“How do I get a work visa” is one of the most common questions I have been asked. There are various types of visas available for long-term visitors or people who wish to work in Japan. The standard visa for most visitors is the 90 day tourist visa. With a tourist visa you are considered a visitor, and working is not permitted.

The next most popular visa is the Working Holiday Visa. Japan has a working holiday agreement with a few countries which allows young people to visit Japan and work for up to 6 months, in exchange, the other countries in the agreement will accept young Japanese under the same terms. Getting a WHV visa is not difficult, provided you live in a country which is party to the agreement. People with a working holiday visa are permitted to work in Japan, but are limited to working part-time.

The standard visa for most people who work in Japan is the “Specialist in Humanitarian and International Services” (or SHIS) visa. This visa has a number of qualifications which must be met. First, a 4 year university degree, or 3 consecutive years experience working in a “profession”, next, an employment and sponsorship agreement from a company, and thirdly, a minimum income requirement, which is approximately 250,000 yen per month.

The second most popular visa which allows foreigners to work in Japan is the “Spouse” visa, which one can get if one marries a Japanese citizen. But, there are a few requirements necessary to obtain a spouse visa, first, you need documentation from your home country, translated into Japanese, which certifies that you aren’t legally married to anyone else. Second, your Japanese spouse must have sufficient income to support you, and your spouse must also act as your sponsor if his/her income is sufficient. If your spouse’s income is not sufficient, you may be able to get your spouse’s family to sponsor you. Once you obtain a spouse visa, you still need to obtain permission to work.

Another option is the business/investor visa, which can be obtained for those who with to establish a small business, or branch offices in Japan. This visa has many requirements, such as a business address in Japan with a long-term tenancy contract, a business license, bank account, an official seal, and 5 million yen in capital. There are agencies which can help you get set up in Japan. Fees vary, but are usually about 1/2 to 1 million yen.

Other visas exist; student visas, which allow one to work part-time with permission, maid visas, chef’s visas, etc. Information can be found at Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) website.

As mentioned previously, the SHIS (Specialist in Humanities and International Services) is the most common, and not hard to obtain if you meet the qualifications.

It is commonly believed that a university degree is required to qualify for the SHIS visa, but this is not entirely true. As I mentioned earlier, three years consecutive experience in a profession will take the place of a university degree. Keep in mind that in Japan, “professions” do not include construction, car repair, or washing dishes. IT technology, teaching, graphic design, and such can qualify as professions, but you will need documentation, such as pay stubs or tax returns to verify that you have at least three years consecutive experience.

Most people obtain the proper visa from the Japanese embassy or consulate in their home countries. You need to fill out an application, provide a photograph of yourself, your original university degree (or official transcripts) and the employment/sponsorship agreement from your future employer. It usually takes a month or so for the paperwork to be processed, and a visa issued.

Many people take a somewhat riskier route, they come to Japan as tourists with a 90 day visa, and then hunt for an employer/sponsor inside Japan. This is not a bad option, and many people have success with this method. Keep in mind that you must bring your degree/work experience documentation with you. You will need to supply the photo (easily obtained at most train stations), and the documents provided by your employer. Remember that 90 days is not a lot of time, so you will need to try to find an employer as quickly as you can, it may take 30 days for the paperwork to be processed. If it takes more than 60 days to find a job, you may have to leave Japan and return again with a new tourist visa. You cannot get a tourist visa renewed in Japan, you must leave the country and get a new visa at the airport when you return.

In the past, a work visa was issued for one year, and had to be renewed annually. The length has been increased to 3 years, which is less troublesome. It is recommended that you go to the regional immigration offices rather than the local ones, and arrive as early as possible. The immigration office is remarkably efficient, and you can usually get in and out in an hour. Two visits are usually required. You will drop off your paperwork on the first visit, and pick up your visa on the second visit.

The process for getting a visa is the most important things to understand before thinking about moving to Japan. The requirements are strict, but the process is smooth and quick, much more so than in most other developed countries.