SSW kaigo · Long-term path

Nursing Jobs in Japan for Filipino Nurses

Japan’s demand is strongest in nursing care (kaigo) under the SSW visa: pass a basic Japanese test plus a skills exam for a 5-year, renewable pathway in the world’s oldest society. Pay runs ¥180,000–250,000/mo with care facilities hiring nationwide.

Submit my CV — free

LicensingJPEPA / SSW + JLPT N4 or JFT-Basic

Typical pay¥180,000–250,000/mo

Timeline8–14 months incl. language

EmployersCare facilities nationwide

Figures above are typical ranges as of 2026 and vary by employer, city and experience — we confirm exact packages per offer.

Why Japan

Japan has the world’s oldest population and a structural shortage of care workers — demand that will only grow. The SSW (Specified Skilled Worker) route is deliberately accessible: basic Japanese (JLPT N4 or JFT-Basic) plus a nursing-care skills exam opens a 5-year renewable visa, with a defined path to SSW type 2 and longer-term settlement for committed workers.

How licensing works

Japanese language — reach JLPT N4 or pass the JFT-Basic — a basic, achievable level, with many employers and programs funding the training.
SSW nursing-care skills exam — a competency test for the kaigo (nursing care) sector, sat in the Philippines or Japan.
Offer & SSW visa — care facilities sponsor the 5-year renewable SSW visa. Medijobs candidates never pay placement, verification or exam fees — employers cover them.

Coming from the Gulf?

Years in a JCI-accredited GCC hospital are a strong asset for Japan — international experience, English-language charting and acuity exposure all count. If you are currently in the Gulf, tell us in the CV form and we plan your Japan pathway around your existing contract. Transfer vs new deployment — which fits you?

What Medijobs does

Submit your CV once. We verify your credentials, match you to vetted employers hiring Filipino nurses in Japan, and guide every licensing, exam and visa step. Deployments from the Philippines are completed through licensed Philippine recruitment partners. You never pay a placement fee — ever.

Common questions

How much do Filipino workers earn in Japan’s care sector?

Typically ¥180,000–250,000 per month before deductions, varying by region and employer, with overtime and night allowances on top. We confirm exact packages per offer.

How long does the Japan pathway take?

Plan for 8–14 months including language study — reaching JLPT N4 or JFT-Basic is the pacing item, followed by the skills exam, offer and visa.

Do I pay anything to Medijobs?

No. Candidates never pay placement, verification or exam fees — employers cover them. Any agency asking for upfront fees is a red flag under Philippine law.

Is this a registered-nurse job?

Most demand is in kaigo — nursing care — under the SSW visa, which suits nurses and caregivers alike. Practising as a licensed RN in Japan requires passing the Japanese national nursing exam in Japanese, a much longer route we can also advise on.

Ready for Japan?

Submit your CV once — free. We match you to verified employers and guide every licensing step, and we tell you honestly which pathway fits.