Highly Skilled Professional points: what 70 and 80 points mean

The points system gives each applicant a score from one table. The total decides whether you can be recognized and how soon you can apply for permanent residence.

Reviewed on 2026-10-22

Three categories, one table

Points are added for items such as academic background, professional career, annual salary, age and research achievements, plus bonus items. The scoring differs between three categories: advanced academic research, advanced specialized and technical work, and advanced business management. For the technical and the management categories, annual pay of at least JPY 3 million is required whatever the total.

What 70 and 80 points change

70 points is the pass mark for Highly Skilled Professional status. For permanent residence, the Immigration Services Agency counts the residence period needed as 3 years at 70 points and 1 year at 80 points. Check the official page for the conditions that apply when you apply.

Proving your points

Each item you claim has to be backed by documents. It is enough to submit documents that show the total reaches 70 points. The Immigration Services Agency publishes example documents for each item. Our calculator only adds points; it cannot tell whether a university, training course or employer is on the Minister’s lists.

Official source

Rulebook entries on this topic

What it is

Category (a) of the Highly Skilled Professional system, "advanced academic research activities" (Highly Skilled Professional No. 1 (i)), covers research, research guidance or teaching carried out under a contract with a public or private organisation in Japan.
ポイント評価の仕組みは？（高度人材ポイント制）１３類型の活動 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Category (b), "advanced specialized/technical activities" (No. 1 (ro)), covers work that requires knowledge or skills in the natural or human sciences, performed under a contract with a public or private organisation in Japan.
ポイント評価の仕組みは？（高度人材ポイント制）１３類型の活動 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Category (c), "advanced business management activities" (No. 1 (ha)), covers running or managing a business at a public or private organisation in Japan.
ポイント評価の仕組みは？（高度人材ポイント制）１３類型の活動 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The No. 1 status requires that the person meet standards set by Ministry of Justice ordinance and carry out one of the three category activities that are expected to contribute to Japan's academic research or economic development.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一（抄）（高度専門職）別表第一の二（高度専門職の項） · Checked on 2026-10-22
ISA says that only national qualifications that carry an exclusive-practice or title-protection status count, for example lawyer, physician, certified public accountant, professional engineer, and the IT exams listed in the IT public notice also count.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問23 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The ordinance defines a Special Highly Skilled Professional as a person who meets separate Ministry of Justice criteria for especially advanced expertise; such a person qualifies for No. 1 without the points test.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項 · Checked on 2026-10-22
"Remuneration" counted for points means pay given in return for services, such as basic salary and diligence or adjustment allowances; allowances that merely reimburse costs (commuting, family, housing), unless taxable, are excluded.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問7 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Overtime pay is not counted as remuneration for the points, because the amount of overtime cannot be known at entry, and at renewal the points are judged on expected annual pay rather than past overtime.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問7 · Checked on 2026-10-22

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Bonuses (賞与) are included in the remuneration that is counted as annual income for the points.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問8 · Checked on 2026-10-22
When a person is transferred from a foreign company and is still paid from abroad, the pay from the foreign company counts toward the income points, provided the person can prove it.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問9 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Junior college graduates count as university graduates, and graduates of technical colleges or of the advanced vocational course of a specialised training college also count as having equivalent education; the plain "senmonshi" title does not.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問4 · Checked on 2026-10-22
An "SME" for the bonus points means a small or medium enterprise under the Basic Act on SMEs: for example capital of 300 million yen or less or 300 employees or fewer in manufacturing, and 50 million yen or 100 employees in services.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問13 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The R&D ratio test compares test and research expenses plus development costs in the business year before the application (or the year before that if filed within two months of year end) against sales, or against business income for a sole proprietor; it must exceed 3 percent.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問14 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The N1 bonus accepts equivalent tests such as a BJT Business Japanese score of 480 or more, and the N2 bonus accepts a BJT score of 400 or more.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問15・問16 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Bonus-eligible designated universities include foreign universities ranked within the top 300 in two or more of QS, THE and ARWU rankings (or any Japanese university ranked in them), Super Global University top and global-leading types, and Innovative Asia partner schools.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問18 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The designated training that earns 5 bonus points is a JICA course of one year or longer carried out in Japan under the Foreign Ministry's Innovative Asia programme.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問19 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Income bands are half-open intervals: 10 million yen or more scores 40, and 9 million yen or more but under 10 million scores 35, and so on down the ladder, so an annual pay of 9,999,999 yen scores 35, not 40.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項第2号の表年収ロ · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2024-06-10
The ordinance measures the points and special criteria at the moment the applicant receives the landing, change, extension, acquisition, special-permission-to-stay or provisional-stay-status permission, so age and the income band are judged as of that permission; paragraph 2 then treats a person who met the standard on the filing date as still meeting it.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項柱書 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2024-06-10
The pay counted is the expected annual pay from the Highly Skilled Professional activity for which the application is made, not the pay earned in past stays, so a new hire is scored on the contract or expected annual amount.
ポイント計算表の各項目に関する疎明資料（基本例） ③年収の注記 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Career points count only practical experience in the work the applicant is going to do in Japan, and ISA's evidence guide asks for a document made by the former organisation that states the period worked and the duties.
ポイント計算表の各項目に関する疎明資料（基本例） ②職歴 · Checked on 2026-10-22
ISA's basic-example evidence guide is organised by the numbered scoring items of the points table (items 1 to 21), and each item is marked A, B or C to show whether it is open to category (a), (b) or (c); an applicant should read only the rows for his or her own category.
ポイント計算表の各項目に関する疎明資料（基本例）表題・凡例 · Checked on 2026-10-22
ISA defines the financial duties behind the 10-point financial-sector bonus as work in type II financial instruments business, investment advisory and agency business, or investment management business under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act, collectively called investment management business and so on.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問3（投資運用業等） · Checked on 2026-10-22
ISA's application page ties category (a) to filings made on the form for Professor (form I) or Researcher (form N); an activity in any other status uses that status's own guidance page.
在留資格「高度専門職」（高度人材ポイント制）提出書類（高度専門職１号イ） · Checked on 2026-10-22
For category (b), ISA's page lists filings on the forms for Intra-company Transferee (L), Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services (N) and Legal/Accounting Services or Medical Services (U).
在留資格「高度専門職」（高度人材ポイント制）提出書類（高度専門職１号ロ） · Checked on 2026-10-22
For category (c), ISA's page lists filings on the forms for Business Manager (form M) and Legal/Accounting Services (form U).
在留資格「高度専門職」（高度人材ポイント制）提出書類（高度専門職１号ハ） · Checked on 2026-10-22
ISA's examples are teaching at an educational institution or research at a private-company laboratory for category (a), product development and similar technical work for (b), and running a company or a law or audit firm for (c), and in each case the holder may also found and run a related business.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問20・問22・問25 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Category (c) is decided by what the person actually does, such as taking key management decisions, executing business, auditing, or managing a department-level or larger unit, and neither the size of the company nor holding an officer title is a direct requirement.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問26 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Partly confirmed: No ISA text says whether research done before graduation or during doctoral or postdoctoral study counts as career years for category (a) points; the only counted-in rule found concerns the Researcher landing standard, which counts graduate-school and university research.
出入国管理及び難民認定法第七条第一項第二号の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）研究の項（経験の算定） · Checked on 2026-10-22
Partly confirmed: For category (c) the career rows count experience of "running or managing a business", which on its wording can include self-employment, while for (a) and (b) ISA publishes nothing on whether unpaid, volunteer or self-employed work counts.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）別表（ハの職歴イ） · Checked on 2026-10-22
Partly confirmed: For counting career years the calculator needs one date, and the ordinance supplies it: the standard is judged at the time of permission, but a person who meets it at the time of the application is deemed to meet it at permission, so counting to the application date is the safe reading.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第一条第二項（申請時点） · Checked on 2026-10-22
Partly confirmed: The grant criterion is worded as having worked three or more times on research that received a subsidy, competitive funding or other money from a foreign government; the ordinance and ISA define neither "competitive funding" nor which countries or agencies count, and ISA's guide adds that the work must have been done before entering Japan.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）別表第一号研究実績イ(2) · Checked on 2026-10-22
Partly confirmed: The patent criterion is one or more granted inventions with the applicant as inventor; neither the ordinance nor the ISA guide says whether a foreign patent counts, whether registration is required beyond being "granted", or whether co-inventors share the credit, though the guide asks for a certificate that names the applicant.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）別表第一号研究実績イ(1) · Checked on 2026-10-22
Partly confirmed: The paper criterion needs three or more papers in journals registered in an academic paper database used by Japanese national organs, and the ordinance defines such a database generally as a systematically searchable collection of paper information; ISA checks them in Scopus, Web of Science and PubMed and publishes no date window or impact threshold.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）別表第一号研究実績イ(3) · Checked on 2026-10-22
Partly confirmed: The ordinance defines a corresponding author as the author able to respond responsibly to inquiries about the paper, while ISA's points table and its English table also accept the first author whose contribution is high, and its evidence guide again says corresponding author only, so the first-author question is unresolved.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）別表第一号研究実績イ(3)（責任著者） · Checked on 2026-10-22
Partly confirmed: The ordinance measures age at the time of permission and gives no rule on how age is counted around a birthday, nor whether the application or the permission date is the reference date for age points, so a calculator should compute age on the date it assumes permission and flag the birthday edge case.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）別表第一号年齢・年収（当該時点） · Checked on 2026-10-22
Pay from a foreign organisation counts toward income only when the applicant is being transferred from that foreign organisation to the contracting organisation in Japan; for a person hired directly by a Japanese organisation no foreign pay is added.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）別表第一号年収（外国所属機関） · Checked on 2026-10-22
Partly confirmed: ISA counts as remuneration the base pay and diligence or adjustment allowances and bonuses but not expense-reimbursing allowances or overtime, and it says nothing specific about stock-based pay, director fees or benefits in kind, so those items are decided only under the general "payment in return for services" definition.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問7・問8 · Checked on 2026-10-22
For the household income used in the parent and domestic-worker rules, ISA excludes gains from personal investing such as share dealing, because only pay from the organisation and the spouse's pay from work count.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問34 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Partly confirmed: For the 3-year and 1-year routes, the guideline counts continuous residence only as a person who is recognised and staying as a highly skilled professional with at least 70 or 80 points respectively, while the guideline does not say what a change of employer or a stay abroad does to the continuity.
永住許可に関するガイドライン（令和８年２月２４日改訂）２（６）(７)（注３） · Checked on 2026-10-22

Who qualifies

For a Certificate of Eligibility for No. 1, three conditions must all be met: the activity fits category (a), (b) or (c); the standards of the landing-criteria ordinance for No. 1 are met; and the points total is at least 70.
在留資格「高度専門職」（高度人材ポイント制）在留資格認定証明書交付申請（高度専門職１号）／要件 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Besides the points ordinance, the landing-criteria ordinance requires that the intended activity fall under an existing work status such as Professor to Journalist, or under Business Manager to Skilled Labor while meeting that status's own standard, and not be inappropriate for Japanese industry and public life.
出入国管理及び難民認定法第七条第一項第二号の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）表法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄第一号に掲げる活動 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The extra points for degrees in multiple fields have no restriction on the combination of degrees as long as the diplomas or transcripts show the majors differ.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問5 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The 3-year route needs at least 70 points at the time of the permanent residence application plus either 3 or more years of continuous residence as a 70-point professional, or 3 years of residence where the person would have had 70 points three years before the application.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問3③ⓐ · Checked on 2026-10-22
The 1-year route needs at least 80 points at the time of the permanent residence application plus either 1 or more years of continuous residence as an 80-point professional, or 1 year of residence where the person would have had 80 points one year before the application.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問3③ⓑ · Checked on 2026-10-22
The one-year route to permanent residence applies only to the highly skilled professional; the spouse and dependent children are not covered by this shortened residence period.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問41 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Cases where the research achievement claim is a Minister-recognised "other" achievement (item (4) for category (a), item (ni) for category (b)) are evaluated after consulting other agencies and are excluded from the priority processing target.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問3④（注） · Checked on 2026-10-22
The spouse of a highly skilled professional can work in activities of statuses such as Researcher, Instructor, Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services or Entertainer without meeting the usual education or career requirements, if living with the professional and paid at least as much as a Japanese person.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問3⑤ · Checked on 2026-10-22

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A parent of the professional or of the spouse may stay to raise a child under 7 or to assist a pregnant spouse or the pregnant professional, if living together and the household income (professional plus spouse) is at least 8,000,000 yen, among other conditions.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問3⑥ · Checked on 2026-10-22
A domestic worker may be brought in or hired if the household income is at least 10,000,000 yen, among other conditions; a worker employed for at least one year abroad may accompany the professional, and otherwise the professional needs a child under 13 or a similar reason.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問3⑦ · Checked on 2026-10-22
At renewal, however, a total below 70 points means the extension cannot be granted; the renewal also requires continuing the designated activity and a good record of stay.
在留資格「高度専門職」（高度人材ポイント制）在留期間更新許可申請（高度専門職１号） · Checked on 2026-10-22
To move to No. 2 the person needs three or more years in No. 1 (or in highly skilled Designated Activities) while carrying out that activity, still 70 points or more, good conduct, a stay that is in Japan's interest, and an activity that is not judged inappropriate in view of its effect on Japanese industry and national life.
在留資格「高度専門職」（高度人材ポイント制）在留資格変更許可申請（高度専門職２号） · Checked on 2026-10-22
Under the ordinance, moving to No. 2 requires three or more years of residence in No. 1 while performing its activity, or one year or more for a Special Highly Skilled Professional.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第2条第1項第2号 · Checked on 2026-10-22
A person who is not currently in the highly skilled status but has 80 points now and would also have had 80 points one year before the application can apply by the 80-point route with a different document checklist; the ISA Q&A adds that one year of continuous residence in Japan is also needed.
永住許可申請４－（１）－イ（80点以上・高度専門職以外の在留資格）永住許可申請４－（１）－イ · Checked on 2026-10-22
Only the highest degree tier counts for academic points (doctorate, then master's or professional degree, then university graduate), and the 5 extra points for degrees in several fields are added on top rather than replacing the tier.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項第1号（イ）の表学歴 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2024-06-10
The innovation-support bonuses are alternatives: an SME employer with a designated certification or support measure gets 20 points, and any other employer with such a certification or support gets 10 points, never both.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項第1号（イ）の表特別加算イ・ロ · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2024-06-10
The foreign qualification or award bonus of 5 points cannot cover something already scored under research achievements, and in category (b) it also cannot cover something scored under the qualification rows.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項第1号（イ）・第2号の表特別加算ニ · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2024-06-10
The 5-point designated training bonus cannot be claimed together with the Japanese-degree bonus when the training was run through Japanese university or graduate-school classes.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項各号の表特別加算ヌ · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2024-06-10
The routes to the designated-university bonus (world ranking, Super Global University, Innovative Asia partner school) cannot be added together, but any of them can be combined with the Japanese-degree bonus.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問18 · Checked on 2026-10-22
A person who meets the standard when filing a landing, change, extension, acquisition or special-permission-to-stay application is treated as still meeting it when the permission is later granted, so turning 30 or a later pay change after filing does not cost points on that application.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第2項 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2024-06-10
A transitional rule treats foreigners who stayed under the former Designated Activities category for highly skilled professionals as having stayed in the matching Highly Skilled Professional No. 1 category, and counts that earlier stay toward the three years needed for No. 2.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）附則第二条・第三条（経過措置） · Checked on 2026-10-22
A category (b) employee who is promoted to director may stay in the same status because duties requiring specialised knowledge still fall under category (b); changing to category (c) is allowed but not required.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問24 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The landing-criteria ordinance requires that the points standard be met and also that the activity fall under the Professor-to-Journalist statuses, or under a Business Manager to Skilled Labor status whose own landing standard is met, so the points do not replace the underlying status's standard.
出入国管理及び難民認定法第七条第一項第二号の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）高度専門職の項（第１号） · Checked on 2026-10-22
For category (b) via the Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services status, work needing science or humanities knowledge requires a related degree, a related specialised course or 10 years of experience (waived for passing a designated IT exam or holding a designated IT qualification), work based on foreign culture requires 3 years of related experience, and the pay must be at least equal to a Japanese worker's.
出入国管理及び難民認定法第七条第一項第二号の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）技術・人文知識・国際業務の項（第１号） · Checked on 2026-10-22
For category (a) via the Researcher status, the landing standard needs a master's degree or three years of research (counting graduate school) after a university degree, or ten years of research (counting university), unless the contract is with a listed public body, and pay equal to a Japanese worker's.
出入国管理及び難民認定法第七条第一項第二号の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）研究の項 · Checked on 2026-10-22
For category (b) via Intra-company Transferee the applicant needs one continuous year of such work abroad and Japanese-equivalent pay, via Legal/Accounting Services the applicant must be a listed licensed professional, and via Medical Services Japanese-equivalent pay applies.
出入国管理及び難民認定法第七条第一項第二号の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）企業内転勤・法律・会計業務・医療の項 · Checked on 2026-10-22
For category (c) via the Business Manager status the applicant needs a Japanese business office, at least one full-time staff member resident in Japan (a Japanese national, special permanent resident or holder of a residence-based status), property of at least 30,000,000 yen, a person with advanced Japanese ability, and a relevant degree or three years of management experience, with Japanese-equivalent pay for a manager.
出入国管理及び難民認定法第七条第一項第二号の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）経営・管理の項 · Checked on 2026-10-22
ISA says that after the revised Business Manager standard took effect, a Highly Skilled Professional No. 1(c) holder who does not meet it cannot get permanent residence or change to No. 2.
在留資格「経営・管理」に係る上陸基準省令等の改正について申請に関する取扱い３（永住許可申請等） · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2025-10-16
For a parent to enter, the highly skilled professional must live with the parent, the professional's expected household income at entry must be at least 8,000,000 yen, the parent must come to raise a child under 7 (adopted children included) or to help a pregnant spouse or the pregnant professional, and the parents of the other side of the family must not already hold the same parent status; the household income counts only the professional's and spouse's pay.
在留資格「特定活動」（高度専門職外国人又はその配偶者の親・特別高度人材外国人又はその配偶者の親）要件（在留資格認定証明書交付申請） · Checked on 2026-10-22
At a change of status or renewal, a parent still needs the 8,000,000-yen household income at the time of filing and must plan to keep caring for the child or assisting the pregnancy for at least three more months.
在留資格「特定活動」（高度専門職外国人又はその配偶者の親・特別高度人材外国人又はその配偶者の親）要件（在留資格変更・更新） · Checked on 2026-10-22
A parent's stay is not automatically cancelled when the grandchild turns 7 or when the parent stops living with the professional, but renewal is refused in both cases, and the parent's own income and any other household member's income are not counted in the household income test.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問38・問40・問36 · Checked on 2026-10-22
ISA's benefits page describes three household-worker types for Highly Skilled Professional No. 1: a worker brought from abroad after at least a year of employment, a worker hired because the employer has a child under 13 or a spouse unable to do housework, and a worker hired by an investment-management professional; each needs household income of 10,000,000 yen or more and pay of at least 200,000 yen a month, with one worker allowed (two for the financial type at 30,000,000 yen).
どのような優遇措置が受けられる？（高度人材ポイント制）６家事使用人（主な要件） · Checked on 2026-10-22
A worker brought with the professional must have been employed by that professional for at least a year before landing, be 18 or older, speak the employer's language in daily conversation and earn at least 200,000 yen a month, and the employer may employ no other household worker.
在留資格「特定活動」（高度専門職外国人の家事使用人・特別高度人材外国人の家事使用人）要件（入国帯同型） · Checked on 2026-10-22
A worker brought from abroad must plan to leave with the employer and cannot change employer after landing, while a family-circumstances worker may change employer but loses renewal once the employer's child reaches 13 or the spouse can again do housework.
在留資格「特定活動」（高度専門職外国人の家事使用人・特別高度人材外国人の家事使用人）入国帯同型と家庭事情型の違い · Checked on 2026-10-22
If the employer's household income falls below 10,000,000 yen the household worker's stay does not end at once, but a renewal is refused if the income is still below that level at the time of the worker's renewal; the same logic applies to the 30,000,000-yen test for a second worker.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問35 · Checked on 2026-10-22
When a family-circumstances worker's employer's child turns 13 the worker may still renew with the same employer, but if the employer changes, the new employer must have a child under 13 or a spouse unable to do housework at the time of the renewal filing.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問37 · Checked on 2026-10-22
If the employing professional fails the 70-point renewal and moves to another work status, the household worker in principle cannot stay, except when the employer's new status is Business Manager or Legal/Accounting Services and the notice's conditions are met.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問39 · Checked on 2026-10-22
A working spouse must live with the highly skilled professional, earn at least what a Japanese worker would, and engage in a listed activity (research, education, specialised/technical or international work, or non-theatrical entertainment), with no education or career requirement.
在留資格「特定活動」（高度専門職外国人の就労する配偶者・特別高度人材外国人の就労する配偶者）要件（就労する配偶者） · Checked on 2026-10-22
The working-spouse activity has no weekly hour limit, unlike the 28-hour general permission a dependent spouse receives, but the spouse may work only while living with the professional, and after separation any work done is activity outside status.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問32・問33 · Checked on 2026-10-22
A Highly Skilled Professional No. 2 holder keeps the permanent-residence relaxation, the working spouse, the parent and the household-worker measures.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問3 ⓒ（高度専門職２号） · Checked on 2026-10-22
The fast-track routes only shorten the residence history: the applicant must still be of good conduct, able to live independently, have no fine or prison sentence, have met public duties such as tax, pension and health-insurance payments and notifications, and hold the longest period of stay for the current status.
永住許可に関するガイドライン（令和８年２月２４日改訂）１法律上の要件（高度専門職にも適用） · Checked on 2026-10-22
The February 2026 guideline says that even if tax or insurance premiums are fully paid by the time of the application, a payment made after the original due date is in principle assessed negatively, which applies to fast-track applicants as well.
永住許可に関するガイドライン（令和８年２月２４日改訂）１（３）イ（公的義務の評価） · Checked on 2026-10-22
Partly confirmed: The permanent residence guideline of 1 October 2026 weighs against an applicant who, without a reasonable reason, was away for six months or more on one trip or for a total of two and a half years or more in the past ten years; the text sits in the 10-year residence criterion and does not say whether it also applies to the one-year and three-year highly skilled routes.
永住許可に関するガイドライン（令和８年１０月１日改定）第２５（６）（出国期間） · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2027-04-01
The revised guideline treats B1-level Japanese ability as a factor for permanent residence but excludes applicants who use the 70-point, 80-point or Special Highly Skilled Professional routes, and their families, from that factor.
永住許可に関するガイドライン（令和８年１０月１日改定）第２５（８）日本語能力 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2027-04-01
To change to No. 2 a Special Highly Skilled Professional needs only one year (instead of three) of residence while carrying out the No. 1 activity and must still qualify as a Special Highly Skilled Professional at that time; a person who no longer qualifies must meet the 70-point test instead, and the text does not spell out which period then applies.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第二条（２号への変更） · Checked on 2026-10-22
The working spouse of a Special Highly Skilled Professional may do a wider range of work, including teaching at a university, artistic, religious or news-reporting activity and certain skilled trades such as wine tasting, with no education or career requirement, as long as they live together and pay equals a Japanese worker's.
在留資格「特定活動」（高度専門職外国人の就労する配偶者・特別高度人材外国人の就労する配偶者）要件（特別高度人材外国人の就労する配偶者） · Checked on 2026-10-22
A household worker of a Special Highly Skilled Professional is allowed only if the employer has no other worker when household income is under 30,000,000 yen, or at most one other when it is 30,000,000 yen or more; the requirements to leave Japan together with the employer and for the employer to have a child under 13 do not apply.
在留資格「特定活動」（高度専門職外国人の家事使用人・特別高度人材外国人の家事使用人）要件（特別高度人材型） · Checked on 2026-10-22
The parent-entry page states that the term highly skilled professional includes Special Highly Skilled Professionals, so their parents are admitted on the same conditions, including the 8,000,000-yen household income, with no higher threshold published for the special track.
在留資格「特定活動」（高度専門職外国人又はその配偶者の親・特別高度人材外国人又はその配偶者の親）注（特別高度人材外国人を含む） · Checked on 2026-10-22

Numbers and tests

To obtain Highly Skilled Professional No. 1 the applicant must either qualify as a Special Highly Skilled Professional or reach at least 70 points in total on the table for the relevant activity category.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項 · Checked on 2026-10-22
For category (b) the applicant needs at least 70 points and, in addition, an annual remuneration from the contracting organisation (and any foreign organisation) of at least 3,000,000 yen.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項第2号 · Checked on 2026-10-22
For category (c) the applicant needs at least 70 points and, in addition, an annual remuneration from the activity organisation (and any foreign organisation) of at least 3,000,000 yen.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項第3号 · Checked on 2026-10-22
ISA stresses that in categories (b) and (c) a person whose annual income is below 3,000,000 yen is not recognised as a highly skilled professional even if the other items push the total above 70 points.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問12 · Checked on 2026-10-22
For categories (a) and (b), the lowest income band that earns points rises with age: under 30 from 4,000,000 yen, 30 to under 35 from 5,000,000 yen, 35 to under 40 from 6,000,000 yen, and 40 or older from 8,000,000 yen.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項第1号・第2号（年収・年齢区分） · Checked on 2026-10-22
In every category, an employee of a small or medium-sized enterprise whose research and development cost ratio to revenue exceeds 3 percent in the business year before the application earns 5 bonus points.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項（特別加算・試験研究費等比率） · Checked on 2026-10-22
A category (c) professional who runs a business such as trading at a Japanese organisation and invests at least 100,000,000 yen of his or her own money in it earns 5 bonus points.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項第3号（特別加算・投資） · Checked on 2026-10-22
For categories (a) and (b), J-Skip needs either a master's degree or higher with annual income of 20,000,000 yen or more, or 10 or more years of practical experience with annual income of 20,000,000 yen or more.
特別高度人材制度（J-Skip）要件 · Checked on 2026-10-22

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For category (c), J-Skip needs 5 or more years of business management experience and an annual income of 40,000,000 yen or more.
特別高度人材制度（J-Skip）要件 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Adding the largest value of each row in the ordinance's three point tables gives a theoretical ceiling of 130 base points plus 90 bonus points for (a), 135 plus 100 for (b) and 115 plus 105 for (c); rows the tables make mutually exclusive are counted once, but a real applicant rarely reaches these ceilings, so a calculator should treat them only as upper bounds.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項各号の表（合計） · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2024-06-10
For categories (a) and (b), the age at the time of permission decides which income bands can score: under 30 the seven bands running from 10,000,000 yen or more down to the 4,000,000-yen band; ages 30 to under 35 the six bands down to 5,000,000 yen; ages 35 to under 40 the five bands down to 6,000,000 yen; and age 40 or older only the three bands down to 8,000,000 yen.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項第1号・第2号（年収の項の括弧書き） · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2024-06-10
The age-by-income grid for (a) and (b): 10,000,000 yen or more scores 40 and 9,000,000 yen scores 35 at every age; 8,000,000 yen scores 30 at every age; 7,000,000 yen scores 25 and 6,000,000 yen scores 20 only under 40; 5,000,000 yen scores 15 only under 35; 4,000,000 yen scores 10 only under 30; a band that counts always scores the same at every age.
ポイント計算表（高度人材ポイント制・出入国在留管理庁） ②年収配点表 · Checked on 2026-10-22
A person aged 40 or older earns income points only from 8,000,000 yen (30, 35 or 40 points); pay below 8,000,000 yen, for example 7,000,000 yen, scores nothing at that age, even though 7,000,000 yen would score 25 points for someone under 40.
ポイント計算表（高度人材ポイント制・出入国在留管理庁） ②年収配点表 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Category (c) income points use a single ladder for every age (10,000,000 to under 15,000,000 yen scores 10; 15,000,000 to under 20,000,000 scores 20; 20,000,000 to under 25,000,000 scores 30; 25,000,000 to under 30,000,000 scores 40; 30,000,000 or more scores 50), pay under 10,000,000 yen scores zero, and the 3,000,000-yen minimum is tested separately and not by age.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項第3号の表年収 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2024-06-10
The Special Highly Skilled Professional ordinance sets, for categories (a) and (b), annual pay of at least 20,000,000 yen at the time of permission plus either a doctorate, master's or professional degree (foreign equivalents included) or ten years of practical experience in the research, teaching or work to be done.
特別高度人材の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第一条（特別高度人材の基準） · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2023-04-21
For category (c) the Special Highly Skilled Professional ordinance requires total pay from the activity organisation and any foreign organisation of at least 40,000,000 yen at the time of permission and five years of practical experience in running or managing a business.
特別高度人材の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第一条第二号（経営・管理） · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2023-04-21

Periods

Highly skilled professionals are uniformly granted the legal maximum period of stay of five years, and it can be renewed.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問3② · Checked on 2026-10-22
The ordinary guideline requires about 10 years of residence in Japan for permanent residence, but for highly skilled professionals the residence-history requirement is shortened to 3 years for those with 70 points or more and to 1 year for those with 80 points or more; the other permanent residence requirements still apply.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問3③ · Checked on 2026-10-22
Special Highly Skilled Professionals can move to No. 2 after one year in No. 1 and the residence period required for permanent residence is one year.
特別高度人材制度（J-Skip）出入国在留管理上の優遇措置の内容 · Checked on 2026-10-22
ISA's standard processing period for a permanent residence application is four to six months, and this page gives no separate, shorter period for highly skilled professionals.
永住許可申請（手続案内）標準処理期間 · Checked on 2026-10-22
For permits granted in August 2026 the average processing time for Highly Skilled Professional No. 1(a) was 24.3 days for a certificate of eligibility, 43.2 for an extension and 45.6 for a change of status, with 43.0, 46.4 and 51.7 days for 1(b) and 37.8, 67.8 and 66.9 days for 1(c).
在留審査処理期間（令和8年8月許可分）令和8年8月許可分（高度専門職） · Checked on 2026-10-22
ISA's published standard processing period for a Certificate of Eligibility is one to three months, and the shorter priority target ISA sets for highly skilled professionals is an aim, not a guaranteed time.
在留資格認定証明書交付申請（手続案内）標準処理期間 · Checked on 2026-10-22
A Certificate of Eligibility is valid for three months from issue, and the landing application must be made within that time or the certificate loses effect, independently of how long the visa is valid.
出入国審査・在留審査Q&A 在留資格認定証明書の有効期間 · Checked on 2026-10-22

Deadlines

ISA aims to process entry applications (Certificate of Eligibility) within 10 days of acceptance and stay applications (renewal or change of status) within 5 days, excluding cases with missing documents or doubts.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問3④ · Checked on 2026-10-22
A renewal of a period of stay of six months or more may be filed from three months before the expiry date until the expiry date, and ISA may accept filing more than three months ahead when truly unavoidable special circumstances are recognised.
在留期間更新許可申請（手続案内）申請時期 · Checked on 2026-10-22
A notification about the contracting or activity organisation must be filed within 14 days of the event such as quitting or joining a company, and a renewal granted at the same time as a job change does not remove the duty to notify.
所属機関等に関する届出（Q&A）Ｑ４・Ｑ９（14日以内） · Checked on 2026-10-22

Fees

The permanent residence application fee paid at the counter by revenue stamp is 200,000 yen from 1 October 2026; applications accepted up to 30 September 2026 still pay the former 10,000 yen, and a reduced 20,000 yen applies only in limited hardship cases.
永住許可申請（手続案内）手数料 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2026-10-01
Counter fees for change of status or renewal from 1 October 2026 depend on the permitted period: 10,000 yen for up to 3 months, 18,000 yen for over 3 up to 6 months, 25,000 yen for over 6 months up to under 1 year, and 33,000 yen for 1 year; a reduced 10,000 yen applies only in limited hardship cases.
2026年10月1日から外国人の在留手続に関する手数料が改定されます（リーフレット）在留許可手数料の額の改定について（窓口） · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2026-10-01
Counter fees from 1 October 2026 for longer periods are 48,000 yen for over 1 year to under 3 years, 64,000 yen for 3 to under 5 years, and 75,000 yen for 5 years or more, so a 5-year highly skilled stay costs 75,000 yen at the counter.
2026年10月1日から外国人の在留手続に関する手数料が改定されます（リーフレット）在留許可手数料の額の改定について（窓口） · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2026-10-01
For online applications received from 1 October 2026 the fee is 27,000 yen for a 1-year permission, 42,000 yen for over 1 to under 3 years, 56,000 yen for 3 to under 5 years and 65,000 yen for 5 years or more, plus a separate payment-processing charge of 330 yen for permissions under 3 years or 550 yen for 3 years or more.
オンライン申請における手数料額及び手数料納付方法について(２０２６年１０月１日以降の申請分のみに適用) オンライン申請の手数料額 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2026-10-01
A highly skilled professional pays the same permanent residence fee as every other applicant, 200,000 yen from 1 October 2026; the page offers a reduced 20,000-yen fee only to people who meet separate requirements, and it makes no exception for highly skilled status.
永住許可申請（手続案内）手数料 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2026-10-01
ISA's fee-reduction notice says the reduced permanent residence fee is open only to spouses, children and similar relatives of Japanese nationals, permanent residents or special permanent residents, so a principal highly skilled professional cannot use it.
令和８年１０月１日以降における在留許可手数料の減額措置又は免除措置について概要 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2026-10-01
Applying for a Certificate of Eligibility, including for the Highly Skilled Professional status, costs nothing, and the application may also be filed online.
在留資格認定証明書交付申請（手続案内）手数料 · Checked on 2026-10-22

How it works

Points are set separately for each of the three activity categories, and the applicant is scored under the category that matches the activity he or she wants to carry out in Japan.
ポイント評価の仕組みは？（高度人材ポイント制）１３類型の活動 · Checked on 2026-10-22
For the application types listed in the ordinance (such as landing, change of status and extension), a person who meets the standard when applying is treated as meeting it when the permission is actually granted, so later changes during processing do not matter.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第2項 · Checked on 2026-10-22
To verify papers claimed as research achievements, ISA checks them in Scopus, Web of Science and PubMed.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問21 · Checked on 2026-10-22
For entry from abroad, the applicant self-scores using the published table and, if the total reaches the pass mark of 70 points, submits the point calculation sheet with supporting evidence; the Certificate of Eligibility then carries the status No. 1 (i), (ro) or (ha).
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問42 · Checked on 2026-10-22
ISA says it is enough to submit documents that confirm the total is at least 70 points; evidence for every applicable item is not required.
ポイント計算表の各項目に関する疎明資料（基本例）（注） · Checked on 2026-10-22
All certificates issued in Japan that are submitted with a Highly Skilled Professional application must have been issued within three months before submission.
在留資格「高度専門職」（高度人材ポイント制）提出書類（共通注記） · Checked on 2026-10-22
A foreign resident with a non-HSP status can apply for a change of status to No. 1 (i), (ro) or (ha), which is granted if the activity qualifies, the points reach 70 and the past stay record has no problem.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問47 · Checked on 2026-10-22
A No. 1 holder does not have to keep 70 points at all times, so a drop in age points or income does not end the status immediately, but at the renewal application the total must again be at least 70.
在留資格「高度専門職」（高度人材ポイント制）在留期間更新許可申請（高度専門職１号） · Checked on 2026-10-22

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A No. 1 holder who changes activity, including changing the employing organisation, must apply for a change of status.
在留資格「高度専門職」（高度人材ポイント制）在留資格変更許可申請（高度専門職１号） · Checked on 2026-10-22
A person who has been active for three years or more in the highly skilled Designated Activities status can apply directly for No. 2 without first switching to No. 1.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問48 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The 80-point permanent residence route for people already in the highly skilled status is for those who have stayed continuously as 80-point professionals for at least one year.
永住許可申請４－（１）－ア（80点以上の高度専門職として1年以上在留）永住許可申請４－（１）－ア · Checked on 2026-10-22
For a permanent-residence application under the 80-point route, tax and income documents are needed for the latest one year only.
永住許可申請４－（１）－ア（80点以上の高度専門職として1年以上在留）永住許可申請４－（１）－ア６ · Checked on 2026-10-22
For a permanent-residence application under the 70-point route, tax and income documents are needed for the latest three years.
永住許可申請４－（２）－ア（70点以上の高度専門職として3年以上在留）永住許可申請４－（２）－ア６ · Checked on 2026-10-22
Online applications from 1 October 2026 cannot be paid with revenue stamps; the fee is paid by convenience-store or bank settlement, and credit cards and QR payments are not accepted.
オンライン申請における手数料額及び手数料納付方法について(２０２６年１０月１日以降の申請分のみに適用) 注意・手数料納付方法 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2026-10-01
For the income item the guide asks for a document proving the annual remuneration expected from the contracting organisation (and any foreign organisation) for the activity applied for, not the income of earlier stays.
ポイント計算表の各項目に関する疎明資料（基本例） ③年収 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The guide closes by warning that during examination the agency may ask for documents beyond those listed in the basic examples, so the list is a starting point rather than a guarantee of sufficiency.
ポイント計算表の各項目に関する疎明資料（基本例） ⑱の次の注記 · Checked on 2026-10-22
For academic-background points the basic evidence is the graduation certificate and the certificate of degree conferral for the degree claimed; a transcript may additionally be requested when the extra points for degrees in multiple fields are claimed.
ポイント計算表の各項目に関する疎明資料（基本例） ①学歴 · Checked on 2026-10-22
When claiming the extra points for doctoral, master's or professional degrees in several fields, ISA says the degree or diploma should show that the majors differ, and if it does not, a transcript is submitted; ISA places no limit on which degrees are combined.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問5 · Checked on 2026-10-22
For annual-income points the evidence is a document showing the yearly remuneration from the contracting (or activity) organisation and any foreign organisation; the guide names no specific form such as a contract or a withholding slip, and stresses that it is the expected income from the activity applied for, not past earnings.
ポイント計算表の各項目に関する疎明資料（基本例） ③年収 · Checked on 2026-10-22
For the patent research-achievement item, the evidence is a document showing that the applicant holds a patent as inventor, for example a copy of the patent certificate with the applicant's name on it.
ポイント計算表の各項目に関する疎明資料（基本例） ④研究実績（特許） · Checked on 2026-10-22
For the foreign-grant item (three or more studies funded by a foreign government), the guide words the criterion as work done before entering Japan and asks for a document such as a copy of the grant decision notice showing the applicant's name.
ポイント計算表の各項目に関する疎明資料（基本例） ⑤研究実績（外国政府の補助金等） · Checked on 2026-10-22
For the three-papers item the guide asks for a free-form document listing each paper's title, authors, journal, volume and issue, pages and year of publication, and it limits the papers to those where the applicant is the corresponding author.
ポイント計算表の各項目に関する疎明資料（基本例） ⑥研究実績（論文） · Checked on 2026-10-22
For the "other equivalent research achievement" item the guide asks only for "a document proving it", with no list of acceptable awards or achievements, because the Minister of Justice decides case by case after hearing the relevant ministries.
ポイント計算表の各項目に関する疎明資料（基本例） ⑦研究実績（その他） · Checked on 2026-10-22
For the qualification points in category (b), the evidence is a document proving the Japanese national qualification (exclusive-practice or title-protected) or the passed IT exam or held IT qualification, for example a copy of the pass certificate.
ポイント計算表の各項目に関する疎明資料（基本例） ⑧資格（業務独占・名称独占／IT告示） · Checked on 2026-10-22
For the innovation-support employer bonus the evidence is a document showing that the organisation receives a measure listed in the Minister's notice, for example a copy of the subsidy decision notice.
ポイント計算表の各項目に関する疎明資料（基本例） ⑨イノベーション促進支援措置 · Checked on 2026-10-22
To prove that the organisation is an SME under the Basic Act on SMEs, the guide asks for material showing its main business (such as a brochure) plus either a document proving capital (registry certificate, financial statements or articles of incorporation) or a document proving the number of employees (employment or labour insurance, wage ledger).
ポイント計算表の各項目に関する疎明資料（基本例） ⑩中小企業者 · Checked on 2026-10-22
For the local-government support bonus the evidence is a document showing that the organisation receives a support measure the Minister has recognised, for example a copy of the subsidy decision notice.
ポイント計算表の各項目に関する疎明資料（基本例） ⑪地方公共団体の支援措置 · Checked on 2026-10-22
To prove that R&D spending exceeds 3 percent of revenue, a company submits financial statements showing both figures, or public documents showing sales together with marked account books and a breakdown of R&D costs, or a certificate from a tax accountant, certified public accountant or SME management consultant; a sole proprietor uses business income and the previous calendar year instead.
ポイント計算表の各項目に関する疎明資料（基本例） ⑫試験研究費等比率 · Checked on 2026-10-22
For the foreign qualification or award bonus the evidence is a document proving that the qualification or award is held, and a company or product award counts only if the applicant took an active part in winning it.
ポイント計算表の各項目に関する疎明資料（基本例） ⑬外国の資格・表彰等 · Checked on 2026-10-22
For the bonus for a degree from a Japanese university or graduate school, the evidence is the graduation certificate and the degree-conferral certificate.
ポイント計算表の各項目に関する疎明資料（基本例） ⑭日本の大学卒業 · Checked on 2026-10-22
For the Japanese-language bonuses, a graduation certificate (for a foreign degree majoring in Japanese) or a pass certificate copy is needed for the JLPT N1 level, and a pass certificate copy for the JLPT N2 level.
ポイント計算表の各項目に関する疎明資料（基本例） ⑮⑯日本語能力 · Checked on 2026-10-22
For the growth-field advanced project bonus the evidence is a document such as a copy of the subsidy notice for the project together with an explanatory document showing that the applicant works on that project.
ポイント計算表の各項目に関する疎明資料（基本例） ⑯成長分野の先端プロジェクト · Checked on 2026-10-22
For the designated-university bonus the applicant submits material proving the university is on the designated lists (for example the relevant part of the ISA web page) together with the graduation and degree certificates.
ポイント計算表の各項目に関する疎明資料（基本例） ⑰指定大学 · Checked on 2026-10-22
For the designated-training bonus the evidence is the JICA training completion certificate; once it is submitted, ISA in principle does not ask for education or career documents, except that career points still need the career evidence of item 2.
ポイント計算表の各項目に関する疎明資料（基本例） ⑱JICA研修 · Checked on 2026-10-22
For the bonus for personally investing 100,000,000 yen or more in the business run in Japan, the evidence is a document showing the amount of capital or contribution, for example a shareholder register.
ポイント計算表の各項目に関する疎明資料（基本例） ⑲1億円投資 · Checked on 2026-10-22
For the position points in category (c), the evidence is a document showing that the applicant is a representative director, director, representative executive officer, executive officer or business-executing member of the activity organisation, with representative authority noted where it applies.
ポイント計算表の各項目に関する疎明資料（基本例） ⑳地位 · Checked on 2026-10-22
For the financial-sector bonus, the evidence is a copy of the registration notice for type II financial instruments business, investment advisory and agency business or investment management business, plus a reference-form explanation that the applicant works in one of those businesses.
ポイント計算表の各項目に関する疎明資料（基本例）㉑投資運用業等 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The ISA application page requires that documents written in a foreign language be submitted with a Japanese translation attached.
在留資格「高度専門職」（高度人材ポイント制）提出書類（共通注記） · Checked on 2026-10-22
Partly confirmed: The three-month freshness rule on the ISA page is worded only for certificates issued in Japan; the page sets no equivalent validity period for documents issued abroad, so a foreign diploma or employer letter has no stated expiry date.
在留資格「高度専門職」（高度人材ポイント制）提出書類（共通注記） · Checked on 2026-10-22
ISA does not return submitted documents in principle, so an applicant who cannot easily obtain a document again should ask at filing for the original to be returned.
在留資格「高度専門職」（高度人材ポイント制）提出書類（共通注記） · Checked on 2026-10-22
A local government that wants its support scheme recognised for the bonus applies itself to the Minister of Justice through ISA's Policy Division by phone and e-mail, so the list can grow, but the applicant company cannot apply for the recognition.
地方公共団体における高度人材外国人の受入れを促進するための支援措置について制度の概要・認定申請について · Checked on 2026-10-22
For the 80-point permanent residence route, a person who has been recognised as an 80-point professional for a year submits the points sheet calculated at the time of the application together with a copy of the points-result notice received when the status was granted; the notice replaces the evidence documents for that earlier time.
永住許可申請４－（１）－ア（80点以上の高度専門職として1年以上在留）８高度専門職ポイント計算表等 · Checked on 2026-10-22
A person with 80 points who is not in the Highly Skilled Professional status must file two points sheets, one calculated at the application date and one at a date one year earlier, and the earlier one is calculated on the current points table unless the applicant proves with older table evidence that 80 points were held then.
永住許可申請４－（１）－イ（80点以上・高度専門職以外で1年前も80点以上）４高度専門職ポイント計算表等 · Checked on 2026-10-22
A person with 70 points who is not in the Highly Skilled Professional status must file a sheet at the application date and another at a date three years earlier, with the earlier sheet calculated on the current table unless the older table proves 70 points were held then.
永住許可申請４－（２）－イ（70点以上・高度専門職以外で3年前も70点以上）４高度専門職ポイント計算表等 · Checked on 2026-10-22
For the 70-point route used by a professional who has held 70 points for three years, the points documents are only the sheet calculated at the application date and the evidence that the total is at least 70, with no sheet for an earlier date.
永住許可申請４－（２）－ア（70点以上の高度専門職として3年以上在留）８高度専門職ポイント計算表等 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Besides tax and insurance documents, a highly skilled professional applying for permanent residence submits proof of assets such as a bank-book copy or a property registry certificate, a letter of guarantee with the guarantor's identity document, and a written acknowledgement form, which has been mandatory since 1 October 2021.
永住許可申請４－（１）－ア（80点以上の高度専門職として1年以上在留）１２〜１４身元保証・了解書、１０資産 · Checked on 2026-10-22
ISA's page of procedures available online names certificates of eligibility, change of status, extension, acquisition, re-entry, permission for activity outside status and certificates of authorized employment as residence-examination procedures that can be filed online; permanent residence permission is not among the procedures it names.
出入国在留管理庁オンライン申請（オンライン申請等が可能な手続）オンライン申請等が可能な手続 · Checked on 2026-10-22
For a Special Highly Skilled Professional application the evidence is a graduation certificate and degree certificate for education, a document made by the former organisation stating the period and duties for career, and a document proving annual pay for income, where income means the expected pay from the Japanese activity, not past earnings.
特別高度人材制度（J-Skip）申請書類等について（疎明資料） · Checked on 2026-10-22
A new Special Highly Skilled Professional applies through the ordinary No. 1 certificate of eligibility with documents proving the criteria, and once recognised receives a Special Highly Skilled Professional certificate attached to the passport.
特別高度人材制度（J-Skip）申請手続の流れ · Checked on 2026-10-22
A Highly Skilled Professional No. 1(c) holder who leaves the designated organisation must file a departure notification, and a job change that changes the organisation also needs a change-of-status application (ISA's general notification Q&A adds that no separate notification is needed if a change-of-status permission is received at the same time), while founding a subsidiary beside the main activity needs no notification.
所属機関等に関する届出（Q&A）Ｑ２７（高度専門職１号ハ） · Checked on 2026-10-22
ISA explains that the applicant self-scores and submits the sheet with evidence, and that it is ISA's examination that confirms the work qualifies and that the total reaches 70 points, so a calculator result is only a self-check and never a decision.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問42 · Checked on 2026-10-22
ISA warns that anyone other than a lawyer or an administrative scrivener who prepares application documents for pay as a business may be breaking the Administrative Scrivener Act, so a rules tool should tell users to consult a lawyer or administrative scrivener rather than offer paid document preparation.
在留資格「経営・管理」に係る上陸基準省令等の改正について申請に関する取扱い（行政書士法） · Checked on 2026-10-22
Besides the applicant and an employee of the receiving organisation, an application may be filed by a lawyer or administrative scrivener who has notified the regional immigration bureau, and by certain public-interest corporations and legal representatives.
在留資格認定証明書交付申請（手続案内）申請提出者 · Checked on 2026-10-22

Lists and tables

Academic background points for category (a): doctorate 30, master's or professional degree 20, university graduate or equivalent 10, and an extra 5 for holding doctorates, master's or professional degrees in multiple fields.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項第1号（学歴） · Checked on 2026-10-22
Academic background points for category (b): doctorate 30, a professional degree in business management (MBA/MOT) 25, master's or other professional degree 20, university graduate or equivalent 10, plus 5 for degrees in multiple fields.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項第2号（学歴） · Checked on 2026-10-22
Academic background points for category (c): a professional degree in business management 25, doctorate/master's/other professional degree 20, university graduate or equivalent 10, plus 5 for degrees in multiple fields.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項第3号（学歴） · Checked on 2026-10-22
Career points for category (a): 7 or more years of practical experience in the research, guidance or teaching to be done gives 15, 5 to under 7 years gives 10, and 3 to under 5 years gives 5.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項第1号（職歴） · Checked on 2026-10-22
Career points for category (b): 10 or more years of experience in the work to be done gives 20, 7 to under 10 years gives 15, 5 to under 7 years gives 10, and 3 to under 5 years gives 5.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項第2号（職歴） · Checked on 2026-10-22
Career points for category (c): 10 or more years of experience in running or managing a business gives 25, 7 to under 10 years gives 20, 5 to under 7 years gives 15, and 3 to under 5 years gives 10.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項第3号（職歴） · Checked on 2026-10-22
Annual income points for categories (a) and (b), by lower bound of the band: 10,000,000 yen gives 40, 9,000,000 yen 35, 8,000,000 yen 30, 7,000,000 yen 25, 6,000,000 yen 20, 5,000,000 yen 15 and 4,000,000 yen 10, counting pay from the contracting organisation plus any foreign sending organisation.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項第1号・第2号（年収） · Checked on 2026-10-22
Annual income points for category (c), by lower bound of the band: 30,000,000 yen gives 50, 25,000,000 yen 40, 20,000,000 yen 30, 15,000,000 yen 20 and 10,000,000 yen 10.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項第3号（年収） · Checked on 2026-10-22

Show 39 more

Age points for categories (a) and (b): under 30 gives 15, 30 to under 35 gives 10, and 35 to under 40 gives 5; no age points are given from age 40.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項第1号・第2号（年齢） · Checked on 2026-10-22
Research achievement points for category (a): meeting two or more of the four listed achievements gives 25 points, and meeting any one gives 20.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項第1号（研究実績） · Checked on 2026-10-22
Partly confirmed: Qualifying research achievements are: a patent as inventor (1 or more), three or more studies funded by a foreign government grant, three or more papers as corresponding author in journals indexed in a database used by Japanese national bodies, or equivalent achievements recognised by the Minister of Justice; the ISA points table additionally mentions a first author who contributed substantially.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項第1号（研究実績） · Checked on 2026-10-22
Research achievement points for category (b): meeting at least one of the listed achievements (patent, foreign grant-funded research, three papers, or an equivalent recognised by the Minister) gives 15 points.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項第2号（研究実績） · Checked on 2026-10-22
Qualification points for category (b): holding two or more qualifications, counting work-related Japanese national qualifications and designated IT exams or certificates together, gives 10 points, while one gives 5.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項第2号（資格） · Checked on 2026-10-22
Position points for category (c): a representative director, representative executive officer or a business-executing member with power of representation earns 10 points, and an ordinary director, executive officer or business-executing member earns 5.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項第3号（地位） · Checked on 2026-10-22
Bonus points for the host organisation: 20 points if it is an SME that holds a designated innovation-promoting certification or support measure, 10 points if it is another organisation with such a certification or support.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項（特別加算・イノベーション支援） · Checked on 2026-10-22
Japanese language and education bonuses: a degree from a Japanese university or graduate school gives 10 points; JLPT N1 or a Japanese-language major abroad gives 15; JLPT N2 gives 10 but cannot be combined with the other two.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項（特別加算・学位・日本語） · Checked on 2026-10-22
Further bonuses are 10 points for graduating from a university designated by public notice, 10 points for working on a Minister-approved advanced project in a growth field, and 5 points for completing a designated government-commissioned training course.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項（特別加算・大学・研修・成長分野） · Checked on 2026-10-22
Holding a foreign qualification, award or similar proof of advanced expertise that the Minister of Justice recognises as contributing to innovation earns 5 bonus points; items already counted under research achievements are excluded.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項（特別加算・外国資格） · Checked on 2026-10-22
If the host organisation receives local-government subsidies or similar support for accepting highly skilled foreign workers, to strengthen industrial competitiveness, 10 bonus points are earned.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項（特別加算・自治体支援） · Checked on 2026-10-22
In categories (b) and (c), working in a financial-sector role designated by the Minister of Justice, such as investment management, earns 10 bonus points.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項第2号・第3号（特別加算・金融業務） · Checked on 2026-10-22
A No. 1 holder may carry out activities falling under several work statuses at the same time without a separate permission to engage in activity outside status or a change of status.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問3① · Checked on 2026-10-22
No. 2 allows almost all work-status activities in addition to the No. 1 activities, grants an indefinite period of stay, and keeps the permanent residence, spouse, parent and domestic worker benefits.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問3（高度専門職2号） · Checked on 2026-10-22
Since July 2021, investment management business workers in category (b) or (c) earn 10 bonus points, and may hire one domestic worker at 10-30 million yen household income or two at 30 million yen or more.
世界に開かれた国際金融センターの実現に向けた高度人材ポイント制における優遇措置の拡充について（２）措置内容①② · Checked on 2026-10-22
A Certificate of Eligibility application consists of the status-specific forms and Enforcement Regulations documents, the point calculation sheet, and evidence for the point items claimed, such as degree certificates, income documents, research evidence and national-qualification certificates; documents confirming a total of 70 points are enough.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）問44 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The category (a) table scores six item groups: academic background, career, annual income, age, research achievements and bonus items; it has no qualification row, no position row and no minimum-income condition.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項第1号（イ）の表 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2024-06-10
The category (b) table scores seven item groups: academic background, career, annual income, age, research achievements, qualifications and bonus items; it has no position row, and the 3 million yen minimum pay is a separate condition on top of the 70 points.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項第2号の表 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2024-06-10
The category (c) table has no age rows, no research-achievement rows and no qualification rows; it scores only academic background, career, annual income, position and bonus items, so age never changes a category (c) score.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項第3号の表 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2024-06-10
Bonus items open to category (a): innovation-support employer 20 (SME) or 10, R&D-ratio SME 5, foreign qualification or award 5, Japanese university degree 10, JLPT N1 15 or N2 10, growth-field project 10, designated university 10, designated training 5, local-government subsidy 10; no finance-role, 100-million-yen-investment or position bonus exists for (a).
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項第1号（イ）の表特別加算イ〜ル · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2024-06-10
Bonus items open to category (b) are the same as (a) plus a 10-point bonus for a Minister-designated financial-sector role; the local-government subsidy bonus is 10; there is no 100-million-yen-investment or position bonus for (b).
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項第2号の表特別加算イ〜ヲ · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2024-06-10
Bonus items open to category (c) are the same as (b) plus a 5-point bonus for personally investing 100 million yen or more in the business run in Japan; the finance-role bonus is 10 and the local-government subsidy bonus is 10, while the research-ratio SME bonus still applies at 5.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項第3号の表特別加算イ〜ワ · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2024-06-10
Category (b) qualification points come in three exclusive tiers: 10 points for two or more qualifying national qualifications or two or more designated IT exams or certificates; 10 points for a mix totalling two or more of those kinds; and 5 points for any one.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第1条第1項第2号の表資格 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2024-06-10
The IT notice that drives the category (b) qualification points and the IT exemption of the Engineer/Specialist status lists, for Japan, the Registered Information Security Specialist exam and eleven national information-processing engineer exams from IT Strategist down to Fundamental Information Technology Engineer and Information Security Management, plus 25 older MITI or METI exams.
出入国管理及び難民認定法第七条第一項第二号の基準を定める省令の技術・人文知識・国際業務の在留資格に係る基準の特例を定める件第一号（我が国における試験） · Checked on 2026-10-22
The same IT notice also accepts exams run abroad: Chinese exams (seven current and seven earlier ones), Philippine, Vietnamese, Myanmar, Thai, Mongolian and Bangladeshi fundamental and applied information technology engineer exams, three Taiwanese exams run by III and the Malaysian METEOR fundamental exam.
出入国管理及び難民認定法第七条第一項第二号の基準を定める省令の技術・人文知識・国際業務の在留資格に係る基準の特例を定める件第二号〜第十号（外国における試験） · Checked on 2026-10-22
The IT notice's qualification part names two qualifications, the Certified IT Project Manager (CITPM) of the Singapore Computer Society and, for Korea, the Engineer Information Processing and Industrial Engineer Information Processing certificates recognised by the Human Resources Development Service of Korea.
出入国管理及び難民認定法第七条第一項第二号の基準を定める省令の技術・人文知識・国際業務の在留資格に係る基準の特例を定める件第十一号・第十二号（資格） · Checked on 2026-10-22
ISA's list of advanced growth-field projects (as of March 2026) names the programmes by ministry, from the Cabinet Office (such as SIP and the Moonshot programme) through MEXT (such as WPI and J-PEAKS), MHLW, MAFF, METI and the Environment Ministry; working on one earns the 10-point bonus.
将来において成長発展が期待される分野の先端的な事業（令和８年３月現在）全体（令和８年３月現在） · Checked on 2026-10-22
The ISA list of local-government support measures recognised for the 10-point bonus (as of August 2026) covers programmes in Tokyo, Hiroshima, Fukuoka (Fukuoka City and Kitakyushu City), Kyoto, Miyagi (Sendai City) and Aichi, so an employer outside these areas cannot earn the bonus.
法務大臣が認める地方公共団体からの必要な経費に関する補助金の交付その他これに準ずる支援措置一覧（令和８年８月現在）全体（令和８年８月現在） · Checked on 2026-10-22
The ISA list of foreign qualifications and awards worth 5 bonus points (revised December 2023) has 14 entries: the US CPA, foreign lawyers of listed countries and states, US and UK actuary qualifications, and eleven design and fashion awards such as iF, Red Dot, Good Design and the LVMH Prize.
高度人材ポイント制の加点対象となる外国の資格、表彰等一覧（令和５年12月改訂）全体（令和５年12月改訂） · Checked on 2026-10-22
Foreign lawyers count for the 5-point foreign qualification bonus only for the jurisdictions on ISA's list, which includes the Republic of Korea (Byonhosa), China, Hong Kong, Singapore, the United Kingdom, India and many US states, and ISA points to the Ministry of Justice guide on foreign-law solicitors for the latest valid list.
高度人材ポイント制の加点対象となる外国の資格、表彰等一覧（令和５年12月改訂）項番2 外国弁護士 · Checked on 2026-10-22
ISA's ranking-based university list (as of January 2026) is bilingual and carries the note that it was built from the January 2026 rankings, so applicants must re-check the latest three world rankings themselves; the inclusion rule (top 300 in two or more of QS, THE and ARWU for foreign universities, any ranking for Japanese ones) comes from the ISA Q&A and the Minister's notice, not from the list.
加点対象となる大学一覧（世界大学ランキング／令和８年１月時点）全体（令和８年１月時点） · Checked on 2026-10-22
Seven South Korean universities appear on the January 2026 ranking-based list: Hanyang, KAIST, Korea University, POSTECH, Seoul National University, Sungkyunkwan and Yonsei (Seoul Campus), so their graduates can claim the 10-point designated-university bonus unless the latest rankings drop them.
加点対象となる大学一覧（世界大学ランキング／令和８年１月時点）韓国の大学 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The Innovative Asia partner-school list, the second route to the 10-point university bonus, names institutions in India, Indonesia, Cambodia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar and Laos, and includes no South Korean school.
外務省が実施するイノベーティブ・アジア事業において「パートナー校」として指定を受けている大学全体 · Checked on 2026-10-22
ISA's points page lists the bonus references it maintains: the innovation-support list (the Minister's notice annex 1 and 2, as of March 2026), foreign qualifications, Japanese ability, growth-field projects (March 2026), local-government support, the designated-university lists, and a financial-talent reference form.
ポイント評価の仕組みは？（高度人材ポイント制）ポイント計算におけるボーナスポイントに関する資料 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The ISA points page links the list of innovation-support measures as annexes 1 and 2 of the Minister of Justice's special-bonus notice, shown as of March 2026, and lists that notice as amended on 31 March 2026.
ポイント評価の仕組みは？（高度人材ポイント制）関係法令・関係資料／ポイント計算におけるボーナスポイントに関する資料 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The Special Highly Skilled Professional measures add use of priority lanes at large airports to the usual items of combined activities, a five-year stay, relaxed permanent residence, a working spouse, parents, household workers and priority processing.
特別高度人材制度（J-Skip）出入国在留管理上の優遇措置の内容 · Checked on 2026-10-22
ISA publishes the points-calculation reference sheet in Excel for self-scoring, in Japanese and English, and a detailed points table PDF with notes in both languages; the Excel sheet carries the evidence column used for filing.
ポイント評価の仕組みは？（高度人材ポイント制）２ポイント計算表 · Checked on 2026-10-22
For edge cases ISA's page sends applicants to the Foreign Residents Support Information Center by phone on weekdays between 8:30 and 17:15, with operators answering in Japanese or English.
高度人材ポイント制による出入国在留管理上の優遇制度問い合わせ先 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Partly confirmed: The innovation-support notice (Notice No. 578 of 2014, last amended by Notice No. 28 of 31 March 2026) lists in annex 1 laws whose certifications count, such as the SME management enhancement act and the national university corporation act, and in annex 2 support measures run by the Cabinet Office, MIC, MEXT, MHLW, MAFF, METI and the Environment Ministry.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令第一条第一項各号の表の特別加算の項の規定に基づき法務大臣が定める法律の規定等を定める件別表第一・別表第二（抜粋） · Checked on 2026-10-22

Recent changes

The Ministry of Justice public notice that sets the bonus-point rules was last amended on 31 March 2026, according to the ISA points-system page.
ポイント評価の仕組みは？（高度人材ポイント制）関係法令・関係資料 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2026-03-31
The older Highly Skilled Professional landing notice and residence guideline, which applied to the Designated Activities status of earlier holders, are shown as abolished in March 2026.
ポイント評価の仕組みは？（高度人材ポイント制）関係法令・関係資料 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The list of universities eligible for bonus points was built from the January 2026 world rankings, and applicants are told to also check the latest three rankings when applying.
ポイント評価の仕組みは？（高度人材ポイント制）ポイント計算におけるボーナスポイントに関する資料 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The Special Highly Skilled Professional scheme (J-Skip) started in April 2023 as a track separate from the points system, granting the status on education or career plus an income threshold.
特別高度人材制度（J-Skip）制度の概要 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2023-04-01
The latest amendment in the e-Gov text of the points ordinance takes effect on 10 June 2024, which is the version currently in force.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）附則（令和6年） · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2024-06-10
Category (a) has no minimum annual income: the December 2013 revision scrapped the minimum for advanced academic research and set one age-independent floor of 3,000,000 yen for (b) and (c), citing that people at universities and other educational institutions and at small and medium firms are generally paid less than those at large companies.
高度人材ポイント制の見直しについて（平成25年12月）認定要件① 最低年収基準の見直し · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2013-12-01
The IT notice (Ministry of Justice Notice No. 437 of 2013) shows its latest amendment as 20 July 2020 (Notice No. 118), so its exam and qualification list has not changed since then according to the ISA copy.
出入国管理及び難民認定法第七条第一項第二号の基準を定める省令の技術・人文知識・国際業務の在留資格に係る基準の特例を定める件最近改正 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2020-07-20
The Super Global University project ended after fiscal 2023, but universities that had received its subsidy under the Top or Global types still count for the university bonus; the March 2019 ISA expansion document also sets out adding Japanese universities ranked in any one of the three world rankings.
高度人材ポイント制の特別加算対象大学の拡大（平成31年3月）注（※３） · Checked on 2026-10-22

Show 20 more

The ISA hub page shows the special-bonus Ministry of Justice notice as last amended on 31 March 2026, and the same hub says the older Highly Skilled Professional landing notice and residence guideline were abolished in March 2026.
高度人材ポイント制による出入国在留管理上の優遇制度関係法令・関係資料 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2026-03-31
ISA says the points-based preferential system for highly skilled foreign professionals has operated since 7 May 2012, which is the start of the system that was later folded into the Highly Skilled Professional status.
高度人材ポイント制とは？１制度の概要・目的 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2012-05-07
The ordinance that sets the points tables took effect on 1 April 2015, the date the Highly Skilled Professional status replaced the earlier Designated Activities category for highly skilled foreign professionals.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）附則第一条 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2015-04-01
Partly confirmed: No transition clause in the ordinance lets an older points table apply to a later renewal: the current table is applied as of the time of permission, and ISA has not published a rule that an earlier score or earlier table still counts, so a renewal is scored on the table in force then.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）第一条第一項（許可を受ける時点） · Checked on 2026-10-22
The December 2013 revision changed the scoring: it dropped the minimum income for category (a), set one 3,000,000-yen floor for (b) and (c), counted pay from a foreign sending organisation, raised research points to 20 or 25, raised the Japanese-language bonus to 15, the Japanese degree bonus to 10, and added bonuses for an MBA or MOT, foreign qualifications and SMEs.
高度人材ポイント制の見直しについて（平成25年12月・法務省入国管理局）見直し内容（認定要件） · Checked on 2026-10-22
The same December 2013 revision relaxed the family measures: it cut the annual income needed for bringing a parent from 10,000,000 to 8,000,000 yen, allowed a parent to come for a pregnancy as well as for a child, raised the child age limit from under 3 to under 7, allowed adopted children and adoptive parents, cut the domestic-worker income threshold from 15,000,000 to 10,000,000 yen and let the spouse's income be added.
高度人材ポイント制の見直しについて（平成25年12月・法務省入国管理局）見直し内容（優遇措置） · Checked on 2026-10-22
The April 2017 revision introduced what ISA called the Japanese-version green card: permanent residence after 3 years for people recognised at 70 points or more, cut from 5, and after 1 year for people at 80 points or more.
高度人材ポイント制の見直し（永住許可申請に要する在留期間の短縮及びポイント加算措置の追加）について（平成29年4月）永住許可申請に要する在留期間の見直し · Checked on 2026-10-22
The same April 2017 revision added seven bonus items: 10 points for a growth-field project, 5 for investing 100,000,000 yen, 10 for a top university, 5 for the ODA training, 10 for a bachelor's degree in category (a), 5 for several master's or doctoral degrees, and 10 for JLPT N2 level.
高度人材ポイント制の見直し（永住許可申請に要する在留期間の短縮及びポイント加算措置の追加）について（平成29年4月）新たに追加した各種加算措置 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The ISA points page lists the published revision documents as December 2013, April 2017, March 2019 and July 2021, and shows the special-bonus notice as amended on 31 March 2026; these are only the dated items that page itself points to, not a complete change history of the system.
ポイント評価の仕組みは？（高度人材ポイント制） N/A（改訂履歴の一覧） · Checked on 2026-10-22
ISA states that the Special Highly Skilled Professional system (J-Skip) was introduced on 21 April 2023, and the separate ministerial ordinance that defines its criteria took effect the same day.
高度人材ポイント制とは？ ※（J-Skip導入日） · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2023-04-21
An amendment that took effect on 31 March 2023 contains a transitional clause stating that the local-government support bonus items of the three tables do not apply to applications still handled under the pre-existing rules of the former special-zone ministerial order.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）附則（令和５年３月３１日施行） · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2023-03-31
The latest amendment to the points ordinance now in force took effect on 10 June 2024; it is a consequential ordinance accompanying the enforcement of an amendment to the Immigration Control Act.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索現行版データ）附則（令和６年６月１０日施行） · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2024-06-10
Partly confirmed: The 2012 landing notice for Designated Activities highly skilled professionals was last amended in July 2016 and required 70 points on its own calculation; the ISA copy of it contains no transitional handling for holders of the old status.
出入国管理及び難民認定法第七条第一項第二号の規定に基づき高度人材外国人等に係る同法別表第一の五の表の下欄に掲げる活動を定める件（高度人材上陸告示・令和８年３月廃止）表紙（最近の改正） · Checked on 2026-10-22
The 2012 residence guideline for highly skilled Designated Activities holders says that a person seeking renewal receives permission for a new period of stay of five years.
高度人材告示第二条の表の下欄に掲げる活動を指定されて在留する者等の在留手続の取扱いに関する指針（高度人材在留指針・令和８年３月廃止）第三一（在留期間の更新） · Checked on 2026-10-22
ISA says existing Business Manager holders cannot be refused renewal solely for failing the new standard until 16 October 2028, and its guidance says Highly Skilled Professional No. 1(c) based on business-management activity is handled the same way on renewal.
在留資格「経営・管理」に係る上陸基準省令等の改正について問１・問３（経過措置） · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2025-10-16
The permanent residence guideline revised on 1 October 2026 lists the 3-year route at 70 points, the 1-year route at 80 points and a 1-year route for Special Highly Skilled Professionals, and applies to applications filed from 1 April 2027, apart from two income and public-burden provisions that also reach pending applications filed up to six months before the revision date.
永住許可に関するガイドライン（令和８年１０月１日改定）第３６〜８（高度人材）／第６（適用時期） · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2027-04-01
MOFA's embassy notice explains that J-Skip lets top-level professionals qualify by education or career and income outside the points system with No. 2 after one year, while J-Find gives graduates of world top universities within five years up to two years of job hunting or startup preparation, with the two systems created together in 2023.
在留資格「高度専門職」及び「特定活動」に係わる法務省告示の改正等「特別高度人材制度」及び「未来創造人材制度」の創設（在コスタリカ日本国大使館掲載）全体（制度の創設） · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2023-04-21
The English points calculation table in ISA's English leaflet is marked as revised in April 2026, and it states the minimum 3-million-yen income, the age-by-income grid and the corresponding-or-first-author wording, so it is the latest English source for the points rule.
Leaflet for English: Points Calculation Table (Revised in April, 2026) 表紙 · Checked on 2026-10-22
ISA's points-system Q&A is dated April 2026 in Japanese and in English, and ISA publishes no schedule for the next edition, so a rules viewer should show the April 2026 date and re-check the ISA page on the biweekly watch.
高度人材ポイント制Ｑ＆Ａ（令和８年４月時点）表紙 · Checked on 2026-10-22
A further amendment to the points ordinance, Ministry of Justice Ordinance No. 45 of 2025, takes effect on 1 April 2027 with the amending act on the Immigration Control Act and the Technical Intern Training Act; the only change in its text is to the definition of the application date used by the SME research-ratio bonus, and no point values change.
出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄の基準を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索令和9年4月1日施行予定版データ）第一条第一項第一号（特別加算ハ）・附則 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2027-04-01

Information only. Not legal advice and not an official service. Check the official source and consult the Immigration Services Agency or a licensed administrative scrivener (行政書士) before you decide.