Highly Skilled Professional visa→ Permanent residency approval

Those who are currently on a highly-skilled professional, highly-skilled personnel visa.

 3 years or more in Japan (70 points or more for highly-skilled professionals)

More than 1 year in Japan (80 points or higher for highly-skilled professionals)

It is possible to apply for permanent residence after living in Japan for more than 3 years with a highly skilled professional visa (score of 70 or higher). In the case of a foreigner who has 80 points or higher, the requirement is to have lived in Japan for at least 1 year. If you have a general work visa, first change your status of residence to highly skilled professional and then count the number of years you have lived in Japan.

For those who want to obtain a status of residence for highly skilled professionals

Highly Skilled Professional → Permanent Resident

On April 26, 2017, the Ordinance of the Ministry of Justice was revised, and the Japanese version of the American Green Card for Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals began, making it possible to obtain permanent residency in as little as one to three years. Along with that, the point calculation table has also been revised, making it easier to earn points. This time, I would like to explain the requirements for obtaining permanent residence from this "highly skilled professional visa." There is quite a lot of overlap with the requirements for permanent residence from a work visa, so I would like to explain only the main points.

Requirement 1: Good Conduct

a: Never been sentenced to penal labor, imprisonment, or a fine for violating the laws and regulations of Japan.

b: Persons who have not repeatedly committed illegal acts or acts that disturb public morals in their daily or social lives.

Requirement 2: Possessing sufficient assets or skills to make an independent living

a: Career change

Changing jobs itself can be a good thing. For example, if a person's salary doubles due to changing jobs, it is considered a career change and isn’t a problem. However, if the salary and position before and after the job change are at the same level or even lower, it is not yet considered a secure lifestyle. We recommend applying for permanent residence with your new company after being employed there for at least a full year.

b: Number of dependents

If the number of dependents increases by one, the applicant`s annual income will be considered, plus an extra 700,000 yen is required per dependent.

Requirement 3: Permanent residence is deemed in Japan’s best interest.

This is called the national interest compatibility requirement, which means that the foreign national applying for permanent residence must meet the interests of Japan. Specifically, the following:

A (1): Those who have continuously resided in Japan as a highly-skilled foreign worker for 3 years or more, OR those who have stayed in Japan for 3 years or more and are recognized to have had a score of 70 points or more but less than 80 points when the point calculation prescribed in the Ministerial Ordinance on Highly Specialized Workers is made 3 years before the date of application for permanent residency.

This is the requirement for continuous residence in Japan when the point calculation table is 70 or more and less than 80 points, and there are two patterns.

I: Those who have lived in Japan as a "highly-skilled foreign professional" for more than 3 consecutive years

Those who have been granted a status of residence as highly-skilled professionals naturally meet this requirement, but there are some instances of them also being granted a status of residence called "designated activities." Designated Activities is a status of residence given to those recognized as highly skilled professionals when they did not yet have this particular visa. It is pasted on the passport, so please check it to confirm your status.

II: Those who have stayed in Japan for more than 3 years and are recognized to have had 70 or more points but less than 80 points when calculating the points stipulated in the Ministerial Ordinance on Highly Specialized Professionals based on the point calculation as of 3 years prior to the date of application for permanent residence.

Those whose current status of residence is neither the status of residence of highly skilled professionals nor the status of residence of designated activities as a foreign national with advanced personnel skills are eligible. Those who have met the points of 70 or more but less than 80 points on the point calculation table for being granted the status of residence as an advanced personnel foreigner for the past three years are applicable.

In other words, it is not necessary to obtain the status of residence of "Highly Skilled Professional" or "Designated Activities" as long as the applicant meets the necessary requirements. For example, even if you are currently staying in Japan with the status of residence of "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services", as a result of point calculation, if you have satisfied points between 70 and 80 points for more than 3 years, meets the requirements of 3 years or more as a highly skilled foreign professional.

A (2): A person who has been residing in Japan as a highly skilled foreign professional for one year or more continuously, or who has been staying in Japan for one year or more and is Those who are recognized as having a score of 80 points or more when calculating the points prescribed in the Ordinance of the Ministry of Professional Affairs.

This is the requirement for continuous residence in Japan in the case of 80 points or more in the point calculation table, and there are the following two patterns.

I: Those who have been living in Japan as a "highly-skilled foreign professional" for more than one year.

Those who have been granted a status of residence as a highly skilled professional naturally meet this requirement, but I think that some of them are also granted a status of residence called "designated activities." Designated Activities is a status of residence given to those recognized as highly skilled foreign professionals when they did not yet have a status of residence for highly skilled professionals. I think that the "designation" is pasted on the passport, so please check it.

II: A person who has been in Japan for one year or more and has a score of 80 points or more when calculating the points stipulated in the Ordinance of the Ministry of Highly Skilled Professionals based on the point one year before the date of application for permission for permanent residence.

Those who currently have a status of residence that is not a status of residence for highly skilled professionals or a status of residence for specified activities as a highly-skilled foreign professional are eligible. Among them, those who have satisfied the points calculation table for the status of residence of highly skilled foreign professionals with a score of 80 points or more for one year are applicable.

In other words, as a matter of fact, it is not necessary to obtain the status of residence of "Highly Skilled Professional" or "Designated Activities" as long as it is a highly skilled foreign human resource. For example, even if a person currently resides in Japan with the status of residence of "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services", as a result of point calculation, if he or she has met 80 points or more for more than one year, he or she will be considered as a highly skilled human resource. It meets the requirements of being a foreigner for at least one year.

B: Fulfilling public obligations such as tax obligations

As a company employee and company manager, it is important to pay various taxes by the due date. In particular, if the national health insurance tax and national pension are not paid by the deadline, the application for permanent residence will not be permitted. In that case, accumulate the results of paying by the due date for the most recent year, write a statement of reasons why you did not meet the due date, reflect on it, and take countermeasures It is to apply by showing that you have insurance, etc.).

C: Stay in Japan with the longest period of stay for your current status of residence.

Those who have been granted the status of residence for highly skilled professionals are uniformly granted the longest period of stay (currently 5 years) legally, so they are treated as staying in the country with the longest period of stay.

D: There is no risk of being harmful from the viewpoint of public health

This includes patients with type 1 infectious diseases, type 2 infectious diseases, designated infectious diseases, and new infectious diseases. Others include those who are chronically addicted to narcotics, cannabis, stimulants, etc.

E: It is recognized that there is no risk of doing an act that significantly harms the public interest

I: You have never been sentenced to imprisonment, penal labor, or a fine for violating the laws of Japan.

II: Those who do not repeatedly engage in illegal or immoral acts in their daily or social life.

Requirement ④: Must have a guarantor

Applicants must be Japanese or permanent residents who have a stable income and pay their taxes properly.