Rights & Safety · 7 min read
How to evaluate a sending organization before signing anything
Most Vietnamese workers who go to Japan for SSW work do so through a sending organization — a licensed company in Vietnam that handles paperwork, coordinates with the Japanese employer, and sometimes provides preparation support. The problem is that the quality, transparency, and ethics of these organizations vary enormously. Some operate cleanly. Others charge excessive fees, provide little support, and leave workers without recourse once in Japan. This article gives you the specific things to ask and check before you sign anything.
What a sending organization is actually supposed to do
A licensed sending organization (送出機関, sōshutsu kikan) is an officially recognized intermediary in Vietnam that coordinates the placement of workers into Japanese companies. Their legitimate role includes: verifying that workers meet requirements, helping with documentation, coordinating with the Japanese receiving organization or employer, and providing some level of pre-departure orientation.
They are not employers. They do not own your visa. They should not hold your passport or identity documents. They should not be the only link between you and the employer — you should always know who your Japanese employer is, what company they operate, and how to contact them.
The key distinction: a legitimate sending organization is a service provider helping you navigate a process. An exploitative one positions itself as a gatekeeper controlling access to a job you cannot reach otherwise. If a sending organization makes you feel like you owe them the opportunity rather than that they are providing a service, that posture is itself a warning sign.
What you are entitled to receive in writing — before signing
Before signing any agreement with a sending organization, you have the right to receive a written document that clearly states: the total fees you will pay and a line-by-line breakdown of what each fee covers, the name and business registration details of the Japanese employer you are being matched with, the type of visa you will receive (it should be SSW — Specified Skilled Worker — not technical intern), the monthly gross salary, which deductions will apply, and what support the organization provides once you are in Japan.
If any of these items are described as 'to be confirmed later,' 'standard,' or 'depends on the employer' without specifics, that is not acceptable. Legitimate arrangements can answer all of these questions before you sign.
Ask for the agreement in Vietnamese. You have the right to read what you are agreeing to in your own language. An organization that only provides documents in Japanese and asks you to trust their summary is not operating with your interests in mind.
Fee structures: what is reasonable and what is not
Japan's SSW framework explicitly prohibits employers from charging workers recruitment fees. Cost responsibility for the employer-side of the process belongs to the employer. On the worker side, there are legitimate preparation costs — but they should be transparent, itemized, and reasonable.
The ILO Dhaka Principles, which Japan has referenced in its own SSW framework guidance, suggest that total fees paid by workers should not exceed one month of expected salary in Japan. A worker expecting 180,000 JPY per month should not be paying more than approximately 180,000 JPY (around 30–35 million VND at typical exchange rates) in total pre-departure fees across all sources.
Legitimate items a sending organization may charge for: administrative processing, document coordination, required orientation programs, and in some cases, language or skills test support if it is clearly provided and not duplicative. Illegitimate items: large upfront 'placement deposits,' fees that the organization cannot explain clearly, or any amount structured as a penalty if you decline to proceed after paying.
The single most reliable red flag is a large fee quoted as one number, without a breakdown, presented as a condition of proceeding. Legitimate organizations itemize costs because they can defend each line.
Questions to ask before you commit to a specific organization
Ask: How many workers did you send to Japan last year, and can you provide contact information for any of them? A track record is verifiable. An organization that has been operating legitimately will have past workers you can talk to. Reluctance to provide any reference points is a signal.
Ask: What is the name of the Japanese company I would be placed with, and can I see their business registration? The employer should be named and verifiable before you pay anything. 'We will confirm after registration' means you are paying for access to information you should already have.
Ask: What happens if I am placed and the working conditions do not match what was described? A legitimate organization has a written answer to this — a process, a contact person, and some form of recourse mechanism. An illegitimate one will tell you that problems are your responsibility after departure.
Ask: Who is the person in Japan I can contact if I have a problem? SSW employers in Japan are required to have a support system for foreign workers. You should know that person's name and contact details before you leave Vietnam.
Red flags that appear consistently in problematic arrangements
Pressure to sign quickly. Legitimate placements do not expire in 48 hours. Urgency is manufactured to prevent you from asking the questions you should be asking.
Vague or unavailable documentation. If the contract is not available in Vietnamese, if the employer name is withheld, or if the fee breakdown cannot be provided in writing, these are not administrative delays — they are deliberate.
Requests to surrender documents before departure. You should never hand your passport, original identity card, or original certificates to a sending organization before travel. Copies for processing purposes are acceptable. Surrendering originals is not.
Guarantees of employment or placement. No legitimate intermediary can guarantee a job in Japan. Workers are selected by employers based on qualifications and fit. An organization that guarantees a specific role is either misrepresenting the arrangement or planning to pressure the employer in ways that can create problems for you later.
Loans offered by the organization to cover their own fees. Some sending organizations offer financing for the fees they are charging. This creates a debt relationship that gives the organization leverage over you once you are in Japan. Avoid this structure entirely.
What to do if you have already signed and something feels wrong
If you have already signed an agreement with a sending organization and you are now concerned about it, you have options — even if the contract includes penalty clauses for withdrawal.
Vietnam's Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) regulates sending organizations. If you believe your sending organization is operating illegally or in violation of the SSW guidelines, you can report it to MOLISA or the Department of Overseas Labour (DOLAB). These bodies have authority over licensed sending organizations and can investigate complaints.
Japan also has a Support for Foreign Workers contact system — JForeigner and the Labor Standards Inspection Offices (労働基準監督署) handle complaints from workers in Japan who experience violations. Your employer is required by Japanese law to give you information about these resources when you arrive.
If you are considering walking away from an arrangement before departure, consult with a Vietnamese labor rights organization before paying any penalty. Contracts that charge excessive penalties for withdrawal, or that claim you owe the full placement fee even if the job falls through, may be unenforceable under Vietnamese law.
Key takeaway
The sending organization is one of the most important relationships in your Japan work journey — and one of the least regulated from the worker's perspective. The workers who navigate this well are the ones who ask questions before signing, demand written documentation, and treat the absence of clear answers as information about the organization's intentions.