Types of Visa / Residence Status in Japan
A status of residence (visa) is a legal qualification required for foreigners to live, study, and work in Japan. This is essential for foreign nationals when they live in Japan, because if they do not have it, they will basically not be able to live in Japan. For this reason, each foreigner actually living in Japan is issued a status of residence according to their purpose or circumstances.
As of March 2023, there are 29 types of residence status stipulated in the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (the so-called Immigration Control Act). These 29 types of residence statuses are classified as follows.
- Types issued based on the each person status or circumstances.
- Types aimed at working in Japan
- Types for purposes other than work (studying in Japan, etc.)
All residence statuses, with the exception of permanent residents, have a fixed period of validity called the period of stay. If you wish to continue staying in Japan when the period expires, you will need to complete the renewal procedure.
Types issued based on the each person status or circumstances.
An example of a status-based residence status is a person who has an international marriage with a Japanese person. This is a status of residence that is not issued based on the purpose of residence in Japan, but is issued based on the exact status of person.
This group of residence statuses have no restrictions on their activities (work, etc.) in Japan.
| Visa : based on the each person status or circumstances. | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Status | period of stay | |
| Permanent resident | A person who has obtained permanent residence permission from the Minister of Justice. | Indefinite period | |
| Spouse or Child of Japanese National | Spouse of a Japanese national, special adopted child of a Japanese national, or person born as a child of a Japanese national. | 5 years, 3 years, 1 year, or 6 months | |
| Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident |
A person who was born in Japan as a spouse of a permanent resident, etc. or a child of a permanent resident, etc. and continues to reside in Japan thereafter. |
5 years, 3 years, 1 year, or 6 months | |
| Long Term Resident |
A person who is granted residence by the Minister of Justice with a specified period of stay in consideration of special reasons. |
5 years, 3 years, 1 year, 6 months, or a period individually designated by the Minister of Justice (within a range not exceeding 5 years) | |
Types aimed at working in Japan
There are currently 19 types of residence statuses for which the purpose is to work in Japan.
Other than status-based residence statuses, this group of residence statuses basically allows foreigners to work within the scope stipulated in Japan.
| Status of residence for the purpose of working in Japan | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Activities | Occupation examples | Period of stay | |
| Diplomatic | As a member of a diplomatic mission or consular post of a foreign government received by the Japanese government, as a person who receives the same privileges and immunities as a diplomatic mission under treaties or international customs, or as a member of a family belonging to the same household as such a person. activities | Ambassadors, ministers, consuls general, members of delegations, etc. of foreign governments and their families. | Duration of diplomatic activities | |
| Official | Activities as a person engaged in public affairs of a foreign government or international organization approved by the Japanese government, or as a member of the same household as that person. | Employees of embassies and consulates of foreign governments, persons dispatched by international organizations, etc. on official business, and their families. | 5 years, 3 years, 1 year, 3 months, 30 days, or 15 days | |
| Professor | Activities of research, research guidance, or education at Japanese universities, equivalent institutions, or technical colleges. | University professors, etc. | 5 years, 3 years, 1 year, or 3 months | |
| Artist | Music, art, literature, and other artistic activities that generate income.(excluding activities listed in the entertainment) | Composers, painters, writers, etc. | 5 years, 3 years, 1 year, or 3 months | |
| Religious Activities | Missionary work and other religious activities carried out by religious figures dispatched to Japan by foreign religious organizations. | Missionaries dispatched from foreign religious organizations | 5 years, 3 years, 1 year, or 3 months | |
| Journalist | Interviews and other journalistic activities conducted based on contracts with foreign news organizations. | Reporters and photographers for foreign news organizations | 5 years, 3 years, 1 year, or 3 months | |
For the types of status of residence below, the conditions for permission (referred to as standard ministerial ordinances, landing permission standards, etc.) are set for each type.
*For the conditions of each status of residence, please check the page for each status of residence.
| Status of residence for the purpose of working in Japan（with individual conditions） | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Activities | Occupation examples | Period of stay | ||
| Highly skilled professional |
No. 1 |
Highly skilled human resources based on point system | 5 years | ||
|
No. 2 |
Indefinite period | ||||
| Business Manager | Activities involving the management of trade or other businesses in Japan or the management of such businesses. | Managers/managers of companies, etc. | 5 years, 3 years, 1 year, 6 months, 4 months, or 3 months | ||
| Legal/Accounting services | Activities related to law or accounting that are performed by registered foreign lawyers, foreign certified public accountants, and other legally qualified persons. | Lawyer, certified public accountant, etc. | 5 years, 3 years, 1 year, or 3 months | ||
| Medical Services | Activities involving medical work that is supposed to be performed by doctors, dentists, and other legally qualified persons. | Doctors, dentists, nurses | 5 years, 3 years, 1 year, or 3 months | ||
| Researcher | Activities to engage in research based on contracts with public and private institutions in Japan. (excluding activities listed in the professor) | Researchers from government-related organizations and private companies. | 5 years, 3 years, 1 year, or 3 months | ||
| Engineer, Humanities Specialist, International Services | Work that requires technology or knowledge in the field of science, engineering, or other natural sciences, or in the field of law, economics, sociology, or other humanities, based on a contract with a public or private institution in Japan, or work that is based on foreign culture. Activities that require thinking or sensitivity. | Mechanical engineers, interpreters, designers, language teachers at private companies, marketing workers, etc. | 5 years, 3 years, 1 year, or 3 months | ||
| Intra-Company Transferee | Employees of foreign offices of public and private institutions with head offices, branches, and other offices in Japan are transferred to offices in Japan for a set period and work at the offices listed in this table for the skills, humanities, and international Activities listed in the business section. | Transferees from foreign offices | 5 years, 3 years, 1 year, or 3 months | ||
| Instructor | Activities to provide language education and other education at Japanese elementary schools, junior high schools, compulsory education schools, high schools, secondary education schools, special needs schools, vocational schools, or various schools or educational institutions equivalent to these in terms of equipment and organization. | Language teachers at junior high schools, high schools, etc. | 5 years, 3 years, 1 year, or 3 months | ||
| Nursing Care | Activities in which persons with nursing care worker qualifications engage in nursing care or nursing care guidance based on contracts with public and private institutions in Japan. | Care worker | 5 years, 3 years, 1 year, or 3 months | ||
| Entertainer | Activities related to performances such as plays, entertainment, performances, sports, etc., or other entertainment activities. | Actors, singers, dancers, professional athletes, etc. | 3 years, 1 year, 6 months, 3 months, or 30 days | ||
| Skilled Labor | Activities involving work that requires skilled skills in a special industrial field based on contracts with public and private institutions in Japan. | Foreign cuisine cooks, sports instructors, aircraft pilots, craftsmen who process precious metals, etc. | 5 years, 3 years, 1 year, or 3 months | ||
| Specified Skilled Worker | No. 1 Activities to engage in work that requires skills that require a considerable level of knowledge or experience as specified by Ministry of Justice ordinance that belongs to specified industrial fields designated by the Minister of Justice based on employment contracts with public and private institutions in Japan. | foreign national engaged in work that requires skills that require a considerable degree of knowledge or experience in a specific industrial field. | Period designated individually by the Minister of Justice (within a range not exceeding one year) | ||
| No. 2 Activities to engage in work that requires skilled skills specified by Ministry of Justice ordinance that belongs to those specified by the Minister of Justice in specific industrial fields based on employment contracts with public and private institutions in Japan. | foreign national engaged in work that requires skilled skills in a specific industrial field | 3 years, 1 year or 6 months | |||
| Technical Intern Training | No. 1 Activities of receiving training and engaging in work related to skills, etc. based on a technical intern training plan certified under the Technical Intern Training Act. | Technical intern trainee | Period designated individually by the Minister of Justice (within a range not exceeding one year) | ||
|
No. 2Activities to engage in work requiring skills, etc. based on a technical intern training plan certified under the Technical Intern Training Act. |
Period designated individually by the Minister of Justice (within a range not exceeding two years) | ||||
|
No. 3 Activities to engage in work requiring skills, etc. based on a technical intern training plan certified under the Technical Intern Training Act. |
Period designated individually by the Minister of Justice (within a range not exceeding two years) | ||||
Types for purposes other than work in Japan
This is a status of residence for those who are residing in Japan for the purpose of studying or receiving training, or for family members of people working in Japan.
| Status of residence issued for activities other than working | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Activities | Applicable example | Period of stay |
| Cultural Activities | Academic or artistic activities that do not involve income, or activities that involve conducting specialized research on culture or arts unique to Japan, or acquiring skills under the guidance of experts. | Japanese culture researchers, etc. | 3 years, 1 year, 6 minths, or 3 months |
| Temporary Visitor | Sightseeing, recreation, sports, visiting relatives, sightseeing, participation in classes or meetings, business communication, and other similar activities carried out during a short stay in Japan | Tourists, conference participants, etc. | Period in units of days within 90 days, 30 days, or 15 days |
Permit conditions (referred to as standard ministerial ordinances or landing permission standards) are set for the following types.
*For conditions, please check the page for each status of residence.
| Status of residence issued for activities other than working. (with individual conditions） | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Activities | Applicable example | Period of stay | |
| Student | Activities to receive education at Japanese universities, vocational schools, etc. | Students of universities, junior colleges, technical colleges, high schools, junior high schools, elementary schools, etc. | Period designated individually by the Minister of Justice (within a range not exceeding 4 years and 3 months) | |
| Trainee | Activities for acquiring skills, etc. that are accepted by public and private institutions in Japan. | Trainee | 1 year, 6 months, or 3 months | |
| Dependent | Daily life of a spouse or child of a person residing in Japan on a certain work visa, Student visa, or cultural activity visa. | Spouse and children supported by foreign residents | Period designated individually by the Minister of Justice (within a range not exceeding 5 years) | |
Designated Activities
Designated Activities visa is unique in that the Minister of Justice can specify the contents of the activity. It is also used in cases where flexible responses are required.
| Designated Activities Visa | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Activities | Applicable example | Period of stay |
| Designated Activities | Activities specifically designated for individual foreign nationals by the Minister of Justice. | Domestic servants such as diplomats, working holidays, foreign nurse/care worker candidates based on economic partnership agreements, etc. | 5 years, 3 years, 1 year, 6 months, 3 months, or a period individually designated by the Minister of Justice (within a range not exceeding 5 years) |
Recently, Designated Activities has been issued to people who have evacuated from Ukraine to Japan to escape the ravages of war.
Some such documents are issued depending on the situation, while others have their contents announced in advance and categorized by the Minister of Justice.
If the content has been announced, a number will be added to it, such as Designated Activities No. 46 which aims to expand employment opportunities for international students who have graduated from Japanese universities.
Case study: Occupation and Japanese residence status
Here we will explain what kind of visa and residence status you need based on the specific type of work and occupation.
For Desk work or Management
When working in an office in charge of accounting, sales, design, technology development, etc., the following status of residence is often applicable.
１ Engineer, Humanities Specialist, International Services
This visa is applicable to technical fields such as development and SE, humanities fields such as accounting and human resources, and jobs and occupations that require an international perspective such as translation and design.
A certain educational background or work experience is a prerequisite, and as a general rule, work that is classified as manual labor at a work site is not eligible.
This applies when transferring from an overseas parent company or subsidiary to a Japanese company. The duties and job types are the same as those for technology, humanities, and international work, but no academic background is required.
This visa applies to those working as a manager. This applies not only to business owners but also to those working as managers of large organizations such as factory managers.
Depending on the type of highly skilled professional visa, you can work as either a desk worker or a manager. This is a popular visa as it offers various preferential treatment.
Entertainment activities
If you are performing at a concert, festival, live performance, etc. or doing entertainment activities in Japan, you will be eligible for an entertainment visa.
The Entertainer visa covers three major types of work/occupations.
1. Act at concerts etc.
2. Active as a professional athlete
3. Entertainment activities such as movie promotions and TV appearances, filming of movies, etc.
work as a teacher or lecturer
If you work as a school teacher or professor, the type of visa you need will vary depending on the environment in which you teach.
This mainly applies to those conducting research at universities, etc., or providing research guidance or education. Although the applicant name is professor, the applicant status does not have to be professor; associate professor or lecturer is also acceptable.
This applies primarily to teaching in schools from elementary school to high school. Typical examples include English and other language teachers and foreign language teaching assistants (ALT).
*If you are working at a cram school or English conversation class that is not a school, you will not need a professor visa or educational visa, but an Engineer, Humanities Specialist, International Services is required.
Work at a medical institution, nursing care facility, or research institute
The following visas apply if you work as a medical professional such as a doctor or nurse, a nursing care worker such as a certified care worker, or as a researcher at a research institute.
This visa is issued to people with Japanese qualifications such as doctors, nurses, pharmacists, etc. who work at medical institutions. The key point is that medical qualifications need to be from Japan, not from overseas countries.
A nursing care visa is a visa for those who work as a care worker at a nursing care facility. This includes not only working as a care worker, but also providing nursing care guidance.
If you work as a care worker, you may be able to work on a specific skill visa or technical intern visa.
Researcher visa are available for those who work as researchers at facilities such as research institutes, test sites, and so-called labs.
Work as a cook, sports trainer, etc.
This applies to working as a specialist in a restaurant kitchen, such as a chef or cook, or an airplane pilot.
The point of Skilled Labor to work using the person skills.
Emphasis is placed on work experience rather than academic background.
In addition to cooks and sommeliers, this includes jewelry craftsmen, sports trainers, and animal trainers.
Of course, in addition to the occupations introduced here, Japan also offers other visas and residence statuses.
If you want to work in Japan but do not know what type of visa you need, or if you want to hire a foreign employee but do not know the procedure for obtaining a status of residence, please feel free to contact our office.