2025-03-29

For foreign nationals who wish to live in Japan for a long time, permanent residence is “something to aspire to. However, there is a way to obtain permanent residence by using the Advanced Human Resource Point system, although you must clear strict requirements to do so. In this issue, we will introduce this method.

Permanent Residency and its Requirements

Permanent residence is literally “the right for foreign nationals to reside permanently in Japan. Once you have permanent resident status, there are no restrictions on the length of your stay in Japan. In addition, there are basically no restrictions on the type of work that can be done. In other words, you can lead a life similar to that of a Japanese national.

In order to be granted permanent resident status, you must have a record of long-term residence in Japan. Specifically, the applicant must have resided in Japan for at least 10 years, and must have been in Japan with resident status for at least 5 years. In addition, there must be no violations of laws and regulations, tax delinquency, etc., and the applicant must be of good conduct. In addition, the applicant must In addition, the applicant must have assets and skills to make an independent living, and must be specially recognized by the Minister of Justice.

What is the Highly Skilled Worker Point?

The Immigration and Residency Management Agency defines highly skilled human resources as “human resources of high quality who are complementary to domestic capital and labor and cannot be replaced” and “human resources who are expected to bring innovation to Japanese industry, promote the development of the professional and technical labor market through friendly competition with Japanese, and increase the efficiency of the Japanese labor market. In other words, it is a human resource who is expected to bring innovation to Japanese industry, promote the development of the professional and technical labor market through friendly competition with Japanese, and increase the efficiency of the Japanese labor market.

More simply put, they are “excellent human resources who can develop the Japanese economy with new ideas and skills.

High-level human resources are divided into the following three genres, but since the evaluation items in each genre differ, you must confirm the activities that are appropriate for you.

(1) Advanced academic research field
Activities that involve research, teaching research or education (e.g., university professors, etc.)
⇒ “Highly specialized 1 (a)
(2) Highly specialized/technical fields
Activities to engage in work requiring knowledge or skills or activities to provide education (e.g. IT engineer, etc.) ⇒ “highly specialized profession 1 (b)
(3) Highly specialized management/administrative fields
Activities to engage in business management or administration (e.g., company management, etc.) ⇒ “highly skilled professionals 1 (c)

In addition, in order to be certified as a highly skilled worker, a calculation must be made using the point calculation table stipulated by the Immigration and Residence Management Agency, and the applicant must have a certain number of points. The method of point accumulation differs depending on the genre.

Highly Skilled Personnel Points and Permanent Residency

Among the requirements for permanent residence, the requirement of “continuous residence in Japan for 10 years or more as a general rule” is relaxed with the use of Advanced Human Resources Points.

In other words, the number of years of stay in Japan can be relaxed to “3 years” or “1 year” by using the Advanced Talented Persons Points. Which will be the case is determined by the number of points of the advanced human resources points.

Specifically, if the number of points calculated is between 70 and 80, the period of stay in Japan will be reduced to “3 years,” and if the number of points calculated is 80 or more, the period of stay in Japan will be reduced to “1 year.

Note that the point calculation for permanent residence applications must be made both “at the time of application” and “in the past”.
For example, if the points at the time of application total 80 or more, the point calculation must be done as of “one year ago” and the total points must have remained 80 or more to the present. If the total points at the time of application is 70 or more, the points must be calculated as of “3 years ago” and the total points must have remained 70 or more up to the present.

Summary

Highly skilled human resources are foreigners who are recognized as excellent human resources who can develop the Japanese economy with new ideas and skills. To obtain permanent residence, a foreigner must stay in Japan for more than 10 years, but by using the advanced human resources points, this residence requirement can be significantly shortened.