Job Seeker Visa For Japan: A Simple Guide

Japan, a land of endless opportunities, beckons global talent to its shores. Looking for a job in Japan and eyeing on a guide for job seekers? Don’t worry! You’re at the right spot!

The job seeker visa serves as a golden ticket for those aspiring to explore career prospects in this technologically advanced nation. This article is designed to guide ambitious professionals through the intricacies of securing a job seeker visa in Japan, paving the way for a fruitful and rewarding job hunting experience.

Let’s dive in!

Types Of Japan’s Highly Skilled Professional Visas

The J-Skip and J-Find visas are part of the job seeker visa category, known as Japan’s highly skilled professional visa category.

The highly skilled professional visa is issued through a point-based system to foreigners who meet the criteria and are considered to have outstanding abilities and credentials.

The J-Skip visa is a specialized visa category introduced by the Japanese government in April 2023 for highly skilled professionals who have a contracting organization or an activity organization in Japan.

The J-Find visa is also a specialized category introduced by the Japanese government to attract highly skilled foreign professionals to work in Japan.

Both visas aim to simplify the visa application process and provide opportunities for individuals with expertise in specific fields such as information technology, artificial intelligence, robotics, and other emerging technologies.

J-FIND Visa

The J-FIND visa is a job seeker visa that allows graduates from top foreign universities to stay in Japan for an extended period of up to 2 years in search of employment.

Under the present visa rules, graduates can stay for only 90 days.

J-SKIP Visa

The J-SKIP visa is designed for researchers, engineers, and high-level managers seeking jobs in Japan. The visa allows these candidates to skip the current point-based system and be considered for the highly skilled professional visa.

What Is The Eligibility Criteria For Japan’s Highly Skilled Professional Visa?

The J-Find and J-Skip visas are available to nationals of all countries who meet the eligibility criteria.

General Conditions For J-SKIP Visa

To be eligible for the J-SKIP visa, candidates must meet specific income and work experience requirements set by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan. As a result, they will be automatically sent for a highly skilled professional visa, bypassing the point-based system.

The applicant must have an activity organization (a firm, etc., that runs and administers the business) or a contracting organization (a place of employment) in Japan.

Eligible Programs

Advanced academic research activities
Advanced specialized/technical activities
Advanced business management activities

Requirements For J-SKIP

You must meet one of the following requirements:

Master’s degree or higher and annual income of at least 20 million yen
At least 10 years of work experience and an annual income of at least 20 million yen

If you are interested in acting as a business manager, you are required to have the following:

At least 5 years of experience in business management or administration and an annual income of at least 40 million yen

Once a candidate gains the status of Level 1 professionals, they will be granted a 5-year stay and allowed to work within their professional fields.

After Level 1, candidates who upgrade to Level 2 after three years of work will be allowed to stay in the country indefinitely with zero to no restrictions on work.

General Conditions For J-FIND Visa

J-FIND visa is an option for those 18 or older who meet the following requirements and want to work in Japan for two years:

Must have graduated from a university or higher education institution in the top 100 in the QS Top Universities list, Times Higher Education World University Rankings, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s Academic Ranking of World Universities.
- An eligible university must have awarded individuals a qualification, and the qualification must be at the same level as a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or PhD or at least 10 years of work experience.
- Individuals must have been awarded the qualification above in the last five years.
- Individuals must prove enough personal savings, approximately 200,000 yen, to support themselves in Japan.
- For managers, they must have at least an annual income of 40 million Yen
Spouse or child of future creation individual
- Dependent spouse or child of future creation individual

However, a maximum of 2 years will be granted if eligible individuals apply for an extension of the period of stay to the Regional Immigration Service Bureau before the permitted period expires.

Documentation Required For A Highly Skilled Professional Visa In Japan

You are obliged to apply online through the online portal.

The documents required are as follows:

Passport
Visa Application Form (with a photo)
Certificate of Eligibility – the original or one copy (If you have an electronic Certificate of Eligibility, please present it at the visa application counter or submit a printed copy)
Documents to prove the awarded qualification
Documents to prove that the applicant has enough personal savings
Description of intended activities
Curriculum vitae
Pledge to the necessary procedures for joining the Health Insurance

Additional documents may be required according to your specific situation.

Application Process For A Highly Skilled Professional Visa

To apply for this visa, you are required to follow these steps:

Locate your application office. The application for the visa can be submitted at the Japanese embassy or consulate in the applicant’s country of residence
Book an appointment.
Collect your documents. It is recommended to consult the website of the Japanese embassy or consulate in the applicant’s country of residence for detailed information on the application process and required documents.
Pay the visa fee.
Submit your application.
Retrieve your visa.

Once you receive your Highly Skilled Professional Visa, you may enter Japan.

However, it is essential to note that the visa is only valid for a certain period, and the visa holder must enter Japan within three months of the designated day on the Certificate of Eligibility.

Processing Time And The Visa Fee

Application for HSP will be processed preferentially.

It will be processed within about 10 business days in case of the COE application, and within about 5 business days in case of an application for a change of status of residence or extension of period of stay.

The fees for handling the application for a Highly-Skilled Professional Visa in Tokyo start from JPY 400,000.

However, this fee is for handling the application for a Highly-Skilled Professional Visa in Tokyo.

It covers various services, including consulting services, checking the points obtained by the document and resume received from the client, and organizing the application materials.

The visa fee may vary depending on the type of visa, the applicant’s nationality, and other factors.

What Is The Validity Period Of The Visa?

Immigration Office grants 5 years period of stay to every HSP. You can extend the period of stay by applying for an extension of the period of stay.

Also, consider applying for a change of visa status to HSP2 or applying for permanent residence in a few years if you are continuing to engage in activity as an HSP.

Can Your Family Accompany You On This Visa?

Yes, you may bring along your family as well as a housekeeper.

Remember certain conditions must be met in order to do so:

Permission To Bring Parents

Either parents of HSP or parents of HSP’s spouse can enter and stay in Japan under the following circumstances;

In case the parent has to take care of HSP’s child younger than 7 years old (including the adopted child).
In case the parent has to take care of a pregnant HSP or HSP’s pregnant spouse.

Other Requirements

HSP’s household annual salary is more than 8 million yen.
The parent(s) will live with HSP while in Japan.

Permission To Bring A Domestic Worker (Housekeeper)

HSP may bring a foreign domestic worker to Japan under the following circumstances:

HSP’s household annual salary is at least 10 million yen.
HSP may bring only one domestic worker.
The monthly salary for the domestic worker has to be at least 200,000 yen.
The domestic worker has been employed by HSP for at least 1 year before he/she enters Japan.
The domestic worker is expected to leave Japan with HSP if the HSP leaves Japan and quits the visa status.

In case HSP employs a domestic worker not falling under the condition mentioned above,

HSP’s household annual salary is at least 10 million yen.
HSP may hire only one domestic worker.
The monthly salary for the domestic worker has to be at least 200,000 yen.
HSP has to have certain family circumstances (e.g., where you have a child under 13 years old or a spouse unable to do housework due to illness or for other reasons).

When an HSP engages in activity related to investment management and employs domestic worker(s):

HSP’s household annual salary is at least 10 million yen.
HSP may hire up to 2 domestic workers. However, the HSP’s household annual salary must be at least 30 million yen when the HSP employs 2 domestic workers.
The monthly salary for Domestic worker(s) has to be at least 200,000 yen.

Can You Convert An HSP Visa To A Work Visa?

It is possible to convert from a Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) visa to a work visa in Japan.

HSP2 is an HSP visa status with “an indefinite period of stay,” an applicant must obtain HSP1 first.

An applicant may apply for a change of visa status to HSP2 at least three years after obtaining HSP1 visa status.

If an HSP visa holder wants to change employers, they have to apply for a new Certificate of Eligibility if the work they do still qualifies for the Highly Skilled Program.

If it does not, they have to change the visa category to a standard Japan Work Visa.

Do I Need To Know Japanese For An HSP Visa Application?

To qualify for the HSP visa, you need 70 points as an employed individual. You can earn points for a Japanese university graduation, work experience, income, age, and Japanese language N1 qualification.

As a business manager, you can qualify for the HSP visa by earning 70 points.

To earn points:

You need a master’s degree from a Japanese university (30 points)
At least 5 years of experience as a manager (15 points)
A minimum income of 3 million yen
The status of a representative director (president of a Japanese company) (10 points)
A Japanese language N1 qualification (15 points).

As such, it will help you to have some fluency in Japanese.

Some good learning websites include:

Easy Japanese by NHK.
Italki.
SmileNihongo.

Pros And Cons Of Japanese HSP Visa

Pros and cons of the HSP visa that you are recommended to consider before applying:

Pros	Cons
✅Expansion of the range of jobs available	❌The HSP visa is tied to the employer
✅Permanent residence can be applied for immediately.	❌Application fee and transportation costs make it costly
✅Preferential treatment for visa application	❌Language proficiency is required for efficiency in finding jobs
✅Spouse’s work permission is granted	❌Complex application process

Conclusion

With a comprehensive understanding of the job seeker visa process in Japan, you’re now well-prepared to embark on this exciting phase of your professional journey.

Remember, this visa isn’t just a document; it’s a doorway to a world of career opportunities in a country renowned for innovation and growth. Armed with the right knowledge, your dream job in Japan is within reach.

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