What is the Japan Highly Skilled Professional visa?

It is a points-based residence status, known in Japanese as Kodo Senmonshoku, that has existed since 2012. Instead of fitting into one fixed set of criteria, applicants are scored across factors like education, career, salary, and age. Clearing the 70-point threshold brings benefits standard work visas do not offer, including a faster route to permanent residence. Official source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA), Points-based System for Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals. Reviewed 17 July 2026.

How many points do I need to qualify?

You need a total of 70 points or more to qualify for Highly Skilled Professional status at all. Your score is added up across academic background, professional career and experience, annual salary, age, research achievements where relevant, and bonus points such as Japanese language ability. Official source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA), Points-based System for Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals. Reviewed 17 July 2026.

Is there a minimum salary for the Highly Skilled Professional visa?

Salary earns points toward your total score, and there is also reported to be a hard floor: an annual salary below JPY 3,000,000 disqualifies an applicant regardless of points total. This figure is consistently reported but was not independently verified against a primary ISA document this session, so confirm the current position with ISA before relying on it. Official source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA), Points-based System for Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals. Reviewed 17 July 2026.

How much faster is permanent residence on this visa?

If you score 70 to 79 points, you become eligible to apply for permanent residence after 3 years of continuous residence. If you score 80 or more, that drops to 1 year. This compares with the standard work-visa track, which generally requires 10 years of total residence, including at least 5 years on a work visa. Official source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA), Points-based System for Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals. Reviewed 17 July 2026.

Do I need to keep my points score up after I am approved?

Sources consistently report that you need to maintain a score of 70 or more, or 80 or more depending on which fast track you are using, throughout the qualifying period leading up to your permanent residence application, not only at the point you first applied. Confirm your position with ISA as your qualifying period progresses. Official source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA), Points-based System for Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals. Reviewed 17 July 2026.

What is the difference between HSP1 and HSP2?

HSP1 is your initial status, granted with a residence period of up to 5 years immediately, rather than built up over renewals. After 3 or more years on HSP1, you can apply for HSP2, which grants an indefinite period of stay and broader permitted activities. HSP2 is not the same as full permanent residence, which is a separate status with its own application. Official source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA), Points-based System for Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals. Reviewed 17 July 2026.

Can my spouse work in Japan on this visa?

Yes. Your spouse can work full time under a Designated Activities category, without the 28-hour weekly cap that applies to spouses on an ordinary dependant visa, and without needing to independently meet standard work-visa qualification requirements. Official source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA), Points-based System for Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals. Reviewed 17 July 2026.

Can I bring a parent or a domestic helper to Japan?

In limited circumstances. A parent can accompany you if you or your spouse is raising a child under 7, or someone in the household is pregnant and needs care assistance, subject to combined household income of at least JPY 8,000,000 and living together with you. A domestic helper can accompany you subject to combined household income of at least JPY 10,000,000, one helper only, paid at least JPY 200,000 a month. Official source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA), Points-based System for Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals. Reviewed 17 July 2026.

How much does the visa cost?

Visa fees are set by Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and vary by nationality, and many nationalities have fees waived under reciprocal exemption agreements. We found conflicting figures for HSP-specific fees during research and could not confirm a reliable current amount, so check the current fee for your nationality with your nearest Japanese embassy or consulate. Official source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA), Visa. Reviewed 17 July 2026.

How long does the Certificate of Eligibility take to process?

HSP applications generally get priority processing, commonly cited as around 5 to 10 working days for the Certificate of Eligibility, faster than standard work-visa processing. Treat this as a general guide rather than a fixed turnaround, since actual processing time depends on ISA's current workload. Official source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA), Points-based System for Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals. Reviewed 17 July 2026.

What are J-Skip and J-Find, and are they the same as the HSP visa?

They are separate, adjacent programmes launched on 21 April 2023. J-Skip lets high earners meeting fixed income and experience thresholds skip the points calculation and be treated as scoring 80 points, which means access to the 1-year permanent residence track. J-Find is a job-hunting and startup-preparation visa of up to 2 years for recent graduates of highly ranked universities. Both sit alongside, rather than replace, the standard points-based HSP application. Official source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA), J-Skip and J-Find programmes. Reviewed 17 July 2026.

Can I apply for HSP status if I already live in Japan on another visa?

Yes. If you already hold a standard work visa, such as an Engineer or Specialist in Humanities and International Services visa, and your points score reaches 70, you can apply to change your status of residence to Highly Skilled Professional without leaving Japan. Official source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA), Points-based System for Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals. Reviewed 17 July 2026.

Does eMigr8 give legal or immigration advice on the Highly Skilled Professional visa?

No. We give coaching, profile review, and guidance to help you understand and plan around the points system. We do not give legal advice or immigration consultation, and points thresholds and figures are set by Japan's Immigration Services Agency and can change, so always confirm your specific position with ISA or a qualified immigration professional.

Japan Highly Skilled Professional visa: points, thresholds, and fast-track PR

Japan's Highly Skilled Professional (Kodo Senmonshoku) status is a points-based residence category for researchers, engineers, IT specialists, and business managers. Score enough points and you get access to benefits that ordinary work visas do not offer: a longer visa granted immediately, a much faster route to permanent residence, and wider rights for your spouse and, in some cases, a parent or domestic helper. This page walks through how the points system works, what the thresholds mean in practice, and how the route compares to Japan's standard work visa.

Who it is for

Engineers, IT specialists, and technical hires who expect to score well on the points system, typically through a strong salary, relevant degree, and years of experience; Researchers with a track record of publications, patents, or research funding; Business founders and executives setting up or running operations in Japan; People already in Japan on a standard work visa such as Engineer or Specialist in Humanities and International Services, who want to convert to HSP status once they clear the points threshold; Applicants who want to reach Japanese permanent residence faster than the standard track allows.

How eMigr8 helps

eMigr8 provides coaching and guidance to help you understand and plan around the points system. We do not give legal advice or immigration consultation. Points thresholds, salary floors, and processing figures are set and updated by Japan's Immigration Services Agency and can change, so always confirm your specific position with ISA or a qualified immigration professional before you rely on anything here.