Skilled Worker
🇯🇵 Japan visas · Work
What it is
For foreign nationals with specialized industrial skills: foreign cuisine chefs, gemstone processors, animal trainers, pilots, sports trainers, and sommeliers. Requires 10+ years of practical experience. Typical holders: foreign-cuisine chefs, sports instructors, aircraft pilots, precious-metal craftspeople.
Key facts
- Category
- Work
- Duration
- 5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 3 months
- Processing time
- 3 months
- Maximum validity
- 5 years
- Extendable
- Yes
- Path to permanent residence
- Indirect route
- Dependants
- Yes
- Health insurance
- Required
Standard figures for this route. Some applicants pay a reduced fee or none at all, so confirm your own case on the official page.
Fees
- Application fee (band 14,900-15,100; local amount per mission)
- JPY 15,100
- Application fee (band 29,900-30,100; local amount per mission)
- JPY 30,100
Key requirements
- At least 10 years of practical experience in the relevant occupation
- Employment contract with a Japanese employer
- Certificate of Eligibility
- Evidence of professional experience and qualifications
Working on this visa
The status of residence permits only the activities listed for it in the Immigration Control Act's annexed table; other paid activity needs separate permission.
Facts checked against the official source. Last updated 22 July 2026.