How each role โ employers, RSOs, placement agencies, and immigration attorneys โ manages their SSW compliance obligations in one connected system.
SSW Primer
Most Japanese employers learn about SSW compliance requirements only after a problem occurs. Understanding your obligations in advance is essential.
Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) is a Japanese visa category for foreign workers in 16 designated industries. Employers must meet strict documentation, housing, and reporting standards โ or face visa suspension and program disqualification.
A Registered Support Organisation (RSO) manages 29 mandatory annual obligations per worker on your behalf โ housing verification, quarterly interviews, grievance handling. You contract them. But if they fail, immigration flags you โ not them.
Missed reports, incomplete support records, or housing violations can result in worker deportation, employer suspension from the SSW program, and civil liability. Fujinova exists so none of that happens.
Japan's Technical Intern Training Program (TITP) is being phased out by 2027 and replaced by the Employment for Skill Development (ESD) program. Employers with existing TITP workers can begin SSW transition planning now โ before the deadline.
Your Role, Step by Step
Each person has specific tasks, deadlines, and legal obligations. Select your role to see exactly what you must do โ and what Fujinova handles for you.
Choose your role below
Stage
Employer โ Your Task
When / Trigger
Fujinova Handles
Stage 1
Application & Intake
File the visa application with ISA (Immigration Services Agency). You are legally responsible for the accuracy of all submitted documents.
After receiving the verified worker file from the Placement Agency
Pre-submission compliance checklist confirms all required documents are present. Document workspace stores every version with timestamps.
Stage 2
Training & Orientation
Conduct an arrival orientation covering workplace safety, worker rights, and expectations. This orientation must be formally documented.
Day 1 of employment โ required by law
Auto-logs the orientation as Activity #1 in the RSO activity log. Timestamps and stores your record automatically.
Stage 3
RSO Compliance
Review RSO compliance status continuously. Even if your RSO executes activities, you bear legal accountability for every missed obligation.
Ongoing โ check regularly
Real-time activity dashboard shows RSO progress. Alerts notify you when any activity is overdue before it becomes a violation.
Stage 4
Renewal & Beyond
Initiate the visa renewal process by engaging your immigration attorney with updated worker documents.
90 days before visa expiry
90/60/30-day countdown alerts. Pre-fills renewal document packet and hands off to your registered attorney automatically.
Tap your role to expand
Placement Agency
Application & Intake
Recruit and verify SSW candidate. Collect all required documents and send the complete worker file to the Employer.
When
Before worker departs Philippines
Fujinova handles
Document workspace stores all worker files and flags missing items before submission to Employer.
Training & Orientation
Conduct PDOS (Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar) training in the worker's home country.
When
Before departure date
Fujinova handles
Logs training completion per worker and generates a readiness certificate for the Employer's records.
RSO Compliance
Monitor worker welfare through read-only access to the RSO activity log. You cannot edit records. If a worker's contract ends or the employer changes, you are also responsible for departure support: job-change assistance, airport transfer coordination, and a final welfare report back to DMW.
When
Ongoing during employment โ departure obligations triggered on contract end
Fujinova handles
Read-only dashboard view of RSO activity log. Departure checklist auto-generates when a worker's status changes to departing or job-transfer.
Employer
Application & Intake
File the visa application with ISA (Immigration Services Agency). You are legally responsible for the accuracy of all submitted documents.
When
After receiving the verified worker file from the Placement Agency
Fujinova handles
Pre-submission compliance checklist confirms all required documents are present. Document workspace stores every version with timestamps.
Training & Orientation
Conduct an arrival orientation covering workplace safety, worker rights, and expectations. This orientation must be formally documented.
When
Day 1 of employment โ required by law
Fujinova handles
Auto-logs the orientation as Activity #1 in the RSO activity log. Timestamps and stores your record automatically.
RSO Compliance
Review RSO compliance status continuously. Even if your RSO executes activities, you bear legal accountability for every missed obligation.
When
Ongoing โ check regularly
Fujinova handles
Real-time activity dashboard shows RSO progress. Alerts notify you when any activity is overdue before it becomes a violation.
Renewal & Beyond
Initiate the visa renewal process by engaging your immigration attorney with updated worker documents.
When
90 days before visa expiry
Fujinova handles
90/60/30-day countdown alerts. Pre-fills renewal document packet and hands off to your registered attorney automatically.
Employer + RSO
Application & Intake
Jointly review all visa documents before submission to ISA. Both parties are responsible for confirming completeness.
When
Before the ISA submission deadline
Fujinova handles
Shared document workspace lets both parties review and flag issues simultaneously before any document is submitted.
Training & Orientation
Co-deliver the arrival orientation. The RSO must formally record attendance as Activity #1 โ the first of 29 mandatory annual activities.
When
Day 1 of employment
Fujinova handles
Both parties are logged as present. Orientation is auto-recorded as Activity #1, starting the mandatory activity counter.
RSO Compliance
Maintain the shared activity log. The Employer holds legal accountability; the RSO executes and records each activity.
When
Ongoing โ activities have fixed intervals throughout the year
Fujinova handles
Shared log with role-based access. The Employer sees all RSO inputs in real time and can verify completion without editing records.
RSO Company
Training & Orientation
Record the worker's arrival as Activity #1 โ the first of 29 mandatory annual support activities required under the SSW program.
When
Day 1 of worker's employment, handed off from Employer's arrival orientation
Fujinova handles
Auto-creates the Activity #1 entry. Starts the 29-activity annual counter and schedules upcoming activity reminders.
RSO Compliance
Execute all 29 mandatory support activities across the year: housing checks, workplace consultations, grievance handling, and mandatory compliance reports.
When
Annual cycle โ specific activities have legally defined intervals
Fujinova handles
Activity log with per-activity reminders and deadlines. Auto-generates compliance reports for submission โ no manual formatting required.
Immigration Attorney
Renewal & Beyond
File the updated visa application with ISA. If the worker is in a qualifying sector (construction or shipbuilding), assess SSW II eligibility and track their progress toward the transition alongside the renewal.
When
90 days before visa expiry โ initiated by the Employer handoff
Fujinova handles
Pre-filled renewal document packet reduces preparation time. SSW II eligibility tracker shows qualifying sector status and years remaining under SSW I for each worker.
Each stage has its own workspace. This is RSO Compliance โ 29 mandatory activities, tracked in real time. When immigration conducts an audit, all records are available in one place.
Stage 3 of 4 โ the dashboard handles every stage end-to-end.
+ 21 more activities tracked
Audit Readiness
Resolve 1 overdue + 2 pending to reach 100%.
Fujinova handles the full compliance lifecycle โ so your team spends less time on manual tracking and more time on operations.
Every worker's compliance status. One screen.
No spreadsheets unless needed. Every visa, every RSO obligation, every deadline โ live on a dashboard for all your locations.
Identify Compliance Gaps Before an ISA Audit Occurs.
Fujinova flags overdue activities and missing records before they become ISA incidents. Your team resolves issues before any audit begins.
Reports Are Generated Automatically. Renewal Deadlines Are Always Visible.
Compliance reports auto-populate from logged activities. Visa renewals trigger 90/60/30-day alerts so no deadline is missed.
Support Top Workers Through the SSW I to SSW II Transition.
SSW I โ SSW II transition roadmaps and HSP points tracking help your top workers qualify for long-term status in Japan.
No complex setup process. No IT department involvement required. Our team handles the setup.
Schedule a Demo
30-minute walkthrough with a compliance specialist. Bring your current worker count and any questions.
Import Your Workforce
Upload from spreadsheet or HRIS. Our team migrates existing worker records in 24 hours.
Configure Compliance Rules
Set your industry, RSO partner, and notification preferences. Platform adapts to your setup.
Train Your Team
1-hour onboarding session for HR managers. Most users operate independently after 15 minutes of training.
Go Live
Real-time dashboards active. First compliance report generates automatically at cycle end.
Built on Japan's actual compliance requirements
29
Mandatory activities tracked per worker, per year โ as required by Japan's SSW program
4
Visa stages covered end-to-end, from intake to SSW II renewal
16
Designated SSW industries supported across all compliance rules
< 15m
Average time for HR managers to become self-sufficient after onboarding
Join leading Japanese employers who trust Fujinova to manage their SSW workforce. Audit-ready in days, not months.
Free consultation available. No commitment required.