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 Japanโs 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. Itโs 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
- Applicantโs 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 companyโs 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 Japanโs 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 nationalโs 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 an easy way to get around this. You can easily benefit from global mobility by hiring or relocating talent abroad without establishing a local entity by working with an EOR which acts as the legal employer of your global workforce.
From hiring and onboarding to compliance and immigration requirements, an EOR takes care of everything. Without breaking any employment or immigration laws in Japan you can use this option to quickly hire foreign workers or locals while testing the Japanese market.
Easily hire or relocate talent in Japan with velocity global
It takes a lot of work to obtain Japanese work visas for remote teams. Reduce the stress by collaborating with velocity global.
Distributed teams in Japan and other countries can obtain visas more easily with the help of Velocity Globalโs integrated Global Immigration solution. We manage the administration, translation and gathering of documents as part of our employer of record( EOR) solution making sure that local immigration laws are followed so you can easily hire or relocate talent around the globe.
To find out how to hire top talent in Japan and beyond more quickly and to simplify global immigration get in contact with Velocity Global right now.
FAQs
Japanese work visas vary depending on the visa type, nationality of applicants and whether it;s single or multiple entry visa. A single entry work visa generally costs about ยฅโ3,000 (US$22) and a multiple-entry visa costs around ยฅ6,000 (US$44).
Applicants are required to pay the application visa only after the application is approved and it should be paid in cash. However, certain countries and regions allow online credit card payment if you apply for an eVISA through the JAPAN eVISA website.
A Japanese work visa’s validity varies according to its type. Depending on the applicantโs profession and individual circumstances the standard work visa can be valid for three months to five years.
Renewing a work visa at the appropriate local immigration office is possible for employees whose Japanese work contract is still active.
An individual might think about applying for a designated activity visa if they are unemployed in Japan. With this visa, they can stay in Japan and look for work for an additional six months after the expiration of their current work visa.
