Japan Procedures #02: The Highly Skilled Professional Visa Application (高度専門職1号ロ)
THE HIGHLY SKILLED PROFESSIONAL VISA (高度専門職１号ロ)
This article is a real fragment from working and living in Japan. It is an experience record, not legal or visa advice.
A DETAILED APPLICATION GUIDE
In this article, I will share some important details from my own experience preparing and filing the change to a Highly Skilled Professional visa in Japan.
To focus on the documents and the process, I will not cover the specific rights and privileges of this visa type. You can learn more about those through other sources.
1. How the points are calculated
To obtain the Highly Skilled Professional visa, the applicant must score points from the defined categories and reach at least 70 points.
Here are the main items to consider. For example:
- Education: Bachelor's degree:
10 points, Master's: 20 points, Doctorate: 30 points. - Work experience: 3 years or more:
5 points, over 5 years: 10 points. - Annual income: points increase with the converted income level.
- Age: under 30 earns
15 points (so apply as early as you can).
After you know your score:
- Those with 70 points need to reside continuously in Japan for at least 3 years to be eligible to apply for permanent residence.
- Those with 80 points or more get the maximum shortcut: they can apply for permanent residence after just 1 year of residence.
2. Documents to prepare
You can refer to how to prepare and the accurate document list on the homepage of the Immigration Services Agency (ISA) of Japan.
● Documents you prepare yourself
1. 在留資格変更申請書 — Application to change the status of residence. Download the form here: 在留資格変更申請書 (.xlsx).
2. A 3x4 cm photo — newly taken.
3. 在留カード copy — residence card, both sides.
4. Passport copy — the information pages.
5. ポイント計算表 — the points calculation sheet for the highly skilled professional category.
- Prove you reach at least 70 points.
- Note: For the small-and-medium enterprise item, you only get the bonus points if you meet item I, イノベーション (innovation)!
Download the form here: ポイント計算表 (.xls).
6. University degree copy (大学卒業).
- Attach a Japanese or equivalent English translation.
7. JLPT の証明書 — Japanese language proficiency certificate copy (N2, N1).
8. 住民票 — certificate of residence. Obtain it at your local 市役所 (city hall).
9. 課税証明書 — tax (assessment) certificate. Obtain it at the 市役所 (city hall).
10. 納税証明書 — tax payment certificate. Obtain it at the 市役所 (city hall).
11. Top-university list (パートナー校) — a university on the high-ranking or partner list of Japan, for bonus points.
- In Vietnam there are currently 5: Vietnam-Japan University, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi University of Industry.
12. Documents proving the company is a 中小企業 (SME) — refer to the template on the ISA website.
● Documents the company prepares
13. 在職証明書 — certificate of employment at the current company.
- To confirm your position, title and actual years of service at the company.
14. 職歴証明書 — proof of work experience from former (resigned) companies. Request it from the old companies.
15. 給与支払（見込み）証明書 — a certificate of expected income over the next year.
- An estimate of your projected salary and bonus for the coming year.
16. 決算報告書 — the company's financial/audit report, if you need to prove the innovative-enterprise or special-treatment item.
- In my case: the company invests more than 3% of total revenue in research/R&D, so I had to submit this document for verification.
💡 Field note: Depending on your case and the regional ISA office, they may ask for an additional 源泉徴収票 (gensen choshu-hyo, withholding tax slip) from you and the sponsoring company. To be thorough and shorten the review, prepare it in advance and submit it together from the first round.
3. Lessons learned
- Calculate the points precisely and carefully: verify every detail and its supporting document so the score holds firm when the ISA reviews it directly, avoiding a drop that fails the visa.
- Research early & prepare thoroughly: this is not a visa you can prepare quickly or get on the spot. You need a plan to accumulate achievements and qualifications (JLPT, a specialized engineering certificate, etc.) beforehand.
- Keep updating information on the ISA portal: check the current rules and point items closely.
If you get stuck or struggle to estimate your own score, feel free to read further or contact me directly for guidance within my real experience! Wishing you a smooth application and an early success in obtaining the Highly Skilled Professional residence card!
A note
This content is an experience record and a reference checklist. It does not replace legal advice or official guidance from the competent authorities. When preparing your application, re-check the latest information from the official website and confirm it for your own case.
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