Note: This article is based on Japanese laws and materials published by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA) as of October 9, 2026.
For "Gijinkoku" (the common short name for the status of residence "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services", 技術・人文知識・国際業務), the "relevance between the major and the work" means the connection between the subjects a person majored in at school and the work the person will engage in after joining the company. It is required when the Gijinkoku criteria are met through academic background.
The ISA judges relevance flexibly for those who graduated from a university, and, for those who completed an advanced vocational school (専修学校; vocational school, 専門学校), it requires, in principle, a considerable degree of relevance. For those in charge of hiring, this article explains how each type of school is judged, the cases the ISA has published, and the documents to submit with the application.
Contents
- What is relevance between the major and the work?
- How much relevance is required?
- Which schools count as academic background
- Cases denied because relevance was not found
- When an application is denied for reasons other than relevance
- Combinations of major and work found in the cases of permission
- Hiring a vocational school graduate for translation or interpretation
- Documents on academic background to submit with the application
- Practical experience when the criteria cannot be met through academic background
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Summary
- References
What is relevance between the major and the work?
To meet the Gijinkoku criteria through academic background, the person must have majored in a "related subject" (関連する科目), meaning a subject related to the skills or knowledge necessary for the work to be engaged in. The basis is item (i) of the "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services" section of the Ministerial Order on Criteria (上陸基準省令; officially the Ministerial Order to Provide for Criteria Pursuant to Article 7, Paragraph (1), Item (ii) of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act).
Item (i) sets the criteria for cases where a person takes up work that requires skills or knowledge in the field of natural science or humanities. There are the following two ways to meet it through academic background.
| Ministerial Order on Criteria | Academic background |
|---|---|
| Item (i)(a) | Graduated from a university having majored in a subject related to the skills or knowledge necessary for the work, or received an education equivalent to or higher than that |
| Item (i)(b) | Completed a specialized course of study or an advanced course (専攻科) at an advanced vocational school in Japan having majored in a subject related to the skills or knowledge necessary for the work (limited to cases that meet the requirements for completion specified by the Minister of Justice in a public notice) |
The ISA explains this criterion as follows: "The subject majored in at the university or advanced vocational school needs to be related to the work the person intends to engage in" (大学・専修学校において専攻した科目と従事しようとする業務が関連していることが必要です).
Source: e-Gov Laws and Regulations Search, "Ministerial Order on Criteria" (in Japanese); Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Clarification of the Status of Residence "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services"" (in Japanese; last revised April 2026; hereinafter "the Clarification", 明確化等について), 2(1)ア
How much relevance is required?
How much relevance is required depends on the type of school the person graduated from or completed. In the Clarification, the ISA explains as follows.
| School graduated from or completed | The ISA's explanation of the relevance between the subject majored in and the work |
|---|---|
| University | Has long been judged flexibly |
| Overseas university | Judged in the same manner as for universities |
| Technical college (高等専門学校) | Judged in the same manner as for universities |
| Advanced vocational school (専修学校) | In principle, a considerable degree of relevance is required |
| Graduate of a certified specialized course of an advanced vocational school (認定専修学校専門課程修了者) | Is to be judged flexibly |
A graduate of a certified specialized course of an advanced vocational school is a person who completed a department of a specialized course of study or advanced course of an advanced vocational school that has been certified by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology under the Career Development Promotion Program for International Students (外国人留学生キャリア形成促進プログラム).
As the reason for the difference, the ISA cites the purposes of schools set out in the School Education Act (学校教育法). A university is an institution that "imparts knowledge broadly and teaches and researches specialized arts and sciences in depth" (Article 83). An advanced vocational school aims to "develop the abilities necessary for an occupation or for daily life, or to improve general culture" (Article 124).
"Judged flexibly" does not mean that relevance is not required
The Ministerial Order on Criteria requires those who graduated from a university, too, to have majored in a related subject.
Attachment 5, on work at hotels, ryokan (Japanese-style inns), etc., states that the work and the subject majored in "need to be related to a certain extent" (ある程度関連していることが必要). On that basis, it states that relevance for those who graduated from a university is "judged relatively leniently" (比較的緩やかに判断する).
Two ways in which those who completed an advanced vocational school are treated
- Even where the person cannot be found to have directly "majored" in a subject related to the work to a considerable degree, if, looking at the content of the courses taken as a whole, the person is found to have acquired knowledge pertaining to the work, the ISA decides whether to grant permission after making a comprehensive judgment
- For a person who has engaged for about three years in work for which relevance was found, relevance to the work the person intends to engage in afterwards is judged flexibly
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "the Clarification" (in Japanese), 2(1)ア (Note); "Attachment 5 (Clarification of the Status of Residence for Foreign Nationals Working at Hotels, Ryokan (Japanese-style Inns), etc.)" (in Japanese), 1(1); e-Gov Laws and Regulations Search, "Ministerial Order on Criteria" (in Japanese)
Which schools count as academic background
Even if a person has graduated from a school, some types of school do not count as academic background under the Ministerial Order on Criteria. Before deciding to hire, check which of the following the candidate's school falls under.
| Candidate's academic background | Does it count as academic background under the Ministerial Order on Criteria? |
|---|---|
| University in Japan | Yes (item (i)(a)) |
| Junior college (短期大学) in Japan | Yes. The ISA states that such a person falls under a person who has "graduated from a university" in the criteria |
| Overseas university | Yes. The ISA states that the university in the criteria may be "located in Japan or in a foreign country" (本邦所在・外国所在を問わない) |
| Vocational school (専門学校) in Japan (a specialized course of study or advanced course of an advanced vocational school) | Yes, if it is any of the three cases in the box below (item (i)(b)) |
| A foreign educational institution equivalent to a Japanese vocational school (専門学校) | No. The ISA states that it does not conform to the criteria |
- The person received the education of a specified specialized course (特定専門課程) at an advanced vocational school in Japan and may use the title of "Senmonshi" (Diploma) (専門士)
- The person received the education of a specialized course of study or advanced course that qualifies for admission to a graduate school, and may use the title of "Kodo Senmonshi" (Advanced Diploma) (高度専門士)
- The person was admitted to an advanced course of an advanced vocational school on being found to have academic ability equivalent to or higher than that of a person who completed a specified specialized course, and has completed that advanced course
We have not found any statement showing, by country or by name of degree, whether an overseas school falls under a "university" or "an education equivalent to or higher than that". This is the result of checking the Clarification and the Work Status Q&A (就労資格Q&A) (as of October 9, 2026).
If you are unsure which of these the candidate's school falls under, through our consultation on applications for Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, we will check the entries on the certificate of graduation (卒業証明書) and the content of the work together with you.
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "the Clarification" (in Japanese), 2(1)ア (Note); "Attachment 5" (in Japanese), 1(1); "Frequently Asked Questions on Applications concerning Work-related Statuses of Residence (Q&A)" (in Japanese; July 2026; hereinafter the "Work Status Q&A", 就労資格Q&A), Q34 and Q35; e-Gov Laws and Regulations Search, "Ministerial Order on Criteria" (in Japanese)
Cases denied because relevance was not found
The cases that the ISA lists in Attachment 3 as cases "denied because relevance to the subject majored in was not found" (専攻した科目との関連性が認められず、不許可となったもの) are seven cases of international students who graduated from a vocational school (専門学校) and were conferred the title of "Senmonshi" (専門士).
| Case | Major (subjects taken in parentheses) | Work applied for |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | Voice Acting Department (声優学科) | Translation and interpretation work as lobby staff at a hotel visited by many foreign guests |
| (2) | Illustration Department (イラストレーション学科) | Clothing sales work involving translation and interpretation at a store visited by many foreign customers (the contracting party is a company engaged in worker dispatch and fee-charging employment placement) |
| (3) | Jewelry Design Department (ジュエリーデザイン科) | At a computer-related services company, handling consultations from foreign customers and work related to interpretation and translation |
| (4) | International Business Department (国際ビジネス学科) (centered on English subjects, plus computer practice, bookkeeping, customs clearance work, trade practice, international logistics, basic management, etc.) | Sales work in the sales department of a real estate company (apartment rental, etc.) |
| (5) | International Business Department (business strategy, trade practice, politics and economics, international relations, etc.) | At a transport company where many part-time workers of the applicant's nationality work, translation and interpretation work for instructing those part-time workers, and labor management |
| (6) | International Communication Department (国際コミュニケーション学科) (hospitality (接遇), foreign language study, intercultural communication, tourism service theory, etc.) | At a company operating restaurants, store management, product development, store development, sales promotion planning, franchise development, etc. |
| (7) | Hospitality Department (接遇学科) (introduction to hotels, front desk and accommodation, beverage hygiene, restaurant service, introduction to hospitality, Japanese culture, etc.) | At a worker dispatch company for engineers, management and supervision of foreign employees, instruction and training on manuals, and labor management |
These seven cases exclude the cases of graduates of a certified specialized course of an advanced vocational school. Where what was learned is clear from the name of the department, the subjects majored in are not listed.
Some cases give the reasons in detail.
- (2): The work is customer service work making use of the applicant's native language, and relevance to what was majored in, such as color, design and illustration techniques, is not found. The applicant also has no practical experience in translation or interpretation
- (4): The core subject majored in was English, and only a very small amount of coursework pertained to knowledge of real estate and sales
- (6): The work applied for requires knowledge of management theory, marketing, etc.
Attachment 5 also contains a case of denial on the same grounds, in which a person who graduated from the Fashion Design Department (服飾デザイン学科) of a vocational school applied for reception work at the front desk of a ryokan (Denial Case ⑤).
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Attachment 3 (Cases of Permission and Denial)" (in Japanese), 3-1, cases of denial; "Attachment 5" (in Japanese), 2
When an application is denied for reasons other than relevance
In addition to relevance between the major and the work, the content of the work itself must fall under Gijinkoku. Attachment 3 lists separately the cases of denial of international students who graduated from a vocational school that were based on "judgments other than the relevance between the subject majored in and the content of the work to be engaged in" (10 cases).
One example is a case in which a person who took food chemistry, hygiene education, clinical nutrition, cooking practice and other subjects at a nutrition vocational school applied to manufacture Western-style confectionery at a confectionery factory. The immigration office denied the application on the ground that this was work that can be performed after repetitive training.
Whether the content of the work falls under Gijinkoku is explained in Japan Gijinkoku Visa: What If You Assign Work Different from the Application?.
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Attachment 3 (Cases of Permission and Denial)" (in Japanese), 3-1, cases of denial
Combinations of major and work found in the cases of permission
Attachment 3 contains cases of permission such as one in which a person who graduated from a faculty of economics works as a systems engineer at a software development company. Taking the faculty and the work from the cases of permission of persons who graduated from a university in Japan gives the following.
| Case | Faculty | Work |
|---|---|---|
| Attachment 3, Section 2, Permission Case (2) | Faculty of Business Administration (経営学部) | Work related to translation and interpretation at a company whose business is computer-related services |
| Same, (5) | Faculty of Engineering (工学部) | Consulting work at a food company |
| Same, (6) | Faculty of Economics (経済学部) | Working as a systems engineer at a software development company |
Attachment 3 contains five cases of denial of international students who graduated from a university in Japan. The reasons are the actual state of the place of employment, the content of the work, the amount of remuneration, the applicant's residence record while studying as an international student, and the plan for practical training. None of these five cases gives relevance to the major as the reason.
Cases of permission of persons who graduated from a vocational school
| Case | Major (subjects taken in parentheses) | Work |
|---|---|---|
| Attachment 3, Section 3-1, Permission Case (1) | Manga and Animation Department (マンガ・アニメーション科) (game theory, CG, programming, etc.) | Game development work at a company whose business is computer-related services |
| Same, (10) | International Communication Department (communication skills, hospitality training, intercultural communication, career design, tourism service theory, etc.) | At a company operating worker dispatch, human resource development and training service businesses, management work such as hospitality education for and supervision of foreign staff |
| Same, (11) | International Business Department (introduction to tourism, hotel practice, food and beverage practical training, food service theory, retail marketing, bookkeeping, business manners, etc.) | In the business development office at the head office of a restaurant management company, recruitment and training of part-time staff and preparation of explanatory materials for new hires |
The International Business Department and the International Communication Department appear in both the cases of permission and the cases of denial. In addition to the name of the department, Attachment 3 gives the subjects taken and the content of the work.
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Attachment 3 (Cases of Permission and Denial)" (in Japanese), 2 and 3-1
Hiring a vocational school graduate for translation or interpretation
Even if a person took many "Japanese language" subjects at a vocational school, depending on their content, the person is not found to have graduated having majored in the subjects necessary for translation and interpretation work. This is the approach that Section 3-2 of Attachment 3 sets out, as cases of international students who were conferred the title of "Senmonshi". Graduates of a certified specialized course of an advanced vocational school are excluded from its scope.
- Coursework for acquiring technical terms, which international students need in order to take the subjects in their specialized field
- Coursework that stays at the level of improving basic Japanese ability, such as Japanese conversation, reading comprehension, listening comprehension and kanji
- Taking "Japanese language" classes from which Japanese students in the same specialized course are exempt (classes that Japanese students are not required to take)
The ISA states that, in addition to relevance to the major, the following two points are also necessary: that the person has enough ability to actually engage in translation and interpretation work, and that the place of employment has a sufficient volume of work requiring translation and interpretation.
In addition to proof of that ability, the immigration office may, as necessary, ask for an explanation of which languages the translation and interpretation will be between and what kind of work there is.
- Permission (2): A person who, in the International Business Department, mainly took subjects pertaining to business administration such as trade theory and marketing, but took business interpretation practice, business translation practice, interpretation techniques and the like as specialized subjects, will interpret at business negotiations and translate contract documents in the overseas business department of a trading company
- Permission (3): A person who, in the International Liberal Arts Department (国際教養学科), earned a total of 30 credits in Japanese, English, business documents, business communication and other written expression subjects, etc., out of the 70 credits required for graduation, and who has passed the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) N1, will interpret in liaison and coordination work
- Denial (1): In the CAD and IT Department (CAD・IT学科), the credits earned in Japanese were only about 20% or so of the credits required for graduation, and those classes were intended to improve the basic Japanese ability of international students
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Attachment 3 (Cases of Permission and Denial)" (in Japanese), 3-2
Documents on academic background to submit with the application
The documents to submit regarding academic background are set out on the ISA's Gijinkoku page for each category of the organization the applicant belongs to. The categories are classifications of the organization (the company or body where the foreign national works), and run from 1 to 4.
The following table shows the documents to submit for an Application for Certificate of Eligibility (在留資格認定証明書交付申請), filed when bringing someone from abroad, and for an Application for Change of Status of Residence (在留資格変更許可申請), filed when changing from Student (留学) or another status.
| Document | Who submits it | Category of the organization |
|---|---|---|
| Document certifying that the title of "Senmonshi" (Diploma) or "Kodo Senmonshi" (Advanced Diploma) has been conferred | A person who graduated from a vocational school and was conferred the title of "Senmonshi" or "Kodo Senmonshi" | 1–4 |
| Document certifying completion of an advanced course (専攻科) | A person who completed an advanced course of a vocational school | 1–4 |
| Certificate of Completion of a Certified Department (認定学科修了証明書) | A person who completed a department certified under the Career Development Promotion Program for International Students | 1–4 |
| Résumé (履歴書) (clearly stating the organizations at which the applicant engaged in duties requiring the skills or knowledge pertaining to the application, and the content and period of those duties) | The applicant | 3 and 4 |
| Certificate of graduation from a university, etc., or a document certifying that the person received an education equivalent to or higher than that | A person who meets the criteria through academic background | 3 and 4 |
Organizations in Category 1 or 2 are, in principle, not required to submit anything other than the common documents such as the application form (which include the top three in the table). A Japanese translation is attached to documents prepared in a foreign language.
The application form for a Certificate of Eligibility has fields for "Education" (最終学歴) and "Major field of study" (専攻・専門分野).
How academic transcripts and materials on the subjects taken are treated
Academic transcripts (成績証明書) and lists of the subjects taken are not on the list of documents to be submitted on this page (as of October 9, 2026).
However, the ISA states that, in the course of the examination, it may ask for documents not listed on the page. Attachment 3 contains a case in which the immigration office asked for the applicant's academic transcript and documents showing Japanese language ability (3-2, Denial Case (3)).
A statement of reasons for employment (雇用理由書) is also not a document whose submission is required by laws and regulations. The ISA states that, when it judges that it needs to confirm the content of the work more specifically, it may ask for the additional submission of a detailed written explanation of the reasons for employment and the job duties, etc.
Before deciding to hire, it is safer to look at the candidate's certificate of graduation and materials showing the subjects taken, and to confirm the connection with the work you will assign.
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Status of Residence "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services"" (in Japanese); "Application for Certificate of Eligibility (application form)" (in Japanese and English); "Attachment 3 (Cases of Permission and Denial)" (in Japanese), 3-2; "Work Status Q&A" (in Japanese), Q22
Practical experience when the criteria cannot be met through academic background
If the major and the work are not related, or if the academic background does not fall under the criteria, check whether the criteria can be met through practical experience. The number of years required depends on the type of work.
| Type of work | Practical experience required |
|---|---|
| Work that requires skills or knowledge in the field of natural science or humanities | 10 years or more (including the period during which the person majored in a related subject at a university, technical college (高等専門学校), senior high school, the upper secondary course of a secondary education school (中等教育学校の後期課程), or a specialized course of study or advanced course of an advanced vocational school) |
| Work that requires ways of thinking or sensitivity founded on a foreign culture (translation, interpretation, language instruction, public relations, advertising, overseas transactions, fashion or interior design, product development, and other similar work) | 3 years or more in related work (not required when a person who graduated from a university engages in translation, interpretation or language instruction) |
Merely having gained practical experience under Technical Intern Training (技能実習) or Specified Skilled Worker (特定技能) status is not, by itself, treated as satisfying the "practical experience" of the Ministerial Order on Criteria. The ISA explains that it does not envisage a person building on practical experience gained under Specified Skilled Worker status to change from Specified Skilled Worker (i) to Gijinkoku for career advancement. For information processing work, there is an exception based on passing an examination or holding a qualification specified in a public notice.
The requirements as a whole, including how practical experience is counted, are summarized in The Complete Guide to the Gijinkoku Visa.
Source: e-Gov Laws and Regulations Search, "Ministerial Order on Criteria" (in Japanese); Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Work Status Q&A" (in Japanese), Q41
Frequently Asked Questions
We are hiring an international student who has not yet graduated. Can we apply while graduation is still only expected?
Yes, you can apply. The ISA states that it accepts an Application for Change of Status of Residence from an international student enrolled at a university in Japan if a certificate of expected graduation (卒業見込証明書) is submitted. The certificate of graduation is submitted after graduation, and the result is handed over after it has been submitted.
In a typical year, applications from international students who graduate from a university, etc. in March are accepted from December.
Does the certificate of graduation have to be the original?
The original must be submitted. The ISA states that, for documents that can be issued any number of times, such as certificates, the original is to be submitted. In the case of a diploma (卒業証書, the graduation certificate handed out at the ceremony), a copy is submitted, and the original is brought at the time of application to be checked.
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Work Status Q&A" (in Japanese), Q13 and Q14
Summary
When you apply for Gijinkoku on the basis of academic background, the subject majored in and the work to be engaged in must be related. The ISA judges relevance flexibly for those who graduated from a university and for graduates of a certified specialized course of an advanced vocational school, and requires, in principle, a considerable degree of relevance for advanced vocational schools.
Overseas universities and technical colleges are judged in the same manner as for universities. Graduation from a foreign educational institution equivalent to a Japanese vocational school does not conform to the criteria.
Before deciding to hire, check three points: the type of the candidate's school, the major and the subjects taken, and the work you will assign. If the criteria cannot be met through academic background, check whether they can be met through practical experience.
References
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Clarification of the Status of Residence "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services"" (in Japanese; established March 2008, last revised April 2026)
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Attachment 3 (Cases of Permission and Denial)" (in Japanese)
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Attachment 5 (Clarification of the Status of Residence for Foreign Nationals Working at Hotels, Ryokan (Japanese-style Inns), etc.)" (in Japanese; revised April 2026)
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Frequently Asked Questions on Applications concerning Work-related Statuses of Residence (Q&A)" (in Japanese; July 2026)
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Status of Residence "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services"" (in Japanese)
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Application for Certificate of Eligibility (application form)" (in Japanese and English)
- Ministerial Order to Provide for Criteria Pursuant to Article 7, Paragraph (1), Item (ii) of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (the "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services" section)
