If you’ve lived in Japan for a few years, you might eventually consider applying for a Permanent Resident visa. And it’s easy to see why. Unlike a regular working visa, a Permanent Resident visa in Japan allows foreigners to work freely without needing to renew their residence status every few years. It also makes it easier to get approved for loans, such as when buying a house in Japan.
Looking to apply for permanent residency in Japan but clueless about how to do so? We’ll explain all you need to know about the Highly Skilled Foreign Professional point system.
By the end of this blog, you’ll know how everything works and share with you how you can calculate your points based on the Highly Skilled Professional scale! Many articles on the internet do not do a thorough job of explaining who is eligible to apply for permanent residence in Japan or when they are eligible.
Read this article to find out whether or not you can apply for the highly skilled track and get your permanent residence in Japan.
What does Permanent Residence in Japan grant you?
By obtaining permanent residency in Japan, you are granted the availability of preferential and more advantageous treatment. You would instantly get more benefits as compared to foreign nationals with other statuses of residence. With a permanent resident visa, you will no longer have any restrictions on a certain status holder’s activities or periods of stay.
To sum up, the benefits of being a Permanent Resident include the following:
No restrictions on engaging in any kind of employment or activities
No need for visa renewal, because the Permanent Resident visa allows an unlimited duration of stay
Easier to get public housing loans or financing from a bank
Who is eligible to apply for Permanent Residence in Japan?
There are mainly 4 categories of people who are eligible to apply for the Permanent Resident visa.
- Foreign nationals who have lived in Japan for 10 years or more
- Foreign nationals who have a spouse of Japanese Nationality
- Foreign nationals who have lived in Japan for 3 years or more, and scored a minimum of 70 points on the Highly Skilled Foreign Professional scale*
- Foreign nationals who have lived in Japan for 1 year or more, and scored a minimum of 80 points on the Highly Skilled Foreign Professional scale*
Confused about this? Don’t worry. We will be explaining more for points 3 and 4 in this blog!
What is the Highly Skilled Foreign Professional scale* and How does it work?
The Highly Skilled Foreign Professional scale refers to the Points Calculation for foreign nationals who qualify as a Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) under one of the following three categories:
- Advanced academic research activities
- Advanced specialized/technical activities
- Advanced business management activities
You can refer to this link for the PDF version of the points calculation table above.
The points calculation system consists of a few mandatory categories and bonus categories where you can score points.
- The mandatory categories include Academic Background, Professional Career, Annual Salary, and Age.
- There are also 13 other categories that can give you bonus points, such as passing the JLPT N1 test, getting a degree from a Japanese institution of higher education, and more.
The relaxation of the permanent residence requirements could be confusing.
Below we have included infographics that hopefully will clear it up.
- have an HSP visa during those 3 years or more of stay in Japan; OR
- prove with their points that they qualify as an HSP, and have a working visa that allows a minimum period of stay of 3 years AT THE TIME of application
*This applies exactly to foreign nationals who have stayed in Japan for 1 year or more, and scored at least 80 points 1 year BEFORE and AT THE TIME of their application.
To better illustrate this, let’s take a look at the example below of 2 people, who are HSPs under Advanced specialized/technical activities:
Alex
December 2019: AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION
(Qualifications – Points)
Master’s Degree – 20
Passed JLPT N2 – 10
30 years old – 10
Annual salary of 6 million yen – 20
6 years of work experience – 10
TOTAL score: 70
*With a score of 70 points at the time of application, Alex stands a chance at applying for permanent residence under the 3 years and 70 points criteria. Let’s take a look at her qualifications 3 years ago.
December 2016: 3 years BEFORE application
Master Degrees – 20
Passed JLPT N2 – 10
27 years old – 15
Annual salary of 5 million yen – 15
3 years of work experience – 5
TOTAL score: 65
*As Alex only has 65 points 3 years before the application, she DOES NOT satisfy the 70 points criteria to apply for permanent residence under the 3 year guideline.
Ben
December 2019: AT THE TIME of application
Master’s Degree – 20
7 years of work experience – 15
Passed JLPT N1 – 15
30 years old – 10
Annual salary of 5 million yen – 15
Acquired degree from a Japanese institution of higher education – Bonus 10
TOTAL score: 85
*With a score of 85 points at the time of application, Ben stands a chance at applying for permanent residence under the 1 year and 80 points criteria. Let’s take a look at his qualifications 1 year ago.
December 2018: 1 year BEFORE application
Master’s Degree – 20
6 years of work experience – 10
Passed JLPT N1 – 15
29 years old – 15
Annual salary of 5 million yen – 15
Acquired degree from a Japanese institution of higher education – Bonus 10
TOTAL score: 85
*Ben has a score of 85 points 1 year before the application, hence he SATISFIES the criteria to apply for permanent residence.
Documents needed for Permanent Resideney Application
Once you have scored enough points under the HSP scale, you can proceed with applying for the Permanent Resident visa in Japan.
The following consists of the documents you will need for your application and for proving your scored points:
- Permanent Residence application form
- 4cm x 3cm photo
- Certificate of residence
- Proof of employment
- Proof of income
- Copy of ID page in passport
- Copy of front and back of residence card
- Tax records from the past 3 years
- Copy of bank statement
- Copy of relevant degrees
- Copy of relevant JLPT certificate
- Guarantor letter (your guarantor must be of Japanese nationality)
- Guarantor employment certificate
- Guarantor proof of income
- Guarantor residence certificate
Application Fee and Waiting Time
The fee to apply is 8000 yen, while the official waiting time for your application to be processed can take anywhere from 4 months to one year. You will pay the 8,000 yen stamp duty if your application is successful. Recently, the Japanese government has become stricter about the permanent residence application and reported wait times have grown from an average of 4-6 months to 7-8 months. We have also been hearing of people being rejected due to unpaid pension and public health insurance back payments.
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FAQ
What is the longest visa for Japan?
The longest standard visa duration in Japan is 5 years, typically granted to work visa holders or dependents. However, permanent residency allows indefinite stay without the need to renew, making it effectively the longest visa status.
What is the salary for permanent residency in Japan?
There is no fixed minimum salary for regular PR applicants, but your income should be stable and sufficient to support yourself and any dependents.
How long is permanent residency in Japan valid for?
Permanent residency in Japan is valid indefinitely. However, your residence card must be renewed every 7 years, and you must not leave Japan for extended periods without permission to maintain your PR status.
How to Get a Permanent Visa in Japan (Step-by-step)
- Meet the residency requirement
Generally, you must have lived in Japan for 10 consecutive years.If you’re on a Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) visa, you may qualify in as little as 1 to 3 years, depending on your points
- 2. Prove financial stability
Show a stable and sufficient income to support yourself (and dependents, if any). Regular employment or consistent business income is usually required.
- Demonstrate good conduct
You must have no criminal record and have consistently followed Japanese laws, including immigration and tax regulations.
- Prepare and submit your application.
Apply through the Immigration Services Agency of Japan.
Key documents include tax certificates (usually past 3–5 years), proof of employment or income, certificate of residence (住民票), letter of guarantee (not required but strongly recommended) - Wait for processing
Processing times can vary, typically 4 to 8 months. If approved, you’ll receive a Permanent Resident status with no expiration (though your residence card must be renewed every 7 years).
Explore other types of visas in Japan in our series: