Japan runs one of the most structured immigration systems in Asia. Almost every work route starts with a Japanese employer or institution sponsoring you, and the Highly Skilled Professional points system rewards strong qualifications with a fast track to permanent residence. Planning early, especially on Japanese language, matters more here than in most countries.
This overview covers the main routes in plain terms: the Engineer and Specialist work status, the Highly Skilled Professional points system, the J-Skip and J-Find schemes, Specified Skilled Worker, the Business Manager status, student status and part time work, and the road to permanent residence.
Quick view: Japan routes at a glance
| Route | Who it fits | Headline requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Engineer and Specialist in Humanities and International Services | Professionals with a Japanese employer | A contract with a Japanese employer, plus a related degree or 10 years of experience |
| Highly Skilled Professional (points based) | High scoring professionals | At least 70 points; 80 points unlocks the fastest permanent residence track |
| J-Skip | Very high earners with strong qualifications | A master’s degree or 10 years of experience, plus income of at least 20 million yen |
| J-Find | Recent graduates of top universities | Graduated within 5 years from a top 100 university, plus 200,000 yen in funds |
| Specified Skilled Worker (i) and (ii) | Workers in specified sectors | Sector skills exam and Japanese language test, then a Japanese employer |
| Business Manager | Founders with serious capital | Capital of at least 30 million yen (rules from 16 October 2025), plus one full time employee |
| Student | Students at recognised institutions | Enrolment at a recognised institution; part time work with permission, capped at 28 hours per week |
Engineer and Specialist in Humanities and International Services
This is the standard professional work status. It covers engineering and IT roles, humanities fields such as law, economics and marketing, and international services such as translation and language teaching.
- Key requirement: a contract with an organisation in Japan, plus a degree related to the work, or around 10 years of relevant experience.
- Pay: your salary must match or exceed what a Japanese national would receive for the same work.
- Honest limitation: there is no points test and no Japanese language requirement in the status itself, but without a Japanese employer there is no application.
Highly Skilled Professional: the points based fast track
The Highly Skilled Professional status scores you on academic background, professional experience, annual salary, age, research achievements and Japanese language ability. It has three categories: advanced academic research, advanced specialised and technical activities, and advanced business management.
- At 70 points: a five year stay, your spouse may work, and your applications get priority processing. The residence period needed before permanent residence falls to three years.
- At 80 points: the permanent residence period falls to one year, against the standard ten years.
J-Skip and J-Find: the 2023 shortcuts
J-Skip, introduced in April 2023, is a shortcut into Highly Skilled Professional status without the points calculation. Researchers and engineers need a master’s degree or at least 10 years of experience, plus annual income of at least 20 million yen. Business managers need at least five years of business management experience plus annual income of at least 40 million yen, as set out by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan. J-Skip holders can apply for permanent residence after one year.
J-Find, also introduced in April 2023, is a Designated Activities status for what Japan calls future creation individuals. It is for graduates of universities ranked in the top 100 in at least two of the three recognised world rankings, who graduated within the last five years and hold at least 200,000 yen in funds. It allows job hunting or start up preparation for up to two years, and a spouse and children may accompany you.
Specified Skilled Worker
The Specified Skilled Worker programme covers 16 fields, including nursing care, construction, agriculture, food service and manufacturing. It is exam based rather than degree based.
- SSW (i): pass the sector skills exam and a Japanese language test (generally JLPT N4 or JFT-Basic), then work for a Japanese employer. Stay is capped at five years in total, and family cannot accompany you in principle.
- SSW (ii): for proficient skills in 11 of the fields. It is renewable without an overall cap, family accompaniment is allowed, and it can support a permanent residence application.
Business Manager
The Business Manager standards were tightened by a revision of the landing permission criteria in force from 16 October 2025. Older guides quoting capital of 5 million yen are out of date.
- Capital of at least 30 million yen, up from 5 million yen.
- At least one full time employee who holds a stable residence status.
- Japanese at B2 level, shown by the applicant or a full time employee. JLPT N2 is the benchmark used.
- At least three years of management experience, or a relevant postgraduate degree.
- A business plan confirmed by a qualified expert, such as a certified SME consultant, CPA or tax accountant.
- A real office, separate from a home, is required in principle.
Student status and part time work
Students enrol at universities, colleges, vocational schools or Japanese language schools. Paid work is only allowed with Permission to Engage in Activity Other Than That Permitted, and it is capped at 28 hours per week, rising to eight hours per day during long school holidays. Work in the adult entertainment industries is prohibited.
Permanent residence
The general rule is ten years of continuous residence, with at least five of those years spent on a work or residence based status. Time as a technical intern, and time on SSW (i), does not count toward those five years. You also need good conduct, an independent livelihood, and full compliance on tax, pension and health insurance payments. The shortcuts are three years at 70 Highly Skilled Professional points, one year at 80 points, and one year for J-Skip holders. Shorter periods also exist for spouses of Japanese nationals and of permanent residents.
Who this is for
These routes fit graduates and professionals with a realistic path to a Japanese job offer; high earners who may reach 70 points or the J-Skip line; skilled trades and care workers ready to pass Japanese language and sector exams; founders with serious capital; and students who want a qualification with legal part time work alongside it.
Who this is NOT for
They do not fit anyone expecting to job hunt long term inside Japan without J-Find or another valid status, anyone planning to work on a tourist stay, or founders still working from the old 5 million yen figure. They also do not fit anyone whose plan depends on unskilled work outside the SSW fields: Japan has no general low skilled work visa.
The honest limits
Most work routes need a Japanese employer sponsor before you arrive, and there is no general job seeker status outside the narrow J-Find scheme. Japanese language ability is the biggest practical factor in almost every route, even where the status itself does not test it. NVConsult provides guidance and application preparation only, not legal advice, and approval is decided by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Can I move to Japan first and look for a job when I get there?
A: Generally no. Almost every work route starts with a Japanese employer or institution sponsoring you before arrival. The exception is J-Find, which gives eligible graduates of top 100 universities up to two years for job hunting or start up preparation.
Q: How many points do I need for Highly Skilled Professional status?
A: At least 70 points, scored across academic background, professional experience, annual salary, age, research achievements and Japanese language. At 70 points the wait for permanent residence falls to three years; at 80 points it falls to one year.
Q: How much can I work as a student in Japan?
A: With Permission to Engage in Activity Other Than That Permitted, up to 28 hours per week, and up to eight hours per day during long school holidays. Adult entertainment work is prohibited.
Q: How much capital does a Business Manager need now?
A: At least 30 million yen under the criteria in force from 16 October 2025, plus at least one full time employee. Guides quoting 5 million yen are out of date.
Q: How long until I can apply for permanent residence?
A: The general rule is ten years of continuous residence. That falls to three years at 70 points, one year at 80 points, and one year for J-Skip holders.
Q: Can my family join me on Specified Skilled Worker status?
A: Not on SSW (i), where family cannot accompany you in principle. Family accompaniment is allowed on SSW (ii).
Your next step
Book a free 20 minute consultation. We will check your profile against the points table, the SSW fields and the study route honestly, and tell you which Japanese route, if any, is realistic before you spend money on applications or language courses.
NVConsult provides education and application guidance, not legal advice. No visa, job or outcome is guaranteed. Decisions rest solely with embassies, authorities and employers.
Sources
The facts on this page are taken from official Japanese sources:
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, work or long term stay visas: https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/long/index.html
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, pamphlet: Immigration Services Agency 2025 to 2026: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/content/001425124.pdf
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, Special Highly Skilled Personnel system (J-Skip): https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/resources/nyuukokukanri01_00009.html
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, review of the points based preferential immigration treatment: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/content/930003059.pdf
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, Permission to Engage in Activity Other Than That Permitted: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/16-8.html
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, revision of the Business Manager landing permission criteria, published 10 October 2025 and in force from 16 October 2025.
- Specified Skilled Worker official portal: https://www.ssw.go.jp/en/
Last verified: 22 October 2026
Location
Map location for Japan.