Highly Skilled Professionals

What is the PointS-Based System for highly-skilled foreign professionals?

 

1 Overview　(Excerpt from Points-based System for Highly-Skilled Foreign Professionals on Immigration Bureau of Japan）

「In order to promote entry of highly-skilled foreign professionals, a points-based system that provides highly-skilled foreign professionals with preferential immigration treatment was introduced on May 7, 2012.」

「The activities of the highly-skilled foreign professionals are classified into three categories: “advanced academic research activities,”　“advanced specialized/technical activities,” and “advanced business management activities.” According to characteristic features of each category of the activities, points are set to each item, such as “academic background,” “professional career,” “annual salary,” and the like. If the total points reach a certain number (70 points), preferential immigration treatment will be granted to the relevant person, with the aim of promoting the acceptance of highly-skilled foreign professionals in Japan.」

 

 

2 key to apply for highly-skilled professional visa

「Who are the highly-skilled professionals that Japan should actively accept?　“The quality, unsubstitutable human resources who have a complementary relationship with domestic capital and labor”, and “the human resources who are expected to bring innovation to the Japanese industries, to promote development of specialized/technical labor markets through friendly competition with Japanese people and to increase efficiency of the Japanese labor markets”」

 

Three Types of Highly-Skilled Professsionals

Advanced academic research activities 「Highly-Skilled Professional(i)(a)」 Activities of engaging in research, research guidance or education based on a contract entered into with a public or private organization in Japan

Advanced specialized/technical activities 「Highly-Skilled Professional(i)(b)」 Activities of engaging in work requiring specialized knowledge or skills in the field of natural sciences or humanities based on a contract entered into with a public or private organization in Japan.

 

3 Preferential immigration Treatment

Highly-Skilled Professional(i)

1. Permission for multiple activities
2. Grant of the “5 years”period of stay
3. Easing of requirements for permanent residence
4. Permission for the spouse of the highly-skilled foreign professional to work
5. Permission for bringing a parent(s) to accompany the highly-skilled foreign professional to Japan under certain conditions
6. Permission for a domestic worker to accompany the highly-skilled foreign professional to Japan under certain conditions
7. Preferential processing of entry and residence procedures

 

Highly-Skilled Professional(ii)

1. In conjunction with the activities "Highly-Skilled Professional(i)" permitted to engage in almost all of the activities of statuses of residence based on employment
2. Granted an indefinite period of stay
3. Eligible for the preferential treatment of the abovementioned (3)to(6)

* "Highly-Skilled Professional(ii)" is for foreign nations who have engaged in activities of "Highly-Skilled Professional(i)" for three years or more.

 

4　Legal Perspective

The evaluations related to the points-based system are regulated pursuant to the ordinance of the ministry of justice.

Highly-skilled professionals visa is provided if foreign nationals meet the requirement for the status of residence of employment (the eligibility of the residence of status and the suitability of the permission of the landing).