Cabinet council decides on barring placement agencies for foreign workers which have records of offenses under Labor Standards Acts

On March 12th, the Japanese cabinet approved a bill establishing new visa statuses for foreign workers before the revised immigration control law comes in effect from April this year.

Under this law, the certification of placement agencies for foreign workers, which are tasked with supporting the placement of foreign residents in Japan, will be limited to those who have no records of offenses under Labor Standards Acts. To be more specific, certification as an authorized organization will not be granted if any record of an offense has been found less than 5 years from the date of registration. An agency’s registration will be revoked if the violation occurs after its registration.

Placement agencies are responsible for supporting companies who are willing to accept foreign workers by providing appropriate assistance and guidance on employment and life support planning. Upon registration, they are required to receive certification by the Immigration and Residency Control Agency, which will begin operations in April.

This new visa status law and the revised immigration control law will be in effect from April 1st.