How to Become a Caregiver in Japan From India: Complete Step-by-Step Guide

Japan has a large and growing need for care workers, and India and Japan have a formal agreement that opens a route for Indian candidates. In January 2021, the two governments signed a Memorandum of Cooperation on the Specified Skilled Worker system, which names nursing care as one of 14 sectors open to skilled Indian workers. The route is real, but it has fixed steps: language, a skills test, an employer, and a visa.

This guide walks through each step in order, explains the difference between the main routes, and shows you how to avoid agents who skip the hard parts.

Which Route Are You Taking?

There are three routes to know about.

• Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) in nursing care. This is the most direct route for a new candidate. You pass a skills test and Japanese language tests, then take a job with a Japanese care employer.
• Technical Intern Training Program (TITP). This is a training-based route that has been used for care workers. Japan is replacing it with a new "training and employment" system, phased in by 2027, so check which route is open to you at the time you apply.
• Care Worker (Kaigo) visa. This is a longer-term status reached after you earn Japan's national Certified Care Worker qualification. It is a later step for people already working in Japan, not a starting point.

The rest of this guide follows the SSW route, since it is the one a new candidate from India will most often take.

Step 1: Understand What the Job Involves

SSW nursing care covers hands-on care. The Immigration Services Agency of Japan describes it as physical care such as bathing, meals and toileting assistance, along with related support such as recreation and helping with functional training. This is physically and emotionally demanding work, and it is mostly done in care homes and similar facilities. Be sure that is the work you want before you invest months in preparation.

Step 2: Learn Japanese

Language is the longest part of the preparation. The Japanese agency's requirement for SSW nursing care is one of two things: the Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese (JFT-Basic) or the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) at N4 or above. You also need to pass a separate nursing care Japanese language evaluation test. A recent revision of the rules also recognises other evidence of A2-level Japanese, so confirm the current list before you book an exam.

To see how long this takes in practice, look at what Indian programmes build in. Nine youths from Tripura who were placed in care jobs in Japan in 2025 first completed nine months of residential Japanese language and nursing preparation at an NSDC International empanelled institution in Greater Noida. Your own timeline will depend on where you start.

If you need a structured way to prepare, Learnet offers a Japanese language proficiency test course, and you can see its wider overseas pathway on the global career programme page.

Step 3: Pass the Nursing Care Skills Evaluation Test

The skills test is a separate requirement from language. Candidates must pass Japan's Nursing Care Skills Evaluation Test unless they have already completed the second year of technical intern training in nursing care, which exempts them from it. Prepare for it as a practical exam, not just a language exam: it tests care knowledge and procedure.

Building hands-on care knowledge before the test helps. A foundation such as the Nursing Assistant (Advanced) course is one way to build basic care skills, though it does not replace the Japanese test itself.

Step 4: Find a Verified Employer Through a Credible Channel

SSW workers in care are employed directly by a Japanese facility. Japan limits how many SSW workers a facility can take, tying the cap to the number of its regular Japanese care staff, so employers do not take unlimited candidates.

The safest channels are the ones with government or national-agency involvement. For example, NSDC International worked with Tripura's skill development directorate on that state's placements, and it has also announced a caregiver training lab with Sompo Care at its Greater Noida centre, planned for 75 candidates across three batches. Pathways like these are easier to check than an unknown agent's promise.

Step 5: Apply for the Visa and Travel

Once you have passed the test and received a job offer, the status of residence application is usually prepared with your employer, and you then apply for the visa. Keep copies of every certificate and your contract. Read the contract for job duties, location, and working hours before you sign anything.

Step 6: Plan What Comes After

SSW (Type 1) in nursing care is a time-limited status, commonly described as lasting up to five years in total. The longer-term path is to earn the Certified Care Worker qualification, which leads to the Care Worker visa. Plan your Japanese study beyond the entry level from the start, because that qualification demands a higher level of Japanese than the SSW entry requirement.

Red Flags When Choosing an Agent or Institute

•     A guarantee of a Japan job with no mention of language tests or the skills test

•     No named Japanese employer, or no written contract before you pay

•     Fees quoted verbally and not in writing

•     Pressure to pay quickly because "seats are filling"

•     No clear answer on which route (SSW, TITP or other) applies to you

If an agent cannot name the test, the employer, and the visa category, treat the offer as unverified.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a nursing degree to work as a caregiver in Japan?

Not for the SSW nursing care route. The requirements are the language tests and the Nursing Care Skill Evaluation Test, not a nursing degree. Check the current rules with an authorised channel, as they can be revised.

Which Japanese level do I need?

For SSW nursing care, the Japanese agency lists JLPT N4 or above, or the JFT-Basic, plus a nursing care Japanese evaluation test. A later step, the Certified Care Worker qualification, needs a higher level.

How long does it take to prepare?

It depends on your starting level. One Indian programme placed candidates after nine months of residential Japanese and nursing preparation, but your own time may be shorter or longer.

Is the TITP route still open?

Japan is replacing TITP with a new system by 2027, so confirm which routes are accepting candidates when you apply.

Can I stay in Japan permanently as a caregiver?

SSW Type 1 is time-limited. A longer stay generally runs through the Certified Care Worker qualification and the Care Worker visa.

Conclusion

Becoming a caregiver in Japan from India is a structured process: choose the route, learn Japanese, pass the skills test, get a verified employer, and then apply for the visa. The people who succeed prepare language and care skills early and use channels they can check. You can start by exploring Learnet's global career programme and the language preparation it supports.