For white-collar roles such as IT, operations, translation, and sales.
Route overview
Japanese employer offer + COE
Typical timeline / duration: 5 years, 3 years, 1 year, or 3 months, as granted by immigration
Important notes
Have a contract with a Japanese public or private organisation for professional work requiring science or engineering knowledge, humanities knowledge, or foreign-culture-based skills.
Usually show a relevant university qualification or sufficient relevant experience; translation, interpreting, and similar roles also need evidence that the language and duties match.
The duties, remuneration, and employer must satisfy the status-of-residence criteria, with remuneration generally no less favourable than that paid to a Japanese worker in comparable work.
The Japanese employer or representative normally applies for a Certificate of Eligibility before the applicant applies for the visa and enters Japan.
In force for residence-change or extension applications received from 1 October 2026: fees depend on the period granted. For a one-year permission, the counter fee is JPY 33,000; online it is JPY 27,000 plus a separate transaction charge. These are in-Japan residence-procedure fees, not a universal consular visa fee.
Applications received by 30 September 2026 retain the previous change/extension fees—JPY 6,000 at the counter or JPY 5,500 online—even if approved later. Follow the approval/payment notice, check other duration bands and ask about any case-specific fee reduction.
Permanent residence is a separate eligibility assessment, not an automatic result of holding this work status. For PR applications received from 1 October 2026, the standard permission fee is JPY 200,000; those received by 30 September retain JPY 10,000 even if approved later. Pay upon permission and confirm any reduction.
Preparation checklist
Match the actual duties, qualification or experience, salary and Japanese employer contract to this status-of-residence category.
Have the employer or representative confirm the COE evidence and obtain the visa checklist from your competent consulate.
For an in-Japan extension or change, check the receipt date, granted period and official payment notice; do not use the residence fee as a consular-visa estimate.
Retain current employment and compliance evidence. If considering permanent residence later, check its independent eligibility and fee separately.