Food Safety Certification by Country: US, UK, SG, Australia, Canada

A Japanese chef may hold a Japanese cook's licence (調理師免許) and have handled raw fish for twenty years. None of the official pages we checked for this guide mention Japanese qualifications, so plan on the basis that the chef will need the local food safety training or certificate like anyone else, and that the timing can matter for your opening date or inspection.

This guide compares the rules in five countries where many Japanese restaurants operate. All facts were checked against regulator or legislation pages in September 2026. For the US state by state picture on food handler cards, see US food handler cards by state.

1. Overview: who needs what

2. United States: ServSafe and the CFPM

There is no single national food safety licence for restaurant staff. The FDA publishes the Food Code as a model that states and localities can adopt into their own law; it is a recommendation, not federal law. In September 2026 the FDA published a 2026 edition, and states adopt new editions on their own timetables.

The certificate most employers mean when they say "ServSafe" is a Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) credential. ServSafe is administered by the National Restaurant Association, and its manager certification is accredited by the ANSI National Accreditation Board under Conference for Food Protection standards. Other accredited manager exams exist; check which ones your state or county accepts.

California is a useful example of how the state rules work. Health and Safety Code section 113947.1 says food facilities that prepare, handle or serve non-prepackaged potentially hazardous food must have an owner or employee who has passed an approved and accredited food safety certification exam. There must be at least one certified person at each facility, that person cannot also serve as the certified person for another facility, and they do not need to be present during all hours of operation.

3. United Kingdom: training, not a compulsory certificate

UK law requires training but not a specific certificate. The retained Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter XII, requires food business operators to ensure that food handlers are supervised and instructed or trained in food hygiene matters commensurate with their work activity.

GOV.UK guidance for starting a food business says it is not compulsory to have a food hygiene certificate, but you will need to demonstrate that you have been adequately trained. The guidance recommends a qualification, and a certificate is the simplest way to show your training to an inspector. The same guidance says you must register a food business at least 28 days before trading.

For a chef arriving from Japan, the practical step is a short accredited food hygiene course in English in the first weeks, plus your own induction on your food safety management system.

4. Singapore: Food Safety Course Level 1 for every handler

Singapore has the most prescriptive rules of the five. According to the Singapore Food Agency (SFA):

• Food handlers must pass the WSQ Food Safety Course (FSC) Level 1. Only trained food handlers are allowed to handle food.
• Refresher training is due within 5 years of first passing FSC Level 1, and then within 10 years of the previous refresher. Handlers who miss the deadline are not allowed to handle or prepare food.
• SFA licensed establishments must register their food handlers with SFA, through the GoBusiness portal or the Food Handlers Digital DataHub.
• Certain licensed establishments must appoint a Food Hygiene Officer, who must pass WSQ FSC Level 3 and then retrain at Level 1 or 2 within 5 years and every 10 years after, if they continue to handle food.

Build the Level 1 course into the chef's first days, before they start work in the kitchen. See hiring a Japanese chef in Singapore for the work pass side.

5. Australia: the Food Safety Supervisor

Standard 3.2.2A of the Food Standards Code, in effect since December 2023, applies to food service, catering and related retail businesses. A restaurant that makes ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous food from unpackaged ingredients is a category one business. Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) says such businesses must:

• Appoint a certified Food Safety Supervisor (FSS) before engaging in a prescribed activity. The certificate must come from a registered training organisation or an organisation recognised by the food regulator, and must have been obtained within the past 5 years.
• Ensure the FSS is reasonably available to advise and supervise each food handler, meaning they work on site or can easily be contacted.
• Ensure food handlers of high risk unpackaged food have completed food safety training, or have adequate skills and knowledge, covering safe handling of food, food contamination, cleaning and sanitising, and personal hygiene. A certificate is not required for handlers.

The relevant state or territory food regulator decides which organisations are recognised, so check its list of approved providers. A Japanese head chef who is also your FSS needs the course soon after arrival. See hiring a Japanese chef in Australia.

6. Canada: provincial rules

Food premises are regulated by the provinces. Two examples:

• Ontario. The Ontario government says food premises must have at least one certified food handler on site during every hour that the premises operates.
• British Columbia. Section 10 of the Food Premises Regulation says every operator of a food service establishment must hold a FOODSAFE certificate or its equivalent, and must ensure that while the operator is absent, at least one employee present holds that certificate.

For other provinces, ask the local public health unit. For immigration timing, see hiring a Japanese chef in Canada.

7. Planning for a chef arriving from Japan

1. Check the rule for your exact location before the chef arrives, including local health department requirements.
2. Pick a course the chef can pass in their second language. Ask providers about Japanese language materials; do not assume they exist.
3. Pay for the course and the time. In some places this is a legal requirement (California requires employers to pay for food handler card training and treat the time as hours worked).
4. Keep copies of every certificate and the renewal date in one file for inspections.
5. Do not rely on one person. If only the head chef is certified and they leave, you may be out of compliance. Certify a second person.

Uniform and personal hygiene rules are covered separately in chef uniform and hygiene policy.

General information, not legal advice. Food safety rules are set and enforced locally and change; confirm requirements with your local regulator before opening or hiring.