Skip to main content
Back to visa checker

Japan · Work visa

Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services

Processing
COE 1-3 months
Cost
From ¥3,000
Validity
1, 3 or 5 years

Japan’s main work visa for professionals in IT, engineering, finance, marketing, translation, design and related fields. It requires a Japanese employer and a Certificate of Eligibility (COE).

Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree relevant to the role, or 10 years’ practical experience (3 years for International Services roles such as translation or language teaching)
  • Job offer from a Japanese employer for work matching your field
  • Salary equal to or above that of Japanese nationals in a comparable role
  • Certificate of Eligibility issued by the Immigration Services Agency before the visa application
  • From April 2026, customer-facing roles at smaller employers require Japanese at roughly JLPT N2 / CEFR B2 (large Category 1/2 employers and back-office/engineering roles exempt)

Time and cost

Processing time
COE 1-3 months, then visa issuance about 5 working days at the consulate
Validity
1, 3 or 5 years, renewable
Cost

From ¥3,000

Required

  • ¥0 certificate of eligibility (COE)
  • ¥3,000 visa fee (single-entry; multiple-entry ¥6,000)
Path to residency
Permanent residence typically after 10 years (much faster if you later score 70+ HSP points)

Documents

  • Valid passport

    Valid for the intended stay

  • Certificate of Eligibility (COE)

    Applied for in Japan by the employer; electronic COE accepted

    Processing: 1-3 months

  • Employment contract or offer letter

    Stating role, salary and duration

  • Degree certificate or proof of experience

    Diploma, or employment records proving required years

  • Visa application form and photo

    Submitted to the Japanese embassy/consulate

  • Company documents (if it applies)

    Registry extract and financials for smaller sponsoring employers

Tips

  • After the COE is issued, the consular visa step usually takes about 5 working days
  • Degree field must plausibly relate to the job duties; immigration checks this
  • Changing employers within the same status is allowed but must be reported within 14 days