Japanese Work Permit (Work Visa Types)

 

Japanese Work Permit (Work Visa Types)

Visa type 1 and Visa Type 2.

Visa Type 1 (Specified Skills Visa 1- SSV1)

Foreigners with Japanese language proficiency (N5-N4) and industry specified skills can apply for this 5 years visa. This work visa type will allow international workers to work in 14 sectors of a middle and lower level of labor skilled jobs including:

1. agriculture
2. materials processing
3. nursing care
4. shipbuilding
5. restaurants
6. airport ground handling & aircraft maintenance
7. food and beverage
8. hotels
9. industrial machinery
10. electronics and electric machinery
11. building cleaning
12. construction
13. vehicle maintenance
14. fishery

The applicants of this visa type will have to pass a Japanese language test and technical exams. Furthermore, they should also hold good work experience in the intended work stream. This visa will be awarded at first for five years. The Japanese government will hold a Japanese language test for the visa type one in 9 countries including Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Mongolia, Nepal, the Philippines, Cambodia, Pakistan, and China. The government will sign a memorandum of understanding (MOUs) with all these 9 countries to make sure the investigative information sharing between Japan and the worker’s country.

Visa Type 2 (Specified Skills Visa 2- SSV2)

Workers staying on visa type 1 can apply for visa type 2 (starting in 2021) if they have acquired higher levels of specialization in their fields. Currently, applicants can only apply for 2 streams, construction, and shipbuilding.

It allows visa holders to bring their family members with them and also allows the unlimited visa renewals and could possibly allow them to apply later on for permanent residency (that is given normally after 10 years of continuous stay in Japan) too. The quota has not been announced for this visa category.

For this category, candidates do not need to show the language proficiency tests, instead, they will be tested in an exam against their skills. So first, work continuously, obey laws, and pay your taxes, and you will be then able to apply for this SSV2.