If you want to work abroad, here’s your chance to consider Japan, too. The Japanese government has announced two new visa options to attract top graduates and high-income earners to work in their country.
As per The Japan Times report, the country’s justice ministry said it would be launching two immigration pathways — Japan System for Special Highly Skilled Professionals (J-SKIP) and Japan System for Future Creation Individual Visa (J-FIND) — in April 2023 after a public feedback process. These visas will aim towards attracting individuals from international higher education institutions, researchers, engineers and managers who are keen on acquiring a professional visa not only to work in the country but also to stay there while they look for jobs.
All you need to know about the J-SKIP and J-FIND visas in Japan
J-FIND visa is aimed at those graduates who are in search of employment opportunities. Top graduates from the world’s best universities (based on the top 100 in QS Top Universities List, Times Higher Education World University Rankings and the Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s Academic Ranking of World Universities) will be granted an extended stay of up to two years in Japan to be able to search for employment. Along with this, applicants will need to have around JPY 200,000 (MYR 6583, approx) in their bank account upon arrival.
The J-SKIP visa is available for researchers, engineers, or high-level managers wishing to migrate to Japan. These applicants will be able to skip the current points-based system and be considered for the visa. However, the applicants will need to meet the income and work experience requirements that are set under this new visa process. At the moment, those with 70 points or more are currently considered for a highly professional skilled visa.
Under the new policy, a J-SKIP visa holder can move to Level 2 professionals after one year of working and living in Japan. With Level 2 status comes many benefits – the professionals can stay there for an indefinite period with nearly no working restrictions, and their spouses can also work full time. Researchers and engineers can apply if they possess a master’s degree or higher or at least 10 years of work experience, with an annual income of at least JPY 20 million (MYR 658k, approx). Managers require a minimum work experience of five years, along with an annual income of at least JPY 40 million (MYR 1.31 million, approx).
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According to Kyodo News, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said that the new system “would recognise expanded preferential treatment to those with top-level abilities,” at the ministerial meeting where the measure was decided.
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Written By
Anushka Goel
Anushka has previously worked with publications such as the Times of India and Being Indian. A graduate from Xavier Institute of Communications, she specialises in entertainment, food and travel. She also likes to write about sustainability and beauty. When not working, you can catch her reading a book, tending to her plants, cooking or playing an instrument.
