What is a Highly skilled professional, Highly skilled professional (i), Highly skilled professional (ii), application process, required application documents, points of the Highly skilled professional visa, etc.
- What is the Advanced Professional Visa
- Application for Highly Skilled Professional Visa
- Application Flow
- Documents Required for the “Certification” Process of Highly Skilled Professional (i)
- Documents Required for the“Change/Extension” Process of Highly Skilled Professional (i)
- Required documents for the ‘change’ procedure of Highly skilled professional(ii)
- Explanation of required documents
- Standard Examination Time
- Highly Skilled Professional Visa Points
- Frequently asked questions about Highly skilled professional visa
- Support and Fees for the Highly Skilled Professional Visa
What is the Advanced 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 (referred to as “highly skilled professionals”). To encourage these highly skilled professionals to thrive stably in Japan and aim for the revitalization of Japan’s economic society, Japan provides various preferential treatments to holders of this visa, such as extended residency periods and accompaniment of family members.
According to the law, these highly skilled professionals are defined as “those who, as individuals possessing advanced specialized abilities, engage in activities that conform to standards set by the Ministry of Justice’s regulations and fall under any of the following categories from A to C, and are expected to contribute to our country’s academic research or economic development.”
To put it simply, ” a Highly skilled professional visa is a work visa issued to highly skilled individuals who meet certain criteria set by the Ministry of Justice and work in any of the following professions A, B, or C.”
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.
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.
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.
- “Highly Skilled Professionals” who meet the standards set by the Ministerial Ordinance (Highly Skilled Professional Points System)
The “Highly Skilled Professional Visa” is available for individuals who achieve a certain number of points in the “Highly Skilled Professional Points System,” a scoring system set by the Ministerial Ordinance, where points are given based on criteria such as “educational background,” “work experience,” and “annual salary.” While sometimes it might be referred to as the “highly skilled visa,” the correct name is “Highly Skilled Professional.” Details regarding the “Point Calculation Table” are explained here.
- Benefits of the Highly Skilled Professional Visa
The Highly Skilled Professional Visa not only allows side jobs and offers a longer duration of stay but also provides preferential conditions for applying for permanent residency. For instance, the following privileges are provided:
- You can apply for permanent residency after 3 years. Moreover, if you have “80 points or more,” you can apply for permanent residency after just one year of residence (compared to approximately 10 years required when applying from other work visas).
- Spouses living together in Japan can obtain a special residency status called “Specific Activity 33 (Spouse of Highly Skilled Foreign Professional)” and are allowed to work. Furthermore, they don’t need the educational background or work experience that other work visas might require. Other benefits are also provided, but for more details, please refer to “What is Highly Skilled Professional1?” and “What is Highly Skilled Professional2?”.
| Overview of the Highly Skilled Professional Visa | ||
|---|---|---|
| Activities | Highly Skilled Professional (i): (A) Advanced Academic Research Activities (B) Highly specialized/technical activities (C) Advanced Business Management/Supervisory Activities |
|
| Highly Skilled Professional (ii): (Without the prerequisite of “specified by the Minister of Justice”) and within the scope of the purpose of the Highly Skilled Professional Visa activities. | ||
| Duration of Stay | Highly Skilled Professional (i): 5 years | |
| Highly Skilled Professional (ii): Indefinite | ||
| Standards by Ministerial Ordinance | A total of points above a certain number (70 points or more). | |
What is Highly Skilled Professional 1
Highly Skilled Professional (i) refers to a visa issued to highly skilled professionals who score 70 points or more on the point calculation table (see details here) and are engaged in either (A) Advanced Academic Research Activities, (B) Highly specialized/technical activities, or (C) Advanced Business Management/Supervisory Activities at Japanese public or private institutions “designated by the Minister of Justice”.
Highly Skilled Professional (i) (A)
“Advanced Academic Research Activities”
Based on a contract with a Japanese public or private institution designated by the Minister of Justice, you can engage in “activities of research, and guidance/education of research.” At the same time, you can also “manage a business related to this” and “contract with a different public or private institution to conduct research or provide research guidance/education.”
Highly Skilled Professional (i) (B)
“Highly specialized/technical activities”
Based on a contract with a Japanese public or private institution designated by the Minister of Justice, you can engage in “activities requiring knowledge and skills in the fields of natural sciences or humanities.” The jobs that can be performed under the Engineering/Humanities/International Services visa are typical (excluding those that fall under International Services). Therefore, when changing from the Engineering/Humanities/International Services visa to the Highly Skilled Professional visa, in most cases, you will apply under this category (B). With this residency status, you can also “manage a business related to this.”
Highly Skilled Professional (i) (C)
“Advanced Business Management/Supervisory Activities”
At a Japanese public or private institution designated by the Minister of Justice, you can engage in “activities of managing trade or other businesses or supervising such businesses.” The jobs that can be performed under the Business Manager visa are typical. Therefore, when changing from the Business Manager visa to the Highly Skilled Professional visa, in most cases, you will apply under this category (C). With this residency status, you can also “manage a business related to this.”
- Benefits of Highly Skilled Professional Visa (i)
① Permission to have a side job
If you have a Highly Skilled Professional Visa (i), in addition to the activities with the “Japanese public or private institution designated by the Minister of Justice” where you have a contract, you can also “manage a business related to your main profession.”
However, if the institution where you have a contract (your employer) prohibits “side jobs” in its regulations, you cannot engage in side jobs while employed there.
② Residence period of 5 years from the initial approval
While other work visas are typically approved for a 1-year residence period upon initial application and may be extended up to 5 years after multiple renewals, the Highly Skilled Professional visa grants a 5-year residence period right from the initial approval.
③ Eligibility to apply for “Permanent Residency” in 3 years
Once the Highly Skilled Professional Visa (i) is approved, you can apply for permanent residency after 3 years. Moreover, if the points calculation for Highly skilled professional is 80 points or higher, this period is shortened to 1 year. This system is also referred to as the “Japanese version of the Green Card for Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals.”
④ Spouse can work as a full-time employee
A spouse of a person with a Highly Skilled Professional Visa can work full-time in occupations within the scope of the Education, Engineer/Humanities/International Services visa if certain requirements are met. Furthermore, typical requirements like educational background or professional history aren’t demanded.
⑤ Co-living with parents is possible
Under regular visas, except in rare humanitarian cases, bringing parents to Japan to live together isn’t feasible. However, with the Highly Skilled Professional visa, if there are circumstances such as pregnancy or taking care of a toddler, co-living with parents becomes possible under specific conditions (details available upon request).
⑥ You can bring domestic workers to Japan
You can invite domestic workers who have been assisting you in your home country or abroad to Japan. However, there are specific conditions for this, so please inquire for detailed information.
⑦ Visa undergoes priority examination
The standard examination period for regular work visas usually ranges from 1 to 3 months. However, the Highly Skilled Professional visa examination is prioritized and typically processed within 5 to 10 days, so that no time is wasted in the process.
- Criteria for Highly skilled professional(i)
The conditions for Highly skilled professional(i) are set for each of the types (A), (B), and (C). Here, we will explain the conditions for each type in detail.
Highly skilled professional(i) (A)
“Advanced Academic Research Activities”
❶ A total score of 70 or more on the advanced talent point system scoring table
❷ Applicable to either the following ‘A’ or ‘B’:
(A) The job (activity) in Japan falls under the residence status of “Professor”, “Artist”, “Religious Activities”, or “Journalist”
(B) The job (activity) in Japan falls under the residence status of “Business Management”, “Legal & Accounting Services”, “Medical Services”, “Researcher”, “Instructor”, ” Engineer & Humanities & International Services”, “Intra-company Transferee”, “Nursing Care”, “Entertainer”, or “Skilled Labor”, and at the same time complies with the standards ordinance specified for these residence statuses
❸ The job (activity) in Japan is not deemed inappropriate considering its impact on Japanese industry and the lives of the Japanese people
Highly skilled professional(i) (B)
” Highly specialized/technical activities “
❶ A total score of 70 or more on the advanced talent point system scoring table
❷ Annual income of 3 million yen or more
❸ Applicable to either the following ‘A’ or ‘B’:
(A) The job (activity) in Japan falls under the residence status of “Professor”, “Artist”, “Religious Activities”, or “Journalist”
(B) The job (activity) in Japan falls under the residence status of “Business Management”, “Legal & Accounting Services”, “Medical Services”, “Researcher”, “Instructor”, ” Engineer & Humanities & International Services”, “Intra-company Transferee”, “Nursing Care”, “Entertainer”, or “Skilled Labor”, and at the same time complies with the standards ordinance specified for these residence statuses
❹ The job (activity) in Japan is not deemed inappropriate considering its impact on Japanese industry and the lives of the Japanese people
Highly skilled professional(i) (C)
“Advanced Business & Management Activities”
❶ A total score of 70 or more on the advanced talent point system scoring table
❷ Annual income of 3 million yen or more
❸ Applicable to either the following ‘A’ or ‘B’:
(A)The job (activity) in Japan falls under the residence status of “Professor”, “Artist”, “Religious Activities”, or “Journalist”
(B) The job (activity) in Japan falls under the residence status of “Business Management”, “Legal & Accounting Services”, “Medical Services”, “Researcher”, “Instructor”, ” Engineer & Humanities & International Services”, “Intra-company Transferee”, “Nursing Care”, “Entertainer”, or “Skilled Labor”,, and at the same time complies with the standards ordinance specified for these residence statuses
❹ The job (activity) in Japan is not deemed inappropriate considering its impact on Japanese industry and the lives of the Japanese people
What is Highly Skilled Professional 2
Highly Skilled Professional (ii) refers to a residency qualification for individuals who possess the Highly Skilled Professional (i) residency qualification and have stayed in Japan for over 3 years. By meeting certain prescribed conditions, it’s possible to switch from Highly Skilled Professional (i) to (ii), which changes the residence period from 5 years to indefinite.
Notably, for Highly Skilled Professional (ii), there isn’t a prerequisite that a public or private institution in Japan “is designated by the Minister of Justice” (i.e., your workplace). This means that since there’s no designated primary workplace for (ii), individuals are free to change jobs as long as the new position falls within the activity purpose range of the Highly Skilled Professional visa.
Unlike Highly Skilled Professional (i), (ii) does not have divisions like (A), (B), or (C).
- Benefits of Highly Skilled Professional (ii)
In addition to the benefits of Highly Skilled Professional (i) (details available upon request), Highly Skilled Professional (ii) includes the following additional benefits:
Residence period becomes “indefinite”
While Highly Skilled Professional (i) has a residency period of 5 years, (ii) grants an indefinite residency period.
Job changes are possible
The Highly Skilled Professional (i) visa designates the company or organization for primary employment. If one were to change jobs, they’d need to either re-obtain the same visa or change to another employment visa. However, since (ii) doesn’t designate a primary company or organization, individuals are free to change jobs within the job categories allowed by their residency qualification.
Expansion of permissible side job fields
For Highly Skilled Professional (i), side jobs are restricted to “managing a business related to one’s main job.” However, with (ii), this condition is removed, and the range of side jobs extends to all jobs covered by other employment visas.
“Conditions and circumstances that allow cohabitation with parents”
Circumstances that allow cohabitation
- When nurturing a child under the age of 7 (including adopted children) of the person with the Highly Skilled Professional visa or their spouse
- Assisting when the person with the Highly Skilled Professional visa or their spouse is pregnant
Certain conditions
- The annual household income of the highly skilled individual must be over 8 million yen
- Cohabiting with the highly skilled individual
- Limited to either parent of the highly skilled individual or their spouse
- Conditions for Highly Skilled Professional (ii)
The conditions to change from Highly Skilled Professional (i) to Highly Skilled Professional (ii) are as follows:
Highly Skilled Professional (ii)
❶ Score at least 70 points in total on the highly skilled professional point system’s point calculation table
❷ Have good behavior
❸ It is recognized that staying in Japan is in the interests of Japan
❹ The work (activities) to be carried out in Japan is not considered insignificant from perspectives such as the impact on the Japanese industry and the lives of the Japanese nationals.
Associates of Highly Skilled Professionals
The Highly Skilled Professional visa includes permissions for “associates”. This section will explain clearly about the permissions given to these “associates”.
Spouses of Highly Skilled Professionals
If a foreigner’s spouse wants to work in Japan on a Dependent Visa, they need a”Permission to engage in activities other than that permitted under the status of residence”. Moreover, their working hours are limited to 28 hours per week.
However, for spouses of Highly Skilled Professionals, there is no need for this ” Permission to engage in activities other than that permitted under the status of residence”, and they are allowed to work without any restriction on working hours.
Domestic Workers
Foreigners are generally not allowed to bring domestic workers to Japan. However, for Highly Skilled Professionals, if certain conditions are met (like a household income exceeding 10 million yen), they can bring domestic workers they previously employed in their home country or abroad.
Also, if the spouse is unable to handle daily household chores due to illness, or if they have children under the age of 13, they can hire a new domestic worker in Japan or summon one from abroad after their arrival.
Parents of Highly Skilled Professionals and their Spouses
Generally, foreigners, except those with specific management visas, cannot bring or summon their parents to live with them in Japan. However, for foreign Highly Skilled Professionals and their spouses, under certain conditions (more details available upon request) like an annual household income exceeding 8 million yen or raising a child under 7 years old, they can bring or summon their parents to live together in Japan.
Application for Highly Skilled Professional Visa
In this section, we will clearly explain the process of applying for a Highly Skilled Professional Visa, including the flow of the application, the necessary documents for application, and the standard review period.
Application Flow
Let’s look at the concrete flow of applying for “certification,” ” change,” and “extension ” of the Highly Skilled Professional (highly skilled professionals) visa in actuality.
For detailed explanations about the Immigration Bureau (Immigration Control and Resident Status Bureau) and the Immigration Agency (Immigration Control and Resident Status Agency), please refer to our dedicated guide on this topic(currently in preparation).
Documents Required for the “Certification” Process of Highly Skilled Professional (i)
Here, we introduce the basic documents required for the certification (Application for Certificate of Eligibility) of Highly Skilled Professional (i). The necessary documents listed below are basic, and depending on the applicant’s situation, additional attachments may be required.
To gather the necessary documents tailored to the applicant’s circumstances, specialized knowledge and experience are often essential. Instead of investing significant effort and time only to receive an undesired result, it is more reassuring to consult with experts. Please feel free to use our office’s “free consultation”.
| Category 1（※1） |
Category 2 |
Category 3 |
Category 4 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ① Certificate of Eligibility Application Form | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| ② Photo (4cm vertical x 3cm horizontal) – 1 sheet | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| ③ Return envelope (with a 404 yen stamp affixed) | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| ④ Point calculation table | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| ⑤ Documents to prove the points | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| ⑥ Document proving eligibility for the category（※2） | ○ | ○ | ○ | |
| ⑦ Document proving that a title/degree has been conferred（※3） | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| ⑧ Notification of working conditions (employment contract) etc.（※4） | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| ⑨ Documents clarifying the nature of activities | ○ | ○ | ||
| ⑩ Documents certifying educational background, employment history, and other credentials | ○ | ○ | ||
| ⑪ Certificate of Registered Matters | ○ | ○ | ||
| ⑫ Documents clarifying the business details | ○ | ○ | ||
|
⑬ Copy of the financial statement for the most recent fiscal year (For new businesses, a business plan) |
○ | ○ | ||
|
⑭ Document explaining the reason for not being able to submit the statutory summary statement |
○ |
※1 For the classification of “Category” pertaining to the institution one belongs to (“public and private institutions in Japan designated by the Minister of Justice”), detailed explanations are provided here, so please take a look in conjunction.
※2 If there are no available documents to submit, it will fall under Category 4.
※3 This refers to the documentation submitted by those who have graduated from a specialized school and have been awarded the title of “Specialist” or “Advanced Specialist.”
※4 This documentation is submitted by those who work based on a dispatching contract.
From the Immigration Services Agency’s (Immigration Control and Residency Management Agency) website, you can also download materials such as the “Certificate of Eligibility Application Form”. Please check for more details.
Documents Required for the“Change/Extension” Process of Highly Skilled Professional (i)
Here we introduce the basic necessary documents for the change (application for change of residence status) and extension (application for renewal of the residence period) of the Highly Skilled Professional (i) visa. The required documents listed below are fundamental, but additional documents might be needed depending on the applicant’s situation.
Having the necessary documents tailored to the applicant’s circumstances often requires specialized knowledge and experience. Instead of putting in a lot of effort and time only to get undesirable results, it’s reassuring to consult with experts. Please feel free to use our office’s “Free Consultation“.
| Category 1（※1） |
Category 2 |
Category 3 |
Category 4 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
【For Change】① Application for Change of Residence Status 【For Extension】① Application for Extension of Period of Stay General Requirements |
○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| ② Photo (4cm in height x 3cm in width), 1 copy | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| ③ Passport and Residence Card (for presentation) | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| ④ Point Calculation Sheet | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| ⑤ Documents to Prove the Points | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| ⑥ Documents to prove the corresponding category（※2） | ○ | ○ | ○ | |
| ⑦ Notification of Employment Conditions (or Employment Contract), etc. | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
|
⑧ One each of the Taxation (or Non-Taxation) Certificate and the Tax Payment Certificate for Municipal Tax |
○ | ○ | ||
| ⑨ Documents clarifying the contents of the activity（※3） | △ | △ | ||
| ⑩ Certificate of Registered Items（※3） | △ | △ | ||
| ⑪ Documents clarifying the business details（※3） | △ | △ | ||
|
⑫ Copy of the financial statements of the most recent fiscal year（※3） (For new businesses, a business plan is required) |
△ | △ | ||
|
⑬ Documents explaining the reason why you cannot submit the legal document summary table（※3） |
△ |
※1 Regarding the category “Category” which is a classification of the affiliated institutions (“institutions in Japan designated by the Minister of Justice”), please refer to “this” for a detailed explanation.
※2 If there are no documents available for submission, it will fall under Category 4.
※3 This refers to the documents submitted for the initial ‘extension (application for extension of period of stay)’ after changing jobs to a company or organization under Category 3 or 4.
From the Immigration Services Agency’s (Immigration Bureau) website, you can download documents such as the ‘Application for Change of Status of Residence’ and the ‘Application for Extension of Period of Stay’. Please check it out.
Required documents for the ‘change’ procedure of Highly skilled professional(ii)
We provide guidance on the basic required documents for changing from Highly skilled professional (i) to Highly skilled professional (ii) (Application for Change of Status of Residence). The documents listed below are basic requirements, but depending on the applicant’s circumstances, additional attachments may be necessary.
Often, gathering the necessary documents tailored to the applicant’s situation requires specialized knowledge and experience. Rather than expending considerable effort and time only to receive undesired results, it’s reassuring to consult with a specialist. Please feel free to use our office’s ‘Free Consultation‘.
| Category 1（※1） |
Category 2 |
Category 3 |
Category 4 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ① Application for Change of Status of Residence | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| ② One photo (4 cm in height x 3 cm in width) | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| ③ Passport and Residence Card (for presentation) | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| ④ Point Calculation Sheet | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| ⑤ Documents to verify points | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| ⑥ Document proving eligibility for the category（※2） | ○ | ○ | ○ | |
| ⑦ Notification of Employment Conditions (Employment Contract) and the like | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
|
⑧ Certificate of Municipal Tax Assessment (or Non-assessment) and Tax Payment Certificate, one copy of each |
○ | ○ | ||
| ⑨ Documents clarifying the nature of activities and other related details（※3） | △ | △ | ||
| ⑩ Certificate of Registered Information（※3） | △ | △ | ||
| ⑪ Documents clarifying the nature of the business（※3） | △ | △ | ||
|
⑫ Copy of the financial statements for the most recent fiscal year（※3） (For new businesses, a business plan) |
△ | △ | ||
|
⑬ Documents explaining the reason why the legal adjustment total statement cannot be submitted（※3） |
△ |
※1 For the ‘Category’ classification of the institution one belongs to (‘institutions in Japan designated by the Minister of Justice’), a detailed explanation is provided here. Please take a look in conjunction.
※2 If there are no documents available for submission, it will fall under Category 4.
※3 This refers to the documents submitted for the ‘change (Application for Change of Status of Residence)’ after changing jobs to a company or entity in Category 3 or 4.
From the Immigration Services Agency’s (Immigration Bureau) website, you can also download documents such as the ‘Application for Certificate of Eligibility’. Please check for more details.
Explanation of required documents
Here, we will provide a detailed explanation of the ‘Point Calculation Sheet’ found among the required documents.
- Point Calculation Sheet
For the Highly skilled professional visa, it is essential to have a total score of 70 points or more obtained through the ‘Highly Skilled Professional Points System’.
The ‘Highly Skilled Professional Points System’ is a mechanism where certain criteria of the applicant are scored to evaluate them as Highly skilled professional. Evaluation criteria include the applicant’s educational background, annual salary, and so forth.
The activities of highly skilled foreign professionals are classified into three categories:
1. Advanced academic research activities ‘Highly Skilled Professional (i) (a)’
2.Highly specialized/technical activities ‘Highly Skilled Professional (i) (b)’
3.Advanced business management activities ‘Highly Skilled Professional (i) (c)’.
Points are allocated for each attribute, such as ‘educational background’, ‘professional experience’, ‘annual salary’, and ‘research achievements’, based on the characteristics of each activity. The evaluation using point calculation is conducted according to the activity type that the applicant personally wishes to engage in.Source:Immigration Services Agency ‘How is the point evaluation structured?
The designated ‘Point Calculation Table’ is used for evaluation under this ‘Highly Skilled Professional Points System’. The mechanism is such that individuals who score a total of 70 points or more on the ‘Point Calculation Table’ are eligible for the ‘Highly Skilled Professional Visa’.
In the Point Calculation Table, the evaluation criteria are divided into five major categories, such as ‘educational background’ and ‘work experience’. Furthermore, within the Highly Skilled Professional Visa, the evaluation methods slightly differ depending on the type of activity, whether it’s ‘Advanced Academic Research Activity (a)’, ‘Advanced Specialized/Technical Activity (b)’, or ‘Advanced Business Management Activity (c)’.
❶ Items related to “Educational Background”
Basically, having a university degree (Bachelor’s) or an equivalent or higher level of education is considered advantageous. Additionally, those with Master’s or Doctoral degrees receive extra points.
❷ Criteria related to ‘Practical Experience & Work History’
You can earn points if you have more than 3 years of practical experience, and the longer the experience, the more points you can acquire. However, the work experience must be relevant to the Highly skilled professional job being applied for.
❸ Criteria related to ‘Annual Income’
For Highly skilled professional (a) and (b), points are added based on the applicant’s age and annual income. For those in advanced management & administrative activities (c), points are added if the annual income exceeds 10 million yen, regardless of age.
For (b) and (c), there is a minimum requirement that the annual income must be over 3 million yen.
If the applicant’s annual income is below 3 million yen, even if the total points from other categories exceed 70, they will not be eligible for the highly skilled professional visa, so caution is necessary.
❹ Regarding ‘Age’
For those under the age of 39 at the time of application, points are added based on their age. Younger individuals, such as those in their 20s, receive higher points. However, for the highly skilled professional category (c), there are no additional points awarded based on age.
❺ Regarding ‘Bonus Points’
There are two types of bonus points: those set specifically for each category of the highly skilled professional (a) (b) (c) and those that are commonly set for all categories.
-
Bonus Points for (a) and (b)
For (a) and (b), bonus points are added based on previous research achievements. Additionally, for (b), holding a national qualification related to the job in Japan also results in the addition of bonus points.
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Bonus Points for (c)
For (c), bonus points are added based on positions at the executive level, such as CEO or other director roles.
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Common Bonus Points for Each Field
The shared bonus points across all fields are awarded for those who have obtained degrees from higher education institutions in Japan (such as universities or graduate schools) and for those who have achieved the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) N1 or N2. In addition to these, there are also bonus points based on the global university ranking of the applicant’s alma mater.
Point Calculation Example(Highly skilled professional (i)(b)’Advanced Specialized & Technical Activity’)
Mr.A, who is 28 years old, studied abroad at a Japanese university and passed the Japanese Language Proficiency Test(JLPT) N1 during his studied. After graduating from the university, he has been working in a Japanese company for 4 years under the ‘Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services visa’. His current annual income is 5.5 million yen.
Based on this example, let’s actually calculate the points for Highly skilled professional (i)(b) ‘Advanced Specialized & Technical Activity’.
| Items” or “Categories | Evaluation Criteria | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Background | Graduated from university | 10 |
| Work Experience | Over 3 years of work experience | 5 |
| Annual Income | 5.5 million yen | 15 |
| Age | Currently 28 years old | 15 |
| Bonus Points | Graduated from a Japanese university | 10 |
| Passed the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) N1 | 15 | |
| Total Points Earned | 70 | |
As illustrated in this calculation example, we calculate the designated points based on the applicant’s background and annual income, among other factors. In the case of individual A in this example, the total points obtained from the points calculation table amount to 70 points, making him eligible to apply for a Highly Skilled Professional Visa.
Standard Examination Time
The standard processing time for a Highly Skilled Professional Visa is approximately 5 to 10 days. Please note that this is a general estimate, and the processing time may vary depending on the applicant’s submission details, circumstances, and the workload of the Immigration Bureau or Immigration Authority.
Highly Skilled Professional Visa Points
In this section, we will provide a clear explanation of key points regarding the Highly Skilled Professional Visa, including important considerations and frequently asked questions.
Changing Jobs as a Highly Skilled Professional (i)
For the “Highly Skilled Professional 1” status, residency qualification is granted based on activities at “public and private institutions designated by the Minister of Justice” in Japan. This institution is specified by the “Designation Document” affixed to the passport or the “Designation Document” provided by the Immigration Bureau at the time of certification.
When changing jobs, this means that the institution where one will be working (employed) will change. Therefore, before making the job change, it is necessary to apply for “permission to change status of residence ” at the Immigration Bureau. Once you have applied for the “permission to change status of residence ” and received approval, you can then start working (be employed) at the new job.
Additionally, when changing jobs, it is required to notify the Regional Immigration Bureau (Immigration Bureau) that has jurisdiction over your place of residence within 14 days of leaving your previous job. This notification is mandatory and must be done without fail. This notification can be made directly at the Immigration Bureau, or it can be sent by mail or done online (for more details, please check [here]).
Changing Jobs as a Highly Skilled Professional (ii)
As mentioned in the preferential treatment for the Highly Skilled Professional (ii), the activities for this status are significantly more lenient compared to the Highly Skilled Professional (i). However, even if you are a Highly Skilled Professional (ii), if you are considering changing jobs and do not work (be employed) for 6 months, your residency qualification could be revoked. Thus, caution is necessary.
For the Highly Skilled Professional (ii), there’s no specific designation for the main company or organization (“public and private institutions designated by the Minister of Justice”) which means within the range of job categories permitted by the residency qualification, you can freely change jobs.
Frequently asked questions about Highly skilled professional visa
Are graduates of junior colleges, technical colleges, and specialized courses in vocational schools (specialized schools) eligible for educational background points?
If one holds Doctor’s degrees, Master’s degrees, or professional degrees in multiple fields, are points added for each degree respectively?
What types of payments are included in “remuneration”? For example, is overtime pay included in the calculation of points for remuneration?
“Remuneration” refers to “compensation given as a reward for a certain service,” including basic salary, diligence allowance, adjustment allowance, fixed overtime allowance, etc. Bonuses (year-end bonuses) are also included if the amount is predetermined.
However, uncertain payments such as performance-based bonuses or bonuses (those without a confirmed amount or certificate) are not included.
Overtime pay, which is not fixed like a fixed overtime allowance, is not included in the calculation of points for “remuneration” because it is uncertain how much overtime work will occur at the time of entry in Japan. Also, for the extension of the residence period, “remuneration” for points calculation is based on the estimated annual income, so overtime pay that was received in the past is not included.
However, as an exception, for highly skilled professionals applying for permanent residency with preferential treatment requiring proof of income from one or three years ago, the actual payment of overtime pay and bonuses can be considered as part of “remuneration.”
Additionally, allowances such as commuting, dependent, and housing allowances, which have the nature of reimbursement for actual expenses (excluding those subject to taxation), are not included in this “remuneration
If the total points fall below 70 due to a decrease in income or age aspect after obtaining a highly skilled professional visa, will the residence be denied？
If I have 70 or more points, can I obtain a visa for a Highly skilled professional visa regardless of the amount of annual income?
For activities such as Highly specialized/technical activities(B) or Advanced Management and Management Activities (C), there is a minimum annual income standard, and if the annual income does not reach 3 million yen, even if the total points are 70 or more based on other criteria, a visa for a highly skilled professional cannot be obtained.
For Advanced Academic Research Activities (A), there is no such minimum income standard, so if the total point is 70 or more, it is possible to obtain a visa for a highly skilled professional even with a lower annual income.
After obtaining a visa for a Highly skilled professional, when exactly can I become a permanent resident with preferential treatment?
Support and Fees for the Highly Skilled Professional Visa
The support and fees for the Highly Skilled Professional Visa are as follows.
| Support Details | Fees | Total (Including Tax) |
|---|---|---|
| Free Consultation (only for the first time) | 0 yen | 0 yen |
| Support for Highly Skilled Professional (i) “Certification” Application | ¥80,000 〜 | ¥88,000 〜 |
| Support for Highly Skilled Professional (i) “Change” Application | ¥80,000 〜 | ¥88,000 〜 |
| Support for Highly Skilled Professional (i) “Extension” Application | ¥80,000 〜 | ¥88,000 〜 |
| Support for Highly Skilled Professional (ii) “Change” Application | ¥80,000 〜 | ¥88,000 〜 |
In visa applications, determining “what documents are needed” and “what documents aren’t necessary”, as well as the management of scheduling and preparations, like “by when certain documents need to be prepared”, can often be challenging without specific expertise or experience. Moreover, even after investing significant time and effort into these complex tasks, there are many instances where the desired results aren’t achieved due to shortcomings.
Our office provides support for such visa applications with kindness, thoroughness, and speed, carefully listening to the applicant’s circumstances. We offer a sense of security and satisfaction that can only come from experts.
To better solve the problems of applicants, as necessary, we provide a one-stop legal service in collaboration with various professionals within our legal group, including administrative scriveners, attorneys, judicial scriveners, and more. We also have foreign staff members, and can assist in English, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Nepali.
Please feel free to contact and consult our office. For consultations, you can use the “Free Consultation” where you can talk to an expert for free (only for the first time). For booking a free consultation, please click [here].
Editor of this article
- Ryota Yanagimoto
- Administrative Scrivener/Judicial Scrivener
At the age of 24, he passed the national examinations for judicial scrivener, administrative scrivener, and wage service manager at the same time.
While working as a full-time lecturer at a major prep school, he independently opened a legal office related to judicial scriveners and administrative scriveners,
and he has experience as a judicial scrivener and an administrative scrivener for more than 15 years so far.
He has been actively contributing to various industries such as publicly listed companies, real estate companies, financial institutions, elderly care services, and professional organizations by conducting seminars, lectures, and talks.
And now he has a record of over 60 presentations so far.
Furthermore, as the president of a Japanese language school announced by the Ministry of Justice and Acts, and an advisor to a real estate company (capable of handling foreign clients),
he has been involved in various aspects of industries related to foreigners.
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