Hotel front desk work and support for international students are also OK! Explanation of the eligible occupations and acquisition conditions for the Engineer and Humanities Visa (Engineering, Humanities, International Services)
"What kind of visa is a Skilled Worker Visa?"
"Can I stay in Japan and work in this job?"
Many foreign nationals who want to work in Japan may have these kinds of questions and concerns.
The Engineer/Humanities Specialist/International Services Visa (official name: Engineer/Humanities Specialist/International Services Visa) is a residence status that allows you to work in a Japanese company using specialized knowledge and skills.
The qualification is aimed at office-related jobs or occupations that utilize knowledge, such as interpreting/translation, IT, accounting, and sales, and the main requirements for obtaining the qualification are an academic background from a university or vocational school and related work experience.
In this article, we will provide a simple explanation of everything from basic information about the Skilled Worker Visa, the conditions for obtaining it, the types of jobs it is eligible for, things to be aware of when changing jobs, the procedures for renewal and changing residence status, and what to do if you experience a period of unemployment.
▶If you would like to know more about part-time jobs for international students and how to work after graduation,This article .
What is a Skilled Worker Visa? A detailed explanation of the three categories and job content
The Skilled Worker Visa is a residence status (visa) for foreign nationals who wish to work in Japan using specialized knowledge and skills.
With this visa, you can use what you have learned at university or vocational school to work in Japan for an extended period of time.
The official name is "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services Visa."
As the name suggests, the activities are divided into three categories:
- Technology: A job that utilizes specialized knowledge in the science field
- Humanities Specialist: A job that utilizes specialized knowledge in the humanities field
- International business: Work that utilizes foreign culture and language skills
Each job must be related to your educational and work history, and it is not uncommon for a job to span multiple categories.
Types of work available [Explanation with specific examples]
The jobs you can do with this visa are:Jobs that require specialized knowledge and experience.For example,
- IT engineer
- Interpretation and translation
- Company administration and sales
Simple tasks such as cashiering or cleaning are not eligible. In other words, the job must utilize what you learned in school or your previous work experience.
The types of jobs available to foreign nationals who are actually working on a Skilled Worker visa include:
- Programmers and system engineers at IT companies
- Interpretation and translation at travel agencies
- Import and export business at a trading company
- Hotel front desk work
- Human Resources Coordinator for International Students
And so on.
The job categories for each of the three categories are summarized in the table below:
[Technical Person Visa] Differences between the three categories (examples of occupations)
| Classification | Characteristics of the field | Specific job examples |
| Technical field | Natural sciences such as science, engineering, and information engineering | ・IT engineers (programmers, system engineers, etc.) ・Mechanical design, architectural design, game development ・New technology research ・Product development |
| Humanities Field | Humanities such as law, economics, and sociology | ・Administrative positions such as accounting, general affairs, human resources, and legal affairs ・Planning, marketing, public relations, and sales (domestic and overseas) |
| International Business Field | Utilizing foreign language skills and cultural understanding | ・Interpretation, translation ・Language teaching (language school, etc.) ・Trade administration and overseas transaction work ・Hotel front desk work and coordinator work for international students・Inbound PR, overseas marketing, etc. |
At Fine Staff, we handle hotel front desk staff who deal with guests from overseas, as well as coordinating work for international students.
What they all have in common is that they utilize specialized knowledge using Japanese or a foreign language.
▶Hotel JobsIf you want to know more aboutThis articlecheck
How is it different from other visas?
The differences between this visa and other visas can be summarized as follows:
- Skilled Worker Visa: For jobs that utilize knowledge and skills
- Specified Skills Visa: For skilled work in the field, such as nursing care and food service.
- Designated Activities Visa: For people with special circumstances, such as job hunting or working holidays
The technical visa is"Working with knowledge"This job is aimed at foreigners who want to work in a book-based, long-term, stable position.
On the other hand, the "Specified Skills Visa" is a visa for foreigners working in the field, such as in nursing care or food service.
Requirements for obtaining a skilled worker visa and eligible occupations
To obtain a Skilled Worker Visa, the following conditions must be met:
- The company you will work for has been decided
- The work content matches the visa content
- Educational background and work history
Please note that if you do not have all of these documents, your visa application may not be approved. We will look into this in more detail below.
The company you will work for has been decided
This visa requires that you have already found employment with a company. It is not enough to just get a job offer; you also need to have a formal employment contract.
By submitting a contract with a company and proof of employment, you will be considered "ready to work in Japan."
The work content matches the visa content
The visa specifies the types of work that can be done, and the work must be within that scope.
For "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services Visa",
- IT engineer
- Translation and interpretation
- Accounting, General Affairs
- Hotel front desk work
Such,For jobs that require specialized knowledgeYou cannot work in jobs that are considered unskilled labor with this visa.
Specifically, there are jobs that require you to use your IT knowledge to write programs, or jobs at a hotel front desk where you use your English or Chinese to support foreign customers.
All of these occupations require specialized skills and foreign language skills and advanced knowledge. There are many workplaces where you can utilize not only Japanese but also foreign languages, making this a suitable visa for people involved in international work.
Educational background and work history
Having an educational background or work experience related to the job is one of the most important conditions for obtaining a visa. In principle, you must meet one of the following conditions:
Pattern 1: Applying based on academic background
The basic requirement is that you have graduated from university or have received an equivalent or higher education, majoring in a subject related to the work you intend to do.
- Japanese university, junior college, or graduate school: Graduation is OK.
- Japanese vocational school: You must have graduated from a vocational school and obtained the title of "Diploma" or "Advanced Diploma."
The important thing is that the subject you major in is closely related to the job you are looking for. For example,
- For those who studied "tourism studies": Hotel front desk work is relevant ◎
- People who have studied languages can work as coordinators for international students.
In such cases, experience studying at a university or junior college overseas is considered equivalent to graduating from a Japanese university and is recognized.
Pattern 2: Applying based on work history
Even if you don't meet the educational requirements, you may be able to cover them with your work experience.
- More than 10 years of work experience: If you have more than 10 years of work experience in the job you are going to do, there are no educational requirements. This experience includes the time spent majoring in a related subject at a university or vocational school.
- More than three years of work experience (for international work): If you are engaged in "international work" such as translation/interpretation, language instruction, public relations, advertising, overseas trade, etc., more than three years of work experience may be accepted. However, if you are a university graduate and are performing these tasks, work experience is not required.
To prove your work experience, you will need to submit objective documentation, such as a certificate of employment from a company you previously worked for.
[Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)]
Here we answer some frequently asked questions about the Skilled Worker Visa.
Q1. Can I do any job with a skilled worker visa?
→ No. This visa is limited to jobs that require specialized knowledge. Simple labor such as cleaning or customer service is not covered.
Q2. Can I obtain it even if I have graduated from a vocational school?
→ Yes. However, the content of your major and the job you are doing must match. For example, it is OK for someone who studied tourism to work at a hotel front desk, but it would be difficult if the field is completely unrelated.
Q3. Is Japanese language ability required?
→ It is not a requirement for obtaining a visa. However, communication at work and document preparation often require Japanese language skills beyond everyday conversation.
Q4. Can I work part-time on a skilled worker visa?
→ As a general rule, you cannot engage in any income-earning activities other than those permitted by your visa (i.e., work at your main company).
If you want to work part-time, you will need to obtain a separate "Permission to Engage in Activities Other Than Those Permitted Under the Status of Residence Previously Granted" from the Immigration Bureau. If you are granted permission, you will be able to work part-time up to 28 hours per week. However, you cannot work in the adult entertainment industry.
Q5. Does this include hotel work?
→ People who have studied tourism or languages may be accepted for front desk work, etc.
Q6. Is it possible to provide support for international students?
→ Yes. It may be recognized as "international work" that utilizes language skills and experience in international exchange.
Summary | Utilize your expertise and expand your career in Japan with a Skilled Worker Visa
The Engineer/Humanities Specialist/International Services visa is an important residence status that allows foreign nationals to utilize the knowledge and experience they have gained in Japan.
To obtain this visa, you must have graduated from a university or vocational school (or have more than 10 years of work experience), as well as have a specialized job and an employment contract.
The range of jobs available is wide,
- "Technical jobs" in the science field (IT engineers, research and development, design, etc.)
- "Humanities-related jobs" in the humanities field (accounting, human resources, marketing, sales, etc.)
- "International business jobs" that utilize language and cultural skills (interpretation, translation, trade, design, hotel front desk, coordinator for international students, etc.)
And it's a wide range.
What they all have in common is that A job that utilizes specialized knowledge and skillsWhile jobs that are considered unskilled labor are not eligible, if the job is relevant to what you have studied or your work history, it will greatly expand your career options.
In addition, the applicationEmphasis is placed on the relevance of educational background, work history, and job contentIf you can clearly demonstrate your expertise, such as someone who studied tourism working at a hotel front desk, or someone who studied a foreign language working in support of international students, your chances of obtaining the qualification will increase.
If you are unsure whether your educational background or work history is sufficient to apply, or if you want to know what types of jobs are eligible, we recommend that you prepare with the help of a professional.
Fine Staff provides visa consultation and job search support for foreign nationals.
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