Employment or Working Visa

2022/10/11

Visa exemption measures for 68 countries/ regions (i.e. Australia) will resume from 12:00AM October 11th 2022.

For further details, please see this link (JP/EN)

Certificate of Eligibility

Most of those who wish to enter Japan with an Employment/Working, General or Specified visa (see categories below) should, in principle, first obtain a Certificate of Eligibility.

The Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) is a document issued by the Ministry of Justice in Japan. In order to obtain a Certificate of Eligibility, you are required to have a sponsor in Japan such as an employer, a school, relative etc. The sponsor in Japan must contact the local Immigration Office in order to apply for your Certificate. Once this has been issued, the certificate will be sent to you and you are then able to apply for a visa with the required documents listed below.

The application for the Certificate of Eligibility is free of charge and generally takes up to 3 months to process.

Required documents for visa applicants holding a valid Certificate of Eligibility

A valid passport
Copy of the passport photo page
One completed visa application form (Sample)
One passport sized ID photo (taken within the past 6 months)
The original Certificate of Eligibility and a copy of Certificate of Eligibility

*Please do not staple any part of the application or documents.

- Additional documents may be required if necessary.
- The minimum processing time is 1 working week. It might take longer if additional documentation is required.
- There is NO priority processing service, although we are understanding if a visa needs to be issued urgently. Please try to give the Embassy sufficient time to process your application.
- Telephone assistance is available on 02-6273-3244, Monday-Friday, except holidays, from 9:00 to 12:30 and 1:30 to 5:00 if you have any enquiries. To make an enquiry, please telephone instead of E-mail.
- Australians and certain other nationalities can apply for their visa with the Certificate of Eligibility anywhere in Australia and also at any overseas Japanese diplomatic mission in the world.
- As noted on the Certificate of Eligibility, it is valid for 3 months from the date of issue.

The Certificate of Eligibility should be submitted to an Immigration Inspector with a valid visa for landing permission at the port of entry and shall cease to be valid if the application for landing permission is not filed within three months from the date of issue. If you fail to enter Japan within three months, you may be refused your entry even with a valid visa.

Presented below are the categories of Employment/Working, General or Specified Visas

Employment/Working Visas

1. Professor

Activities authorised to engage in: Activities for research, direction of research or education at colleges, equivalent educational institutions or Kotosenmongakko.
Period of stay: 5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 3 months
An applicant must obtain a Certificate of Eligibility to apply for this visa.

2. Artist

Activities authorised to engage in: Activities for the arts that provide income, including music, the fine arts, literature, etc. (excluding the activities described under Entertainer Visas).
Period of stay: 5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 3 months
An applicant must obtain a Certificate of Eligibility to apply for this visa.

3. Religious Activities

Activities authorised to engage in: Missionary and another religious activities conducted by members of foreign religious organisations. Activities for research, direction of research or education at colleges, equivalent educational.
Period of stay: 5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 3 months
An applicant must obtain a Certificate of Eligibility to apply for this visa.

4. Journalist

Activities authorised to engage in: News coverage and other journalistic activities conducted on the basis of a contract with a foreign journalistic organization, such as a foreign newspaper company, news agency, broadcasting station, documentary movie company, etc. (Specifically, activities carried out by newspaper journalists, magazine journalists, report writers, editorial chiefs, editors, media photographers, television and radio announcers, etc., including freelancers.)
Period of stay: 5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 3 months
An applicant must obtain a Certificate of Eligibility to apply for this visa.

5. Investor/Business Manager

Activities authorised to engage in: The operation of international trade or other business, to invest in international trade or other business and to operate or manage that business, or to operate or manage international trade or other business on behalf of foreign nationals (including foreign corporations) who have begun such an operation or have invested in such a business (excluding engaging in the operation or management of businesses which are prohibited without the legal qualifications described in Legal/Accounting Services).
Period of stay: 5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 3 months
An applicant must obtain a Certificate of Eligibility to apply for this visa.

6. Legal/Accounting Services

Activities authorised to engage in: Engaging in legal or accounting businesses that require attorneys to be recognised as foreign law specialists under the foreign lawyers law (Gaikokuho-Jimubengoshi) or certified public accountants (Gaikokukoninkaikeishi) practicing foreign accounting as described in the accountant Law or those with other appropriate legal qualifications.
Period of stay: 5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 3 months
An applicant must obtain a Certificate of Eligibility to apply for this visa.

7. Medical Services

Activities authorised to engage in: Engaging in medical treatment services that may only be undertaken by physicians, dentists or those with other appropriate legal qualifications.
Period of stay: 5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 3 months
An applicant must obtain a Certificate of Eligibility to apply for this visa.

8. Researcher

Activities authorised to engage in: Engaging in research on the basis of a contract with public or private organisations in Japan (excluding the activities described under Professor visas).
Period of stay: 5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 3 months
An applicant must obtain a Certificate of Eligibility to apply for this visa

9. Instructor

Activities authorised to engage in: Engaging in language instruction and other education at elementary schools, junior high schools, schools for blind, handicapped children's schools, advanced vocational schools (Senshugakko), vocational school (Kakushugakko) or the other educational institutions equivalent to vocational schools in facilities and curriculum.
Period of stay: 5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 3 months
An applicant must obtain a Certificate of Eligibility to apply for this visa.

10. Engineer

Activities authorised to engage in: Engaging in services that require technology and /or knowledge pertinent to physical science, engineering or other natural science fields, on the basis of a contract with public or private organisations in Japan (excluding the activities under Professor, Investor/Business Manager, Medical Services, Researcher, Instructor, Intra-CompanyTransferee and Entertainer visas).
Period of stay: 5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 3 months
An applicant must obtain a Certificate of Eligibility to apply for this visa.

11. Specialist in Humanities/International Services

Activities authorised to engage in: Engaging in services that require knowledge pertinent to jurisprudence, economics, sociology or other human science fields or to engage in services that require specific ways of thought or sensitivity through the experience of foreign culture, on the basis of a contract with public or private organisations in Japan (excluding the activities described under Professor, Artist, Journalist, Investor/Business Manager, Legal/Accounting Services, Medical Services, Researcher, Instructor, Intra-Company Transferee and Entertainer visas).
Period of stay: 5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 3 months
An applicant must obtain a Certificate of Eligibility to apply for this visa.

12. Intra-Company Transferee

Activities authorised to engage in: Activities on the part of personnel who are transferred to business offices in Japan for a limited period of time from business offices which are established in foreign countries by public or private organisations that have head offices or branch offices in Japan and who engage at these business offices in the activities described under Engineer or Specialist in Humanities/ International Services visas. Applicants must have worked for their company for a minimum of one year.
Period of stay: 5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 3 months
An applicant must obtain a Certificate of Eligibility to apply for this visa.

13. Skilled Labour

Activities authorised to engage in: Engaging in services that require industrial techniques or skills belonging to special fields, on the basis of a contract with a public or private organisation in Japan. Applicants must fulfil certain conditions concerning their personal history and work status.
Period of stay: 5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 3 months
An applicant must obtain a Certificate of Eligibility to apply for this visa.

14. Entertainer

Activities authorised to engage in: Engaging in theatrical performances, musical performances, sports, or any other show business (excluding the activities described under Investor/Business Manager visas).
For more details please see below.
Period of stay: 3 years, 1 year, 6 months, 3 months or 15 days
An applicant must obtain a Certificate of Eligibility or read on for alternative procedure.

14b. Performance / Entertainer Visa

Members of rock bands or similar groups, including non-performing members accompanying the group (e.g. tour managers, sound technicians, etc.), must obtain a Certificate of Eligibility to apply for a visa. Entertainers who are travelling to Japan to dance must also obtain a Certificate of Eligibility to apply for a visa. Classical musicians, members of symphony orchestras, theatre groups, opera singers, professional sportsmen or women (golfers, tennis players surfers, etc.) , professional car racers and motor bike riders (including non-performing members accompanying the racers or riders such as car mechanics, trainers, etc.) who have been invited to Japan either to perform publicly for remuneration or to participate in a competition must also obtain visas.

These applicants, however, may, in the place of a Certificate of Eligibility, present the following documents to apply for a visa.
Please note that if an applicant is unsure as to what category he/she falls under, the applicant should contact the visa section directly to save time and avoid confusion.

Application without Certificate of Eligibility

REQUIREMENTS

A valid passport
Copy of passport photo page
Evidence of long-term valid Australia visa (VEVO page) (e.g. student, permanent resident)
Completed visa application form (Sample)
One passport sized ID photo (taken within the past 6 months)
Flight details (full flight details from an accredited travel agent or airline) *We do not require the purchase of tickets, but we do require a confirmed reservation. We are not responsible for tickets which may become unusable due to the delay or denial of a visa.
Contract of employment
An original Letter of Invitation from Japan
An original Letter of Guarantee from the promoter or agent in Japan
Original documents regarding the business operation of the promoter or agent in Japan:
Transcript of corporate registration
Certificate of payment of corporate tax
Balance sheet and profit & loss statement
Schedule of performances in Japan
A list of all visa applicants

☆Telephone assistance is available on 02-6273-3244, Monday-Friday, except holidays, from 9:00 to 12:30 and 13:30 to 17:00 if you have any enquiries.