3. Q&A on The Accompaniment (bringing in) of Family Members and Domestic Helpers for Highly Skilled Professionals
Regarding the accompaniment (bringing in) of family members and domestic helpers
On this page, as one of the preferential measures (benefits) of the Highly Skilled Professional status of residence (visa), we will excerpt conditions for bringing in a foreign national’s family from their home country or bringing in a domestic helper from their home country, from the Immigration Services Agency of Japan’s homepage. (Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan homepage, February 2025)
Q28: When entering Japan as a Highly Skilled Professional, can I bring my family with me?
In addition to a spouse or child supported by the person entering as a Highly Skilled Professional, it is possible to enter Japan together with the Highly Skilled Professional themselves, provided that the specified requirements are met, for a spouse of a Highly Skilled Professional who wishes to work in Japan, or for a parent of a Highly Skilled Professional or their spouse who is raising a child under 7 years of age of the Highly Skilled Professional or their spouse, or who is assisting the Highly Skilled Professional’s pregnant spouse or the Highly Skilled Professional themselves during pregnancy.
Q29: When entering Japan as a Highly Skilled Professional, can I bring a domestic helper I employed in my home country with me?
A domestic helper employed by a person entering as a Highly Skilled Professional in their home country can enter Japan together with the employer, the Highly Skilled Professional themselves, provided that the specified requirements are met.
Q30: If I enter Japan as a Highly Skilled Professional first, can I bring my family or a domestic helper from my home country later?
For a spouse or child of the Highly Skilled Professional, and for a parent of the Highly Skilled Professional, etc., who is raising a child under 7 years of age of the Highly Skilled Professional or their spouse, or who is assisting the Highly Skilled Professional’s pregnant spouse or the Highly Skilled Professional themselves during pregnancy, it is possible to bring them from the home country after the Highly Skilled Professional has entered Japan first, provided that the specified requirements are met in the same way as when entering together.
Regarding domestic helpers, it is possible to bring them in later if they are employed because the Highly Skilled Professional has a child under 13 years of age, or if there is a circumstance where the spouse cannot engage in daily housework due to illness or working themselves, or if the Highly Skilled Professional is engaged in business related to investment management, etc.
On the other hand, in cases where a domestic helper who has been continuously employed in the home country for one year or more is to be continuously employed, it is not necessary to meet the above requirements, but it is necessary to enter Japan together with the Highly Skilled Professional, so it is not possible to bring in the domestic helper after the Highly Skilled Professional has entered Japan first.
However, in all cases, it is necessary to meet the specified requirements, such as those related to remuneration (see Q34).
Q31: Can I bring in a parent even for the purpose of raising an adopted child? Also, can I bring in an adoptive parent?
Since an adopted child is included in the term “child” under 7 years of age for whom care is provided, you can bring in a parent even for the purpose of raising an adopted child. Also, since the “parent” who can be brought in is not limited to a biological parent, it is also possible to bring in an adoptive parent of the Highly Skilled Professional or their spouse for the purpose of raising a child under 7 years of age or assisting the Highly Skilled Professional’s pregnant spouse or the Highly Skilled Professional themselves during pregnancy.
Q32: Can the spouse of a Highly Skilled Professional work in Japan?
There are the following methods for a Highly Skilled Professional’s spouse to work in Japan.
(1) Enter as a dependent spouse of a Highly Skilled Professional and obtain permission to engage in other activities. If you enter as a dependent spouse of a Highly Skilled Professional, you cannot work as is, so it is possible to obtain “permission to engage in other activities” and work within the scope of that permission. The handling of permission to engage in other activities is the same as for those residing with the “Dependent” status of residence (comprehensive permission for up to 28 hours per week, excluding adult entertainment businesses, etc.). The same handling applies to a child supported by a Highly Skilled Professional.
(2) Enter as a working spouse of a Highly Skilled Professional. Under this system, as one of the preferential measures for Highly Skilled Professionals, the spouse of a Highly Skilled Professional is permitted to engage in work activities corresponding to the statuses of residence “Researcher,” “Instructor,” “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services,” or “Entertainer” (entertainment activities other than those related to theatrical performances, etc.), provided that the specified requirements are met. Unlike permission to engage in other activities, there are no time restrictions such as “within 28 hours per week” for this work activity, so full-time employment is possible.
(3) Obtain a work visa and enter. If the spouse themselves obtains a status of residence that involves work activities (“Instructor,” “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services,” etc.) and enters Japan, instead of entering based on the marital relationship as a “spouse” of a Highly Skilled Professional, they can engage in work activities corresponding to that status of residence.
Q33: If a working spouse of a Highly Skilled Professional, who was residing with the Highly Skilled Professional, separates from them, can this spouse continue to work?
To be approved as a working spouse of a Highly Skilled Professional, it is necessary to reside with the Highly Skilled Professional themselves. Furthermore, it is necessary to continue residing together while in Japan, and if the spouse separates from the Highly Skilled Professional during their stay, they will not be permitted to continue the authorized work activities (if they do work, it will be considered unauthorized activity, which may result in penalties or deportation).
Q34: The requirements for bringing in parents or for being an employer of a domestic helper include ‘household income of ¥8 million or more,’ ‘household income of ¥10 million or more,’ and ‘household income of ¥30 million or more.’ What is included in this income? Is a spouse’s income included?
The “household income” here refers to the sum of the annual remuneration received by the Highly Skilled Professional and the annual remuneration received by the Highly Skilled Professional’s spouse. Also, “remuneration” refers to “consideration given in return for the performance of certain services,” and includes not only basic salary but also diligence allowances, adjustment allowances, etc. It does not include items that are in the nature of reimbursement for actual expenses, such as commuting allowances, family allowances, and housing allowances (excluding those subject to taxation).
Generally, it is the sum of the annual remuneration received from the affiliated organization for performing activities as a Highly Skilled Professional
(1) usually the employer for a Highly Skilled Professional engaging in advanced academic research or advanced specialized/technical activities,
(2) the company they manage for a Highly Skilled Professional engaging in advanced business management activities,
(3) the overseas company, etc., if a Highly Skilled Professional is receiving remuneration from an overseas company, etc., when transferred to a company in Japan) and the annual remuneration received by the Highly Skilled Professional’s spouse when they work after acquiring a work visa.
Therefore, for example, profits obtained from personal stock investments are not considered “remuneration” and are not included.
Q35: The requirement for a domestic helper’s employer is a ‘household income of ¥10 million or more.’ If the employer’s income falls below ¥10 million, will the domestic helper no longer be able to reside in Japan?
To be approved as a domestic helper for a Highly Skilled Professional, the employer’s household income must be ¥10 million or more. However, if the employer’s household income falls below ¥10 million after the domestic helper has been approved and during their stay, the domestic helper’s residency will not be immediately denied.
However, if the employer’s household income is less than ¥10 million at the time of the domestic helper’s application for an extension of the period of stay, the extension will not be granted. The same logic applies to the household income requirement (¥30 million or more) for cases where the employer, a Highly Skilled Professional, is engaged in business related to investment management, etc., and employs one domestic helper other than the applicant.
Q36: Does the ‘household income’ requirement for accompanying parents or domestic helpers include the income of the parents themselves or of other cohabiting individuals?
The income of the parent themselves or of other cohabiting individuals is not included in the “household income.”
Q37: If a domestic helper enters Japan under the ‘Designated Activities’ status as specified in Public Notice No. 2, and the employer’s child was under 13 at the time of entry but turns 13 during their stay, will the domestic helper’s continued residency be recognized?
The domestic helper’s residency will not be immediately denied the moment the employer’s child turns 13.
Furthermore, even if the employer’s child has turned 13 at the time the foreign national applies for an extension of the period of stay, if the domestic helper is employed by the same employer, the content of their activities in Japan is not considered to have changed, so it is possible to renew the period of stay.
However, if the employer changes, and at the time of the application for an extension of the period of stay based on the new contract, the employer does not have a child under 13 or a spouse who cannot engage in daily housework due to illness, etc., the extension of the period of stay will not be granted.
Q38: If a parent of a Highly Skilled Professional, who was residing with the Highly Skilled Professional, separates from them, can this parent continue to reside in Japan?
To be approved as a parent of a Highly Skilled Professional, etc., who is raising a child of the Highly Skilled Professional or their spouse, or who is assisting the Highly Skilled Professional’s pregnant spouse or the Highly Skilled Professional themselves during pregnancy, it is necessary to reside with the Highly Skilled Professional.
Furthermore, it is necessary for the cohabitation to continue during their stay, and if they separate from the Highly Skilled Professional during their stay, they will not be permitted to continue the authorized caregiving activities.
Even in that case, the status of residence will not be immediately and necessarily revoked, but an extension of the period of stay will not be granted.
Q39: A Highly Skilled Professional who was the employer of a domestic helper applied for an extension of their period of stay, but their total point score was less than 70 points, so they could not receive an extension as a Highly Skilled Professional and changed their status of residence to another work visa. Can the domestic helper who was employed continue to reside in Japan?
In principle, it is not permitted. The residency of a domestic helper for a Highly Skilled Professional is authorized as a preferential measure for the Highly Skilled Professional, so if the employer is no longer a Highly Skilled Professional, the residency of the domestic helper as a preferential measure will also not be permitted. However, if the employer’s new status of residence is “Business Manager” or “Legal/Accounting Services” and the requirements of Designated Activities Public Notice Appendix 2 are met, the domestic helper may be permitted to continue residing in Japan while employed by that employer.
Q40: If a Highly Skilled Professional’s or their spouse’s child turns 7, will the Highly Skilled Professional’s parent, who is residing in Japan to raise that child, be permitted to continue residing?
It will not be permitted. The residency of a Highly Skilled Professional’s or their spouse’s parent for the purpose of raising a Highly Skilled Professional’s or their spouse’s child is authorized for the purpose of raising a child under 7 years of age.
Even in that case, the status of residence will not be immediately and necessarily revoked, but an extension of the period of stay will not be granted.
Q41: If a Highly Skilled Professional with 80 points or more resides continuously for 1 year or more and is granted permanent residency, will their spouse and dependent child also be granted permanent residency at the same time?
The provision of permanent residency after a minimum period of stay of 1 year is only for the Highly Skilled Professional themselves; a spouse or dependent child is not subject to this preferential measure regarding the period of stay.
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4. Q&A on Procedures (Highly Skilled Professional) – Yokoyama Daisuke Administrative Scrivener Office (Tokyo/Shinjuku)
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