【Explained Simply!】What’s the Difference Between the Engineer Visa and the Highly Skilled Professional Visa?
Foreigners working in Japan must obtain a work visa. The most representative work visas are the “Engineer Visa” and the “Highly Skilled Professional Visa.” While both are visas for foreigners with specialized knowledge or experience, there are several distinct differences. Here, we explain these points in detail.
What is the Engineer Visa?
The “Engineer Visa” is the most common work visa. It primarily targets foreigners working in jobs that utilize specialized knowledge acquired at universities or similar institutions. Examples include IT engineers, interpreters, accounting staff, and marketing professionals.
To obtain a Engineer Visa, either academic qualifications or practical experience is required. Specifically, the applicant must have studied the relevant field at a university or equivalent institution, or possess at least 10 years of practical experience in that field.
The Engineer Visa is the most frequently used residence status when Japanese companies hire foreign nationals. Provided certain conditions are met, it can be renewed repeatedly, enabling long-term employment. However, caution is necessary: changing jobs or engaging in work outside one’s specialized field may make visa renewal difficult.
What is the Highly Skilled Professional Visa?
The “Highly Skilled Professional Visa” (Highly Skilled Foreign Professional Visa) is a residence status established to actively accept highly skilled foreign nationals. This visa is granted through a point-based evaluation system. Applicants must score a total of 70 points or more across criteria such as academic background, work experience, annual income, and research achievements.
The most significant feature of this visa is its unique treatment compared to other visas. For example, the maximum period of stay is set at 5 years, spouses are permitted to work, and bringing parents or domestic helpers is also allowed. Furthermore, compared to other visas, permanent residency can be applied for sooner (as early as 1 year), making it an ideal visa for foreigners considering permanent residency in Japan in the future.
As described above, the Highly Skilled Professional Visa is a system designed to attract high-level specialized professionals expected to contribute significantly to Japan’s economy and society. It is particularly suited for highly skilled foreigners in fields such as IT, finance, and research and development.
Differences Between the Two Visas
The primary differences between theEngineer Visa and the Highly Skilled Professional Visa lie in their purpose and treatment.
The Engineer Visa aims to enable individuals to work in Japan utilizing their specialized knowledge and skills. It is essentially a standard, general work visa. In contrast, the Highly Skilled Professional Visa is a special category designed to retain highly capable individuals long-term. Consequently, it offers numerous preferential measures.
There are also differences in the requirements for obtaining each visa. The Engineer Visa can be applied for if the applicant meets the required academic background and work experience conditions. The Highly Skilled Professional Visa, however, requires meeting a points-based system. Furthermore, the Highly Skilled Professional Visa offers significant advantages in terms of living conditions, such as a longer maximum period of stay, the ability to bring family members, and accelerated eligibility for permanent residency.
Summarizing the above points, the Engineer Visa can be described as a “general visa for working in Japan,” while the Highly Skilled Professional Visa is a “special visa for securing outstanding talent.”
Summary
The Engineer Visa aims to enable individuals to work in Japan utilizing their specialized knowledge and skills, while the Highly Skilled Foreign Professional Visa is a special category designed to retain more outstanding talent long-term. Furthermore, the Engineer Visa requires meeting academic and work history conditions, whereas the Highly Skilled Foreign Professional Visa requires passing a points-based system.
