A Comprehensive Guide to Long-term Residency in Japan
Country Profile:
Japan, separated from China and South Korea by the sea, is the world’s third-largest economy and the only developed nation outside the United States with a population exceeding 100 million.
Based on 2019 data, Japan has become the world’s fourth-largest recipient of immigrants, following Germany, the United States, and Spain.
Capital: Tokyo
Population: 125,416,877 (2024, 11th)
Ethic Group: Japanese 97.8%, Chinese 0.7%, Korean 0.4%
Area: 377,975 km2 (62nd)
Offical Language: Japanese
Currency: Japanese Yen (as of May 17, 2024, 1 Japanese Yen equals 0.0064 USD)
GDP per Captial: $54,184 (2024 estimated, 34th)
How To Become A Resident In Japan?
Long Term Stay:
Foreigners wishing to reside in Japan long-term must first obtain a visa that allows entry into the country. Based on their intended activities in Japan, the Immigration Services Agency of the Ministry of Justice will then grant them a residence status for a specified period.
Japan provides up to 32 types of residence status options, most of which are work visas.
Work Visa:
Ordinary Japanese work visas can be categorized into three main types: technical, humanities, and international business.
Within these categories, work visas cover various professions, including Professor, Artist, Religious activities, Journalist, Business manager, Legal/Accounting services, Medical services, Researcher, Instructor, Engineer/Specialist in humanities/International services, Nursing care, and more.
Generally, these visas require you to be employed by a Japanese company, have a pre-tax annually income of at least 3 million yen (approximately $20,000), possess Japanese language proficiency of N4 or higher, and hold at least an associate degree.
Of course, the specific requirements for obtaining a work visa may vary depending on the industry and individual circumstances.
Highly Skilled Professional Visa:
For those with higher academic qualifications, experience, and income, the highly skilled professional visa in Japan is an option. This visa includes three main categories: advanced academic research, advanced specialized/technical activities, and advanced business management.
The highly skilled professional visa offers several advantages over ordinary work visas: a longer validity period, a shorter time required to apply for permanent residency, and the ability to bring one parent from each spouse’s side to live in Japan if you have a child under 7 years old.
At an even higher level, there is the J-Skip highly skilled professional visa, which is granted to top professionals and investors with high educational qualifications and substantial annual income.
Special Skilled Worker(SSW) Program:
For work visas at a lower level, you can apply for Japan’s Specified Skills Worker Program, designed to address labor shortages in 12 sectors and over 600 occupations.
The SSW Program includes trainee visas, Specified Skills (i), and Specified Skills (ii).
A trainee visa is for temporary labor dispatch and requires you to return to your home country upon expiration. The Specified Skills (i) visa is valid for up to 5 years, while the Specified Skills (ii) visa can be renewed indefinitely and can lead to permanent residency. Both of these visas require a certain level of Japanese language proficiency and passing a special skill exam in Japan.
Business Visas:
All the previously mentioned work visas require support from a Japanese employer. If you do not have employer support, you can consider the following two investment-based work visas, which allow you to become your own employer:
1. Business Manager Visa: Requires an investment of at least 5 million yen, approximately $32,087, to establish and maintain a company locally.
2. Start-up Visa: Requires starting a business in Japan’s national strategic special zones, with a business plan endorsed by the local municipal office.
In February 2024, Osaka proposed a new investment immigration policy, which would directly grant permanent residency to foreigners who open an office in Osaka’s financial special zone and invest at least 120 million yen, approximately $77,100, within three years. However, this policy is still in the proposal stage.
Student Visas:
Of course, you can also go to Japan on a student visa, complete your studies, and then apply for various work visas to stay long-term.
The main types of student visas in Japan are:
1. General Student Visa and Research Student Visa: These are for full-time students pursuing undergraduate, master’s, doctoral, or equivalent degrees in Japan. The validity of these visas is generally tied to the duration of the study program, with a maximum of 4 years and 3 months.
2. Language School Visa: This visa is for students attending language courses or short-term training in Japan. Language study programs typically last up to 2 years. To stay longer in Japan, you need to find a job or switch to another type of student visa after the 2-year period.
Additionally, graduates from one of the world’s top 100 universities within the past 5 years, who have savings of at least 200,000 yen, can apply for a Future Creation Individual Visa. This visa is valid for up to 2 years and allows them to seek opportunities in Japan.
Visa Duration:
Most residence statuses in Japan are valid for 1 year, 3 years, or 5 years. Upon expiration, they can be continuously renewed under the same conditions, with the exception of student visas, trainee visas, and Specified Skills 1 visa.
How to get Permanent Resdiency in Japan?
After residing in Japan for a while, you can consider applying for permanent residency:
- Foreigners who have lived in Japan continuously for 10 years, with at least 5 of those years on a work visa, can apply for permanent residency.
- If you are married to a Japanese national or a permanent resident for over 3 years, you can apply for permanent residency after living in Japan for 1 year.
- If you hold a highly skilled professional visa and meet certain conditions (scoring over 80 points on the Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals points-based system and residing in Japan for 1 year; or scoring over 70 points and residing in Japan for 3 years), you can apply for permanent residency.
- Foreigners who have made substantial contributions to Japan can apply for permanent residency after residing with a valid visa for 5 years.
Citizenship:
Foreigners who have had a long term address in Japan and have legally resided there for over 5 years, are at least 20 years old, have good conduct, and can support themselves (or are supported by their spouse or family) are eligible to apply for Japanese citizenship.
Work Visas:
Who is eligible for a Japanese work visa?
As previously mentioned, Japanese work visas fall into three main categories: technical, humanities, and international business. These can be further subdivided into over 10 types based on the specific nature of the work. To apply for a work visa, applicants must be employed by a company recognized by Japan.
Generally, work visa applicants need to meet basic requirements such as Japanese language proficiency at level N4 or higher and holding at least an associate degree. However, the evaluation criteria can vary depending on the industry and the individual.
How to apply for a Japanese work visa?
To obtain a Japanese work visa, you must first secure a job in Japan and sign an employment contract.
Your Japanese employer will then use the employment contract to apply for a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from the Immigration Services Agency of the Ministry of Justice on your behalf.
The Certificate of Eligibility is valid for 3 months from the date of issuance. During this period, you must apply for a visa at a nearby Japanese embassy or consulate and enter Japan.
The processing time for a Japanese work visa is 5 to 10 business days, and the processing fee is 6,000 yen for multiple entries (3,000 yen for a single entry).
After arriving in Japan, you need to convert your visa into a residence status within 14 days.
Visa Duration:
Japanese work visas are typically valid for 1 to 5 years and can be renewed under the same conditions upon expiration.
Foreigners holding a work visa can apply for citizenship after legally residing in Japan for 5 years, provided you meet other conditions. If you only want permanent residency, you can apply for it after holding a work visa for 10 years.
It is important to note that you must maintain employment in Japan. If you are unemployed for an extended period, your work visa may be revoked.
Special Skilled Worker(SSW) Program:
What is special skilled worker system in Japan?
The SSW Program is a labor visa system introduced by Japan to address labor shortages in specific domestic industries. It includes trainee visas, Specified Skills (i), and Specified Skills (ii).
A trainee visa is issued to foreign technical interns who come to Japan to acquire skills, techniques, and knowledge. This type of visa does not require any specific skills; applicants only need a junior high school education and basic Japanese language proficiency.
Trainee visas are typically arranged directly between labor companies and Japanese enterprises, have a validity of 3 years, and cannot be renewed. You can only work at the contracted factory and cannot seek other employment.
If holders of trainee visas wish to stay in Japan longer, they can convert their trainee visa to a Specified Skills (i) visa in the same field of work.
The Specified Skills (i) visa is granted to foreign nationals engaged in skilled work that requires a certain level of knowledge or experience in specific industries. To apply for this type of visa, you need to pass assessments in both Japanese language proficiency and technical skills.
The Specified Skills (i) visa is valid for up to 5 years. Neither the trainee visa nor the Specified Skills 1 visa can be renewed, and holders cannot bring family members to Japan.
If you want to stay in Japan long-term through the Specified Skills Program, you need to apply for the Specified Skills (ii) visa.
The Specified Skills (ii) visa is granted to foreign nationals engaged in skilled work that requires professional expertise in specific industries. There are no language requirements, but you need to pass a skills test.
The Specified Skills (ii) visa can be renewed indefinitely under the same conditions. Holders can bring family members to live in Japan and may apply for permanent residency or citizenship once they meet the requirements.
For which industries can I apply for a Specified Skills visa?
The Japanese Specified Skills Program encompasses over 600 occupations across the following 12 fields:
1. Nursing Care: In addition to Nursing Care (assistance with bathing, feeding and excretion responding to the physical and mental condition of the user), other related support services (assistance with recreation and functional training, etc.)Note: Visiting services are not included.
2. Building Cleaning Management: Including interior building cleaning
3. Machine Parts and Tooling /Industrial machinery /Electric, electronics and information industries: Including casting, forging, die casting, machining, metal press, factory sheet metal work, finishing, machine inspection, machine maintenance, painting, welding,electrical equipment assembling,iron work,plastic molding,industrial packaging; machining, finishing, machine inspection, machine maintenance, industrial packaging, electrical equipment assembling, electronic equipment assembling, printed wiring board manufacturing, plastic molding; plating, aluminum anodizing.
4. Construction Industry: Including formwork construction, plastering, concrete pumping, tunnel and propulsion, construction machinery and construction, earthwork, roofing, telecommunications, reinforcement construction, reinforcing bar joints, interior finishing/material mounting, scaffolding, carpentry, plumbing, building sheet metal work, heat-retention and cool-retention, spray urethane insulation, offshore civil engineering.
5. Shipbuilding and Ship: Including machinery IndustryWelding, painting, iron work, finishing, machining, electrical equipment assembling.
6. Automobile Repair and Maintenance: Including automobile everyday inspection and maintenance, regular inspection and maintenance, disassembly.
7. Aviation Industry: Including airport ground handling (ground driving support services, baggage and freight handing services), aircraft maintenance (maintenance of aircraft and equipment, etc.)
8. Accommodation Industry: Including providing accommodation services, such as working at the front desk, planning/public relations, hospitality, restaurant services.
9. Agriculture: Including general crop farming (cultivation management, collection/shipping/sorting of agricultural products, etc.), general livestock farming (breed management, collection/shipping/sorting of livestock products, etc.)
10. Fishery and Aquaculture Industries: Including fishery (production and repair of fishing gear, search for marine animals and plants, operation of fishing gear and machinery, capture of marine animals and plants, processing and storage of catch, ensuring health and safety, etc.), aquaculture industry (production, repair and management of aquaculture materials, breed management, collection (harvesting) and processing of aquaculture animals and plants, ensuring health and safety, etc.).
11. Manufacture of Food and Beverages: Including general food and beverage manufacturing (manufacturing/processing and health and safety of food and beverages (excluding liquor)).
12. Food Service Industry: Including general restaurant industry (food and beverage processing, customer service, store management)
All information is sourced from the official site.
How to apply for a Japan SSW visa?
Foreigners over the age of 18 can directly apply for a Japanese Specified Skills visa, but you must first meet the following qualifications:
1. Achieve a Japanese language proficiency level of N4 or higher.
2. Pass the relevant industry-specific skills assessment: The content and timing of the Specified Skills exams vary by field. Generally, applicants need to undergo preparatory training before registering to take the exam in Japan.
Trainee visa holders transitioning to a Specified Skills visa can be exempted from the language and skills tests if they have completed all internship requirements.
After passing the exams, you must find a Japanese company and secure a Specified Skills employment contract. You will then submit your Certificate of Eligibility application to the Japanese Immigration Bureau with your employment contract.
Required documents include:
- Applicant’s resume
- Specified Skills visa application form
- Specified Skills employment contract
- Proof of skill level/Japanese language proficiency
The processing time for a typical Specified Skills visa application is between 2 to 4 weeks.
Highly Skilled Professional Visa:
What is a Japan highly skilled professional visa?
The Highly Skilled Professional Visa (高度専門職) is a residence status established by the Japanese Ministry of Justice to attract highly educated and skilled foreign talent to work in Japan.
It is mainly divided into three categories: Advanced Academic Research Activities, Advanced Specialized/Technical Activities, and Advanced Business Management Activities.
The basic requirements for this type of visa are:
1. Possess a university degree or an equivalent professional certificate.
2. Have relevant work experience.
3. Meet a certain annual income standard, which is generally at least 3 million yen (approximately $19,300).
4. While there is no mandatory Japanese language requirement, Japanese proficiency is considered during the evaluation process.
5. Score 70 points or more on a points-based system that evaluates factors such as educational background, work experience, annual income, and age. The detailed scoring criteria are shown in the chart below:
Compared to a regular work visa, Japan’s Highly Skilled Professional Visa has much higher requirements but also offers significant advantages:
1. The initial validity period for the Highly Skilled Professional Visa is 5 years, and it allows for a quick transition to permanent residency (1 year if you score over 80 points on the points-based system, and 3 years if you score over 70 points). In contrast, a regular work visa typically has an initial validity period of 1 year, with a transition to permanent residency after 10 years.
2. Faster processing times.
3. If the holder of the Highly Skilled Professional Visa has children under the age of 7, they can bring one parent from either spouse to live in Japan.
How to apply for a Japan highly skilled professional visa?
The application process for Japan’s Highly Skilled Professional Visa can be divided into the following steps:
1. Confirm your points and gather all required documents:
Required documents include: a copy of your passport, personal resume, employment contract, proof of academic qualifications, relevant documents supporting your points score, proof of savings, etc.
2. Submit your application: Once you have all the necessary documents, your Japanese employer will submit the application on your behalf to the local immigration office as the company representative.
The immigration office will review your application according to the relevant procedures. Even if your score meets the 70-point threshold, they may still determine that you do not meet the standards for a highly skilled professional and either reject your application or issue a regular work visa instead.
3. Receive your Certificate of Eligibility: If your application is approved, the relevant authorities will mail you a Certificate of Eligibility. You can then use this to apply for an entry visa at the nearest Japanese embassy or consulate, where your passport will be stamped.
Visa Duration:
Regardless of which category of Japan’s Highly Skilled Professional Visa you apply for, your initial residence status will be a “Highly Skilled Professional 1” visa with a validity period of 5 years.
After residing in Japan for 3 years with the “Highly Skilled Professional 1” visa, you can apply to convert it to a “Highly Skilled Professional 2” visa, which has an indefinite validity period.
The main difference between the “Highly Skilled Professional 2” visa and permanent residency in Japan is that the former is still a work visa, meaning it can be revoked if you are unemployed for an extended period.
Individuals who score over 70 points on the Highly Skilled Professional points-based system can apply for permanent residency after 3 years of work; those who score over 80 points can apply after 1 year of work.
Business Manager Visa:
Who is eligible for a Japan business manager visa?
Japan does not have an official residency by investment program, but the Business Manager Visa is a work visa that involves an investment component.
This visa has no educational or language requirements, but applicants must meet the following conditions:
1. Be at least 20 years old.
2. Hold a position as a company representative or director in a company in Japan with a registered capital of at least 5 million yen (approximately $32,087 as of May 17, 2024), and provide a reliable business plan at the time of application.
3. The company must have a legitimate business location, and the applicant must actively manage the company. The applicant should have an annual income of at least 3 million yen from the company, employ a reasonable number of staff, and demonstrate sustained profitability.
It is common for foreigners to obtain a Business Manager Visa by investing in and managing property with business potential.
How to apply for a Japan business manager visa?
The application process for a Japanese Business Manager Visa involves the following steps:
1. Register the Company: According to Japanese law, non-residents cannot open local bank accounts, so you will need a co-founder in Japan who is either a permanent resident or a Japanese national and transfer the investment funds (at least 5 million yen) into the co-founder’s account and complete the company registration tasks, which include leasing an office, preparing the company seal, and drafting and notarizing the articles of incorporation. Next, submit the company establishment application to the Legal Affairs Bureau and apply for the necessary business licenses. After receiving approval from the Legal Affairs Bureau, submit the tax registration application.
2. Visa Application: After the company is established, the business manager can fill out and submit the “Certificate of Eligibility (COE) Application.”
Now you could prepare the necessary documents based on your background and the company’s business plan. Be ready to provide additional materials and respond to any inquiries from the authorities.
Required documents generally include: Completed “Certificate of Eligibility Application”, Business plan and related contracts, Revenue projections, Personal resume, degree certificates, and work proof, Office lease contract and photos, Copy of the passport photo page, Passport-sized photos taken within the last 3 months, Household registration booklet, Supporting documents for dependents (e.g., marriage and birth certificates), Foreign exchange receipts (proof of investment funds).
3. Visa Issuance: After the co-founder receives the “Certificate of Eligibility,” it should be sent to the visa applicant.
You can then fill out the visa application form and apply for the visa at the nearest Japanese embassy or consulate.
The processing time for a Business Manager Visa is 3 to 6 months
Once the visa is issued, you can purchase a flight ticket and move to Japan for long-term residence.
Visa Duration:
Japan’s business manager visa is valid for 1 year. As long as the applicant maintains a clean record in Japan, the company operates normally, the income is sufficient to support living in Japan, and they reside in Japan for at least 6 months each year, the visa can be continuously renewed.
After legally residing in Japan for 5 years and meeting other conditions, you can apply for citizenship; after 10 years, you can apply for permanent residency.
Start-up Visa:
What is the Japanese start-up visa?
How to apply for a Japanese start-up visa?
The process for applying for a Japanese Startup Visa generally involves the following steps:
1. Submit a startup application to the municipal office within a national strategic special zone, including a startup preparation activity plan.
2. If the application is approved and endorsed by the municipal office, you will receive a Certificate of Confirmation. You can then use this certificate to submit your Startup Visa application to the Japanese Immigration Bureau.
Required documents include:
- Passport
- Passport-sized photos
- Visa application form
- Supporting documents for dependents
- Proof of existing local residence permit
- Company business plan
- Certificate of Confirmation from the local municipal office
3. Obtain a one-year Startup Visa to establish your business in Japan.
If the business operates successfully, the Startup Visa can be renewed indefinitely.
After legally residing in Japan for 5 years and meeting other conditions, you can apply for citizenship; after 10 years, you can apply for permanent residency.
Future Creation Individual Visa(J-Find)：
Who can apply for a Japanese future creation individual visa?
The Future Creation Individual Visa program, also known as the “Specified Activities Residence Status,” was launched in April 2023 by the Japanese Ministry of Justice to attract graduates from the world’s top universities to Japan for job searching or entrepreneurship.
To apply for the Future Creation Individual Visa, you must meet the following requirements:
1. Graduate from a top 100 university worldwide: Eligible universities must rank in the top 100 on at least two of the three major global university ranking lists: QS, THE, or Shanghai Ranking. You can check the specific and current rankings through the provided link.
2. Graduated within the last 5 years.
3. Have some savings: At least 200,000 yen, approximately $1,284.
Application Process & Visa Duration:
The application process for the Japanese Future Creation Individual Visa is straightforward. Eligible applicants can directly submit their application to a Japanese embassy or consulate abroad, or to the Immigration Bureau in Japan.
The Future Creation Individual Visa is valid for 2 years and cannot be renewed. If you have not converted it to another visa by the time it expires, you will need to leave Japan.
Passport Power:
Japan does not recognize dual citizenship. Its passport is ranked as one of the best in the world, standing in joint first place. Holders can travel freely (visa-free or with visa on arrival) to 194 countries and regions globally.
Useful Links:
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan: https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/long/index.html
Immigration Services Agency of Japan: http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/english/tetuduki/kanri/shyorui/Table3-1.html