Proficiency exam for food-service industry to be held April 25; registration starts late March

On March 18, the Japan Food Service Association (JF) announced that they will conduct a proficiency exam for foreign workers, following the overhaul of the immigration control law that allows skilled foreign workers to stay in Japan with new visa statuses.

They are preparing to start registration in late March and conduct the exam on Thursday April 25 at exam centers in both Tokyo and Osaka. They will then announce the results mid-May. The exam will also be available to take in Hanoi, Vietnam, although they have not announced the exact dates for the overseas location exams yet. The Organization for Technical Skill Assessment of Foreign Workers in the Food Industry is in charge of conducting this exam.

As the restaurant industry is qualified to accept workers under the new residency visa, food service companies are allowed to hire foreign workers with the new Type 1 Visas which can be renewed for 5 years.

JF released the original learning materials on their website for potential applicants. The resources are divided into 3 fields: food safety management, food and drink preparation, and service related matters. Since the exam covers topics in these fields, it would be useful to focus on these areas if you’re interested in getting this qualification.

[Reference] Japan Food Service Association (JF): Initiative to accept foreign workers