Client Services
Working Visa
What is working visa?
It is the common name of "status of residence" that a foreigner has to obtain in order to work in Japan.
In order to apply for “working visa” to the Immigration Bureau, firstly, you must determine which is the status of residence of your activities representing in Japan.
The requirements for this status of residence are detailed and complicated.
First of all, please consult an administrative scrivener who is familiar with visa applications.
Working residence status
① Status of Residence permits only employment activities that are stipulated in the status of residence.
It is limited to permitted employment activities only.
When a foreigner changes his/her job, he/she needs to be careful with the matter whether the new job corresponds to his/her permitted status of residence or not.
"Diplomacy" "Public" "Professor" "Art" "Religion" " Media" "Highly skilled professionals" "Business Manager" "Legal Accounting" "Medical" "Research" "Education" "Technology/Specialist in Humanities/International Services" "Intra-company transfer" "Nursing" "Entertainment" "Skilled Labour" "Technical training" A part of "Particular activity"
② Status of residence with no restrictions on employment activities
It is a status of residence with no restrictions on employment activities. Even simple labor can also be taken.
"Permanent resident" "Spouse of Japanese, etc." "Spouse of permanent resident etc." "Settlers" "Special permanent resident"
③ Status of Residence that employment activities can not be carried out
Basically, you can not do employment activities.
If you receive permission for activities outside the status of residence, you can do these employment activities.
"Cultural activities" "Short term stay" "Study abroad" "Training" "Family stay" A part of "Particular activity"
■ I'd like to call a foreigner to come to Japan and hire him/her to work in Japan ➡ Apply for Certificate of Eligibility
If you invite a foreigner to Japan and hire him/her to work in Japan, you must apply for a Certificate of Eligibility to the Immigration Bureau and obtain a Certificate of Eligibility.
After receiving the certificate, this certificate will be sent to the foreigner, the foreigner will submit the certificate to the Japanese Embassy abroad or the consulate general office, etc., and then he/she will receive a visa and comes to Japan.
■ I want to hire foreign employees after their period of stay expires ➡ Application for renewal of period of stay
Except for "Permanent Residents", the period of stay is set up in its own status of residence.
In order for a foreigner to continue to stay with his/her status of residence after the expiration of the period of stay, he/she must apply for the renewal of period of stay (extension of visa) and obtain permission before the expiration time of the period of stay.
The renewal procedure will be accepted at Immigration Bureau 3 months before the expiration date of your stay.
It is important to prepare in advance so that documents will not be carelessly forgotten.
If you request a "Foreign Employees Management Agency" of our office, we will manage the visa renewal schedule of the foreign employees of your company, and you will not have to spend plenty of time preparing for application.
The renewal fee for permission paid to the Immigration Bureau is 4,000 yen.
■ I want to hire foreign students after graduation ➡ Application for change of status of residence
When a foreigner residing in Japan changes from his/her current status of residence to another status of residence, “Application for permission to change the status of residence" is required.
It is common for international students to graduate from universities in Japan and to find jobs in Japanese companies.
You can apply for a change of status of residence at any time you wish to change.
The change fee for permission paid to the Immigration Bureau is 4,000 yen.
■ Foreign employee temporarily returns to his/her home country ➡ Application for re-entry permission
When a foreign employee temporarily returns home country on business or to meet his/ her family etc, he/she can easily re-enter Japan by going to the Immigration Bureau and submit the procedure of "Re-entry Permission Application".
The fee is 3,000 yen for one-time permission and 6,000 yen for permission for multiple validity.
In addition, since the system of "deemed re-entry permission" was introduced on July 9, 2012, if a foreigner who has a valid passport and a residence card re-enter within one year after leaving Japan, in principle, it is no longer necessary for him/her to obtain re-entry permission.
Deemed re-entry permission is free of charge.
○Expect to re-entry within 1 year after leaving Japan (In case of Special permanent resident, it is within 2 years after leaving Japan) ⇒ Deemed re-entry permission
○ Expect to stay in a foreign country for more than one year after departing from Japan ⇒ Re-entry permission
■ I would like to hire foreign students as a part-time job ➡ Application for permission to engage in activities outside the status of residence
When employing international students as a part-time job, it is necessary to confirm that the international student has already obtained "permission to engage in activities outside his/her status of residence".
First of all, you have to make sure that the international student’s residence card which has a statement that student is permitted to perform activities outside his/her status of residence.
If the international student has not received permission, you will not be able to employ the student unless the student applies for permission for activities outside his/her status of residence.
Procedures for permission can be done at our office, so please consult us.
The part-time hours for international students are determined and shown in the table below, so you can not hire him/her in more than this limited time.
Violations will result in penalties for both employers and international students.
Employers are required to carefully pay attention as illegal employment promotion charges are applied.
■ I would like to hire a foreigner who has changed jobs ➡
① Application for Work Qualification Certificate
② Notification regarding activity organization
③ Notification regarding contract organization
① About the Application for Work Qualification Certificate
If you hire a foreigner who has changed jobs, the Work Qualification Certificate has to be applied to the Immigration Bureau, and the work of the company where the foreigner will move to also has to be examined by the Immigration Bureau. After obtaining the Work Qualification Certificate, it will simplify the procedure applied for the renewal of the foreigner’s period of stay after his/her period of stay expires.
If the foreigner does not apply for the Work Qualification Certificate, then he/she will be required to provide more working proof materials, including the retirement certificate for his/her previous job in the next renewal of procedure.
In addition, the examination takes time, and in the worst case, the renewal may not be permitted.
However, if the expiration date of the foreigner’s period of residence is approaching at the time of changing jobs, it is better to wait for the renewal process and carefully prepare the documents that are permitted during the renewal process.
② Notification regarding activity organization/③Notification regarding contract organization
If you hire a foreigner who has changed jobs, you must notify the Immigration Bureau that the foreigner has changed the organization (activity organization/contract organization).
This is supposed to be within 14 days from the date of the change.
Skilled Labor Visa
What is a skilled labor visa?
In order to contribute to the development of Japanese economic society and industry, it was established to accept foreigners who have specialized skills belonging to special industrial fields that can not be replaced by Japanese.
For example ...
Foreign cuisine cooks, construction engineers, animal training, jewelry, precious metal, fur processing, aircraft pilots, sports leaders,
Production or repair of unique glass products and carpets unique to foreign countries, wine appraisal (sommelier), etc.
I would like to hire a foreign horse rider, but it is troublesome to prepare application documents and as an owner of the farm I worry that I have no time to go to the Immigration Bureau many times …
We are also accepting requests from production pastures and breeding farms of racehorse such as Abira Town, Hidaka Town, Nikappu Town, Shizunai Town, and Erimo Town. Please do not hesitate to consult us.
To obtain a skilled labor visa, proof of practical experience is very important. The burden of proof is on the applicant himself/herself.
We will firmly prove that the applicant has sufficient years of work experience with a certificate of employment or a graduation certificate.
If the applicant does not have enough years, he/she cannot apply.
The criterion for acquiring permission of skills
The foreigner applicant must fulfill one of the following conditions:
In addition, it is necessary for the foreign applicant to receive a reward equal to or higher than the reward a Japanese receives when the Japanese are engaged.
① Cook
A person who has been devised in a foreign country with skills related to cooking or food production and the person who engages in business requiring special items in Japan and who falls under any of the following.
A) A person with at least 10 years of practical work experience (including the period of majoring in a subject related to cooking or food production at a foreign educational institution) in the relevant skills or the person who engages in work requiring the relevant skills.
B) Those who are subject to the provisions of Annex 7 Part 1 Section 5 1(c) of the Agreement between Japan and the Kingdom of Thailand regarding economic cooperation.
② Construction or civil engineering
A person with at least 10 years of practical work experience (including 5 years in the case of a person working under the supervision of a foreigner who has more than 10 years of practical work experience in the work requiring the relevant skills, and also including the period of majoring in the subject related to the construction or civil engineering at a foreign educational institution) in skills related to foreign countries' construction or civil engineering or a person who is engaged in the work requiring the relevant skills.
③ Manufacture and repair of foreign products
A person with at least 10 years of practical work experience (including the period of majoring in a subject related to the manufacture or repair of the product at a foreign educational institution) in skills related to manufacturing or repairing products unique to foreign countries or a person who is engaged in work requiring the relevant skills.
④ Jewelry, precious metal, fur processing
A person with at least 10 years of practical work experience (including the period of majoring in a subject related to such processing at a foreign educational institution) in jewelry, precious metals or fur processing or a person who is engaged in work requiring such skills.
⑤ Animal training
A person with at least 10 years of practical work experience with respect (including the period of majoring in a subject related to animal training at a foreign educational institution) to the skill related to animal training or a person who is engaged in work requiring such skills.
⑥ Oil and geothermal drilling survey
A person with at least 10 years of practical experience (including the period of majoring in a subject related to the skill at a foreign educational institution) in skills related to submarine drilling for oil exploration, drilling for geothermal development or submarine geological survey for submarine mineral exploration or a person who is engaged in work requiring that skill.
⑦ Aircraft pilot
A person who has had more than 250 hours of flight experience in the skill of operating an aircraft or a person who engages in duties as a pilot by boarding an aircraft used for the air transportation business prescribed in Article 2, Paragraph 18 of the Civil Aeronautics Act.
⑧ Sports instructor
A person with at least 3 years of practical experience in Sports instruction (including the period of majoring in a subject related to Sports instruction at a foreign educational institution and the period of being engaged in the sport with compensation).Or a person who is designated by the Minister of Justice by notification as a person equivalent to this. Or a person who has engaged in work requiring such relevant skills or has participated in the Olympic Games, World Championships, or other international conferences as an athlete. Or a person who is engaged in work requiring such relevant skills of Sports instruction.
⑨ Wine appraisal etc.
A person with at least 5 years of work practical experience (including a period of majoring in wine appraisal courses at a foreign educational institution) in the skills related to appraisal, evaluation and maintenance of wine quality, and provision of wine or a person who is engaged in a business requiring such skills.
① A person who has achieved excellent results at a conference (hereinafter referred to as "International Sommelier Competition") held on an international scale concerning skills of wine appraisal.
② A person who has participated in the International Sommelier Competition (limited to one participant per country).
③ A person with qualifications recognized by the national government (including foreign countries), local public entities (including foreign local governments), or public and private institutions equivalent to these, or a person who is designated by the Minister of Justice by notification
➡ Click here for documents submission for Skill 1 (Cook)
➡ Click here for documents submission for Skill 2 (other than the cook)
Engineer - Specialist in Humanities - International Services Visa
What is Engineer - Specialist in Humanities - International Services Visa?
This is a general status of residence, which many foreigners have obtained on their working visas. It is roughly divided into Literature and Science.
Literature
● Specialist in Humanities (Humanities field)
Accounting, finance, general work, accounting, consultant, etc...
● International Services (a business that requires thinking or sensitivity based on foreign culture)
Translation, interpretation, language instruction, public relations, advertising, overseas transaction business, design, product development, etc..
Science
● Engineer (Natural sciences)
System engineers, programmers, technical personnel such as aircraft maintenance, design, and development of civil engineering and construction machinery, etc.
To obtain this status of residence, educational background, or practical work experience related to the skills and knowledge necessary for the work that you are engaged in are required.
The foreigner applicant must fall under one of the following:
① If the applicant intends to engage in work requiring technology or knowledge that belongs to the field of natural sciences or humanities, regarding the work that he or she intends to engage in, he/she has to fall under any of the following and also needs to have necessary technology or knowledge for the work.
However, when the applicant intends to engage in work requiring technology or knowledge concerning information processing and he/she has passed the examination concerning information processing technology specified by the Minister of Justice or has a qualification concerning information processing technology specified by the Minister of Justice, this is not limited for him/her
A) Having graduated from a university majoring in subjects related to the technology or knowledge, or having received an education equal to or greater than that
B) Having completed a specialized course in a Japanese technical college majoring in a subject related to the technology or knowledge (Only when it meets the requirements specified by the Minister of Justice regarding the completion of the notification.)
C) Having at least 10 years of practical work experience (including the period of majoring in the subject related to the technology or knowledge in the specialized course of the university, college of technology, high school, secondary education school or specialized college)
② If the applicant intends to engage in work requiring thinking or sensitivity that is based on a foreign culture, he/she must meet any of the following.
A) Engaging in translation, interpretation, language instruction, public relations, publicity, or overseas transaction work, design related to clothing or interior decoration, product development, and other similar work.
B) Have at least 3 years of practical work experience in the work related to the work that the applicant intends to be engaged in
However, it does not apply to those who graduated from university and now engage in work related to translation, interpretation, or language instruction.
③ To receive a reward equal to or higher than the reward Japanese receives when Japanese is engaged