2. Q&A on General Matters for Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals
On this page, we will post “Highly Skilled Professional Point System Q&A: Frequently Asked Questions” from the Immigration Services Agency of Japan’s homepage. (Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan homepage, February 2025)
Q4: Are graduates of junior colleges, colleges of technology, and specialized training college professional courses (vocational schools) eligible for academic points?
Junior colleges are included in the term “university,” and graduates of colleges of technology and specialized training college professional courses (“Advanced Diplomas”) are treated as “individuals who have received education equivalent to or higher than a university,” making them eligible for academic points. However, individuals who have completed a specialized training college professional course and received a “Specialist” title are not eligible.
Q5: If I have multiple doctoral, master’s, or professional degrees in different fields, are there any restrictions on adding points?
Regardless of the combination of degrees, if it can be confirmed that the majors are different from the degree certificate, a certificate of degree (or a transcript if these cannot be used for confirmation), the addition of points will be recognized.
Q6: What kind of ‘professional degree in business management’ is recognized for point allocation for ‘Highly Skilled Professional Type 1(b)’ and ‘Highly Skilled Professional Type 1(c)’?
This refers to degrees awarded upon completion of a professional graduate school in business management, commonly known as “MBA” or “MOT.” Furthermore, degrees such as an overseas MBA are also recognized for point allocation if they are equivalent to a “professional degree in business management.” A list of professional graduate schools that award professional degrees in Japan is published on the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s website.
Q7: What kind of payments are included in ‘remuneration’? For example, is overtime pay included in the remuneration for point calculation?
“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. 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), are not included. Overtime pay is consideration given in return for the performance of certain services, but since it is uncertain how much overtime will occur at the time of entry, it is not included in the “remuneration” for point calculation.
Furthermore, even in the case of an application for an extension of the period of stay, the “remuneration” for point calculation is determined based on the planned annual income, so “overtime pay” that was paid in the past is not included.
Q8: Is a bonus included in ‘remuneration’?
“Remuneration” refers to “consideration given in return for the performance of certain services,” and a so-called bonus is included in “remuneration.”
Q9: I receive remuneration from an overseas company, not from the Japanese company I work for. Is this included in the remuneration for point calculation?
In cases where an individual is transferred from an overseas company to a company in Japan and the remuneration is paid by the overseas company, the remuneration paid by the overseas company is included in the remuneration for point calculation (it is necessary to provide proof of this).
Q10: If a highly skilled foreign professional in advanced academic research activities had an annual income of ¥6.5 million at the time of entry, but their annual income later became ¥5.5 million, resulting in a 5-point reduction in their annual income score and a total point score of less than 70 points, will their continued residency be denied?
To be approved as a highly skilled foreign professional, the total point score must be 70 points or more. On the other hand, it is not required to always maintain a total point score of 70 points or more while residing as a highly skilled foreign professional. Therefore, the individual will not immediately become unable to reside as a highly skilled foreign professional the moment their annual income becomes ¥5.5 million. However, if the total point score is less than 70 points at the time of an application for an extension of the period of stay, the extension will not be granted.
Q11: If a highly skilled foreign professional in advanced academic research activities was 29 years old at the time of entry, but later turned 30, resulting in a 5-point reduction in their age score and a total point score of less than 70 points, will their continued residency be denied?
To be approved as a highly skilled foreign professional, the total point score must be 70 points or more. On the other hand, it is not required to always maintain a total point score of 70 points or more while residing as a highly skilled foreign professional. Therefore, the individual will not immediately become unable to reside as a highly skilled foreign professional the moment they turn 30. However, if the total point score is less than 70 points at the time of an application for an extension of the period of stay, the extension will not be granted.
Q12: What is the minimum annual income standard?
To be certified as a highly skilled foreign professional, the total point score must be 70 points or more. However, for advanced specialized/technical activities (‘Highly Skilled Professional Type 1(b)’) and advanced business management activities (‘Highly Skilled Professional Type 1(c)’), if the annual income does not reach ‘¥3 million,’ the individual will not be certified as a highly skilled foreign professional, even if the total point score from other items exceeds 70 points.
Q13: What kind of companies are considered small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) eligible for point allocation for innovation promotion support measures or the R&D expenditure ratio?
This refers to small and medium-sized enterprises as defined in Article 2, Paragraph 1 of the Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Basic Act, and is as follows by industry, capital size, and employee size. (1) Manufacturing and others: Companies with capital or total investment of ¥300 million or less, or companies and individuals with 300 or fewer regular employees. (2) Wholesale: Companies with capital or total investment of ¥100 million or less, or companies and individuals with 100 or fewer regular employees. (3) Retail: Companies with capital or total investment of ¥50 million or less, or companies and individuals with 50 or fewer regular employees. (4) Service industry: Companies with capital or total investment of ¥50 million or less, or companies and individuals with 100 or fewer regular employees.
Q14: What does it mean to be employed by an SME with an R&D expenditure ratio of 3% or more?
R&D expenditures, etc., refer to research and development expenses. This applies to SMEs whose expenses for these items in the business year preceding the application date (or the business year before the preceding one, if the application date is within two months after the end of the preceding business year) exceed 3% of their sales or business income. Since these companies are considered research and development-oriented SMEs expected to promote innovation, employment at such companies is eligible for point allocation.
Q15: What specifically constitutes ‘the ability to understand Japanese used in a wide range of situations, including logical and somewhat complex Japanese, in addition to Japanese used in everyday situations’?
This corresponds to the ability to pass the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) N1 level. Therefore, not only those who have passed the JLPT N1, but also those who are considered to have an equivalent ability in other Japanese language tests, for example, those who have scored 480 points or more on the BJT Business Japanese Proficiency Test, are eligible for point allocation.
Q16: What specifically constitutes ‘the ability to understand Japanese used in everyday situations, as well as to a certain extent, Japanese used in a wide range of situations, including logical and somewhat complex Japanese’?
This corresponds to the ability to pass the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) N2 level. Therefore, not only those who have passed the JLPT N2, but also those who are considered to have an equivalent ability in other Japanese language tests, for example, those who have scored 400 points or more on the BJT Business Japanese Proficiency Test, are eligible for point allocation. Note that points for this item cannot be added in duplication with ‘graduating from a university in Japan or completing a graduate school program and being awarded a degree,’ or with ‘graduating from a foreign university with a major in Japanese or proving through an examination to have the ability to understand Japanese used in a wide range of situations, including logical and somewhat complex Japanese, in addition to Japanese used in everyday situations.’
Q17: What specifically are ‘cutting-edge businesses in fields expected to grow and develop in the future’?
This refers to businesses in growth fields such as IoT and regenerative medicine that are part of cutting-edge projects in which the relevant government ministries and agencies are involved. The Minister of Justice will pre-certify eligible businesses after hearing the opinions of the heads of the relevant administrative agencies and will announce them on the Immigration Services Agency of Japan’s website and other platforms.
Q18: What kind of universities are ‘universities designated by the Minister of Justice via a public notice’?
The following universities are eligible. A specific list of universities will be published on the Immigration Services Agency of Japan’s website and other platforms. Note that it is not permitted to add points in duplication for I, II, or III, but it is permitted to add points in duplication with ‘graduating from a university in Japan or completing a graduate school program and being awarded a degree.’ I. Foreign universities ranked within the top 300 in two or more of the following university rankings, or Japanese universities ranked in any of them. (1) QS World University Rankings (Quacquarelli Symonds, UK) (2) THE World University Rankings (Times Higher Education, UK) (3) Academic Ranking of World Universities (ShanghaiRanking Consultancy, China) II. Universities receiving a subsidy under the Top Global University Project (Top Type and Global Traction Type) implemented by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. III. Universities designated as partner schools in the “Innovative Asia” project implemented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Q19: What specifically are ‘training programs designated by the Minister of Justice via a public notice’?
This refers to training programs with a duration of one year or more conducted in Japan by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), an Incorporated Administrative Agency commissioned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as part of the “Innovative Asia” project. If a training completion certificate is submitted to show completion of this training, it is not necessary to submit documents regarding academic background. However, if you wish to have professional career points added, please submit separate documents regarding your professional career. Note that if you participate in a training program that uses classes at a Japanese university or graduate school, it is not permitted to add points in duplication with ‘graduating from a university in Japan or completing a graduate school program and being awarded a degree.’
The above is the “Highly Skilled Foreign Professional Q&A: General” posted on the Immigration Services Agency of Japan’s homepage.
For the rest, please see the links below.
4. Q&A on Procedures (Highly Skilled Professional) – Yokoyama Daisuke Administrative Scrivener Office (Tokyo/Shinjuku)
For previous articles, please see the links here.
(Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan homepage, February 2025)
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