1. Q&A on the Highly Skilled Professional Point System

On this page, we will post frequently asked questions about the “Highly Skilled Professional point system.”

(Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan homepage, February 2025)

Q1: What kind of system is the “Highly Skilled Professional Point System”?

The “Highly Skilled Professional Point System” is a system of preferential treatment in immigration and residency management for highly skilled professionals. In other words, it is a system that aims to promote the acceptance of foreign nationals recognized as “highly skilled foreign professionals” through a mechanism called the “point system” by providing them with preferential treatment in immigration and residency management.

In our country, under the basic policy of “actively accepting foreign workers in specialized and technical fields,” statuses of residence (work visas) for foreign nationals working in our country are stipulated by the Immigration Control Act. Work visas are categorized according to the content of the activities and are granted to foreign nationals who meet the requirements established for each status of residence. The “Highly Skilled Professional Point System” is a system that provides various preferential treatments in immigration and residency management to individuals with outstanding abilities and qualities who are expected to contribute to our country’s economic growth and innovation—in other words, “highly skilled foreign professionals”—and aims to promote their acceptance.

Q2: What kind of people are eligible for the point system?

As stated in the answer to Q1, the Highly Skilled Professional Point System is a system that aims to provide preferential treatment to particularly outstanding individuals among foreign nationals who can acquire a work visa. Therefore, foreign nationals who cannot acquire a work visa—that is, those who intend to engage in activities that do not fall under any work visa, such as so-called ‘unskilled labor,’ or those who, even if they fall under a work visa, do not meet criteria such as academic background or salary—are not eligible in the first place. Among foreign nationals who are within the scope of work visa determination, points are assigned for each item such as academic background, professional career, and annual income, and individuals whose total score reaches a certain number (70 points) or more will be recognized as ‘Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals’.

Q3: What are the benefits of being recognized as a highly skilled foreign professional?

To promote the acceptance of highly skilled foreign professionals through this system, the following preferential measures in immigration and residency management will be provided to those recognized as Highly Skilled Professionals. 【Highly Skilled Professional Type 1】

(1) Permission for multiple activities For example, a foreign national residing with the “Researcher” visa must obtain a separate permission to engage in other activities in order to run a venture business using their research results. In contrast, under this system, a Highly Skilled Professional can engage in multiple activities corresponding to different statuses of residence without needing to obtain permission to engage in other activities or a change of status of residence.

(2) Grant of the maximum ‘5-year’ period of stay The period of stay has multiple types for each status of residence and is determined based on the foreign national’s residency status and activities. However, for Highly Skilled Professionals, the legally maximum period of stay of “5 years” is uniformly granted. This period of stay can be renewed.

(3) Relaxation of permanent residency requirements based on residency history To obtain permanent residency, it is generally required to have a residency history of 10 years or more in our country. However, for Highly Skilled Professionals, the residency history required for a permanent residency application is relaxed to 3 years if you fall under ⓐ, and 1 year if you fall under ⓑ. ⓐ A Highly Skilled Professional who has 70 points or more as a result of the point calculation at the time of the permanent residency application and who falls under one of the following:

Has continuously resided in Japan for 3 years or more as a Highly Skilled Professional with 70 points or more
Is an individual who has continuously resided in Japan for 3 years or more and is recognized to have had 70 points or more when the point calculation was performed based on the point in time 3 years prior to the permanent residency application date. ⓑ A Highly Skilled Professional who has 80 points or more as a result of the point calculation at the time of the permanent residency application and who falls under one of the following:
Has continuously resided in Japan for 1 year or more as a Highly Skilled Professional with 80 points or more
Is an individual who has continuously resided in Japan for 1 year or more and is recognized to have had 80 points or more when the point calculation was performed based on the point in time 1 year prior to the permanent residency application date.

(4) Priority processing of immigration and residency procedures The Immigration Services Agency of Japan will endeavor to process immigration procedures (Application for Certificate of Eligibility) for Highly Skilled Professionals within 10 days of application acceptance, and residency procedures (Application for Extension of Period of Stay/Application for Change of Status of Residence) within 5 days of application acceptance. (Note) This excludes cases where required documents are insufficient or there are doubts about the application content. Additionally, if it is necessary to confirm the details of submitted documents, the target processing period may be exceeded. Furthermore, if the content of a declaration regarding “research achievement” points is based on Point Table I(4) for “Highly Skilled Professional Type 1(a)” or Point Table D for “Highly Skilled Professional Type 1(b),” the Minister of Justice will conduct an evaluation of the declaration after hearing the opinions of the heads of relevant administrative agencies, and therefore these applications are not subject to priority processing.

(5) Spouse’s employment Ordinarily, to engage in activities corresponding to statuses of residence like “Instructor,” “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services,” etc., it is necessary to acquire these statuses of residence and to meet certain requirements regarding academic background or professional experience. On the other hand, if a Highly Skilled Professional’s spouse wishes to engage in activities corresponding to these statuses of residence, they can do so under the “Designated Activities” status of residence as the spouse of a Highly Skilled Professional, and they do not need to meet the requirements for academic background or professional experience. (Note) It is necessary to reside with the Highly Skilled Professional and to receive a salary equal to or greater than that of a Japanese national.

(6) Accompaniment of parents Ordinarily, the acceptance of parents of a foreign national residing with a work visa is not permitted. However, for Highly Skilled Professionals, the entry and residency of the Highly Skilled Professional’s or their spouse’s parent is permitted if they fall under one of the following:

When raising a child under 7 years of age of the Highly Skilled Professional or their spouse
When providing care for the pregnant spouse of the Highly Skilled Professional or for the Highly Skilled Professional themselves during pregnancy. (Note) It is necessary to meet certain requirements, such as residing with the Highly Skilled Professional and the Highly Skilled Professional’s household income (the total annual salary of the Highly Skilled Professional and their spouse) being ¥8 million or more.

(7) Accompaniment of domestic helpers employed by a Highly Skilled Professional Ordinarily, the employment of foreign domestic helpers is only permitted for some foreign nationals residing with the “Business Manager” or “Legal/Accounting Services” visas. However, for Highly Skilled Professionals, it is permitted to bring domestic helpers who were employed in their home country or to employ a domestic helper for reasons such as having a child under 13 years of age. (Note) It is necessary to meet certain requirements, such as the Highly Skilled Professional’s household income being ¥10 million or more, and having continuously employed the domestic helper in their home country for one year or more if bringing them from there. However, if the Highly Skilled Professional engages in business related to Type II Financial Instruments Business, Investment Advisory and Agency Business, or Investment Management Business (hereinafter referred to as “Investment Management Business, etc.”) as defined in the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act (Act No. 25 of 1948), it is not necessary to meet the requirements of having employed them in their home country or having a child under 13 years of age.

【Highly Skilled Professional Type 2】

(The “Highly Skilled Professional Type 2” is for those who have been engaged in activities with “Highly Skilled Professional Type 1” for 3 years or more.)

ⓐ It is possible to engage in almost all work-related activities in conjunction with the activities of “Highly Skilled Professional Type 1.” Specifically, in addition to one or more of the “Highly Skilled Professional Type 1(a), (b), or (c)” activities, you can also engage in activities recognized under the following statuses of residence: “Professor,” “Artist,” “Religious Activities,” “Journalist,” “Legal/Accounting Services,” “Medical Services,” “Instructor,” “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services,” “Entertainer,” “Skilled Labor.”

ⓑ The period of stay becomes indefinite.

The above is the beginning of the “Highly Skilled Professional Point System Q&A” posted on the Immigration Services Agency of Japan’s homepage.

For the rest, please see the links below.

2. Q&A on General Matters for Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals – Yokoyama Daisuke Administrative Scrivener Office (Tokyo/Shinjuku)

3. Q&A on Accompaniment (Bringing in) of Family/Domestic Helpers for Highly Skilled Professionals – Yokoyama Daisuke Administrative Scrivener Office (Tokyo/Shinjuku)

4. Q&A on Procedures (Highly Skilled Professional) – Yokoyama Daisuke Administrative Scrivener Office (Tokyo/Shinjuku)

(Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan homepage, February 2025)

優遇措置について（高度専門職１号） – 横山大輔行政書士事務所（東京・新宿）

優遇措置について（高度専門職２号） – 横山大輔行政書士事務所（東京・新宿）

Please feel free to contact us. (Free consultation ↓↓)

ポイント評価の仕組み – 横山大輔行政書士事務所（東京・新宿）

お問い合わせ（無料） – 横山大輔行政書士事務所（東京・新宿）

料金表 – 横山大輔行政書士事務所（東京・新宿）

横山大輔行政書士事務所（東京・新宿） – 東京・新宿横山大輔行政書士事務所ビザ外国人雇用登録支援機関の申請・更新外部監査人