You got an offer from a Japanese company. Now what?
Most software engineers come to Japan on a residence status with a long name: Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services (技術・人文知識・国際業務). Japanese people shorten it to gijinkoku (技人国).
The good news: your employer does most of the work. The process is predictable once you know the order of steps and who is responsible for each one.
A note on sources: I’m an engineer, not an immigration specialist. Everything in this article comes from official sources, linked below. Rules change — always check the latest information from the Immigration Services Agency of Japan, and for your own case, your employer or a gyoseishoshi (行政書士, a licensed administrative scrivener who handles immigration applications).
Are you eligible?
To get this status as an engineer, you generally need one of the following:
| Route | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Degree | A university degree (or equivalent education) in a subject related to the work you’ll do |
| Japanese vocational school | Completion of a related course at a Japanese vocational school (専門学校) |
| Work experience | 10 years or more of practical experience in the relevant field (including time studying the subject at university or similar) |
| IT certification (IT engineers only) | Passing an information-technology exam or holding a qualification designated by Japan’s Minister of Justice (the “IT notice”, IT告示) |
And one more requirement applies to everyone:
- Your pay must be at least equal to what a Japanese person would receive for the same work.
Sources: Immigration Services Agency — Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services; Ministerial ordinance on landing criteria (e-Gov).
The detail that trips people up: “related to the work”
Immigration checks whether your education or experience matches the job. A computer science degree for a software engineering role is straightforward. A degree in an unrelated field, with a job that doesn’t clearly use it, is where applications get questioned. If your degree isn’t in a technical field, talk to your employer early about how they’ll explain the connection — or whether the experience or IT-certification route fits better.
The whole process at a glance
[Offer accepted]
│
▼
1. Employer applies for your Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) ← employer
│ standard processing: 1–3 months
▼
2. CoE issued (can be sent by email) ← employer → you
│
▼
3. You apply for a visa at a Japanese embassy/consulate ← you
│
▼
4. You enter Japan (within 3 months of CoE issue) ← you
│ residence card issued at major airports
▼
5. Register your address within 14 days ← youStep by step: who does what
Step 1 — Certificate of Eligibility (employer)
The Certificate of Eligibility (在留資格認定証明書, CoE) is Immigration’s pre-approval. Your employer’s staff (or a gyoseishoshi they hire) applies for it at the regional immigration office responsible for the company’s location.
- Standard processing time: 1 to 3 months
- No application fee
- Online application is available
What you’ll be asked to provide: typically your passport copy, a photo, your diploma or proof of work experience, and your CV. Your employer submits documents about the company and your contract.
Why the company size matters: Immigration sorts employers into categories. Listed companies and other large, established companies submit fewer documents and tend to have a simpler process than small or new companies. That doesn’t decide your approval — but it can affect how much paperwork your employer needs.
Step 2 — Receiving the CoE (employer → you)
Since March 2023, the CoE can be issued electronically and sent to you by email, instead of a paper certificate sent by international mail.
The clock starts here. The CoE is valid for 3 months from issue. You need to enter Japan within that period.
Source: Immigration Services Agency — Application for Certificate of Eligibility
Step 3 — Visa application at the embassy (you)
With the CoE, you apply for the actual visa at the Japanese embassy or consulate in your country. Because Immigration has already approved you through the CoE, this step is usually quick. Check your local embassy’s website for the exact documents, processing time and whether you need an appointment.
Step 4 — Entering Japan (you)
At the airport, you show your passport, visa and CoE.
If you land at Narita, Haneda, Chubu (Nagoya), Kansai, New Chitose (Sapporo), Hiroshima or Fukuoka, you receive your residence card (在留カード) at the airport. At other ports, your passport is stamped and the card is mailed to you after you register your address.
Your residence card is your ID in Japan. You’ll need it to open a bank account, sign a phone contract and rent an apartment. Carry it with you.
Step 5 — Register your address (you)
Within 14 days of settling on a place to live, take your residence card to the city or ward office (市役所 / 区役所) and register your address.
Source: Immigration Services Agency — procedures at ports and municipalities
After you arrive
How long is your status valid?
Periods of stay are 5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 3 months. The period you receive may be shorter than 5 years; you apply to extend before it expires.
If you change jobs
Your status is tied to the type of work, not to one employer. If you move to another job that fits the same category, you don’t need a new visa — but you must notify Immigration within 14 days of leaving your old employer and of joining the new one.
Want faster permanent residency?
Engineers with high salaries, advanced degrees or Japanese ability may qualify for the points-based Highly Skilled Professional status. I cover how Japanese ability earns points in Do You Need Japanese to Work in Japan as an Engineer?.
Questions to ask your employer
Before and during the process, these questions save a lot of confusion:
- “Will you handle the CoE application, or use a gyoseishoshi?”
- “Which documents do you need from me, and in what format?” (Translations? Certified copies?)
- “How will you explain the connection between my degree/experience and this job?”
- “When do you expect the CoE, and what start date should I plan around?”
- “Do you support relocation — flights, temporary housing, help with the address registration?”
A company that has hired from overseas before will answer these easily. If they seem unsure, you may be their first foreign hire — not a dealbreaker, but plan for more back-and-forth.
Summary
- Most engineers use the gijinkoku status (Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services).
- You need a related degree, 10+ years of experience, or a designated IT certification — and pay at least equal to a Japanese employee’s.
- Your employer applies for the CoE (1–3 months). You apply for the visa at the embassy.
- Enter Japan within 3 months of the CoE being issued.
- Register your address within 14 days of settling in.
- Changing jobs within the same type of work? Notify Immigration within 14 days.
This article is general information based on official sources as of September 2026, not legal or immigration advice. For your specific situation, consult your employer, a gyoseishoshi, or the Immigration Services Agency of Japan.
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