Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services Visa - Application Service
The most commonly used residence status for white-collar occupations. We handle Certificate of Eligibility, status change, and period extension applications for hires such as engineers, interpreters/translators, accountants, and salespeople. We also support the Japanese language requirement added in 2026 and the tightening review of nominal-vs-actual work content.
What is the Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services visa (Gijinkoku)?
Overview
Gijinkoku is a residence status acquired by foreign nationals working in occupations related to their university/vocational school major. It covers white-collar work broadly and is the category with the highest number of applications among work visas in Japan. It consists of three categories (Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services), with slightly different requirements.
Engineer
Typical occupations
Systems engineer / mechanical design / electrical-electronics / architectural design / R&D
Education / experience requirements
Bachelor's degree equivalent in science/engineering, or 10+ years of practical experience
Specialist in Humanities
Typical occupations
Accounting / finance / HR / planning / marketing / legal / consulting
Education / experience requirements
Bachelor's degree equivalent in law/economics/sociology etc., or 10+ years of practical experience
International Services
Typical occupations
Interpretation/translation / overseas sales / language teacher / design / international trade
Education / experience requirements
Related education or 3+ years of practical experience (relaxed for language-related work)
Which category applies is judged by the combination of work content, education, and experience.
2026 operational changes (2 points)
2026 Update
Two important changes occurred in Gijinkoku visa operations in 2026—points that corporate HR managers should be aware of.
Change 1: Addition of N2-equivalent Japanese language requirement
From 2026, for new acquisition (certification) and certain change applications of the Gijinkoku visa, Japanese-Language Proficiency Test N2 equivalent proof of ability is now required. The main targets are new hires of foreign nationals who did not graduate from Japanese universities/graduate schools.
For foreigners who graduated from Japanese universities, graduate schools, or vocational schools, the fact of graduation functions as proof of Japanese ability, so JLPT submission is often not required separately.
Change 2: Tighter review of "divergence between name and reality"
Immigration is now reviewing more strictly than before whether the work content stated in application documents (name) and the actual work content (reality) align. Typical problematic examples:
- Employment contract says "interpretation/translation" but reality is convenience store / restaurant customer service
- Applied as "engineer" but actually doing simple data entry / cleaning
- Application states "marketing planning" but actually store operation / logistics work
It is important at the application stage to confirm whether the work content substantively meets Gijinkoku requirements.
Industry-specific points
By Industry
IT & Communications
The most natural industry for Gijinkoku. Systems engineers, programmers, network engineers, data scientists etc. easily meet education/experience requirements with clear technical work content. Test/QA exclusive or help desk roles require careful work-content description.
Tip．IT specialist exception: If the candidate has passed the Information Processing Engineer Exam or holds an information-processing-related qualification specified by Immigration, Gijinkoku eligibility is recognized regardless of the education requirement (per Immigration practice).
Interpretation, translation, international services
Often used in the "International Services" category. The core of the review is whether the work content has a substantial proportion of translation/interpretation. Roles like "overseas liaison" or "overseas customer support" alone may be judged not to meet Gijinkoku requirements.
Tip．University graduate exception: For interpretation, translation, and language instruction work, university graduates can meet the requirements without 3+ years of practical experience (per Immigration practice).
Sales & Marketing
Used in the "Specialist in Humanities" category. Mainly economics/business graduates and overseas MBA holders. Simple retail clerks and tele-sales-only positions tend to fall outside; it is important that the work content includes elements of planning, strategy formulation, and analysis.
Tip．Type 2 work: work requiring thinking and sensibility based on foreign culture (translation, interpretation, language instruction, PR, advertising, international trade, fashion/interior design, product development, etc.). For Type 2 applications, 3+ years of practical experience is required (waived for university graduates engaged in interpretation/translation/language instruction).
Engineers / Manufacturing site
Design, development, and quality control in manufacturing are eligible for Gijinkoku. Line workers and assembly workers cannot get Gijinkoku (these are subject to Specified Skilled Worker / Training Employment).
Tip．In manufacturing hiring, the practical starting point is to first confirm whether the candidate's role is more design/development-oriented or site work-oriented.
Documents your company will need to prepare (for certification application)
Documents
Additional documents may be needed depending on industry, company size, and application type. Below are typical examples.
Corporate registry certificate (within 3 months)
Registered business purposes must align with the application occupation
Financial statements (most recent fiscal year)
Show financial stability and capacity to hire foreign workers
Tax withholding ledger or labor insurance estimated premium return
For verifying actual employee scale
Employment contract / working condition notification
Whether work content meets Gijinkoku requirements is the core of the review
Letter explaining reason for hire
Document why this foreigner is being hired and what work will be assigned
Company brochure / pamphlet
Submit as general information about business activities
Organizational chart
Show post-hire placement and chain of command
On the individual side, we ask for passport, resume, graduation certificate, transcript, work history, etc.
Jeepney's role
We handle review of the above documents, requests for missing items, and zero-base creation of employment contracts and reason letters. The only items you need to prepare are existing business documents (registry, financial statements, etc.); we provide templates for the rest.
Processing time for Gijinkoku visa (Immigration Bureau published values)
Processing
We introduce the nationwide average values for Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services from the "residence examination processing time" published monthly by the Immigration Services Agency. Actual processing times vary by application location, season, and case complexity.
| Application type | Average days | Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Eligibility (COE) | 59.5 days | About 2 months |
| Status change | 49.8 days | About 1.5-2 months |
| Period extension | 39.7 days | About 1+ month |
- ・Average values across regional Immigration bureaus. Tokyo Immigration jurisdiction tends to take longer
- ・If additional documents are requested, that response period is included in the processing days
- ・Around April (start of fiscal year hiring), applications increase and processing tends to lengthen
Source: Immigration Services Agency - Residence Examination Processing Time (January 2026 approvals)
Gijinkoku visa fees (Standard-tier focus)
Pricing
For corporate clients, the Standard plan is the main offering. Light is for cases where document creation is in-house and only a check is requested; Full Support is for cases needing document collection on top, which is limited among typical corporate inquiries.
| Application type | Light | Standard | Full Support |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Eligibility (COE, overseas) | ¥55,000 | ¥99,000 | ¥132,000 |
| Status change (student → work, transfer, etc.) | ¥55,000 | ¥99,000 | ¥132,000 |
| Period extension (with job change) | ¥55,000 | ¥99,000 | ¥132,000 |
| Period extension (no job change) | ¥27,500 | ¥44,000 | ¥55,000 |
- ・Tax included. Re-application after denial: +¥27,500
- ・Business plan preparation (new companies, etc.): +¥38,500
- ・Out-of-pocket costs (revenue stamps for change/extension ¥4,000, translation, postage) charged separately
- ・Retainer agreement clients qualify for application fee discounts
- ・Progressive discount for multiple simultaneous applications (5+ people)
Response in case of denial
In case of denial, we re-create the reason letter and handle re-application free of charge (conditions specified in the pricing page and contract)
6 common patterns of denial / misunderstanding in Gijinkoku
Rejection Patterns
Most denials are caused by hiring design itself, not by document writing. The 6 typical patterns:
Work content leaning toward simple labor
Nominally "interpretation/translation" but reality is customer service, or nominally "engineering" but reality is line work, etc. Gijinkoku requires specialized work directly related to education or practical experience.
Mismatch between education/experience and work content
A literature graduate doing "system development" or an economics graduate doing "interpretation/translation" can be denied due to weak relevance.
Salary level below comparable Japanese
If the foreign candidate's salary is clearly lower than Japanese employees doing the same work, this is a denial factor.
Unstable company finances
If recent financials show insolvency or consecutive losses, the prospect of continued employment may be questioned.
Excessive hiring plan relative to business scale
A company of 5 employees applying for 5 Gijinkoku simultaneously may be questioned about whether the employment is real.
Confusion with caregiving work
Bathing/eating assistance and other caregiving tasks cannot be done under Gijinkoku (clearly stated in Immigration's review practice). For hiring foreigners at care sites, certified Care Worker holders can use the "Nursing Care" residence status; without certification, consider Specified Skilled Worker Type 1 (Nursing Care) or Training Employment.
Our office checks for risks in the above 6 patterns during pre-application interviews. When the likelihood of denial is high, we may propose revising the hiring design.
"Career match check" when hiring Gijinkoku talent mid-career
Transfer Match Check
From 2026 onward, Gijinkoku reviews more strictly examine the "alignment between name and reality" and "consistency of education/career and work content." When hiring Gijinkoku talent mid-career from another company, if the new role doesn't match the candidate's education/career, there is a risk of denial at the next renewal. We check the match between career and work before hiring decisions and, if necessary, support obtaining a Certificate of Authorized Employment (issued by Immigration Services Agency).
STAGE 1
Career match check (before hiring decision)
We review the candidate's residence card, resume, work history, and graduation certificate, and report on whether they align with the new role. If there is a mismatch, we issue an alert before hiring and propose revising the role design. Delivered in 2-3 business days.
¥55,000
STAGE 2
Certificate of Authorized Employment (after hiring)
After the hiring decision, as a formal safety confirmation, we obtain a Certificate of Authorized Employment (issued by the Immigration Services Agency, obtained about 3 months after application) on your behalf. This document, by which the Immigration Bureau confirms in advance that "the current role is expected to be approved at the next renewal," provides peace of mind for both the company and the individual.
¥99,000
Set discount: Stage 1 + Stage 2 set ¥132,000 (equivalent to Full Support). Retainer agreement clients qualify for Stage 1 discount; Stage 2 can also be incorporated into monthly review—consultation possible.
Recommended for these companies
- Companies wanting to hire foreigners who already hold Gijinkoku at other companies
- Companies wanting to confirm risks when transferring Gijinkoku employees to different departments / roles
- Companies wanting to confirm the safety of residence statuses in advance during M&A or group company restructuring
Frequently asked questions about Gijinkoku
FAQ
Q. Can candidates without Japanese ability no longer obtain Gijinkoku?+
A. It's not absolutely impossible, but the bar for new acquisition has risen. If there is no N2-equivalent proof, additional explanatory documents may be required. Please consult us for special circumstances such as companies with English as the official language or environments with on-site technical interpreters.
Q. How strictly is the relevance between education and occupation reviewed?+
A. Cases where major and occupation clearly match (e.g., information engineering graduate → SE) are no problem. Cases with weak relevance (e.g., economics graduate → designer) require explanation through supplementary documents such as practical experience, self-study history, and related qualifications. Completely unrelated combinations may be difficult.
Q. What if the occupation changes mid-period?+
A. If work content changes significantly, a status change permit application is required. Even within Gijinkoku, changes spanning the 3 categories (Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services) require attention.
Q. Is changing from Gijinkoku to Specified Skilled Worker possible?+
A. Possible under certain conditions. After 5 years of Gijinkoku employment, passing the Specified Skilled Worker Type 2 exam allows the change. The reverse direction (Specified Skilled Worker → Gijinkoku) requires meeting education requirements.
Q. What is the re-application success rate after denial?+
A. It varies greatly by the reason for denial. If the cause is document deficiency or insufficient explanation, supplementing and re-applying may lead to approval. If the work content itself does not fall under Gijinkoku, switching to a different residence status rather than re-application is appropriate.
Q. Can foreigners working on Specified Skilled Worker visa change to Gijinkoku?+
A. This is generally not envisioned in operation (per Immigration's review practice). Practical experience gained on Specified Skilled Worker is not generally evaluated for Gijinkoku's "10+ years of practical experience" requirement either. To obtain Gijinkoku, the path through education requirements (graduation from related university/vocational school programs) is the basis.
Q. If a foreigner hired under Gijinkoku is promoted to executive (officer), what happens to the residence status?+
A. Immediate change to Business Manager visa is not required (per Immigration's review practice). The practical operation is to consider changing to Business Manager at the time of the current Gijinkoku's expiration. For retainer clients, we propose the optimal change timing at the time of promotion.
Latest updates: Gijinkoku visa articles
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Gijinkoku visa application - Let's discuss first
The earlier you consult during the hiring design stage, the higher the feasibility. The first 60-minute consultation is free.