Engineer Visa for IT Engineers | How to Use the Information Technology Engineers Examination

Amid rising demand for IT personnel, an increasing number of companies are recruiting IT engineers from overseas. Among the routes for IT engineers to obtain an Engineer visa, there is a special method: substituting the “Information Technology Engineers Examination” rather than relying on academic background alone. In this article, we explain the application points specific to IT engineers.

Reference: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, “Clarification of the ‘Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services’ Residence Status”; Information-technology Promotion Agency, Japan (IPA), “Qualification Requirements in Visa Applications for IT Personnel”

Three Routes to the Engineer Visa in the IT Field

To satisfy the requirements of the Engineer visa, IT engineers use one of the following three routes.

Route	Requirement	Difficulty
Route 1: Academic background	Graduation from university majoring in an IT-related field (or obtaining a Diploma)	Moderate
Route 2: Qualification	Passing the Information Technology Engineers Examination (or a mutually recognized examination)	Low to moderate
Route 3: Practical experience	10 years or more of practical experience in the IT field	High

Point: Route 2 is a special route unique to the IT field, allowing you to satisfy the Engineer visa requirements by passing the Information Technology Engineers Examination even without an academic background.

Using the Information Technology Engineers Examination

Eligible Examinations

The Information Technology Engineers Examinations accepted as a substitute for the academic requirement are at the level of the Fundamental Information Technology Engineer Examination (FE) or above.

Examination Name	Level	Substitute for Academic Requirement
IT Passport Examination	Level 1	Not accepted
Information Security Management Examination	Level 2	Not accepted
Fundamental Information Technology Engineer Examination (FE)	Level 2	Accepted
Applied Information Technology Engineer Examination (AP)	Level 3	Accepted
Various advanced examinations (Network Specialist, etc.)	Level 4	Accepted

Note: The IT Passport Examination is a Level 1 examination and is not accepted as a substitute for the academic requirement. Be sure to aim for the Fundamental Information Technology Engineer Examination or above.

Examination Overview

Item	Fundamental Information Technology Engineer Examination (FE)
Timing	Year-round (CBT format)
Format	Section A (multiple choice) + Section B (multiple choice)
Duration	Section A: 90 minutes / Section B: 100 minutes
Passing standard	600 points or more out of 1,000 in both Sections A and B
Examination fee	¥7,500 (tax included)
Eligibility to sit	No restrictions (regardless of nationality or academic background)

Mutual Recognition with Overseas Information Processing Examinations

Japan’s Information Technology Engineers Examination has mutual recognition arrangements with the examinations of several countries, mainly in Asia. If you have passed an eligible overseas examination, it is accepted as equivalent to Japan’s Fundamental Information Technology Engineer Examination and as a substitute for the academic requirement.

Countries and Examinations Covered by Mutual Recognition

Country/Region	Eligible Examination	Corresponding Japanese Examination
China	计算机技术与软件专业技术资格（水平）考试 (程序员 or above)	Fundamental Information Technology Engineer or above
South Korea	정보처리기사 (Information Processing Engineer)	Fundamental Information Technology Engineer or above
Philippines	Information Technology Passport Examination or above	Fundamental Information Technology Engineer or above
Vietnam	Fundamental Information Technology Engineer Examination	Fundamental Information Technology Engineer
Myanmar	Fundamental Information Technology Engineer Examination	Fundamental Information Technology Engineer
Taiwan	Information Processing Engineer Proficiency Certification Examination	Fundamental Information Technology Engineer or above
Thailand	Fundamental Information Technology Examination	Fundamental Information Technology Engineer
Malaysia	Fundamental IT Engineer Examination	Fundamental Information Technology Engineer
Mongolia	Fundamental IT Engineer Examination	Fundamental Information Technology Engineer
Bangladesh	Fundamental IT Engineer Examination	Fundamental Information Technology Engineer

Example: If a Chinese national holds a qualification of 程序员 or above, they can satisfy the academic requirement for the Engineer visa even without graduating from a Japanese university.

Practical Experience Requirement Where There Is No Qualification

If you have neither the academic background nor the qualification, 10 years or more of practical experience in the IT field is required.

How to Prove Practical Experience

• Certificate of employment — Obtain a certificate from former employers stating the job duties and period of employment
• Copies of employment contracts — Employment contracts from each place of employment
• Statement of project achievements — Description of the outline of and role in the projects involved
• Portfolio — A record of systems and programs developed

Note: The 10 years of practical experience may include the period spent majoring in the IT field at a university, vocational school, or similar institution. For example, if you studied IT for four years at university and have six years of practical experience after graduation, this may be recognized as 10 years in total.

Tips for Applications by Category of IT Company

For Large Companies (Categories 1 and 2)

• The documents are comparatively simple
• State specific projects and the technology stack in the statement of job duties
• Clearly indicate the departmental assignment plan

For Small and Medium IT Companies (Categories 3 and 4)

• Explain the company’s business content concretely (development track record, business partners, etc.)
• In the case of SES (systems engineering service), also explain the job duties at the client company
• In the case of a loss-making settlement, explain future prospects with a list of orders received and a business plan

For Startups

• Show the growth strategy with a business plan
• If there is a record of fundraising (VC investment, etc.), attach it
• Materials showing technical capability (patents, awards, etc.) are also effective

Cautions for SES Companies (Stationed at Client Sites)

The SES format (being stationed at client sites) is often seen in the IT industry, but the following points require attention in Engineer visa applications.

• Because the employer is the SES company, apply using the SES company’s information
• Be prepared to explain the specific job duties at the site where you are stationed
• If the site where you are stationed changes over short periods, explain a consistent area of expertise
• In the case of a dispatch format, also check the standards in the notice of February 2026

Our Support

For consultations regarding Engineer visa applications, trust Kaneko Hidetaka Administrative Scrivener Office.

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