Visas for Working in Japan
To work in Japan, you must engage in activities that fall under one of the statuses of residence permitting employment as defined by the Immigration Control Act. The scope of activities, eligibility requirements, and period of stay differ by status — including Advanced Professional, Business Manager, Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, Skilled Labor, Specified Skilled Worker, and Technical Intern Training. For more details, please refer to the Immigration Services Agency of Japan "Search by Status of Residence" page.
Points are awarded based on academic background, work experience, and annual income. Applicants scoring 70 or above are eligible. Benefits include an extended period of stay and relaxed requirements for permanent residency.
Applicants who meet the required academic background, work experience, and annual income can obtain Advanced Professional status without a point calculation. Benefits include permanent residency eligibility in just 1 year and expanded work rights for spouses.
A program allowing graduates of top-ranked overseas universities to stay in Japan for up to 2 years for job hunting or business preparation. Applications can be filed directly with immigration authorities without requiring a designated organization.
A visa for those who establish or manage a company in Japan, or engage in the management of an existing business. It applies to entrepreneurs and investors who wish to base their operations in Japan.
A program allowing foreign nationals aspiring to start a business in Japan to conduct startup preparation activities for up to 2 years under the support of a designated organization. It can be used as a preparatory period before obtaining the Business Manager Visa.
A visa for professionals holding legal or accounting qualifications in Japan — such as attorneys, CPAs, tax accountants, judicial scriveners, and administrative scriveners — who wish to practice their profession.
A visa for professionals who hold Japanese medical qualifications, such as physicians and dentists, to engage in medical practice at hospitals or clinics in Japan.
A visa for those who engage in research activities under a contract with a university, company, or public institution. It applies to researchers conducting their work in Japan.
A visa for those engaged in language education or other educational activities at elementary schools, junior high schools, senior high schools, or equivalent institutions in Japan.
A visa for those engaged in work requiring specialized knowledge, such as engineers, interpreters, designers, language instructors for private companies, and marketing professionals. This is one of the most commonly applied-for work visas.
A visa for those transferring from an overseas parent company, subsidiary, or affiliated company to a Japanese office for a fixed period, to perform work equivalent to the Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services category.
A visa for those who possess expert skills in specialized industrial fields, such as foreign cuisine chefs (cooks), sports instructors, aircraft pilots, and precious metal craftspeople.
A visa for those who engage in practical training activities to acquire skills, techniques, and knowledge at Japanese companies or organizations. It also applies to activities aimed at further developing skills already acquired.
To be launched in April 2027. A program to develop and secure workers at the Specified Skilled Worker (Class 1) level through 3 years of employment in labor-shortage sectors. Job transfers based on the worker's own wishes are permitted under certain conditions.
A visa for those who engage in research or educational activities as a professor, associate professor, or teaching assistant at a university, junior college, graduate school, or technical college.
A visa for those engaged in artistic activities or providing instruction in the arts, such as composers, painters, sculptors, writers, and photographers.
A visa for pastors, monks, priests, and similar individuals dispatched from a foreign religious organization to Japan to engage in missionary work or other religious activities such as worship and preaching.
A visa for journalists, announcers, and camera operators contracted by a foreign newspaper, broadcasting station, or news agency to conduct news gathering and reporting activities in Japan.
A visa for those engaged in entertainment activities such as performances and television appearances, including singers, dancers, actors, musicians, models, and athletes.
A status of residence allowing foreign nationals who meet certain skill and Japanese language requirements to work in specified industries facing labor shortages. Class 1 allows up to 5 cumulative years; Class 2 allows long-term stays with renewals and family accompaniment.
A Specified Activity visa (Notification No. 53) for remote work with an overseas company. Available for those with an annual income of 10 million yen or more, with a maximum stay of 6 months. Accompaniment by a spouse and children (Notification No. 54) is also permitted.
