If you’re thinking, “I want to work in Japan!”, the first thing you’ll need is the right status of residence. While it’s commonly referred to as a “visa,” the official classification in Japan is actually called a status of residence.
In this article, we’ll clearly explain the basics and key points about five of the most common work-related statuses of residence for foreign nationals in Japan.
What’s the Difference Between a Visa and a Status of Residence?
Many people confuse “visa” and “status of residence” when talking about living in Japan. While they’re closely related, they serve different purposes:
- A visa is a permit issued by a Japanese embassy or consulate to enter Japan.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan,
“Visas are only valid for entering Japan on one occasion. The period of validity of the single-entry visa is three months.” (Source: Validity of Visa, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, link) - A status of residence is the legal category that defines what you’re allowed to do while staying in Japan, such as working, studying, or staying with family.
In other words, a visa is required to enter Japan, while a status of residence is required to stay and engage in activities within the country.
What is a Status of Residence?
A status of residence is a legal category assigned to foreign nationals in Japan that defines what activities they are permitted to do during their stay—such as working, studying, or living with family.
Below, I will specifically introduce the statuses of residence that allow foreign nationals to work in Japan.
1. 【Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services】
Examples of Occupations：
Mechanical engineers, interpreters, designers, language teachers in private companies, and marketing staff.
Example Period of Stay：
5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 3 months
（Reference）Immigration Services Agency of Japan｜Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services link
2. 【Specified Skills（No. 1・No. 2）】
Examples of Occupations：
Building Cleaning Management, Construction Industry, Agriculture Industry, Fishery and Aquaculture Industries, Food Service Industry, etc.
※”Specified Skills No. 2″ is a status of residence for foreign national with advanced skills, and requires them to have higher skills than “Specified Skills No. 1”.
Example Period of Stay：
No. 1：The total period of stay must be within 5 years
No. 2：No upper limit
（Reference）
Immigration Services Agency of Japan｜Specified Skills link
Immigration Services Agency of Japan｜Q&A regarding the Specified Skills System link
Immigration Services Agency of Japan｜What is the “Specified Skilled Worker” Status of Residence? link
3. 【Technical Intern Training】
Examples of Occupations：
91 types of jobs and 168 task categories
Example Period of Stay：
No. 1：A period designated by the Minister of Justice (not to exceed one year)
No. 2：A period designated by the Minister of Justice (not to exceed two years)
No. 3：A period designated by the Minister of Justice (not to exceed two years)
（Reference）Immigration Services Agency of Japan｜Technical Intern Training link
4. 【Business Manager】
Examples of Occupations：
Company owners and managers
Example Period of Stay：
5 years, 3 years, 1 year, 6 months, 4 months or 3 months
（Reference）Immigration Services Agency of Japan｜Business Manager link
5. 【Intra-company Transferee】
Examples of Occupations：
Someone transferred from a foreign business establishment
Example Period of Stay：
5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 3 months
（Reference）Immigration Services Agency of Japan｜Intra-company Transferee link
What is the “Category System”?
For work-related visas such as Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, the required documents may vary depending on the type of employer.
This is known as the “Category System.”
Categories are based on the employer, not the applicant.
Your workplace affects how much paperwork is needed and how long the process takes.
Category 1（Focusing on Business Structure)
Any of the following institutions:
- Companies listed on the Japanese stock exchange
- Mutual companies engaged in insurance business
- Japan or a foreign national or local government
- Independent Administrative Institution
- Special corporations and licensed corporations
- A public interest corporation approved by the national and local governments of Japan
- Public corporations listed in Schedule 1 of the Corporation Tax Law
- Companies subject to the special allowance in the middle column (a) or (b) of the table in each item of Article 1, Paragraph 1 of the Ministerial Ordinance on Highly Skilled Professionals (innovation-creating companies) *Please check the “List of Innovation Promotion Support Measures” at the link for the details.
- Companies that meet certain conditions (PDF: 42KB)
Category 2 （Focusing on Withholding tax total from the statutory summary table of employment income)
Any of the following institutions:
- Organizations and individuals with a withholding tax amount of 10 million yen or more in the summary table of statutory reports such as withholding slips for employment income for the previous year
- An institution that has submitted documents proving that it falls under Category 3 and has been approved to use the online residence application system
Category 3 （Focusing on Submission Status of Statutory Summary Tables）
- Organizations and individuals who have submitted statutory totals such as withholding slips for employee salary income for the previous year (excluding category 2)
Category４
- Organizations and individuals that do not fall into any of the above categories
（Reference）Immigration Services Agency of Japan｜Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services link
While the applicant cannot definitively determine their own category, it is generally possible to predict or confirm it based on the size and corporate details of the employer.
Since the required documents may vary depending on the category,
it’s a good idea to check in advance which category you fall under to avoid any issues during the application process.
Don’t forget the key point about applying for COE
In Japan, your status of residence—not your visa—is what defines your rights and activities while living here.
There are different types depending on what you’re doing (like working or studying), and they’re grouped into categories.
One key thing to remember: When applying for a Certificate of Eligibility (COE), it’s not the foreigner who submits it.
It’s the Japanese company, school, or organization that handles the application. So if you’re coming to Japan for work, make sure your future employer knows they need to apply on your behalf.
