Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services Visa

技術・人文知識・国際業務（技人国）ビザガイド

The Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services visa (技術・人文知識・国際業務), commonly called 技人国 (gi-jin-koku), is Japan's most popular work visa. It covers a wide range of white-collar jobs including IT engineers, translators, marketing specialists, designers, and more.

Three Categories in One Visa

This visa covers three fields of work. It was created on 1 April 2015 by merging the former 技術 (Engineer) and 人文知識・国際業務 (Specialist in Humanities / International Services) statuses:

1. Engineer (技術)

Jobs requiring natural science knowledge:

• Software engineers, system engineers, programmers
• Mechanical engineers, electrical engineers
• Data scientists, AI/ML engineers
• Network engineers, infrastructure engineers
• Chemical engineers, biotech researchers
• CAD operators, quality control engineers

2. Specialist in Humanities (人文知識)

Jobs requiring social science or humanities knowledge:

• Accountants, financial analysts
• Marketing specialists, market researchers
• Legal assistants (non-attorney)
• Economists, business consultants
• HR specialists, organizational planners
• Trade specialists, procurement managers

3. International Services (国際業務)

Jobs requiring foreign cultural sensitivity:

• Translators, interpreters
• Language teachers (at private companies, not schools)
• International sales, overseas business development
• Tourism coordinators for foreign visitors
• Foreign cuisine chefs (at hotels/restaurants, with specific cuisine expertise)
• Public relations for international audiences
• Fashion/interior designers with foreign cultural perspective

Eligibility Requirements

For Engineer & Humanities Categories

You must have one of the following:

1. University degree (bachelor's or higher) related to your job duties

   • The degree must be relevant — an engineering degree for engineering work, a business degree for marketing work
   • Japanese university degrees, foreign degrees, and online degrees from accredited institutions are accepted

2. 10+ years of professional experience in the relevant field

   • Including time spent in university studying the subject
   • Must be documented with employment certificates from each employer

For International Services Category

You must have:

1. 3+ years of professional experience in the relevant field

   • Exception: Translation/interpretation and language instruction require only a university degree (no experience minimum)

2. Foreign cultural sensitivity that is essential to the job

   • The job must specifically require knowledge of foreign language, culture, or customs

Additional Requirements (All Categories)

• Job offer from a Japanese company with a proper employment contract
• Salary equal to or greater than a Japanese national in the same position (typically 200,000+ yen/month)
• Company stability — The employer must be able to sustain the position
• Job duties must match your qualifications — This is strictly enforced

What Jobs Are NOT Covered

This visa does not cover:

• Simple labor — Factory assembly, warehouse picking, cleaning
• Food service — Waiters, kitchen staff (unless foreign cuisine specialist)
• Retail — Cashiers, shop clerks (serving foreign customers in your native language does not make it qualify — the ISA lists this as a refusal example)
• Construction labor — Manual construction work
• Nursing/care work — Covered by separate visa categories
• Teaching at schools — Covered by "Instructor" visa

Key rule: Your job must require specialized knowledge gained through education or extensive experience. If anyone could do the job without that background, it likely won't qualify.

Required Documents

Category 1 Companies (Listed on stock exchange)

Simplified documentation:

1. Application form
2. Photo (4cm x 3cm)
3. Passport and residence card (shown for change/extension applications made in Japan; a COE application from abroad needs a stamped return envelope instead)
4. Copy of the company's entry in 会社四季報, or a document proving listing on a Japanese stock exchange

Category 2 Companies (Tax withholding of 10M+ yen)

1. Application form
2. Photo
3. Passport and residence card (shown for change/extension applications made in Japan; a COE application from abroad needs a stamped return envelope instead)
4. Tax withholding certificate from tax office (前年分の給与所得の源泉徴収票等の法定調書合計表)

Category 3 Companies (Tax withholding under 10M yen)

1. Application form
2. Photo
3. Passport and residence card (shown for change/extension applications made in Japan; a COE application from abroad needs a stamped return envelope instead)
4. Employment contract or appointment letter
5. Company registration (登記事項証明書)
6. Company financial statements (most recent year)
7. Company brochure or business description
8. Degree certificate or work experience proof
9. Resume (履歴書)
10. From 15 April 2026: the employer's 所属機関の代表者に関する申告書, plus CEFR B2 language proof (JLPT N2, BJT 400+, or an exemption) if the job mainly uses language skills for interpersonal work such as translation or hotel front desk

Category 4 Companies (New companies, no tax record)

All Category 3 documents plus proof of why the company has no 法定調書合計表 yet: 11. Copy of the 給与支払事務所等の開設届出書 (or a withholding-exemption certificate) 12. The last 3 months' 所得税徴収高計算書 with receipt stamps, or proof of 納期の特例 approval 13. A business plan (事業計画書) instead of financial statements if the company is newly established

Company Categories Explained

Most applicants fall into Category 3 or 4.

Application Process

New Entry (From Abroad)

1. Employer in Japan applies for Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
2. COE is mailed to applicant abroad
3. Applicant applies for visa at Japanese embassy with COE
4. Enter Japan and receive residence card

Change of Status (From Within Japan)

1. Get a job offer and employment contract
2. Apply for Change of Status at Immigration Bureau
3. Receive new residence card with work visa status

Period of Stay Extension (Renewal)

1. Apply up to 3 months before current visa expires
2. Submit renewal form with updated employment documents
3. Receive new residence card with extended period

Processing Time

Visa Duration

Getting a 5-year visa requires a stable employment history and clean immigration record.

Common Rejection Reasons

1. Job-Qualification Mismatch

• Rejected: Engineering degree → working as restaurant staff
• Approved: Engineering degree → working as IT engineer
• Approved: Literature degree → working as translator

2. Job Doesn't Require Specialized Knowledge

• Rejected: University graduate hired for simple data entry
• Approved: University graduate hired for data analysis and reporting

3. Company Cannot Sustain the Position

• New company with no revenue and no clear business plan
• Company with significant financial losses

4. Salary Below Standard

• Paying significantly less than Japanese employees in similar roles
• Generally, minimum ~200,000-250,000 yen/month expected

5. Insufficient Documentation

• Missing degree certificate or transcripts
• No proper employment contract (verbal agreements not accepted)

Job Changing on This Visa

You can change jobs while on this visa, but:

1. New job must match your visa category — Same type of specialized work
2. Notify Immigration within 14 days of leaving/starting a job
3. If the new job is significantly different, consider applying for a Certificate of Authorized Employment (就労資格証明書) to confirm eligibility
4. No gap employment risk — Extended unemployment may affect your next renewal

Salary Expectations (2025)

Salaries vary significantly by company size, location, and experience.

Tips for Applicants

1. Emphasize the connection between your degree and job duties in your reason statement
2. Get detailed job descriptions from your employer — vague descriptions raise red flags
3. Keep all employment certificates — You may need them for renewals and PR applications
4. Pay taxes and pension — Essential for future renewals and permanent residency
5. Report changes — A job change must be reported to Immigration within 14 days (所属機関に関する届出); a move is reported to your municipality within 14 days with your residence card. Marriage does not have to be reported on this status

Path to Permanent Residency

From 技人国 visa, you can apply for PR through:

• General route: 10 years of residence, 5 years on work visa
• HSP route: If you score 70+ points, eligible in 3 years (80+ points = 1 year)

See our permanent residency guide and highly skilled professional guide.

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