E74 Visa 2024: Significant Increase in Skilled Workers, Calculate Your Score Now!

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The Ministry of Justice’s Enhanced Skilled Workforce Program

Since 2017, the Ministry of Justice has been implementing the ‘Skilled Foreign Worker (E-7-4)’ program, which offers long-term blue-collar workers a pathway to switch to long-term employment visas based on their accumulated skills. Initially, the program allowed for a gradual increase in the number of E-7-4 visa transitions, starting with 1,000, increasing to 1,250, and then to 2,000. For 2023, the aim was to accept 3,000 applicants. However, due to significant criticisms regarding the industry’s shortage of labor, the Ministry has decided to expedite the selection process, completing the intake for the first half of the year, and will also look to accept additional candidates in the latter half. This move aims to stabilize the supply of skilled labor in various sectors.

Updated November 2, 2023: You can find the related article about expanding the E-7-4 visa for 30,000 people in the links available at the bottom of this article.

The goal of improving the E-7-4 program is to support foreign workers in their transition to stable employment by recognizing their long-term service and skills in essential industries.

Key Improvements

  1. Relaxed Transition Requirements
  • The Ministry has reduced the required working period from five years to four, making it easier for workers with shorter employment histories to transition into the skilled workforce category.
  1. Increased Foreign Employment by Company Size
  • Companies can now employ foreigners based on their size, allowing for up to 20% of their workforce to be foreign nationals (or 30% for sectors like agriculture, fisheries, and non-metropolitan manufacturing), compared to the previous maximum of eight foreign workers regardless of company size.
  1. Expanded Selection Numbers for Skilled Workers
  • The selection for 5,000 skilled workers originally set for 2023 was completed by July, expanding the previous intake of 625 to a total of 3,000. There are plans for further increases after the third quarter.
  1. Application Period and Process for E-7-4 Visa Changes
  • While the application deadline for the second quarter (in June) has passed, there is an additional recruitment period. Foreign workers wishing to apply for the E-7-4 visa can submit their applications to the local immigration office from June 27 (Tuesday) to July 5 (Wednesday).

E-7-4 Visa Points and Conclusion

The E-7-4 visa program is competitive; during regular recruitment, around 600 slots are available, meaning only those with high scores qualify. For instance, in the first quarter, only applicants scoring 74 points or more were successful out of a selection of 625. However, with the increase to approximately 3,000 slots, the minimum qualifying score may decrease, allowing for more applicants above the minimum requirement of 52 points to be considered.

The Ministry continues to gather feedback from industries and local governments to improve the skilled workforce initiative and help foreign workers settle down in the country, ensuring a stable employment environment. This move is expected to not only validate the skills of foreign workers but also secure a dependable job market in various sectors.

Calculate the score based on the February 2024 implementation criteria.