I. Main Visa and Work Permit Types

1. Temporary Visitor and Business Visits

Chinese ordinary-passport holders generally need to obtain the appropriate Japanese temporary visa in advance. Whether other applicants qualify for visa-free entry should be determined according to their nationality and travel document.

Short-term business visits may include meetings, business negotiations and permitted inspection activities, but cannot be extended into day-to-day employment or continuous service provision for a Japanese company.

The permitted period of use of a short-term visa, number of entries and period of stay granted for each entry are separate matters and should be checked individually. A visa that remains valid for a longer period does not mean its holder may stay in Japan continuously for the same length of time.

Anyone who will be employed in Japan should apply for the appropriate status of residence based on the actual work activities.

2. Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services

This status applies to professional activities based on knowledge in the natural sciences, humanities or international services. Common roles include:

1. Software development;
2. Engineering;
3. Consulting;
4. Marketing;
5. Trade;
6. Translation.

The intended role should have a reasonable connection to the applicant's education, specialization or relevant work experience. It is not intended for work consisting mainly of simple labor.

Depending on the activity, applicants may demonstrate eligibility through university education, a relevant specialized training college qualification or the prescribed number of years of practical experience. Eligibility cannot be determined solely by job title or a single academic credential.

The accepting organization in Japan must be genuinely operating and have an ongoing valid contract. The applicant's remuneration, work location and actual duties must also match the intended role.

The authorized period of stay may be five years, three years, one year or three months, as determined by the authorities. A first application does not necessarily receive five years, and the relevant activities and employment conditions must still be maintained at renewal.

3. Intra-company Transferee

This status applies when an employee of an overseas company is transferred for a limited period to an affiliated organization in Japan to perform work within the scope of engineering, humanities or international services.

An application generally needs to show:

1. A genuine affiliated relationship between the overseas company and the accepting organization in Japan;
2. Continuous overseas employment before the transfer;
3. A genuine transfer order;
4. A Japanese role within the activities permitted under this status.

The applicant's remuneration must not be lower than that of Japanese employees performing comparable work. An ordinary external hire cannot be converted into an intra-company transfer merely by signing a dispatch agreement after the fact.

The period of stay may be five years, three years, one year or three months. Renewals continue to be assessed against the group relationship and transfer basis.

If the accepting entity or the actual activities change, confirm whether the existing status of residence remains appropriate for the new arrangement.

4. Highly Skilled Professional

Highly Skilled Professional applications are generally assessed using the applicant's activity category, academic background, work experience, annual income and other point-scoring factors, and normally require at least 70 points.

Special arrangements such as J-Skip apply separate combinations of education, experience and income criteria. Eligibility cannot be established from a single high salary alone.

Changes to the accepting organization, work duties or income may affect Highly Skilled Professional eligibility or trigger the relevant change procedures.

Points and any future facilitation toward long-term status must be supported by documentation. Initial approval as a Highly Skilled Professional does not mean permanent residence has already been obtained.

5. Specified Skilled Worker (i) and (ii)

Specified Skilled Worker status applies only to designated industry sectors and corresponding work. It is not an alternative status for ordinary office roles.

Applicants normally need to pass the relevant sector skills and Japanese-language examinations or meet a clearly defined exemption. The accepting organization must also comply with employment, wage, industry and support requirements.

Whether a person can move from Specified Skilled Worker (i) to (ii) depends on the actual qualifications for the relevant industry sector. The status does not upgrade automatically when the period under category (i) expires.

II. Entry, Dependants and Other Arrangements

1. Entry and Stay

A Certificate of Eligibility (COE) is not a Japanese entry visa and does not guarantee admission to Japan.

People planning a medium- or long-term stay in Japan must also obtain a residence card as required, complete any applicable address registration and remain within the activities permitted by their approved status of residence.

Electronic tourism declarations or other entry-facilitation arrangements do not create work authorization.

2. Dependants and Other Statuses

An eligible spouse and children of a holder under a general professional employment pathway may assess applying for Dependent status.

A person holding Dependent status generally needs separate permission to engage in activities outside their status before working within the prescribed limits. Dependent status itself should not be understood as open work authorization.

Business Manager, Student and other professional activities are subject to separate statuses of residence and are not ordinary employee work pathways.

III. Renewals, Changes, Termination and Status Maintenance

After employment ends, a rule concerning cancellation of a particular status should not be interpreted as a job-search grace period guaranteed by the authorities. Before a new job or new status of residence is confirmed, the person should not engage in activities outside those permitted by the current status.

IV. Support sailglobal Can Provide

If a company plans to send personnel to Japan for business visits, local employment, intra-group transfers or short-term projects, or to arrange accompanying family members, sailglobal can help it understand the applicable pathway and application requirements based on the individual's status, job duties, transfer relationship and travel arrangements.

Visa, status-of-residence and residence applications are independently assessed by the relevant authorities. sailglobal does not guarantee approval or a fixed issuance date.