Key routes
- Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services — a major professional work status for qualifying technical, business and international-services roles.
- Highly Skilled Professional — points-based route for advanced academic research, specialised/technical activity or business management.
- Other professional statuses — Japan has separate work statuses for categories such as professor, researcher, medical services and business management.
Is a job offer required?
Most professional work statuses require qualifying activities with a Japanese organisation or business relationship. The exact documentation depends on the residence status.
PR / settlement potential
Japan’s highly skilled system can shorten the permanent-residence qualifying period: qualifying applicants with 70+ points may use a three-year route, while those with 80+ points may use a one-year route, subject to the permanent-residence rules.
Profile assessment matters: Occupation, age, qualifications, language, experience, salary, licensing, sponsorship, points and family circumstances can change which route is realistic.
Government references used by STCResidence statuses ↗Highly Skilled Professional points system ↗Permanent residence guidelines ↗