TITP vs SSW vs Ikusei Shuro: Which Route to Japan Fits You?

Key Takeaways

• There are three labels you will hear: TITP (Technical Intern Training), SSW (Specified Skilled Worker), and Ikusei Shuro (Employment for Skill Development). They are not the same thing.
• TITP is the old training route. It is being phased out and replaced by Ikusei Shuro, which starts in 2027.
• SSW is for people who can already pass a skills test and a Japanese test. It pays as a regular job and, at SSW (ii), can lead to long-term stay with family.
• Ikusei Shuro is designed as a 3-year on-ramp that ends in SSW. Unlike TITP, it allows changing employer after a set period.
• Whichever route you take from the Philippines, you still need a DMW-licensed agency, a COE, a visa, and an OEC.

Why there are three names

For about 30 years, the main door for Filipinos without a college degree was TITP, the Technical Intern Training Program. In 2019 Japan opened SSW for people who could prove their skill directly. Japan has since passed a law to replace TITP with a new system called Ikusei Shuro, scheduled to begin in 2027.

So as of 2026, all three names are in circulation. Some agencies still say "trainee" out of habit, and some Japanese companies still have TITP workers under the old rules, while new applicants are pointed toward SSW or told to wait for Ikusei Shuro. This post sorts it out. For a visual map, see /routes.

TITP: the old training route

What it is. TITP was officially a training program, not a job. The idea was that you learn a skill in Japan and bring it home. In reality most participants worked full shifts in factories, farms, food processing, or construction.

Structure. TITP No. 1 was the first year. TITP No. 2 was years two and three, after passing a basic skills test. TITP No. 3 allowed up to two more years in some cases.

Main weaknesses. You could not change employer except in narrow circumstances. That trapped some workers in bad situations. Family could not join. And because it was labeled "training," pay was often at the minimum wage level.

Why it still matters in 2026. If you completed TITP No. 2 in good standing, you can move to SSW in the same field without taking the skills test or the Japanese test. That is a real advantage for former trainees. Also, workers already in Japan under TITP will continue under TITP rules until their program ends, even after 2027.

Should a new applicant choose TITP now? In most cases, no. The program is closing to new entrants as Ikusei Shuro starts. If an agency in 2026 is still pushing a "trainee" contract, ask exactly which status of residence you will receive and when the program ends. Get it in writing.

SSW: the direct route for people with skills

What it is. SSW is a work status, not training. You are hired as a regular employee under Japanese labor law, and your pay should be at the level of a Japanese worker doing the same job.

What you need. A passing score on the skills test for your field (set at Trade Skill Test grade 3 equivalent) plus JFT-Basic at A2 or JLPT N4 or higher. Minimum age is 17. Tests are applied for by you directly; brokers charging fees for test applications are to be excluded under Japan's March 2025 policy. See /tests.

Two levels. SSW (i) allows up to 5 years total, no family. SSW (ii) has no limit on stay and allows family. Not every field has an SSW (ii) path yet, so check your field.

Money. Typical gross salary for SSW (i) as of 2026 is in the range of JPY 180,000 to 250,000 per month, depending on field and region. After deductions for health insurance, pension, employment insurance, income tax, and housing, take-home is lower. We cover this in the salary post and at /money.

Support. Every SSW (i) worker gets support from the employer or a registered support organization: help with housing, paperwork, and a check-in interview every 3 months. This support must be free to you.

Who it fits. Someone who can study Japanese to A2 in the Philippines, pass the skills test, and wants to be paid as a worker from day one. It also fits former TITP No. 2 completers who want to return without tests.

Ikusei Shuro: the new on-ramp starting 2027

What it is. Ikusei Shuro, often translated as "Employment for Skill Development," is the replacement for TITP. Japan designed it to fix the biggest complaints about TITP while still giving people with lower starting skills a way in.

Structure, as announced. You spend 3 years in Ikusei Shuro, then transition to SSW (i). You take a Japanese test before departure. You take a basic skills test at around the 1-year mark and a grade-3 level skills test by the end of year 3. Passing those puts you on the same footing as someone who entered SSW directly.

The big change. Employer change is allowed after a set period, under conditions. This is the single most important difference from TITP. It means you are not locked into one company for three years no matter what happens.

What we do not know yet. As of 2026, details such as the exact waiting period before transfer and the final list of fields are still being finalized. Anyone who tells you the "final" Ikusei Shuro rules today is guessing. Confirm on the Immigration Services Agency of Japan, OTIT, and DMW websites.

Who it fits. Someone with little work experience or lower Japanese ability who wants a structured path and can wait until 2027.

Side-by-side comparison

How to decide

Ask yourself three questions.

1. Can I reach JFT-Basic A2 in the Philippines? If yes, SSW is usually the faster and better-paid route. If you are far from A2, Ikusei Shuro may fit better once it opens.

2. Do I have relevant experience? SSW skills tests assume you know the basics of the field. Caregiving, food service, and agriculture tests are passed by many first-timers who study, but you need to prepare. If you have no experience at all and no time to prepare, the Ikusei Shuro design is meant for you.

3. Am I a former TITP No. 2 completer? If yes, you can go straight to SSW without tests. Do not let anyone make you retake tests or pay for "conversion."

The parts that do not change

Whatever route you choose, from the Philippines the process still requires:

• A DMW-licensed agency (you cannot self-deploy)
• A Japanese employer registered with the DMW through the MWO in Tokyo or Osaka
• A Certificate of Eligibility applied for by the employer
• A visa from the Embassy of Japan (fee waived for Filipinos)
• An OEC from the DMW, shown at the airport
• No placement fee. None.

Passing a test never guarantees a visa, and no agency can promise you a job. What a good agency can do is match you with a registered employer and process your papers legally. Use /check before you commit to anyone.

Sources

• Immigration Services Agency of Japan / Ministry of Justice: Specified Skilled Worker, Ikusei Shuro (Employment for Skill Development) legislation, March 2025 test policy
• OTIT (Organization for Technical Intern Training): TITP rules and transition to SSW
• Department of Migrant Workers (DMW): licensed agencies, MWO Tokyo and Osaka, OEC
• OWWA: PDOS
• Japan Foundation: JFT-Basic
• JLPT
• Philippine Labor Code Art. 13(b); RA 8042 as amended by RA 10022
• Hanapon: /routes, /tests, /check, /money