Highly Skilled Professionals and J-Skip

Hello, everyone. This is Ito from IMS Legal Professional Corporation

We've entered September, but it seems the hot days are still upon us. I hope you're all doing well. August recorded temperatures of 30 degrees Celsius or higher every day, and even in September, we continue to break records for the most days with extreme heat. Please make sure to stay hydrated, maintain your salt intake, and be cautious to avoid heatstroke and dehydration.

Lately, we've been receiving many inquiries about the Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) visa and the J-Skip visa. Some inquiries explicitly list items and point scores, seeking confirmation if they meet the requirements for J-Skip. It's important to clarify that while HSP and J-Skip visas may seem similar, they are entirely different.

J-Skip Requirements

For the Highly Skilled Professional visa, the requirement is to score 70 points or higher based on the point calculation table. In contrast, J-Skip does not operate on a points-based system.

J-Skip is divided into three categories based on the activities you intend to undertake, just like the Highly Skilled Professional visa. Each category has its own set of requirements tailored to specific activities:

"Advanced Academic Research Activities": Activities involving research, research guidance, or education conducted under contracts with public or private institutions in Japan (e.g., university professors and researchers).
"Advanced Specialized/Technical Activities": Engaging in tasks requiring knowledge or skills in the natural sciences or humanities fields based on contracts with public or private institutions in Japan (e.g., those working on new product development in companies, international lawyers, etc.).
"Advanced Management Activities": Engaging in business management or administration in public or private institutions in Japan (e.g., executives of companies conducting global business operations).

To be eligible, you must meet the following requirements:

For those in categories (1) and (2):

Possess a master's degree or higher and have an annual income of 20 million yen or more.
Have over 10 years of practical experience related to the intended work or activity and an annual income of 20 million yen or more.

For those in category (3):

Have more than five years of practical experience in business management or administration, with an annual income of 40 million yen or more.

The residence status for J-Skip is "Specific Activities," and it is noted as "Special Highly Skilled Foreign Professional" on the back of the residence card. On the other hand, for Highly Skilled Professionals, the residence status is "Highly Skilled Professional (Category 1)."

Priority Processing

While both J-Skip and Highly Skilled Professionals enjoy preferential treatment, there is one advantage exclusive to J-Skip: "Priority Processing for Entry and Residence Procedures."

To obtain a residence status, it is essential to have a host organization in Japan. If you plan to work as a freelancer without an employment contract in Japan, there is no specific residence status for this situation. Furthermore, meeting the point requirements alone does not guarantee approval. For both J-Skip and Highly Skilled Professional visas, you must meet the eligibility criteria of the base residence status (e.g., professor, researcher, technical or humanities knowledge, international business, or management) and provide documents that meet the requirements of J-Skip or Highly Skilled Professionals during the application process.

The requirements for applying for permanent residency are as follows: for J-Skip, you can apply one year after meeting the J-Skip requirements, and for Highly Skilled Professionals, it's three years after meeting the requirements if you have 70 points or more, or one year if you have 80 points or more.

It's worth noting that the existence of similar residence statuses can sometimes lead to confusion. If you are considering applying for either J-Skip or Highly Skilled Professional or are contemplating a permanent residency application, please feel free to contact our firm. Since J-Skip is not points-based, some individuals may meet J-Skip requirements sooner than they accumulate the required points for the Highly Skilled Professional visa.

For more information, please visit the following official links (automatic translation available):