The Japanese authorities provides a wide range of visas to draw expert international expertise, and lots of worldwide companies with workplaces in Japan often search international expertise to fill open positions.
Nonetheless, the difficult means of navigating the assorted visa classes in Japan, choosing the proper visa, and making use of typically turns international corporations and expats away.
On this information, we evaluate Japan’s work visas, record the required paperwork for making use of, and supply key steps for acquiring a piece visa. We additionally define how working with an immigration skilled streamlines the method for international corporations seeking to rent or relocate expertise in Japan.
Desk of Contents
Kinds of Japan Work Visas
The three predominant sorts of Japanese work visas embrace an ordinary Work Visa for Occupations and two Specified Expertise Visas. We define every one intimately under.
Work Visa for Occupations
The Work Visa for Occupations is the usual Japanese work visa. It’s obtainable for a wide range of professions, together with:
- Professors
- Artists
- Non secular exercise
- Journalism
- Medical companies
- Engineers
- Humanities specialists
- Entertainers
This visa permits expats, or international nationals, to work in Japan from three months to 5 years, relying on the position and particular person circumstances.
Specified Expertise Visa 1-SSV1
The Japanese authorities designed the Specified Expertise Employee Visa 1-SSV1 to draw extremely specialised international expertise able to work in particular labor sectors with out prior coaching, equivalent to in building, aviation, or agriculture.
The first benefit of the SSV1 visa is the beneficiant help system it provides to its holders. This technique assists international nationals with relocation issues, equivalent to renting a home, opening a checking account, and signing a cell phone contract upon arrival.
Candidates should move a point-based ability requirements examination and a language check proving they’ve an N4 stage of Japanese proficiency. The visa is legitimate for 4 months to at least one 12 months and is renewable for as much as 5 years.
Specified Expertise Visa 2-SSV2
The SSV2 visa is much like the SSV1. Nonetheless, the appliance course of for the SSV2 requires a better stage of specialization and correct certification.
Staff with this visa can carry their rapid relations to Japan and renew their visa indefinitely till they select to use for Japanese residency.
Necessities for Acquiring a Japan Work Visa
Japan’s work visa necessities range relying on the visa class. Nonetheless, under is a basic record of the required supporting paperwork for the appliance:
- Certificates of Eligibility
- Utility type, accomplished and signed
- Applicant’s resume
- Legitimate passport and photocopies
- Passport-sized pictures according to requirements
- Employment settlement detailing the worker’s place, wage, and work length
- Tutorial {and professional} certificates
- Employer paperwork, equivalent to the corporate’s registry certificates, tax withholding report, and up to date monetary statements
Candidates can also want to supply extra paperwork upon request from the Japanese embassy or consulate the place they apply.
Learn how to Get a Japan Work Visa and Residence Card: 6 Steps
The Japan work visa software course of consists of two phases: getting a Certificates of Eligibility and making use of for a piece visa. We define the steps under.
1. Acquire a Certificates of Eligibility
The Certificates of Eligibility (COE) is a doc that exhibits the applicant has approval from the Japanese Immigration Providers and that they meet the entry necessities for international expertise. The sponsoring employer should apply for the COE on the worker’s behalf on the related Regional Immigration Bureau.
Under is a nonconclusive record of the required supporting paperwork for the COE software:
- Accomplished software type
- 4cm x 3cm {photograph}
- Return mail envelope with paid postage
- Letter of assure
When making use of for a specified expertise visa, the sponsoring employer should additionally submit the factors calculation from a expertise examination with a rating of 70+ factors, indicating the applicant has adequate expertise for the position.
2. Accumulate the Required Paperwork
After receiving the COE, the employer ought to start gathering the remaining supporting paperwork for the visa software. The whole record of paperwork contains these from the record talked about above, plus a number of extra gadgets from the employer, equivalent to:
- Invitation letter
- Listing of visa candidates
- Detailed itinerary in Japan
3. Apply for a Work Visa at a Close by Japanese Consulate
Candidates might submit their visa software on the nearest Japanese consulate or embassy in one of four ways:
- In-person
- By writing a proxy letter and sending a consultant to the Japanese consulate
- Through an accredited journey agent permitted by the Japanese consulate
- Through the JAPAN eVISA web site
Relying on the circumstances within the international nationwide’s house nation or area, they might have to submit their paperwork in individual or via an accredited journey agent.
The applicant can also have to return for an interview or present extra paperwork on the consulate’s request.
4. Return to the Consulate to Retrieve the Permitted Work Visa
Upon receiving a notification that the visa is permitted, the applicant ought to return to the embassy or consulate to gather their passport and visa.
5. Enter Japan
Upon receiving the visa, the applicant should journey to Japan inside three months.
6. Acquire a Touchdown Allow and Residence Card on the Airport
Upon arrival on the port of entry in Japan, immigration officers will assessment the work visa and supporting paperwork and affix a touchdown allow to the international nationwide’s passport. The touchdown allow replaces the visa and permits them entry into Japan.
Relying on the airport via which the international nationwide enters, they’ll both obtain a residence card upon arrival or have to use for one on the native municipal workplace inside 14 days of creating residence in Japan.
The U.S. Embassy in Japan mandates international nationals carry their up-to-date residence card with them always, as not having it with you violates native regulation.
Concerns Earlier than Acquiring a Japan Work Visa
A singular consideration for international corporations interested in hiring foreign talent in Japan is that each worldwide applicant requires sponsorship from a regionally integrated authorized entity. This requirement discourages many international corporations and not using a native entity in Japan from doing enterprise there.
A easy workaround is to companion with an employer of report (EoR). An EoR is a company that serves because the authorized employer of your international workforce, permitting you to simply reap the advantages of global mobility by hiring or relocating expertise overseas with out establishing a neighborhood entity.
An EoR handles every thing from hiring and onboarding to immigration necessities and compliance. This selection means that you can check the Japanese market and shortly rent expats or locals with out violating Japanese employment and immigration laws.
Be taught extra: What Is an Employer of Record?
Simply Rent or Relocate Expertise in Japan With Velocity International
Acquiring Japanese work visas for distributed groups takes loads of work. Remove the headache by partnering with Velocity International.
Velocity International’s built-in Global Immigration solution simplifies visa acquisition for distributed groups in Japan and past. As a part of our International Employer of Document (EoR) answer, we deal with doc assortment, translation, and administration whereas guaranteeing compliance with native immigration legal guidelines so you possibly can rent or relocate expertise worldwide with ease.
Get in touch with Velocity Global at the moment to learn to simplify international immigration and shortly rent prime expertise in Japan and past.
Japan Work Visa FAQs
Under are solutions to generally requested questions on Japanese work visas.
What Is the Value of Acquiring a Japan Work Visa?
Japanese work visa charges range relying on the visa kind, the applicant’s nationality, and whether or not it’s a single or multiple-entry visa. A single-entry work visa typically prices about ¥3,000 (US$22), whereas a multiple-entry visa prices roughly ¥6,000 (US$44).
Candidates solely pay the visa price if the appliance is permitted and should pay it in money. Nonetheless, in case you apply for an eVISA by way of the JAPAN eVISA web site, on-line cost by bank card is out there for choose nations and areas.
How Lengthy Does a Work Visa Final in Japan?
The validity of a Japanese work visa varies based mostly on the visa kind. The usual work visa is legitimate for 3 months to 5 years, relying on the applicant’s career and particular person circumstances.
How Can I Prolong a Japan Work Visa?
If an worker’s Japanese work contract remains to be legitimate, they’ll renew their work visa at a related native immigration workplace.
If a person not has employment in Japan, they might contemplate making use of for a chosen exercise visa. This visa permits them to proceed job looking in Japan for six months past their present work visa’s expiration date.