---
title: "Japan Work Visa Ladder — Engineer, Specified Skilled Worker, and Highly Skilled Professional"
country: japan
service: "work-visa-ladder-engineer-specialist-humanities-ssw-hsp"
category: immigration
difficulty: complex
estimated_time: Certificate of Eligibility (COE) issuance typically takes one to three months at the Regional Immigration Services Bureau; the embassy visa label is issued in approximately five business days from a complete submission; extensions and status changes take two weeks to one month
cost_range: "COE issuance is free; current status-change and extension fees are ¥6,000 in person or ¥5,500 online; permanent residence application is ¥10,000; embassy visa stamp varies by nationality reciprocity"
last_verified: 2026-05-22
canonical: https://publicservices.guide/japan/work-visa-ladder-engineer-specialist-humanities-ssw-hsp/
status: current
confidence: low
tags:
  - immigration
  - "work-visa"
  - "zairyu-shikaku"
  - gijinkoku
  - "tokutei-gino"
  - "kodo-senmonshoku"
  - "certificate-of-eligibility"
  - "residence-card"
  - expat
sources:
  - https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/gijinkoku.html
  - https://www.ssw.go.jp/en/about/sswv/exam/
  - https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/16-1.html
  - https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/16-3.html
  - https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/publications/materials/newimmiact_3_index.html
  - https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/ssw/index.html
---

# Japan Work Visa Ladder — Engineer, Specified Skilled Worker, and Highly Skilled Professional

**Country:** 🇯🇵 Japan  
**Last verified:** 2026-05-22  
**Estimated time:** Certificate of Eligibility (COE) issuance typically takes one to three months at the Regional Immigration Services Bureau; the embassy visa label is issued in approximately five business days from a complete submission; extensions and status changes take two weeks to one month  
**Cost:** COE issuance is free; current status-change and extension fees are ¥6,000 in person or ¥5,500 online; permanent residence application is ¥10,000; embassy visa stamp varies by nationality reciprocity

## Required documents

- **Passport** *(パスポート (Pasupōto))*
  - Required: Original passport with at least six months remaining validity recommended; bio page photocopy submitted with the COE application
  - Cost: Already issued
  - _Note:_ The passport is required at every stage — sponsor's COE filing, embassy visa label, port-of-entry inspection, and the residence card pickup.
- **Certificate of Eligibility application** *(在留資格認定証明書交付申請書 (Zairyū Shikaku Nintei Shōmeisho Kōfu Shinseisho))*
  - Required: ISA prescribed application form with the route-specific annex (Bekki) for the target status of residence; filed in Japan by the sponsor
  - Where to get: ISA portal forms download page (moj.go.jp/isa) and the Online Shinsei System
  - Cost: No fee charged for COE issuance
  - _Note:_ Postal submission is not accepted. The sponsor submits in person at the Regional Immigration Services Bureau or via the Online Shinsei System if registered.
- **Recent photograph** *(写真 (Shashin))*
  - Required: 4 cm × 3 cm, taken within three months of submission, neutral background per ISA specification
  - Cost: Varies
  - _Note:_ Most ISA-compliant photo studios in Japan and overseas can produce the format on request.
- **Employment contract or offer letter** *(雇用契約書 / 内定通知書 (Koyō Keiyakusho / Naitei Tsūchisho))*
  - Required: Signed contract or formal offer letter from the Japan-based sponsor. Fixed-term contracts must run a minimum of one year. Open-ended (Mukikō) contracts are also accepted
  - Cost: Already issued
  - _Note:_ Required for Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services and Specified Skilled Worker routes. Highly Skilled Professional applicants also submit the employment contract or offer letter together with the points-table evidence.
- **Academic credentials** *(卒業証明書 / 学位記 (Sotsugyō Shōmeisho / Gakuiki))*
  - Required: Graduation certificate and where applicable the academic transcript or diploma copy. Foreign-language documents accompanied by Japanese translations. For Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services, ten or more years of relevant experience may substitute for the degree in the humanities and international-services sub-bands
  - Cost: Already issued
  - _Note:_ Highly Skilled Professional point-bonus claims for doctorate, MBA, or top-100 university listing require the underlying degree certificate as supporting evidence.
- **Sponsor company documents** *(雇用条件書 / 登記事項証明書 / 法定調書 (Koyō Jōkensho / Tōki Jikō Shōmeisho / Hōteichōsho))*
  - Required: Sponsor's registry certificate showing legal existence, financial statements (決算書 — Kessansho), employment-conditions document, and statutory tax-withholding certificate confirming sponsor Kategori classification (1 to 4)
  - Cost: Already issued
  - _Note:_ Category 1 (listed companies, central government) and Category 2 (large taxpaying corporations) face the lightest paperwork. Category 3 and Category 4 sponsors submit fuller financial and tax documentation.
- **Points Calculation Table (HSP only)** *(ポイント計算表 (Pointo Keisanhyō))*
  - Required: Completed ISA points-calculation form aggregating academic background, professional career, annual income, age, research achievements, Japanese-language proficiency, and bonuses. A total of 70 points or more qualifies for Highly Skilled Professional Type 1
  - Where to get: Immigration Services Agency website (moj.go.jp/isa) — the table is published as the Pointo Keisanhyō
  - Cost: No fee
  - _Note:_ Documentary evidence supporting each claimed point category — degree certificate, employment certificate (在職証明書 — Zaishoku Shōmeisho), annual income proof (年収証明書 — Nenshū Shōmeisho), JLPT certificate, patent registration, peer-reviewed publication list, METI Innovative Asia alumni proof — must accompany the table.
- **Skills proficiency and language certificates (SSW only)** *(技能試験合格証 / JLPT N4 / JFT-Basic A2 (Ginō Shiken Gōkaku Shō))*
  - Required: Sector-specific skills proficiency test certificate AND Japanese-language certificate (JLPT N4 or JFT-Basic A2). Applicants who have satisfactorily completed Technical Intern Training (ii) — Gijutsu Jisshū 2-gō — are exempt from both tests for the corresponding sector
  - Cost: Examination fees vary by test and sector
  - _Note:_ Sector tests are administered domestically and across the bilateral partner countries (Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, Cambodia, Mongolia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka). Nationals from Memorandum-of-Cooperation countries must follow home-country pre-departure procedures.
- **Return envelope with revenue stamp** *(返信用封筒 (Henshinyō Fūtō))*
  - Required: Self-addressed return envelope with a ¥404 stamp affixed, used by ISA to mail the issued COE back to the sponsor
  - Cost: Approximately ¥404 for the postage stamp
  - _Note:_ Required only for paper-route filings; Online Shinsei System filings receive the COE electronically.

## Costs

- **Certificate of Eligibility (COE) issuance:** 0 JPY — ISA does not charge a fee for the COE itself. The sponsor files at the Regional Immigration Services Bureau in person or via the Online Shinsei System.
- **Embassy visa stamp:** 3000 JPY — Indicative figure for single-entry visa; reciprocity-based exemptions apply to many nationalities. Confirm the binding fee with the consulate handling your application.
- **Status of residence change permit (in-person):** 6000 JPY — From 1 April 2025. Applications filed up to 31 March 2025 used the prior ¥4,000 fee. Revenue stamps are sold at post offices and some immigration office lobbies; convenience stores do not generally stock the required denominations.
- **Status of residence change permit (online):** 5500 JPY — From 1 April 2025; the online filing saves ¥500 against the counter rate.
- **Extension of period of stay permit (in-person):** 6000 JPY — From 1 April 2025. Filing three months before the expiry of the current period is standard; late filing risks Furyō Zairyū (illegal residence).
- **Extension of period of stay permit (online):** 5500 JPY — From 1 April 2025.
- **Permission for activities outside the authorized scope:** 0 JPY — 資格外活動許可 (Shikakugai Katsudō Kyoka) is free but must be obtained before any side work begins.
- **Re-entry permit — single re-entry:** 3000 JPY — Required only when a special re-entry permit (free, for trips up to one year, or up to two years for HSP holders) does not cover the planned absence.
- **Re-entry permit — multiple re-entry:** 6000 JPY — Valid for up to five years from issuance.
- **Special re-entry permit:** 0 JPY — Declared at the port of entry on departure; covers absences up to one year (up to two years for Highly Skilled Professional holders).
- **Permanent residence application:** 10000 JPY — From 1 April 2025. Highly Skilled Professional holders scoring 80+ points become eligible after one year of residence; HSP holders scoring 70+ points after three years; standard route requires ten years of residence.

## Steps

### 1. First step — Confirm route eligibility and select the status of residence

- (Applicant + Sponsor) Identify which 在留資格 (Zairyū Shikaku) matches the proposed activity in Japan — Gijinkoku (技術・人文知識・国際業務 — Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services) for degree-qualified salaried roles, Tokutei Ginō (特定技能 — Specified Skilled Worker) for sector-skilled roles, or Kōdo Senmonshoku (高度専門職 — Highly Skilled Professional) for the points-based fast track
- (Applicant) For HSP candidates, complete the ポイント計算表 (Pointo Keisanhyō — Points Calculation Table) first. A total below 70 points routes the application to a standard work status — most commonly Gijinkoku — and HSP benefits do not apply
- (Applicant) For J-Skip candidates, confirm the binary income and academic thresholds: master's degree or ten years' career with at least ¥20,000,000 annual income for the research and specialist tracks, or five years of management experience with at least ¥40,000,000 income for the business-management track
- (Applicant) Engineer applicants targeting customer-facing roles at Category 3 or Category 4 employers must hold JLPT N2 or equivalent under the current rule; Category 1 and 2 employer roles and back-office or pure-engineering roles remain exempt — see additional_items for the force-date detail

> **Tip:** Tokutei Ginō (特定技能 — Specified Skilled Worker) and Tokutei Zairyū (特定在留 — Specified Residence Card) share the Tokutei prefix but denote entirely different concepts. One is a working status of residence with sector and language criteria; the other is a residence card format covered in a separate guide. Confirm which you actually need before filing.

> **If this fails:** Mismatching status — for example applying for Gijinkoku for a manual-labour role that should route to Tokutei Ginō — is the leading cause of COE refusal for first-time work-visa applicants. If targeting the food service sector under Specified Skilled Worker, note that ISA published 「特定技能「外食業分野」における在留資格認定証明書交付の一時停止措置について」 (Temporary suspension measure regarding the issuance of Certificate of Eligibility for the food service sector under Specified Skilled Worker); the suspension force-date and cap-reset window are recorded in additional_items. Existing holders may renew; new applicants should monitor ssw.go.jp.

_Links:_
- [ISA — Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services status](https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/gijinkoku.html)
- [ssw.go.jp — Specified Skilled Worker eligibility](https://www.ssw.go.jp/en/about/sswv/exam/)

### 2. Pre-arrival — Sponsor in Japan files the Certificate of Eligibility (COE) application

- (Sponsor) Compile the COE application form (在留資格認定証明書交付申請書 — Zairyū Shikaku Nintei Shōmeisho Kōfu Shinseisho) with the route-specific annex, the applicant's passport copy and recent photograph, and the route-specific documents — employment contract, academic credentials, sponsor company registry and tax-withholding documents, and where applicable the Points Calculation Table
- (Sponsor) Submit in person at the 地方出入国在留管理局 (Chihō Shutsunyūkoku Zairyū Kanrikyoku — Regional Immigration Services Bureau) covering either the sponsor's principal place of business or the applicant's intended residence in Japan, OR submit via the Online Shinsei System if the sponsor is registered
- (Sponsor) Include a return envelope (返信用封筒 — Henshinyō Fūtō) with a ¥404 postage stamp for paper filings; ISA mails the issued COE to the sponsor

> **Tip:** Category 1 sponsors (listed companies, central government) and Category 2 sponsors (large taxpaying corporations with at least ¥10M annual statutory withholding) face the lightest documentation. Category 3 and 4 sponsors face fuller evidentiary requirements and longer review queues — engaging a 行政書士 (Gyōseishoshi — administrative scrivener) is common.

> **If this fails:** Postal submissions are not accepted by ISA. Returned applications cause weeks of delay. Confirm in-person counter or Online Shinsei System filing before dispatching documents.

_Links:_
- [ISA — Certificate of Eligibility procedure](https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/16-1.html)

### 3. Pre-arrival — Wait for ISA to issue the COE and dispatch to the sponsor

- (ISA) Reviews the application package. Standard processing takes one to three months from a complete in-person submission
- (ISA) Mails the issued COE to the sponsor at the address on the return envelope, OR delivers the COE electronically through the Online Shinsei System for registered sponsors
- (Sponsor) Forwards the original COE document to the applicant abroad — typically by international courier with tracking

> **Tip:** Complex cases — Category 3 or 4 sponsors, applicants from non-bilateral SSW countries, or first-time HSP applications with multiple bonus-point claims — can extend processing to four or six months. Build a generous buffer into the planned start date.

### 4. Pre-arrival — Applicant collects the visa label at a Japanese embassy or consulate

- (Applicant) Present the COE, passport, completed visa application, photograph, and any supporting documents to a Japanese embassy or consulate-general in the country of residence
- (Applicant) Pay the consular fee where charged. Reciprocity-based visa-exemption agreements waive the fee for many nationalities — confirm the binding fee with the mission handling the application
- (Embassy / Consulate-general) Issues the visa label, typically within five business days of complete-document submission

> **If this fails:** The COE remains valid for entry purposes for three months from issuance. Applicants who do not travel to Japan within this window must request a fresh COE through the sponsor; ISA does not extend an unused COE.

### 5. Arrival — Enter Japan and receive the residence card

- (Applicant) Present the passport with the visa label and the original COE to the immigration officer at a designated port of entry — Narita, Haneda, Kansai, Chubu, Fukuoka, New Chitose, Hiroshima, or Naha airports issue the residence card on the spot
- (Immigration officer) Issues the 在留カード (Zairyū Kādo — Residence Card) embedded with the status of residence, the authorised period (commonly one, three, or five years for Gijinkoku and HSP Type 1; up to five years cumulative for SSW Type 1; indefinite for HSP Type 2), and the authorised activities
- (Applicant) Within 14 days, file address registration at the local municipal ward office — see the separate residence-card and address-registration guide

> **Tip:** If entering through a port that does not issue the card on the spot, the residence card is mailed to the registered address after the address registration is filed. Keep the passport with the visa label safe; the COE is returned at the port and is no longer required after entry.

### 6. Maintenance — File the extension of period of stay before the residence card expires

- (Applicant) File 在留期間更新許可申請 (Zairyū Kikan Kōshin Kyoka Shinsei — application for extension of period of stay) at the Regional Immigration Services Bureau covering the holder's place of residence, in person or via the Online Shinsei System for registered users
- (Applicant) Pay ¥6,000 in 収入印紙 (Shūnyū Inshi — revenue stamp) at the counter, OR ¥5,500 via the Online Shinsei System under the current fee schedule (force-date and prior-fee detail in research_sources)
- (ISA) Decides the application within two weeks to one month; status is preserved during processing if the application is filed before expiry

> **Tip:** Revenue stamps are sold at post offices; some immigration office lobbies have on-site vendors. Convenience stores in Japan do not generally stock the required denominations — plan the stamp purchase before the appointment.

> **If this fails:** Filing after the Zairyū Kikan expires results in 不良在留 (Furyō Zairyū — illegal residence) with severe penalties including deportation risk. Filing three months before expiry is the standard safety margin.

_Links:_
- [ISA — Extension of period of stay procedure](https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/16-3.html)

### 7. Maintenance — File a status-of-residence change when the career situation evolves

- (Applicant) File 在留資格変更許可申請 (Zairyū Shikaku Henkō Kyoka Shinsei — application for change of status of residence) when promotions, points-table advancement, or sector transitions warrant a different status. Typical transitions include Gijinkoku to HSP Type 1 (on reaching 70 points), HSP Type 1 to HSP Type 2 (after three years), or SSW Type 1 to SSW Type 2 (after passing the higher-tier sector test)
- (Applicant) Pay ¥6,000 in revenue stamp at the counter, OR ¥5,500 via the Online Shinsei System under the current fee schedule (force-date in research_sources)
- (ISA) Issues a new residence card with the updated status, period, and authorised activities. The previous card is surrendered at the counter

> **Tip:** HSP holders prepare an updated Pointo Keisanhyō with full supporting evidence at every status change and renewal — ISA reassesses points each time. Falling below 70 points causes a downgrade to a standard work status rather than refusal.

### 8. Side activity — Obtain permission for activities outside the authorised scope before any side work begins

- (Applicant) File 資格外活動許可 (Shikakugai Katsudō Kyoka — permission for activities other than those permitted by the status of residence) at the Regional Immigration Services Bureau covering the holder's place of residence
- (ISA) Reviews the request and issues the permit free of charge; processing typically takes two weeks to one month
- (Applicant) Holders of 家族滞在 (Kazoku Taizai — Dependent) status are limited to 28 hours per week of part-time work even with this permit; Gijinkoku and HSP holders' permit scopes are tied to the scope of the primary employer's business

> **If this fails:** Working a second job — delivery, retail, tutoring — without the permit is a status violation. Even unpaid volunteer work that displaces Japanese workers can be questioned at renewal. Obtain the permit before any side activity starts.

## FAQ

### What does a Certificate of Eligibility actually authorise?

Per the ISA procedure page, the 在留資格認定証明書 (Zairyū Shikaku Nintei Shōmeisho) pre-screens substantive eligibility — the sponsor-applicant match, the activity-status match, and the financial viability of the sponsor. It does not by itself authorise entry. The applicant must still obtain a visa label at a Japanese embassy or consulate-general and pass immigration inspection at the port of entry. The COE shifts the burden of evidence at the embassy from 'prove eligibility' to 'prove identity matches the COE holder'.

### Is Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services three separate visas?

No. 技術・人文知識・国際業務 (Gijutsu-Jinbun-Kokusai) is a single bundled status of residence. The kanji name lists three permission scopes — Engineer (technical), Specialist in Humanities (humanities and social-science knowledge), and International Services (foreign-culture sensibility) — but the residence card carries one status. Holders can shift across sub-bands within the same employment without a status change, provided the activity remains within the bundled scope.

### How is Tokutei Ginō different from Tokutei Zairyū?

特定技能 (Tokutei Ginō — Specified Skilled Worker) is a working status of residence created in 2019, with sector-specific skills and language requirements. 特定在留 (Tokutei Zairyū — Specified Residence Card) is an optional combined-card residence credential covered in a separate guide. The shared Tokutei prefix is a frequent source of confusion; the two are not interchangeable. One is a work visa, the other is a card format.

### Is Specified Skilled Worker Type 1 renewable indefinitely?

No. SSW Type 1 caps at five years cumulative across all periods — not five years renewable indefinitely. To remain in Japan beyond that ceiling under the SSW programme, the holder must qualify for Type 2 by passing the higher-tier sector skills test (where one is published) and meeting the practical-experience requirement. Type 2 also unlocks family-accompanying privileges that Type 1 does not carry.

### Does Highly Skilled Professional grant permanent residency automatically after five years?

No. HSP shortens the eligibility window for permanent residence — to one year for holders scoring 80 or more points and three years for holders scoring 70 or more points — but permanent residence remains a separate application with its own documentation, taxes-paid record, and good-conduct review. The standard route still requires ten years of residence in Japan.

### Can the Engineer status holder freelance on the side?

Only with 資格外活動許可 (Shikakugai Katsudō Kyoka) — a separate ISA permission for activities outside the authorised scope. Freelance consulting in the same technical field as the primary employment is generally treated as within scope. Freelance work in unrelated fields (a software engineer doing weekend retail, for example) requires the supplementary permit. Working without the permit risks status revocation at renewal.

### Is J-Skip the same as the points-calculation table?

No. J-Skip bypasses the Pointo Keisanhyō entirely. It applies binary thresholds — a master's degree or ten years' career with annual income of at least ¥20,000,000 for the research and specialist tracks, or five years of management experience with at least ¥40,000,000 income for the business-management track. Near-miss applicants must default to the standard HSP points route.

### Can my spouse work on my Engineer status?

The spouse holds 家族滞在 (Kazoku Taizai — Dependent) status and may work up to 28 hours per week with Shikakugai Katsudō Kyoka. Full-time work requires the spouse to qualify independently for an own work-status visa. Highly Skilled Professional holders' spouses receive broader work permission under 特定活動 (Tokutei Katsudō — Designated Activities) without meeting the academic or career requirements of those statuses.

### What if I file the extension after my period of stay has expired?

Late filing — after the Zairyū Kikan expires — results in 不良在留 (Furyō Zairyū — illegal residence) with severe penalties including deportation risk. The three-months-before-expiry filing window is the practical safety margin. ISA accepts in-time filings up to the expiry date, but processing of the extension can run two weeks to one month, so filing close to the deadline carries risk.

### I want a Gaishokugyō Specified Skilled Worker visa. Is the sector accepting applications?

Per the ISA announcement of 13 April 2026, new COE issuances for the 外食業 (Gaishokugyō — food service) sector under SSW Type 1 are temporarily suspended after the cumulative 50,000-worker cap was met ahead of schedule. Existing holders may still renew. Applicants should monitor ssw.go.jp for the cap-reset announcement, typically aligned with the next April-period reset.

## Sources

- [Immigration Services Agency of Japan (Ministry of Justice) — Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services status page](https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/gijinkoku.html) — accessed 2026-05-22 — _T1_ — Status of Residence 'Technology/Human Knowledge/International Business' covers work requiring technology or knowledge in natural science or human science fields, or work requiring foreign-culture-based sensibility. Holders represented 418,706 foreign residents in Japan (11.1% of the foreign-resident population). A change effective 15 April 2026 requires applicants for customer-facing roles at Category 3 and Category 4 employers to demonstrate Japanese proficiency at JLPT N2 or equivalent; back-office and pure-engineering roles remain exempt.
- [Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ssw.go.jp portal) — Specified Skilled Worker eligibility and examinations](https://www.ssw.go.jp/en/about/sswv/exam/) — accessed 2026-05-22 — _T1_ — In order to work under a Specified Skilled Worker (i) status of residence, an applicant must pass a Japanese language test (JLPT N4 or JFT-Basic A2) and a sector-specific skills proficiency test. Applicants who have satisfactorily completed Technical Intern Training (ii) are exempt from both tests for the corresponding sector. Skills tests are administered domestically and across bilateral partner countries (Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, Cambodia, Mongolia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka).
- [Immigration Services Agency of Japan (Ministry of Justice) — Certificate of Eligibility application procedure](https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/16-1.html) — accessed 2026-05-22 — _T1_ — The Certificate of Eligibility (在留資格認定証明書 — Zairyū Shikaku Nintei Shōmeisho) is filed by the Japan-based sponsor at the Regional Immigration Services Bureau covering either the sponsor's principal place of business or the applicant's intended residence in Japan. Standard supporting documents enumerated on the procedure page include the applicant's passport (旅券), one recent photograph (証明写真) taken within three months at 4×3 cm, employment contract or offer letter (雇用契約書) confirming the role and Japanese-equivalent salary, academic credentials (卒業証明書 — graduation certificate or 学位記 — degree diploma) corroborating the qualification basis for the requested status, and the sponsor company's certified commercial registry and recent financial statements. Postal submissions are not accepted; submission is in person or via the Online Shinsei System for registered sponsors. No application fee is charged for the COE itself. Standard processing takes one to three months.
- [Immigration Services Agency of Japan (Ministry of Justice) — Extension of period of stay procedure](https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/16-3.html) — accessed 2026-05-22 — _T1_ — Extensions of period of stay (在留期間更新許可申請 — Zairyū Kikan Kōshin Kyoka Shinsei) and status-of-residence changes (在留資格変更許可申請 — Zairyū Shikaku Henkō Kyoka Shinsei) are filed at the Regional Immigration Services Bureau covering the holder's place of residence. From 1 April 2025 the fee is ¥6,000 paid in 収入印紙 (Shūnyū Inshi — revenue stamp) for in-person counter applications, or ¥5,500 for applications submitted through the Online Shinsei System. Processing typically takes two weeks to one month.
- [Immigration Services Agency of Japan (Ministry of Justice) — Highly Skilled Professional points system](https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/publications/materials/newimmiact_3_index.html) — accessed 2026-05-22 — _T1_ — The Highly Skilled Professional (高度専門職 — Kōdo Senmonshoku) system is a points-based system where points are calculated for academic background, professional career, annual income, age, research achievements, Japanese-language proficiency, and bonuses. Applicants scoring 70 points or more on the ポイント計算表 (Pointo Keisanhyō — Points Calculation Table) qualify as Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals. Type 2 status requires three or more years of activity under Type 1, 70 points still scored on the current points table, and a good-conduct record.
- [Immigration Services Agency of Japan — Specified Skilled Worker programme overview and sector announcements](https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/ssw/index.html) — accessed 2026-05-22 — _T1_ — Specified Skilled Worker Type 1 covers 16 industry fields capped at five years cumulative stay; Type 2 currently covers 11 fields with unlimited renewal and family-accompanying privileges. On 13 April 2026 ISA announced a temporary suspension of new COE issuances for the 外食業 (Gaishokugyō — food service) sector after the cumulative 50,000-worker cap was met ahead of schedule. Status renewals for existing Gaishokugyō holders remain unaffected.

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Canonical: https://publicservices.guide/japan/work-visa-ladder-engineer-specialist-humanities-ssw-hsp/