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Work in Japan Many international companies with offices in Japan regularly look to overseas talent to fill open positions and the Japanese government provides a range of visas to attract talent. But international business and foreigners are frequently turned away by the difficult procedure of sorting through Japan’s multiple visa categories, selecting the appropriate visa and submitting an application. This article compares work visas available in Japan, outlines the paperwork needed to apply and outlines the essential procedures for doing that. We also describe how international businesses wishing to hire or relocate talent in Japan can expedite the process by collaborating with an immigration expert. Types of Japan work visas There are three main types of Japanese work visas including a standard work visa and two specified skill visas. Each visa is outlined below Work visa for occupations Work visa for occupations is the standard Japanese work visa. It’s available for a variety of professions including: Professors Artists Religious activity Journalism Medical services Engineers Humanities specialists Entertainers For a period of three months or five years depending on the position and specific circumstances, foreign nationals or expats are permitted to work in Japan with this type of visa. Specified skills visa 1-SSV1 To attract highly skilled foreign talent prepared to work in certain labour sectors without prior training such as construction, aviation or agriculture the Japanese government created the Specified skills worker visa 1-SSV1 The generous support system that the SSV1 visa offers its holders is its main benefit. The system helps immigrants with moving related tasks like house renting, bank account opening and signing mobile phone contracts when they arrive. A language test demonstrating their N4 level of Japanese proficiency and a point based skill standards exam are required of applicants. The visa can be renewed for a maximum of five years during its initial four month to 1 year period. Specified skills visa 2 -SSV2 SSV2 is same as SSV1. But the application process required a higher level of specialisation and proper certification. This type of visa allows employees to go to Japan with their immediate family and allows them to renew it indefinitely or until they decide to apply for Japanese residency. Requirement for obtaining a Japan work visa Japan has different requirements for different categories of work visas. All necessary supporting documents for the application are listed in general below. Certificate of eligibility Application form which is completed and signed Applicant’s resume Valid passport and photocopies Passport sized photos in line with requirements Employment agreement detailing the employees position, salary and history of work. Academic and professional certificates Employer documents such as the company’s registry certificate, tax withholding report and recent proof of financial funds Sometimes Japanese government will request for additional document upon request How to get a Japan work visa and residence card: 6 steps Application process has two stages for a Japanese work visa. Getting a certificate of eligibility and applying for work visa, we describe the steps in detail below Obtain a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from Japan’s Immigration Services Agency COe shows that applicants have got approval from Japanese Immigration Services and they have met the entry criteria for foreign talent. The sponsoring employer must apply for the COE at the relevant Regional Immigration Bureau on behalf of the employee. Supporting document needed for COE application: Completed application form 4cm x 3 cm photos With paid postage return mail envelope Letter of guarantee A skill exam score of 70 or higher indicates that applicant has the necessary skills for the position and this information must be included in the sponsoring employer’s application for specified skills visa. Collect the required documents of the Japan work visa application The employer needs to start gathering the last few supporting documents for the visa application soon after they receive the COE> a number of extra documents form the employer are included in the full list of documents in addition to those from the previously mentioned list: Invitation letter List of visa applicants Detailed itinerary in Japan Apply for a work visa at nearest Japanese embassy or consulate In four ways, applicants can submit the visa application at the closest Japanese consulate or embassy. In person Sending a representative to the Japanese consulate for giving the written proxy letter Through accredited travel agent approved by Japanese consulate Through the JAPAN eVISA website Foreign nationals may be required to submit their documents in person or through an authorised travel agent depending on the applicant’s home country or region. If the consulate requests more documents the applicant may also need to come back for an interview. Return to the embassy or consulate to retrieve the approved work visa The applicant must go back to the embassy or consulate to collect their passport and visa after receiving their visa approval. Enter Japan no later than three months after obtaining the work visa After receiving the visa the applicant has to reach Japan within three months. Obtaining a landing permit and residence card at the port of entry  Immigration officers will check the visa and all relevant documents upon arrival at the port of entry in Japan and attach a landing permit to the foreign national’s passport. The landing permit replaces the visa and allows them entry into Japan. Depending on the airport they enter, a resident card will be issued to foreign nationals upon arrival or they need to apply for one from the local municipal office within 14 days of relocating to Japan. Foreign nationals must always have their most recent residence card on them according to the US embassy in Japan, failing to do this is against the law. Considerations before obtaining a Japan work visa The requirement for sponsorship from a locally incorporated legal entity is a unique factor for multinational corporations seeking to hire foreign talent in Japan. This requirement discourages many foreign businesses from conducting business in Japan that do not have a local entity. Collaborating with an employer of record (EOR) is