Japan Has No "Work Visa": Understanding the Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services Status

Lately, many people have asked me about "work visas." In fact, Japan has no official status called a "work visa."

As explained in earlier articles, Japan manages foreign residents through statuses of residence, which are divided by the activities a person carries out in Japan. Different work can therefore mean a different status of residence.

The most common one

The most common is "Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services," often shortened in Japanese to gijinkoku. It sounds impressive, and most people's first reaction is: why is the name so long?

Because it was originally two separate statuses:

• Engineer: science and engineering fields
• Specialist in Humanities / International Services: law, economics, accounting, marketing, translation, design, language teaching and similar fields

In 2015 the two were merged into one status to match real workplace needs, which is how it got its current name.

What immigration examines

1. Whether there is a reasonable connection between the applicant's academic or professional background and the job.
2. Whether the job is specialized work permitted under this status, rather than mainly manual labor.

Students and job-changers: plan early

If you meet the requirements, many companies will help with the application. But if you are an international student job-hunting in Japan, or changing jobs, things are different. Besides finding a job, check early:

• Do my education and work history qualify?
• Does the job the company is offering match the requirements of the status?

Many people only start worrying after receiving a job offer. With early planning, most of these risks can be avoided.

If you are studying in Japan or changing jobs and have questions about your status of residence, book a free consultation and we can work out the best route for you.

Understanding Japan through law.

This article provides general legal information, not legal advice on any individual case. Please consult us about your own situation; for disputes or litigation, consult an attorney.