April 2026 Engineer Visa Reform | New CEFR B2, Declaration Form & Dispatch Rules

Effective April 15, 2026, significant changes have been implemented for applications under the Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services (技術・人文知識・国際業務) residence status. In particular, additional documents are now required for Category 3 and 4 companies. This article provides a detailed explanation of the reform and its practical implications.

Reference: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, “Residence Status: Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services” page (updated April 2026)

Overview of the Reform

This reform aims to strengthen screening and prevent fraudulent applications or employment that deviates from what was declared. There are three main changes.

Change	Target	Effective Date
Addition of Declaration Form on Representative of Affiliated Organization	Category 3 & 4	April 15, 2026
CEFR B2-level language proficiency certification	Category 3 & 4 (client-facing work)	April 15, 2026
Clarification of rules for dispatch-form employment	All categories	Published February 24, 2026

Change 1: Declaration Form on Representative of Affiliated Organization

Overview

Companies classified as Category 3 or 4 must now submit an additional “Declaration Form on the Representative of the Affiliated Organization” for applications filed on or after April 15, 2026.

Purpose

This document is intended to prevent the following by requiring disclosure of the representative’s background and involvement with other corporations:

Elimination of fraudulent applications through paper companies
Prevention of illegal employment facilitation through multiple entities
More accurate assessment of corporate legitimacy and operations

Practical Response

Organize the representative’s career history accurately before applying
If the representative serves as an officer of multiple companies, prepare information on each entity’s business activities
False statements will not only result in denial but also adversely affect future applications — accuracy is essential

Change 2: CEFR B2-Level Language Proficiency Certification

Overview

For Category 3 and 4 companies, applicants engaging in client-facing work that utilizes language skills (interpretation, translation, foreign language customer service, etc.) must now submit documentation proving CEFR B2-level language proficiency.

What is CEFR B2?

CEFR B2 (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) represents an “independent user” who can understand the main ideas of complex texts and interact fluently with native speakers.

Conditions Recognized as B2-Equivalent

Condition	Specific Standard
Japanese Language Proficiency Test	JLPT N2 or higher
Business Japanese Proficiency Test	BJT score of 400 or higher
Long-term residence	20+ years of mid-to-long-term residence in Japan
Japanese university graduation	Graduated from a Japanese university, technical college, or vocational school
Japanese compulsory education + high school	Completed compulsory education and graduated from high school in Japan

Key Point: International students who graduated from a Japanese university or vocational school automatically qualify as B2-equivalent — no separate test certificate is needed.

Target Work Activities

Subject to B2 Requirement	Not Subject to B2 Requirement
Interpretation / Translation	Programming
Foreign language customer service/sales	Design / CAD
Negotiation with overseas clients	Accounting / Bookkeeping
Foreign customer support	Research & Development

Practical Notes

Category 1 and 2 companies are exempt (this requirement does not apply)
Technical work (IT, engineering, etc.) is exempt from language proficiency certification
If the applicant handles multiple duties including client-facing work, certification is required

Change 3: Dispatch Worker Employment Rules

Overview

On February 24, 2026, the “Handling of Cases Where Applicants Work in Dispatch Form” was published, clarifying rules for Engineer visa holders working as dispatch (temporary) workers.

Newly Required Documents

Document	Submitted By
Pledge regarding dispatch work (dispatch company)	Dispatch company
Pledge regarding dispatch work (client company)	Client company
Written working conditions	Dispatch company
Individual dispatch worker contract	Dispatch & client companies

Key Points to Note

The work at the client site must meet Engineer visa requirements
When client sites change, consistency of job duties may be scrutinized
The distinction between SES (quasi-delegation contracts) and dispatch must be clearly established
Both the dispatch and client companies must demonstrate proper employment management

Updated Document Checklists

New checklists corresponding to applications after April 15, 2026 have been published by the Immigration Services Agency.

Application Type	Target Category
Certificate of Eligibility (new)	Category 3 & 4 only
Change of Status (new)	Category 3 & 4 only
Extension of Period of Stay	All categories

Important: For applications filed on or after April 15, 2026, always use the new checklists. Submitting old-format documents may cause delays in processing.

Summary of Required Responses

Target	Required Action
Category 3 & 4 companies	Prepare the representative declaration form and organize representative’s career history
Applicants in client-facing roles	Prepare CEFR B2 certification documents (JLPT N2, etc.)
Dispatch workers	Prepare pledges and contracts from both dispatch and client companies
Category 1 & 2 companies	No major changes (check updated extension checklist)

Our Support

For Engineer visa applications compliant with the April 2026 reforms, trust Kaneko Hidetaka Administrative Scrivener Office.

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