Note: This article is based on Japanese laws and materials published by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA) as of October 19, 2026.
The Highly Skilled Professional visa (status of residence "Highly Skilled Professional", 高度専門職) is a status of residence granted to foreign nationals who score 70 points or more under the points-based system for highly-skilled foreign professionals (高度人材ポイント制), which converts academic background, work experience, annual income and other factors into points. Under Highly Skilled Professional (i) (1号), the period of stay is uniformly five years, and the length of residence required for permission for permanent residence is also shorter.
An employee you plan to hire under Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services ("Gijinkoku", 技術・人文知識・国際業務) may in fact already reach 70 points. This article explains how the point system works and its benefits, how it differs from Gijinkoku, and where companies tend to stumble when preparing the application.
Contents
- What is the Highly Skilled Professional visa?
- How the points are calculated
- Benefits of Highly Skilled Professional status
- How it differs from Gijinkoku
- Application process and processing time
- Common stumbling points in preparing the application
- What is the Notice of Points Calculation Results?
- Points to note after hiring
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Summary
- References
What is the Highly Skilled Professional visa?
Highly Skilled Professional (i) is divided into three categories according to the activities, (i)(a) (1号イ), (i)(b) (1号ロ) and (i)(c) (1号ハ), and for all of them the total points must be 70 or more. Most people who do specialized work at companies fall under (i)(b).
| Category | Main activities | Main overlapping statuses of residence |
|---|---|---|
| (i)(a) | Research, research guidance, education | Professor, Researcher, Instructor |
| (i)(b) | Work that requires knowledge or skills in the field of natural science or humanities | Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services (excluding the "International Services" part), Intra-company Transferee |
| (i)(c) | Business management or administration | Business Manager |
A person who has engaged in activities under (i) for three years or more and meets the requirements, such as having 70 points or more, can apply to change to Highly Skilled Professional (ii) (2号), which has no limit on the period of stay.
How the points are calculated
Points are awarded for each item, such as academic background, work experience, annual income and age, and a person is eligible if the total is 70 points or more. The main items for (i)(b) are as follows.
- Academic background: doctoral degree 30 points, MBA or MOT 25 points, master's degree 20 points, university graduate 10 points
- Work experience (experience in the work the person will engage in): from 5 points for 3 years or more up to 20 points for 10 years or more
- Annual income (planned for the coming year): from 10 points for 4 million yen or more up to 40 points for 10 million yen or more. The lower limit varies by age
- Age: under 30, 15 points; under 35, 10 points; under 40, 5 points
- Bonus points: degree obtained from a Japanese university or graduate school 10 points, Japanese ability equivalent to JLPT N1 15 points, graduation from a university designated by the Minister of Justice in a public notice (such as top-ranked universities in world university rankings) 10 points, etc.
For (i)(b) and (i)(c), if annual income is less than 3 million yen, the status is not granted even if the person has 70 points or more from the other items. On October 18, 2026, it was reported that the ISA plans to raise this minimum annual income standard. What has been reported is summarized in Raising the Minimum Income for Japan's Highly Skilled Professional Visa.
The parts of the calculation where people are most often unsure are how work experience is counted and the bonus points. Only practical experience related to the job the person will take counts as work experience. Even with the same career, the score changes depending on which periods are supported by which documents.
Benefits of Highly Skilled Professional status
Under Highly Skilled Professional (i), the period of stay is uniformly five years, and holders also receive preferential treatment in accompaniment by family members and in priority processing of procedures.
| Preferential treatment | Details |
|---|---|
| Period of stay "5 years" | Five years, the longest period under the law, is granted uniformly |
| Length of residence for permanent residence | Instead of 10 years in principle, 3 years with 70 points or more, or 1 year with 80 points or more (if the points are sufficient, a person can be eligible even while under another status of residence such as Gijinkoku) |
| Work by the spouse | The spouse can do work falling under "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services" and similar statuses even without meeting the academic background or work experience requirements |
| Bringing parents | A parent of the professional or of the spouse can be brought to Japan, for example to raise a child under 7 (annual household income of 8 million yen or more, etc.) |
| Priority processing | Guideline: within 10 days of acceptance for a COE, and within 5 days for a change or extension |
How to count the years for permanent residence and the full set of requirements for permanent residence are summarized in What Is Japan's Permanent Resident Visa (Permanent Residency)?.
How it differs from Gijinkoku
Even for the same job at the same company, Highly Skilled Professional (i)(b) is more advantageous than Gijinkoku in the period of stay and in priority processing of procedures. On the other hand, it differs in that the employer is designated.
| Item | Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services | Highly Skilled Professional (i)(b) |
|---|---|---|
| Period of stay | One of 5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 3 months | Uniformly 5 years |
| Length of residence required for permanent residence | 10 years in principle; eligible for shortening with 70 points or more or 80 points or more | 3 years with 70 points or more, 1 year with 80 points or more. The notice received at the time of permission can be used in the permanent residence application |
| Designation of the employer | None | Yes. An application for change is required when changing jobs |
| Minimum annual income standard | None (remuneration equivalent to or greater than that a Japanese national receives) | Annual income of 3 million yen or more |
When applying for Highly Skilled Professional (i)(b), the applicant must also meet the same academic background and work criteria as for Gijinkoku. Even if the examination finds that the applicant does not reach 70 points, if the Gijinkoku requirements are met, a Gijinkoku COE is issued at the applicant's request.
The requirements and documents for Gijinkoku are summarized in Japan Gijinkoku Visa: Complete Guide.
Application process and processing time
To bring someone from overseas, file an Application for Certificate of Eligibility (在留資格認定証明書交付申請); to switch the status of someone already in Japan, file an Application for Change of Status of Residence (在留資格変更許可申請).
- Calculate the points from academic background, work experience and planned annual income, and decide which of (i)(a), (i)(b) or (i)(c) to apply under
- Prepare the Points Calculation Table for Highly Skilled Professionals (高度専門職ポイント計算表) and documents supporting the points (such as degree certificates, certificates of work experience and documents showing annual income)
- Apply to the regional immigration services bureau together with the documents required for the underlying status of residence (such as Gijinkoku)
It is enough to submit supporting documents only for the points needed to confirm 70 points or more. If the aim is permanent residence after one year, submit enough to confirm 80 points or more.
Highly Skilled Professional applications are subject to priority processing, with a guideline of within 10 days for a COE and within 5 days for a change or extension. However, the average number of days actually taken is as follows.
| Category | Issuance of COE | Change of status of residence | Extension of period of stay |
|---|---|---|---|
| (i)(a) | 41.1 days | 38.8 days | 63.3 days |
| (i)(b) | 38.7 days | 51.5 days | 38.8 days |
| (i)(c) | 70.8 days | 119.1 days | 54.8 days |
These are averages for applications at regional immigration services bureaus nationwide (COEs issued and permissions granted in July 2026). They include the periods during which additional documents were requested, and for changes and extensions they also include the time from the end of the examination until the day the applicant goes to receive the permission.
It is safer to count back from the planned date of joining the company or of entry into Japan and start preparing early.
Common stumbling points in preparing the application
In our office's experience supporting these applications, the steps that tend to take the most effort are backing up the person's career with documents and confirming who the contact person is on the company side.
- Certificate of employment from a previous employer: make sure the period, position and job duties do not conflict with other documents such as the offer letter or letters of appointment (辞令)
- Periods counted as work experience: to count periods of post-hire training or job rotation as work experience, a certificate showing the duties during that time is required
- Company contact person: the recruiting staff and the visa staff may be different people, so confirm the contact person first
Preparation goes faster if you first decide how many points to claim under which items, and then collect the necessary certificates in order.
What is the Notice of Points Calculation Results?
When a person receives permission for Highly Skilled Professional status or a similar permission, the immigration office hands over a "Notice of Points Calculation Results" (ポイント計算結果通知書), which shows the category of points recognized. In the ISA's guidance it is also called the "Notice of Points Calculation Results for Highly Skilled Professionals" (高度専門職ポイント計算結果通知書). Because the length of residence required for permission for permanent residence depends on points, this is the document by which the immigration office notifies the result.
- Result: one of "less than 70 points", "70 points or more but less than 80 points" or "80 points or more" is checked. The specific score is not stated
- The authentication seal of the immigration inspector
- Note: to the effect that the points notified are those recognized at the time of that permission, and that the notice does not guarantee that the same points will be recognized in the future
In our office's experience with applications for change of status of residence, the notice was handed over together with the new residence card when the card was collected at the counter. You can confirm from this notice whether your category is 80 points or more.
A person who has resided for one year or more in the 80-points-or-more category can submit a copy of this notice when applying for permanent residence. If the notice is submitted, supporting documents for the points as of the time of the notice are not needed. That the person has 80 points or more as of the permanent residence application is shown again with the calculation table and documents.
If you are considering permanent residence, keep the notice in a safe place.
Points to note after hiring
Because the employer is designated for Highly Skilled Professional (i), an application for change of status of residence is required when the person changes jobs.
At extension of the period of stay, whether the person has 70 points or more is examined again. If the person falls short of 70 points because they have grown older or their annual income has fallen, the period of stay cannot be extended under Highly Skilled Professional status.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an employee who graduated from a vocational school (専門学校) eligible for academic background points?
A person who has received the title of "Kodo Senmonshi" (Advanced Diploma) (高度専門士) is eligible, in the same way as a university graduate. A person with the title of "Senmonshi" (Diploma) (専門士) is not eligible.
Can the spouse of a Highly Skilled Professional status holder work full-time?
Yes. A spouse who resides as the "working spouse" (就労する配偶者) of a Highly Skilled Professional status holder can take work falling under Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services and similar statuses, with no limit on working hours. The conditions are that the spouse lives with the Highly Skilled Professional status holder and receives remuneration equivalent to or greater than that a Japanese national receives.
If an employee is promoted to director, is a change of status of residence required?
No. If the work the person performs as an officer requires specialized knowledge or skills, it continues to fall under (i)(b). If the person wishes, they can also change to (i)(c).
If a person falls below 70 points during their stay, will they immediately be unable to stay in Japan?
They will not immediately lose the ability to stay. However, if they do not reach 70 points at the time of extending the period of stay, the period cannot be extended under Highly Skilled Professional status. In that case, if the requirements are met, the person applies to change to another status of residence, such as Gijinkoku.
When can a person change to (ii)?
A person can apply for the change after engaging in activities under Highly Skilled Professional (i) for three years or more, if they have 70 points or more at the time of the application. Good conduct and other requirements also apply. Under (ii), there is no longer a limit on the period of stay.
Summary
The Highly Skilled Professional visa is a status of residence granted to foreign nationals with 70 points or more for academic background, work experience, annual income and other factors. Under (i), the period of stay is uniformly five years, and the length of residence required for permission for permanent residence is shortened to three years or one year.
Whether a person reaches 70 points depends on which documents support their work experience and whether bonus points can be used. Even for employees you are considering hiring under Gijinkoku, it is worth calculating the points once.
Through our Highly Skilled Professional visa application support, we ask about the person's career and planned annual income and begin by giving you our outlook on whether they will reach 70 points.
References
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Preferential Immigration Treatment for Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals under the Points-Based System" (in Japanese)
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Points-Based System for Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals Q&A" (in Japanese)
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Processing Time for Residence Examinations" (in Japanese)
- Immigration and Residence Examination Guidelines (入国・在留審査要領), "Highly Skilled Professional"
