Specified Skilled Worker Do I need a medical examination? Check out the reasons and precautions

Why is a medical examination required to obtain Specified Skills residence status?

The reason why a medical examination is required for Specified Skilled Worker is because of the status of residence called "Specified Skills".

The following screening criteria are in place for obtaining Specified Skills status of residence.

1. Be 18 years of age or older
2. Be in good health
3. Possess a passport issued by the government of a country or region that will cooperate in the smooth execution of deportation
4. No security deposit has been collected
5. If you are paying money to a foreign institution, you must fully understand and agree on the amount and details with the institution.
6. If the sending country has established procedures to be followed, those procedures must be followed.
7. Regarding the expenses to be borne regularly by the foreign national, such as food and accommodation costs, the contents of the benefits to be provided in return are fully understood and agreed upon, and the amount of the expenses is equivalent to the actual cost or other appropriate amount, and a detailed statement or other necessary documents are presented.

One of these criteria is "2. Being in good health," so you will be required to submit the results of a health check.

Being in good health is a condition for obtaining a status of residence, so if you are diagnosed as being in poor health during a medical examination, you will not be able to apply for a status of residence.

Documents required to prove Specified Skilled Worker health status

The documents required to prove the health status of the Specified Skilled Worker are the "Personal Health Examination Form" and the "Visitor's Declaration Form".

You can download the format from the Immigration Services Agency of Japan home page.
Specified Skills List of related application and notification forms

We will introduce the necessary contents and precautions for creating the "Health Checkup Individual Form" and "Visitor's Declaration Form".

[Individual Health Checkup Card]

• Doctor's signature required
• The results of the health check must be translated into Japanese and attached.
• The Specified Skilled Worker applying for the status of residence must be in a language that is well understood

[Patient's declaration form]

• To be completed after undergoing a health check

The "Patient's Declaration Form" is a form in which you declare to your doctor all of your medical history, hospitalization history, surgical history, and medication history, and also declare that you have undergone a medical examination by a doctor.
Therefore, it must be completed after undergoing a health check.

Where can I get a Specified Skilled Worker health checkup? Check the cost

If you are already in Japan, you will have your health check at a Japanese hospital, or if you are still abroad, you will have your health check at a hospital overseas.

There is no designated hospital to visit, but the options will be narrowed down to hospitals where you can undergo all of the health check items listed on your "Personal Health Check-up Form."

The health examination items on the "Individual Health Examination Form" are as follows.

• Medical and work history investigation
• Examination of subjective and objective symptoms
• Chest X-ray
• height
• body weight
• BMI
• Waist circumference
• Vision
• Hearing
• Measuring blood pressure
• Anemia test
• Liver function tests
• Blood lipid test
• Blood glucose testing
• Urine tests
• Electrocardiography

It is important to note that the level of medical care varies depending on the country and region overseas, so the test content may change.
Therefore, if you are going to see a doctor overseas, we recommend that you request a consultation at a large hospital such as a national hospital.

For overseas residents, there is no legal rule on who pays for the medical examination, but the rules vary depending on the sending country.
Specified Skilled Worker It is necessary to check in advance whether the person himself or the host company needs to bear the burden.

The estimated cost of a health checkup in Japan is about 10,000 yen.
The cost of the medical examination after entering Japan will be borne by the host company.

Check out the precautions when having a Specified Skilled Worker have a health checkup

When having a Specified Skilled Worker have a health checkup, there are the following things to keep in mind.

Note 1: There is an expiration date

After undergoing a medical examination, you must apply for Specified Skills status of residence within a certain period of time.

In addition, the expiration date is different when applying for recognition (entering a new Japan) and when applying for a change of permission (changing the status of residence for Technical Intern Training students, international students, etc.).

• If you are applying for a visa status: Within 3 months of the date of the medical examination
• If you are applying for permission to change your status of residence: Within one year from the date of your medical examination

Caution 2: There are some test items that require caution

If any abnormal findings are found in the chest X-ray, which is one of the diagnostic items in a health checkup, a sputum test must be conducted to confirm that it is not active tuberculosis.

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has reported that the number of tuberculosis patients overseas has been increasing in recent years.
In the future, "pre-entry tuberculosis screening" will be introduced, which will require travelers to be free of tuberculosis before entering the country if they meet the following conditions:

• Those who are nationals of countries with a high number of tuberculosis patients diagnosed after entering Japan while residing there (Philippines, Vietnam, China, Indonesia, Nepal, Myanmar)
• Foreign nationals who wish to enter and reside in Japan as mid- to long-term residents

The pre-entry tuberculosis screening system is scheduled to be implemented in eligible countries that are ready after July 1, 2020, but has not yet started as of November 2024.

If it is tuberculosis, the public health center may also investigate your company.
Therefore, future developments regarding screening implementation will require close attention.

Note 3: If there are any abnormalities, you will need to submit additional documents

If you undergo all the tests and are found to have health problems that make it difficult for you to perform your duties steadily and continuously, your application for Specified Skills residence status may be denied.

If there is an abnormality in the "Doctor's Diagnosis" section of the "Personal Health Examination Form," but there is no problem with the operation, additional documentation will be required.
Specifically, it is a document stating "a doctor's opinion that although there is an abnormality, there is no problem with the device being able to operate."

The condition for this document is that it must be "clear that it was created by a doctor, hospital, etc."

Summary: A medical examination and document submission are required to apply for Specified Skills visa

Specified Skills Applying for residence status requires a medical examination and the submission of predetermined documents.

A medical examination is also required when employing Japan people at all times, but in the case of Specified Skilled Worker, one of the conditions is that they must be in good health, so they must undergo a medical examination.

There are two documents to be submitted for a health checkup: the "Health Checkup Individual Form" and the "Examinee's Declaration Form".

The place of medical examination depends on the place of residence of the foreigner you plan to accept, but it can be either domestic or abroad.
However, it is a condition that you can test all the test items on the "Health Examination Individual Form".
Health checkups have an expiration date, so be sure to pay attention to the date of your visit.

For overseas residents, there is no legal rule as to whether the Specified Skilled Worker should bear the cost of the pre-acceptance medical examination or whether the host company needs to bear the burden.
However, the rules vary depending on the sending country, so be sure to check in advance.

The estimated cost of a health checkup after entering Japan is about 10,000 yen, which will be borne by the host company.

In addition, due to the increase in the number of tuberculosis patients overseas in recent years, pre-entry tuberculosis screening is scheduled to be conducted in Japan for people holding certain nationalities.

If there are abnormal findings but there are no problems with operation, you can apply by attaching a document issued by a medical institution that shows this fact.

If you are a company that is considering accepting Specified Skilled Worker in the construction industry, please feel free to contact JAC!
We also introduce Specified Skilled Worker.

*This article is based on information as of November 2024.