Visa & residencyVisas and renewals
Japan has no sponsor visa: your employer files for a status that fits the job. Degree rules, the four employer categories, documents and the 47-day average.
Japan has no separate sponsor visa. When a job ad says visa sponsorship, it means the employer files an application for a status of residence that fits the job, usually a certificate of eligibility if you are abroad or a change of status if you are already in Japan. For the Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services status, you need a relevant degree or experience, and the employer's documents depend on one of four categories. As of November 2026 the certificate averaged 47.1 days.
Japan has no separate sponsor visa. When a job ad says visa sponsorship, it means the employer files an application for a status of residence that matches the job: a certificate of eligibility if you are abroad, or a change of status if you are already in Japan. As of November 2026 the Immigration Services Agency (ISA) reports an average of 47.1 days for Engineer/Specialist/International Services certificates of eligibility (August 2026 approvals).
Your status in Japan depends on the activity you do, not on a sponsor. An employer that “sponsors” you takes on the paperwork: it describes the job and the company to immigration, and the ISA decides whether the job fits the status. If you change jobs later, the new job has to fit too. Our changing jobs guide explains what to check.
For most white-collar jobs it is Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services (技術・人文知識・国際業務). The ISA asks for proof of your education, such as a university graduation certificate or an equivalent document, or a certificate of relevant work experience. For work based on foreign-culture knowledge it asks for three years of experience, unless you are a university graduate doing translation, interpretation or language teaching.
Other jobs use other statuses, such as Intra-company Transferee or Specified Skilled Worker.
The ISA sorts employers into four categories, which decides how many documents the employer must submit:
| Category | Who |
|---|---|
| 1 | Listed companies, certain public bodies and corporations, and a set of designated companies |
| 2 | Employers whose withholding tax on salaries in the prior year was at least ¥10 million, or approved users of the online system |
| 3 | Employers that submitted the prior-year statutory payment summary (法定調書合計表) for salaries, other than Category 2 |
| 4 | Employers that meet none of the above |
Depending on the category, the employer submits items such as a certified company registration (登記事項証明書), a description of the business and the latest financial statements (a business plan if the company is new), a representative declaration (代表者申告書), and your employment terms in a written working conditions notice (労働条件通知書) or contract. From April 15, 2026, the ISA says Category 3 and 4 employers must also submit the representative declaration.
If you are abroad, you need a certificate of eligibility. It is free. The ISA says the applicant, a staff member of the receiving organization or another designated agent can file it, and a registered agent can file for them only when the person is in Japan. In Japan on another status, such as a student, the route is a change of status. Processing times differ by status, so use the ISA’s monthly table. In August 2026, Engineer/Specialist/International Services averaged 47.1 days for a certificate and 51.3 days for a change, according to the ISA table.
An employer can’t promise approval, because the ISA decides. Family members don’t need an employer: a spouse or child applies for a dependent status. If you are weighing job offers, ask whether the employer has hired foreign staff before and which category it is in, and ask for the written working conditions in advance.
There is no separate sponsor visa. It means your employer takes on the application for a work status such as Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, and holds the documents about the company and your job. The status is tied to the activity that you do.
The Immigration Services Agency lets the applicant file, but the application depends on documents from an employer or receiving organization that describe the job and the company. For a work status you need an employer.
For Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services the ISA asks for proof of education, such as a graduation certificate, or proof of relevant work experience. For work based on foreign-culture knowledge it asks for three years of experience unless you are a university graduate doing translation, interpretation or language teaching.
It reduces paperwork. The ISA sorts employers into four categories, and Category 1 and 2 employers submit fewer documents than Category 3 and 4. Review time depends on the status, not only the employer.
No. A spouse or child applies for a dependent status, tied to your own status, not to the employer. See our dependent visa guide.
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