Checked against the official page on 2026-10-20. Part of Oak’s directory of Japanese business grants.
Before you apply
- The money is not up front. You pay for the whole project yourself. The grant reimburses a share of it (often half to two-thirds) after a completion report has been checked, typically 6 to 18 months after applying.
- Do not spend before approval. Costs ordered, contracted or paid before the official grant decision (交付決定) are usually not eligible.
- Strict conditions. Employment grants are paid only if every condition is met and documented on time. A missed deadline or an incomplete record can void the claim.
- Obligations continue after payment. Reports for up to five years, inspections, and targets in your plan. Missing them can mean repaying part or all of the grant.
| Japanese name | キャリアアップ助成金 正社員化コース |
|---|---|
| Level | National · Nationwide |
| Administered by | MHLW / prefectural labour bureaux |
| Type | Employment (joseikin) |
| Maximum amount | Fixed-term→regular ¥800,000 per person (non-SME ¥600,000); indefinite→regular ¥400,000 (¥300,000); +¥200,000 per site for disclosure on しょくばらぼ (new FY2026) |
| Subsidy rate | Fixed amounts |
| Who can apply | Employers with an employment-insurance-covered site and a キャリアアップ管理者 and plan |
| Support organisation | None; キャリアアップ計画 filed with the labour bureau beforehand |
| How to apply | 雇用関係助成金ポータル (e-application, GビズID) or paper/post |
| Rounds and deadlines | Rolling: apply within 2 months after 6 months' post-conversion wages |
| Adoption rate | Not applicable (entitlement-based; unpaid if requirements fail) |
Can a foreign-owned company apply?
Any employer running a 雇用保険適用事業所 can apply, including foreign-owned companies and registered Japanese branches of foreign companies (no Japanese-HQ test). SME vs non-SME rate is judged on enterprise capital OR regular headcount (小売/サービス/卸/その他 thresholds), so a branch of a large foreign group usually gets the lower 中小企業以外 rate.
Points to note
Amounts verified in the R8 (2026-04-08) MHLW guide. Paid preparation is reserved to 社労士 (社労士法 Art.27). Fraud: 5-yr ban, +20% surcharge, names published; complicit 社労士/agents become jointly liable and are barred for 5 yrs.
How Oak can help
Employment and training grants (助成金) from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare are filed by licensed labour and social security attorneys (sharoshi), not by gyoseishoshi. Contact us and we will point you to a qualified sharoshi; we can still check the rest of your grant options.