Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services Visa
Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services (often called "Gijinkoku") is the most common working status of residence in Japan. It covers foreign nationals who work at companies using specialized knowledge, technical skills, or sensibilities rooted in a foreign culture: engineers, office roles such as planning, sales and accounting, interpreters and translators, overseas business, and more.
Three categories and education / experience requirements
Those who have passed designated IT examinations, such as Japan's Information Technology Engineers Examination, may engage in engineering work without meeting the education or experience requirements (the so-called IT Notice).
Main requirements
- The work must be related to what the applicant studied or to their work experience
- Pay must be at least equal to that of a Japanese national doing the same work
- The work must not consist mainly of simple labor
- The period of stay is 5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 3 months
Key changes in 2026
Working as a dispatched employee (from March 2026)
In principle, the dispatch destination must be fixed at the time of application, and pledges from both the dispatching company and the destination, together with the dispatch contract and other documents, are now required. Immigration checks that the work at the destination falls within this status.
Interpersonal work that mainly uses language skills (from April 15, 2026)
For work that mainly uses language skills with other people, such as translation, interpreting or hotel front-desk service, CEFR B2-level ability in the relevant language is expected. For Japanese, this can be shown by JLPT N2 or higher, a BJT score of 400 or more, or graduation from a Japanese university, among others. Category 3 and 4 organizations must submit proof at the time of application. For renewals by people continuing the same work, proof is generally not required.
We can help you organize how the job duties relate to the applicant's education and experience, prepare the statement of reasons for employment, and file the application on your behalf. Please feel free to ask us whether a candidate qualifies before you make a hiring decision.
Three categories and education / experience requirements
| Category | Typical work | Education / experience |
|---|---|---|
| Engineer (science and technology) | Systems development, design, R&D | A university degree (including junior college) in a related field, completion of a Japanese vocational school (Senmonshi), or at least 10 years of work experience |
| Specialist in Humanities | Planning, sales, marketing, accounting, HR | Same as above |
| International Services | Translation and interpreting, language teaching, PR and advertising, overseas transactions, design, product development | At least 3 years of experience (not required for university graduates engaged in translation, interpreting or language teaching) |
Main requirements
- The work must be related to what the applicant studied or to their work experience
- Pay must be at least equal to that of a Japanese national doing the same work
- The work must not consist mainly of simple labor
- The period of stay is 5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 3 months
Key changes in 2026
Working as a dispatched employee (from March 2026)
In principle, the dispatch destination must be fixed at the time of application, and pledges from both the dispatching company and the destination, together with the dispatch contract and other documents, are now required. Immigration checks that the work at the destination falls within this status.
Interpersonal work that mainly uses language skills (from April 15, 2026)
For work that mainly uses language skills with other people, such as translation, interpreting or hotel front-desk service, CEFR B2-level ability in the relevant language is expected. For Japanese, this can be shown by JLPT N2 or higher, a BJT score of 400 or more, or graduation from a Japanese university, among others. Category 3 and 4 organizations must submit proof at the time of application. For renewals by people continuing the same work, proof is generally not required.
We can help you organize how the job duties relate to the applicant's education and experience, prepare the statement of reasons for employment, and file the application on your behalf. Please feel free to ask us whether a candidate qualifies before you make a hiring decision.