Work visas for moving to Japan

Japan's main work visa for white-collar professionals - IT, engineering, finance, marketing, translation, design and similar fields. Requires a sponsoring Japanese employer and a Certificate of Eligibility (COE).

Processing time

COE 1-3 months, then visa issuance about 5 working days at the consulate

Validity

1, 3 or 5 years, renewable

Government fees

COE free; visa fee JPY 3,000 single-entry / JPY 6,000 multiple-entry

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)

Documents you will need

• Valid passport: Valid for the intended stay
• Certificate of Eligibility (COE): Applied for in Japan by the employer; electronic COE accepted
• 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 (optional): Registry extract and financials for smaller sponsoring employers

Worth knowing

• The COE is the real approval - the consular visa step is largely a formality once it is issued
• 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
• Check your Highly Skilled Professional points - many engineers unknowingly qualify for the better HSP status
• After arrival, collect your residence card and register your address at the municipal office within 14 days

Path to residency: Permanent residence typically after 10 years (much faster if you later score 70+ HSP points)

Points-based preferential status for advanced professionals (academic research, specialised/technical work, or business management). Scoring 70+ points on education, income, age, experience and bonuses unlocks a 5-year status and a fast track to permanent residence.

Processing time

COE 1-3 months (often prioritised), visa about 5 working days

Validity

5 years (HSP-1); indefinite activity as HSP-2 after 3 years

Government fees

COE free; visa fee JPY 3,000 single / JPY 6,000 multiple-entry

Requirements

• Score 70+ points across education, career, annual salary, age and bonus items (Japanese language, top-university degree, etc.)
• Sponsoring Japanese employer or research institution
• Activity falls under advanced academic research, advanced specialised/technical, or advanced business management
• Minimum annual salary of JPY 3 million for the specialist and management categories
• Certificate of Eligibility with points-calculation evidence

Documents you will need

• Valid passport: Valid for the intended stay
• Points calculation table with evidence: Degree certificates, salary statements, JLPT results and other proof for each point claimed
• Certificate of Eligibility: Filed by the sponsoring employer
• Employment contract: Stating annual salary and duties
• Academic transcripts (optional): Supporting education points claimed

Worth knowing

• Permanent residence after 3 years at 70-79 points, or just 1 year at 80+ points
• Spouse may work full-time, and you may bring parents or a domestic worker under conditions
• J-Skip (Special HSP) grants HSP status without the points table if you earn JPY 20 million+ with a master's degree or 10 years' experience
• Points can be claimed retroactively to backdate PR eligibility if you scored 70+ earlier
• Permitted to run a side business related to your main activity

Path to residency: Permanent residence after 1 year (80+ points) or 3 years (70+ points)

Job-hunting and startup-preparation status for recent graduates of top-100 world-ranked universities, allowing up to 2 years in Japan to find work or launch a venture.

Processing time

COE 1-2 months, then visa about 5 working days

Validity

1 year, renewable once (2 years total)

Government fees

COE free; visa fee JPY 3,000 single / JPY 6,000 multiple-entry

Requirements

• Degree from a university ranked in the top 100 in at least two of the QS, THE or Shanghai rankings
• Graduation within the past 5 years
• Savings of at least JPY 200,000 for initial living costs
• Intention to job-hunt or prepare a startup in Japan

Documents you will need

• Valid passport: Valid for the intended stay
• Degree certificate: From a qualifying top-100 university, issued within 5 years
• Proof of savings: Bank statement showing JPY 200,000+
• Activity plan: Outline of job-search or startup preparation

Worth knowing

• You may work part-time to fund yourself while searching - unlike older job-seeker statuses
• Spouse and children can accompany you
• Once hired, switch to a work status (or HSP if you score 70+)
• Verify your university's ranking position in the year you graduated