system.
It does not give individual workers a status of residence by itself. It does not list job categories, quotas, fees, documents, or application windows in the press release. And it does not say that Thailand-route applications are already being accepted.
So if a recruiter tells you “Thailand's Ikusei Shuro route is open because the MOC was signed,” be careful. What is confirmed is the bilateral cooperation framework and its start date — June 2, 2026 — not a worker application launch.
What you should do now
If you are a Thai worker:
- wait for concrete application guidance before paying fees or signing recruitment paperwork
- check whether the sending organization is properly certified once Thailand publishes or confirms procedures
- keep records of all payments, contracts, and recruitment promises
If you are a Japanese employer or support organization:
- do not treat the MOC as a substitute for Ikusei Shuro plan certification or organization permission
- prepare for checks on whether your receiving structure meets the Ikusei Shuro law standards
- expect information-sharing between Japan and Thailand if improper conduct is reported
This is the first Thailand-Japan building block for Ikusei Shuro. The practical question for workers is still: when will the actual application process open, and through which approved channels? That has not been announced in this release.
Common questions
Is the Thailand Ikusei Shuro route open for applications now?+
The official release says the cooperation under the memorandum starts from the signing date, June 2, 2026. It does not announce an application acceptance start date for workers.
Does this replace the Technical Intern Training arrangement with Thailand?+
The release says Japan already had a memorandum with Thailand for Technical Intern Training, and this new memorandum was made because the Ikusei Shuro system will start operating in place of that system.
What is the point of the memorandum?+
It sets bilateral commitments on sending and accepting Ikusei Shuro workers, including protection of workers, proper operation of the system, notifications when approvals are cancelled, and investigations when either side reports improper actors.