Differences Between Permanent Residence and the Highly Skilled Professional Visa

About the Permanent Resident Visa

The Permanent Resident Visa is very attractive to foreigners who wish to stay in Japan long-term. With a Permanent Resident Visa, your stay in Japan will not expire and you will be free from the complications of visa renewal procedures and change of status of residence.

In addition, restrictions on working will be removed, and basically, you will be free to choose your occupation.

Unlike many other visas, the Permanent Resident Visa can only be obtained after the applicant has continuously lived in Japan under another residence status and fulfilled certain conditions.

The specific required period of stay and other requirements depends on the applicant’s current residence status.

For example,

• Changing from a work visa (Engineering/Humanities/International Service visa)

Continuously living in Japan for the last 10 years or more and working in Japan for the last 5 years or more.

*Other requirements apply

• Changing from a spouse visa (Spouse of a Japanese national / Permanent Resident)

Married for at least 3 years and continuously living in Japan for at least the last 1 year.

*Other requirements apply

…etc.

You can check for more detailed information and requirements here.

About the Highly Skilled Professional Visa

The Highly skilled professional visa is a residency status that can be obtained by individuals who have cleared standards set by the Ministry of Justice’s regulations and possess particularly evaluated specialized knowledge or high capabilities.

Depending on your qualifications and planned activity, there are 3 categories of this visa you can apply for:

1. A. Advanced Academic Research Activities

These refer to activities such as teaching and guidance at educational institutions like universities, or research activities at corporate research institutions. In addition to these, one can manage a related business as a side job or even conduct research at a different company simultaneously.

1. B. Highly specialized/technical activities

This involves working in jobs that require specialized knowledge or skills in fields like natural sciences or humanities. One can also manage a related business on their own.

1. C. Advanced Management and Management Activities

This pertains to the management and control of companies, or activities related to managing and controlling professions like lawyers or tax accountants. Apart from their primary job, individuals can also manage their own business.

During the application process, your respective qualifications to the three categories will be assessed using a calculation table to give a score point.

Reaching 70 points makes you qualified for the visa, and reaching 80 points grants you additional preferential treatment.

Holders of the Highly Skilled Professional (i) can enjoy various benefits compared to those with other work visas.

This can range from a longer term of stay to less limit to the activity you and your spouse can do.

Further, after staying in Japan for 3 years under this visa, you can change to the Highly Skilled Professional (ii), which grants an indefinite term of stay, allows job change at will, and even fewer limits on the allowed activities.

You can check for more detailed information and requirements here.

Benefits of each visa over another

Highly Skilled Professional visa holders are eligible to obtain permanent residence after a three-year or one-year stay. The procedure for obtaining permanent residence is usually simplified for Highly Skilled Professional visa holders. Because of this, many people seeking permanent residence first apply for a “Highly Skilled Professional” visa.

Reasons to choose the Permanent Resident Visa

Term of Stay

The Permanent Resident Visa allows its holder to live in Japan indefinitely, while only the Highly Skill Professional (ii) allows indefinite stay.

The Highly Skilled Professional (i) has a term of stay of 5 years, and can only change to the Highly Skilled Professional (ii) after another 3 years.

For the above reason, if you want to immediately be able to stay in Japan indefinitely and avoid the hassle of needing to renew your visa, the Permanent Resident Visa is the better choice.

Allowed Activities

Permanent Residents have no occupational limitations and can take almost any job.

On the other hand, even the Highly Skilled Professional Visa allows more freedoms relevant to the job (e.g. can take a side job without further procedures in many cases), your main activity organization is only allowed to work for the organization to which you were assigned when you received your visa, so you must reapply for Highly Skilled Professional certification if you change jobs.

While the Highly Skilled Professional (ii) Visa holders do not need to be re-approved for a visa if they change jobs, but they must submit a “Notification of Change of Affiliation” form. Also, if you quit your job and remain in that status for more than 6 months, your Highly Skilled Professional 2 visa will be subject to revocation.

If you want the full freedom of activities in Japan and change jobs as you will, the Permanent Resident Visa is the better choice.

The Spouse/offspring’s Ability to Take Full-Time Jobs

The spouse/offspring of a permanent resident is eligible for the Spouse et. of A Permanent Resident Visa, which also basically allows the same activities that would be allowed for a Japanese.

As for the newborn child, if an application for permanent residence is submitted to the Immigration Office within 30 days of birth, the child can also obtain permanent residence.

If you want to have your spouse/offspring live with you in Japan and be able to take almost any job, the Permanent Resident Visa is the better choice.

Reasons to choose the Highly Skill Professional Visa

So far, it may seem that the Permanent Resident Visa is better than the Permanent Resident Visa, but there are advantages unique to the “Highly Skilled Professional” visa that are not available with the Permanent Resident Visa. We will now explain the advantages of the Highly Skilled Professional visa.

Hiring Foreign Domestic Workers

There are only a few visas that allow foreign nationals to employ domestic servants, and even permanent residence is not permitted, making this a ”privilege” exclusive to Highly Skilled Professionals.

It is allowed to employ a domestic servant before or after coming to Japan, or to employ a domestic servant after coming to Japan, as long as the requirements are met.

In addition, up to 2 domestic servants may be employed, although there is an additional income requirement.

If you want to hire foreign domestic worker(s), the Highly Skilled Professional Visa is the better choice.

*You can read more about hiring domestic workers in our previous article.

Inviting parents to live with you

If you want to invite your parents (or your spouse’s parents) to live with you in Japan, it is possible under the Highly Skilled Professional Visa.

There are some requirements and limitation, but this is one of the one way and probably the easiest way to invite your parent(s) to Japan.

If you want to invite your parent(s) to Japan, the Highly Skilled Professional Visa is the better choice.

*You can read more about inviting elderly parents in our previous article.

Summary

In this article, we have explained the advantages of each of the Permanent Resident and Highly Skilled Professional visas.

It is difficult to recommend ” Definitely, the 00 visa is better” because the judgment of advantages and disadvantages depends on the applicant’s values.

What is the priority objective for you to achieve?

The most important factor in the choice between these two visas is what your objectives are and what your priorities are.

Please plan according to your situation.

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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.

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 speaker: 080-9346-2991

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