What Is the Highly Skilled Professional Visa?
The Highly Skilled Professional visa is a residence status created to attract foreign talent with advanced knowledge and skills to Japan. Items such as academic background, work history, and annual income are converted into points, and those who score 70 points or more are recognized as “highly skilled talent” and can receive various preferential measures.
The biggest attraction: permanent residence in as little as 1 year. Permanent residence, which normally requires 10 years, can be applied for after just 1 year with 80 points or more, or after 3 years with 70 points or more. It is an extremely advantageous system for those considering a long-term career in Japan.
The Three Categories of Highly Skilled Professional
Advanced academic research activities (i) — Those active in academic research fields, such as university professors and researchers
Advanced specialized/technical activities (ii) — Those active in specialized and technical fields, such as IT engineers and technicians
Advanced business management activities (iii) — Those engaged in the management and administration of a business, such as executives and managers
Points Calculation Table (Main Items)
Points are calculated based on items such as academic background, work history, annual income, and age. The main allocations are as follows.
Academic Background
| Academic Background | Points |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 30 points |
| Master’s degree or professional degree | 20 points |
| University graduation (bachelor’s) | 10 points |
| Degrees in multiple fields | +5 points |
Work History (Practical Experience)
| Years of Experience | Points |
|---|---|
| 10 years or more | 20 points |
| 7 years or more but less than 10 years | 15 points |
| 5 years or more but less than 7 years | 10 points |
| 3 years or more but less than 5 years | 5 points |
Annual Income (For Advanced Specialized/Technical Activities)
| Annual Income | Points |
|---|---|
| 10 million yen or more | 40 points |
| 9 million yen or more but less than 10 million yen | 35 points |
| 8 million yen or more but less than 9 million yen | 30 points |
| 7 million yen or more but less than 8 million yen | 25 points |
| 6 million yen or more but less than 7 million yen | 20 points |
| 5 million yen or more but less than 6 million yen | 15 points |
| 4 million yen or more but less than 5 million yen | 10 points |
Age (Younger Is More Advantageous)
| Age | Points |
|---|---|
| 29 or under | 15 points |
| 30-34 | 10 points |
| 35-39 | 5 points |
Bonus Points
- Passing JLPT N1: +15 points
- Passing JLPT N2: +10 points
- Graduation from a Japanese university: +10 points
- Innovation-promoting company: +10 points
- Advanced projects in growth fields: +10 points
- Research achievements (papers, patents, etc.): +15 to 25 points
List of Preferential Measures
Preferential measures available with 70 points or more:
- Permission to engage in multiple residence activities
- Grant of a “5-year” period of stay
- Relaxation of permanent residence requirements (application possible after 3 years)
- Employment of the spouse
- Accompaniment by parents (under certain conditions)
- Accompaniment by domestic workers (under certain conditions)
- Priority processing of entry and residence procedures
Additionally, with 80 points or more:
- Significant relaxation of permanent residence requirements (application possible after 1 year)
Points Calculation Simulation
[Example Case] 30-year-old IT engineer
| Item | Points |
|---|---|
| Academic background: master’s degree | 20 points |
| Work history: 7 years | 15 points |
| Annual income: 6.5 million yen | 20 points |
| Age: 30 | 10 points |
| Japanese N1 | 15 points |
| Total | 80 points |
→ Since this is 80 points or more, an application for permanent residence is possible after 1 year
Our Support
Kaneko Hidetaka Administrative Scrivener Office supports Highly Skilled Professional visa applications with a track record of a 98% approval rate.
- Free points calculation assessment
- Proposal of the optimal application strategy
- Support in collecting and preparing required documents
- Filing applications with the Immigration Bureau on your behalf
- Support in stepping up to permanent residence
Support in Chinese and Vietnamese is also available. Why not start with a free consultation to calculate your points?