What is Highly Skilled Professional?
This is a new visa that began in 2015 to promote the acceptance of highly-skilled foreign professionals.
Highly-skilled foreign professionals are “high-quality human resources that are complementary to, and cannot be replaced by, domestic capital and labor” and “are expected to bring innovation to Japanese industry, promote the development of the professional and technical labor market through friendly competition with Japanese people, and increase the efficiency of the Japanese labor market.
(Report of the Council for the Promotion of the Acceptance of Advanced Human Resources, May 29, 2009)
Compared to other work visas, there are various advantages.
Contents
Types of Highly Skilled Professional
Highly Skilled Professional are divided into numbers 1 and 2.
Both are further divided into three categories, depending on the nature of the activity.
Highly Skilled Professional 1
Highly Skilled Professional1 is divided into three categories, depending on the nature of the activity.
(a) Advanced academic research activities ⇒Activities of engaging in research, research guidance or education based on a contract entered into with a public or private organization in Japan.
(b) Advanced specialized / technical activities ⇒ Activities of engaging in work requiring specialized knowledge or skills in the field of natural sciences or humanities based on a contract entered into with a public or private organization in Japan.
(c) Advanced business management activities ⇒Activities of engaging in the operation or management of a public or private organization in Japan.
Highly Skilled Professional 2 is for foreigners who have worked for more than three years with Highly Skilled Professional 1.
Requirements for Highly Skilled Professional 1
It’s a point system, and you must have earned at least 70 points.
It is divided into three categories (a, b, and c), and points are set for each item, such as educational and work experience, research achievements, and annual income.
A total of 70 or more points are required in the points table below.
If your annual income is less than 3 million yen, even if you score 70 points or more, you will not be permitted.
Preferential treatment for Highly Skilled Professional 1
Highly Skilled Professional have a variety of preferential treatment compared to other work visas.
1. Permission for multiple activities
2. Grant of the “5 years”period of stay
3. Easing of requirements for permanent residence
4. Permission for the spouse of the highly-skilled foreign professional to work
5 .Permission for bringing a parent(s) to accompany the highly-skilled foreign professional to Japan under certain conditions
6. Permission for a domestic worker to accompany the highly-skilled foreign professional to Japan under certain conditions
7. Preferential processing of entry and residence procedures
Highly Skilled Professional 2
Highly Skilled Professional 2 is for those who have held Highly Skilled Professional 1 and have been working there for at least three years.
As with Highly Skilled Professional 1, you must also have a total of at least 70 points in the points table.
Preferential treatment for Highly Skilled Professional 2
In addition to the preferential treatment of Highly Skilled Professional 1, the following preferential treatment is available
a. In conjunction with the activities “Highly-Skilled Professional(i)” permitted to engage in almost all of the activities of statuses of residence based on employment
b. Granted an indefinite period of stay
