As part of our efforts to support the career development of our foreign national employees, we have been supporting them in obtaining the "Food Service Specified Skills No. 2" qualification, and we are pleased to announce that our first employee has been granted this qualification. This marks a symbolic step towards paving the way for foreign nationals to play a permanent role in the food service industry.
From Specified Skills 1 to 2: Supporting the long-term success of foreign nationals
"Specified Skilled Worker No. 2" is a residence status that can be obtained by people who have advanced skills and extensive work experience and who can take on leadership positions in the field. If the conditions are met, family members can accompany the worker, and there is no limit on the number of times they can renew their residence status, making it possible to plan a long-term career path in Japan.
Since the system was established in 2019, our company has been actively accepting "Specified Skilled Worker No. 1" workers, and currently has 33 employees with Specified Skilled Worker No. 1 qualifications. With the expansion of the "Specified Skilled Worker No. 2" field in 2023, we have been providing support for obtaining the qualification through in-house information sessions and exam preparation courses, and this time, our first employee has obtained "Specified Skilled Worker No. 2" residence status.
Pioneering the future of dining out with diverse talent
Wondertable believes that talent with diverse nationalities and cultures is the driving force behind restaurant management, and has made strengthening the recruitment of foreign employees (those with nationalities other than Japanese) one of its top corporate strategies. As of August 2025, the company employs 78 full-time foreign employees and 403 part-time foreign employees, the highest number ever. The company has attracted talented people with diverse cultural backgrounds and values, representing 49 countries around the world.
Obtaining Specified Skills No. 2 status will be the first step in building a long-term career in Japan. It will embody Japanese hospitality and help further enrich our company and the restaurant industry in Japan.
Wondertable will continue to actively support the acquisition of this qualification and promote the active participation of diverse talent in order to provide customers with the best restaurant experience.
■ Trends in the number of foreign employees at Wonder Table
2022: Part-time 250 (14.3%) Full-time 48 (18.1%)
2023: Part-time 308 (15.0%) Full-time 53 (16.1%)
2024: Part-time employees: 352 (14.7%) Full-time employees: 62 (17.7%)
2025: Part-time 403 (20.2%) Full-time 78 (20.5%)
■What is the Specified Skilled Worker System?
The Specified Skilled Worker System is a system aimed at accepting foreign nationals with certain expertise and skills in industrial fields where it is difficult to secure domestic human resources. It was established by the revised Immigration Control Act passed and enacted in 2018, and acceptance became possible from April 2019. There are two types of Specified Skilled Worker: Type 1 and Type 2.
The maximum period of stay for Type 1 applicants is five years, and the skill level and Japanese language proficiency level are confirmed through tests, etc. The condition is that the applicant must be eligible for support from the accepting organization where they work or a registered support organization.
Type 2 is a new status of residence approved by the Cabinet in June 2023. To obtain this status, one must meet two requirements: 1) pass the Specified Skills Type 2 Evaluation Test or the Skills Test Level 1, and 2) gain a certain amount of work experience as a supervisor or instructor.
■Reference information
Specific skill system: https://www.jitco.or.jp/ja/skill/
Specific skill No. 1: https://tokuteiginou-online.com/column/visa-info/
Specified Skills No. 2: https://global-saponet.mgl.mynavi.jp/visa/2685