The wage requirement (JPY 88,000 per month) for short-time workers' social insurance was abolished on October 1, 2026Social insurance for part-timers: the "JPY 88,000 a month or more" condition is gone
Under the 2025 (Reiwa 7) Pension System Reform Act (Act No. 74 of 2025), the wage requirement that scheduled wages be at least JPY 88,000 per month, one of the conditions for short-time workers to join health insurance and employees' pension insurance, was abolished on October 1, 2026. Other requirements, such as scheduled weekly working hours, remain.
- ○Applies: Scheduled working hours of 20 or more per week
- ○Applies: Employer has 51 or more employees
- ○Applies: Not a student
- ○Applies: Expected to be employed for more than 2 months
- ×Does not apply: Scheduled wages of JPY 88,000 or more per month
Key points
- Only the requirement that "scheduled wages are at least JPY 88,000 per month" was abolished. The Japan Pension Service notice was updated on October 1, 2026.
- The remaining requirements are: scheduled working hours of 20 or more per week, an employer with 51 or more employees (the company size requirement), and not being a student. The MHLW special site also lists an expected employment period of more than 2 months.
- People who have received special permission for a minimum wage reduction under Article 7 of the Minimum Wages Act and whose scheduled wages are under JPY 88,000 per month (persons covered by the specified reduction exception) are in principle not covered, but can join on request.
- Whether someone works "20 or more hours per week" is judged by the scheduled working hours stated in the work rules or employment contract (overtime is in principle not included).
What to do in practice
- Identify employees who earned less than JPY 88,000 per month but meet every other requirement (20 or more hours per week, a company with 51 or more employees, not a student, expected employment of more than 2 months), and who may now become newly covered.
- For those who become covered, check the procedure for the Notification of Acquisition of Qualification and estimate the premiums, including the employer's share.
Even part-time and casual workers can join their company's health insurance and employees' pension insurance in some cases. One of the conditions for that, "earning at least JPY 88,000 a month," was dropped on October 1, 2026.
Points
- Only the "JPY 88,000 a month or more" condition is gone.
- Conditions such as "working 20 or more hours a week," "working at a company with 51 or more people," and "not being a student" stay the same as before.
- Even if your pay is low, you may be covered by social insurance if you meet the other conditions.
What the words mean
- Social insurance
- A system where everyone helps each other, covering medical costs when you are sick or hurt and pensions when you get older.
- Scheduled working hours
- The number of hours per week that your work contract says you will work.
- Japan Pension Service: Japan Pension Service: The wage requirement for short-time workers' social insurance coverage was abolished in October 2026 (Reiwa 8)
- Japan Pension Service: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW): Social insurance coverage for part-time and casual workers (special site on the expansion of social insurance coverage)
This article summarizes and explains materials published by government agencies and is not advice on any individual case. Rules can change, so for actual procedures and decisions always check the latest original materials and consult professionals such as tax accountants or labor and social security attorneys. English, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese versions are translations prepared from the Japanese articles for convenience. If anything differs, the Japanese text and the original source take precedence.