Passed the SSW Accommodation Test? 5 Checks Before Starting Your Hotel Job
Passed the SSW Accommodation Test? 5 Checks Before Starting Your Hotel Job
You have passed the accommodation skills test and received a hotel or ryokan job offer. Before preparing for your first day, separate test results, the offer, immigration procedures and permission to work. This guide focuses on five practical checks for people planning to work under SSW No. 1 in accommodation.
Sources checked: 26 September 2026 / Individual work eligibility requires separate review
1. Check your current status and the procedure you need
If you are in Japan, start with your current status of residence and its expiry date. Moving from Student status to SSW and changing employers while already working under SSW involve different circumstances. An SSW worker changing the accepting organization also needs to apply for a change of status of residence. [E]
If you are outside Japan, check country-specific procedures and the steps involving a Certificate of Eligibility (COE), a visa and entry to Japan. Not everyone already in Japan needs to switch to SSW. People with a status allowing unrestricted work, such as Permanent Resident, should assess their position under that status. [B]
Ask your employer or adviser: Which procedure applies to my situation, and who will handle it?
Before you start: check your situation
For people planning to work under SSW No. 1 in accommodation. Passing a test or receiving a job offer alone does not determine whether you can start work.
Already in Japan?
Check your current status, expiry date and required change-of-status procedures.Changing employers under SSW also requires an individual review.Outside Japan?
Check country-specific procedures, the COE, visa and entry process.A COE alone does not complete the process of coming to Japan.Five checks with your employer
- Your current status and required procedures
- Your employer, hotel and actual duties
- Pay, deductions, working hours and days off
- Your support arrangements and contacts
- Application progress and checks before starting work
This diagram explains where to start checking. It does not determine eligibility or guarantee approval. Do not share personal documents in public comments. Sources A, B and E. Reviewed 26 September 2026.
2. Match the employer, hotel and actual duties
Check the company that will sign your employment contract, the facility where you will work and your planned assignment. A hotel name alone does not establish whether the position fits the accommodation sector. If the offer says “front desk,” check that the contract and planned duties match that description.
The sector covers accommodation services such as front desk work, planning and publicity, guest service and restaurant service. Incidental related work must be distinguished from a position devoted solely to cleaning. Review the employer guide with the hiring team for more detail on facility licensing and permitted duties. [C]
Ask your employer or adviser: At which facility will I work, and what will my main duties be? Do the job advertisement and contract match?
For hiring teams: SSW Accommodation Employer Guide
3. Understand pay, deductions and working conditions
Look beyond the headline salary. Check scheduled hours, overtime arrangements, days off, the work location and deductions such as dormitory or meal charges. The amount advertised is not necessarily the amount you will receive after deductions.
Ask for explanations in a language you understand and compare them with the written employment conditions. If something said during recruitment differs from the document, ask for clarification. The presence of a deduction alone does not determine whether that deduction is lawful.
Ask your employer or adviser: Which expenses will be deducted each month? Where are my working hours and days off recorded?
4. Know who will support you
SSW No. 1 includes support such as guidance about the contract and work, help with housing and daily-life procedures, and assistance with concerns. Find out whether your employer or a registered support organization will provide it. Keep the contact details of the person responsible. [D]
Ask about housing preparations, arrival arrangements and the languages available for consultation. Your employer also needs to prepare accommodation-sector council documentation. Separate what you need to provide from what the employer will prepare, so that each side knows what remains outstanding. [F]
Ask your employer or adviser: Who can I contact about work or daily life, in which language, and when will I receive pre-employment guidance?
5. Confirm progress and the conditions for starting work
Preparing an application, submitting it, supplying additional documents and receiving permission are different stages. Acceptance of an application alone does not mean you can begin the new job. Check whether your current permission covers the planned work or whether a change of status is required. [E]
For applicants overseas, issuance of a COE does not finish the visa and entry process. If you are in Japan, also check your expiry date and what activities you may undertake while the application is pending. Processing times vary. An approaching start date is not a reason to work before obtaining any permission you need. [B, E]
Ask your employer or adviser: What stage has my application reached, and what permission, documents and conditions must be checked before I start?
Frequently asked questions
Does passing the skills test finish the preparation?
No. Japanese-language requirements normally also need to be checked, together with the employer, duties, contract, support and immigration procedures. Any examination exemption must be checked against the applicant’s training and completion history. [A]
Can I start full-time work as a student once I receive an offer?
A job offer alone does not authorize that change. Check your current status, any permission for activities outside that status, your school situation and the required change-of-status procedure. Submission of an application is not permission to start the new work.
Do I need an application to move to another hotel in the same sector?
Changing the accepting organization under SSW requires a change-of-status application. Working in the same sector does not by itself allow you to start with a new employer under your existing permission. [E]
Does everyone submit the same documents?
No. The application type, applicant and employer circumstances, and previous submissions affect the documents required. Use the latest ISA document lists, checklists and forms to confirm applicable additions or omissions. [E]
Notes to prepare before a consultation
Prepare a short note of your current status and expiry date, or that you live overseas, your test results, job offer, planned duties, preferred start date and any application already in progress. This is information for a consultation, not a universal list of documents to submit to Immigration.
Continue studying: Accommodation Mini Test — Original practice questions, not an official examination. Scores do not establish readiness to pass the official test or immigration eligibility.
