residence

In 2012, the Ministry of Justice, Immigration Bureau introduced a new system for certain highly skilled foreigners to obtain Japanese permanent residency.  The new system is a points based system that gives preference for higher levels of education or salary.  Under this system qualified individuals are given preferential immigration treatment such as the ability to obtain permanent residence faster than other foreigners.

Permanent residency allows a foreign national to stay in Japan legally without having to worry about renewing a visa every year.  In addition, becoming a permanent resident also lets the foreign national work in any field, not just the industry specified on his or her visa. 

One of the key interests for any government in setting up a visa based immigration program is to limit the number of jobs that foreigners are allowed to occupy, thereby protecting the local workforce as much as possible. To enforce these protectionist policies, many countries, including Japan, require employers to check whether their foreign job applicants have legal status to work before hiring them.

When a foreigner arrives in Japan with a long-term visa, a residence card can be issued at the airport. The card is linked to the type of visa that the foreigner holds and specifically lists the scope of the visa and type of work that the foreigner may engage in legally (for example “Specialist in Humanities/International Services” or “Professor”).