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Pathway

Japan Highly Skilled Professional Visa

Japan Residency
Pathway overview

At a glance

A qualifying research, technical, or management role in Japan plus at least 70 documented points can give you a five-year Highly Skilled Professional status. Later permanent residence and the second, indefinite Highly Skilled Professional status need separate applications.

Points
At least 70 on the official table for your activity
Pay floor
JPY ¥3 million a year for technical and management categories

Summary

Japan’s Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) system offers benefits to people with an eligible research, technical, or business-management role in Japan who can prove at least 70 points on the official scoring table.

The points come from factors such as education, experience, salary, age, and listed achievements. You still need a real role or business in Japan; a high score alone does not qualify you.

From highly skilled work to later options
  1. Choose your activity and points table You need an eligible Japan role as well as at least 70 documented points.
  2. Apply for HSP(i) Provide the contract, organization records, and evidence for your score.
  3. Check later options separately After the required qualifying period HSP(ii) and permanent residence have different residence and other requirements.

HSP(ii) and permanent residence are alternatives with separate rules, not automatic next steps.

Could this pathway work for you?

Eligibility

Choose the right type of work

The first status, called HSP(i), has three categories:

A management title without management duties is not enough.

Prove at least 70 points

Use the official table for your activity. Degree points, experience bands, and salary points differ between categories. In technical work, salary points also depend on age.

Claim only the bonuses listed in the table and supported by documents. These can include Japanese ability, research, patents, government-funded research, professional qualifications, or work at specified organizations.

Technical and business-management applicants also need annual pay of at least JPY ¥3 million, even if other factors total 70 points. Pay normally means expected earnings from the main Japan activity, not worldwide household income. Bonuses count only if they meet the official definition and can be proved.

The organization, contract or appointment, duties, expected pay, and supporting business or institution records must fit the category.

Extra rules for business management

Since October 16, 2025, business-management applicants under HSP(i)(c) or HSP(ii) must also address the revised Business Manager requirements. These include JPY ¥30 million in qualifying business scale, an eligible full-time employee, the applicant’s background, B2 Japanese ability held by the applicant or a full-time employee, a Japan office, and a reviewed business plan. Points do not replace these requirements.

The later HSP(ii) status

HSP(ii) is a separate application after at least three years in Japan doing qualifying work under HSP(i) or the earlier highly skilled Designated Activities status. You still need at least 70 points, an eligible activity, good conduct, and a finding that your stay serves Japan’s interests without unacceptable adverse effects.

Three calendar years alone do not guarantee the change. HSP(ii) has no fixed expiry period, but it is not permanent residence.

What This Route Allows

HSP(i) provides a five-year stay, permission for certain related activities across work categories, priority-processing targets, and conditional family benefits.

HSP(ii) allows nearly all employment-status activities alongside the qualifying highly skilled work and continues specified family benefits.

Applying for permanent residence

A separate rule may let you apply after three continuous years with at least 70 points, or one continuous year with at least 80 points. You must prove the score now and at the relevant earlier date.

All other permanent-residence checks still apply, including conduct, taxes and other public obligations, current status, health, a guarantor, and Japan’s interests. Points may shorten the residence requirement; they do not guarantee approval.

What This Route Is Not

This is not a competition where reaching 70 points automatically produces a visa. Nor does it require every applicant to have a master’s degree or the same high salary: different combinations can qualify.

It is separate from J-Skip, which uses its own education or career and income requirements instead of this points calculation.

HSP(i) is tied to the approved organization. Changing to another organization requires a change-of-status application, not just an employer notification. Family benefits are also conditional; relatives and domestic workers need their own appropriate permission.

Next Steps

  1. Match your actual role to research, technical work, or business management.
  2. Use that activity’s official points table and list the document proving each claimed item.
  3. Confirm the Japan role, organization, contract, and expected pay, including the JPY ¥3 million floor where applicable.
  4. Gather education, career, salary, language, research, patent, and other bonus evidence.
  5. For management work, also complete the current Business Manager review.
  6. Apply with the organization using the Certificate of Eligibility or change-of-status process. The certificate supports the later visa application; it is not itself a visa.
  7. Keep work, points, tax, pension, insurance, address, and travel records. Check status-change requirements before changing organizations.
  8. Before applying for HSP(ii) or permanent residence, verify the historical points and every additional requirement separately.

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Sources