On September 9, 2026, the Japanese government held an expert panel meeting to consider revisions to the sector-specific operational policies for the Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) Program and the Employment for Skill Development Program (ESDP).
At the meeting, the government began considering adding the aviation sector to the ESDP.
The overall acceptance cap for the aviation sector will remain unchanged at 4,900 workers, but 300 slots are expected to be reallocated from SSW(i) to the ESDP.
Under the proposed plan, the aviation work covered by the ESDP will focus on airport ground handling.
Details have yet to be finalized, but the revised policies are expected to be approved by the Cabinet in December 2026.
Proposed Skill Development for Airport Ground Handling under the ESDP
- Loading and unloading baggage and cargo from aircraft
Workers will learn to perform basic and assisting tasks involving the handling of equipment and supplies, departing baggage, loading and unloading aircraft, and arriving baggage. - Baggage handling
Workers will learn to perform basic and assisting tasks related to baggage identification, checking and sorting, preparation for loading and unloading, and baggage handling operations. - Cargo handling
Workers will learn to perform basic and assisting tasks involving cargo identification, checking and sorting, preparation for loading and unloading, and cargo handling operations. - Aircraft cabin cleaning
Workers will learn to perform tasks such as cleaning economy-class cabins, using handheld vacuum cleaners, and cleaning galleys and lavatories, excluding final inspections. - Passenger handling
Workers will learn basic passenger service tasks at security checkpoints, such as checking boarding passes, as well as assisting with passenger guidance, transfer guidance, and service unit assistance.
A new skills assessment test for these duties is also expected to be developed.
Labor Shortages in Airport Infrastructure and Moves Toward Common Qualifications
As inbound tourism has increased, the number of aircraft takeoffs and landings at airports across Japan has returned to pre-COVID levels. However, many workers who left the industry during the pandemic have not returned, resulting in ongoing labor shortages.
There is a particular shortage of workers responsible for maintaining airport infrastructure, including runways and taxiway lights, and the problem has become especially urgent at regional airports. Labor shortages are also affecting ground handling operations.
JAL Ground Service (JGS) has developed its own intensive training program and, in January 2026, produced its first foreign ground service driver at Narita Airport. JGS currently employs 74 foreign workers under the Specified Skilled Worker program.
Across the aviation industry, efforts to develop human resources are also gaining momentum. All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines, for example, are working to standardize qualifications for ground handling personnel.
By Hajime Saito
X: @hajimesaitoYJC
Source:
Immigration Services Agency of Japan (Sep. 9, 2026)
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