“How do I get a Working Visa as a salesperson?”

Foreigners need to obtain a Working Visa in order to work as a salesperson for a company in Japan.

If you are a foreigner who wants to work in Japan, you have probably heard of the “Working Visa” at least once.

Simply put, a Working Visa is a permit required for foreigners to work in Japan.

While Japanese people are free to work in Japan, foreigners cannot work in Japan without a Working Visa or the appropriate type of visa that allows them to work.

However, there are many different types of Working Visas, and we will explain in detail over the next few articles the types of work that each visa allows you to do and the requirements for obtaining one.

So, if you want to work in a store, which Working Visa can you get?

In this article, we will focus on the case of working as a salesperson with the status of “Engineering/Humanity/International Services,” which is one of the representative types of Working Visas.

Can I work as a salesperson with an “Engineering/Humanity/International Services” visa?

The short answer is no.

Sales clerk jobs are not included in the job description for the “Engineering/Humanity/International Services” visa status, and therefore it is not possible to obtain an “Engineering/Humanity/International Services” visa as a salesperson. Therefore, it is not possible to obtain “Engineering/Humanity/International Services” status as a salesperson.

This is because salespersons are regarded as manual laborers.

However, in the following situations, there are precedents of “Engineering/Humanity/International Services” status being approved:

• -Convenience stores and major distribution companies, etc., where the employee is scheduled to work at the head office, and as part of the training for that, works in the store for 1-2 years (inventory control, quality control, order management, human resource management, etc.).
• Interpretation/translation work at electronics retail stores, duty-free stores, etc., where many foreign tourists need to be handled.
• Managerial work in multiple stores, including inventory management, personnel management, budget management, etc.

*Note that inventory management, human resource management, budget management, etc. at a single store will not be recognized.

The key point is whether or not the job is applicable to the residential activities of “Engineering/Humanity/International Services”.

The following types of work are considered simple labor and are likely to be denied.

• Customer service or cashier at a convenience store or supermarket
• Inventory control, human resource management, budget management, etc. in a single store.

Conditions for working as a salesperson with an “Engineering/Humanity/International Services” Visa

☑Educational background requirements

➡University graduation

Graduated from a Japanese or foreign university majoring in a subject related to the job.

➡Vocational School Graduates

Those who have completed a professional training course in Japan majoring in a subject related to their work and have the title of “Senmonushi (Diploma)” or “Koudou Senmonushi” (Advance Diploma).

☑Work experience requirement

Applicants must have at least 10 years of work experience in the business and have acquired the necessary knowledge.

*If the applicant majored in a subject related to the work at a university, advanced vocational school, etc., that period may be included in the work experience.

It is important to note here whether the work experience is relevant to the job or not.

A certificate of employment is required to prove work experience.

Since certificates of employment are often falsified, they are carefully examined by the immigration office.

If you are concerned about the relevance of your work experience, we would be happy to contact you.

☑ Remuneration

The remuneration must be equal to or greater than the remuneration that a Japanese national would receive for similar positions.

Summary

In this article, we have explained the points to note when obtaining “Engineering/Humanity/International Services” status for working in a store, the types of jobs available, and the requirements for such jobs.

As mentioned above, when working in a store with “Engineering/Humanity/International Services” status, the work you can do must be related to your major, so the job you can do may be limited, and there are not many cases where you can obtain this status. Additionally, ordinary customer service or cash register work is considered manual labor and is not acceptable.

If you are concerned about the relevance of your educational background or the nature of your work, or if you are worried about the procedures for obtaining a visa, please contact our office.

We are Yanagi group, which have offices in Osaka (Abeno and Tennoji), and our affiliated offices in Tokyo (Shibuya and Ebisu) are also available for an on-site consultation. We have handled many applications for permanent residence permits, naturalization permits, work visas, college student visas, management visas, etc., as well as visa renewal procedures related to the status of residence with the Immigration Bureau (Immigration Bureau) as a one-stop service. Our experienced administrative scriveners are also available to help you with any problems you may have.

We also have staff members who can speak each of the native languages and can assist you in obtaining a visa.

※If you wish to be consulted in Nepali or Bengali, please inform us in advance via our website or social media, and the translator will contact you ahead of time.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about your status of residence or visa, even if they are trivial.

Toll-free number: 0120-138-552

For English speakers: 080-9346-2991

For Chinese speakers: 090-8456-6196

For Korean speakers: 090-8448-2133

For Vietnamese speakers: 080-5510-2593