Sometime last month, changes were announced to the Immigration policy in Japan for those qualifying for permanent residency, and to our amazement this stands in favour of highly-skilled foreign workers. Now how do you categorise someone as a highly-skilled foreign worker as per the law?

A highly-skilled foreign workers’ eligibility to qualify for permanent residency is determined through a point system – wherein 80 points and above will make a foreign worker eligible to apply for permanent residency and they could achieve the status in just a year. Whereas, those with 70 points score can apply for permanent residency after three years.

Looking at the point sheet it is absolutely clear, that the point system is not exactly for English teachers, average office personnel or part-timers. The Inquirer.net points out that, “This visa scheme is distinct from the “Instructor/Specialist in Humanities” as well as other similar visas for most of Japan’s foreign workforce.

See: Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals in Japan to Get Permanent Residency in a Year

The sheet primarily focuses on three types of work for highly-skilled foreign workers, according to the Ministry of Immigration’s official site:

1) Advanced Academic Research Activities (senior professors at highly accredited universities)

(2) Advanced Specialized/Technical Activities (high-level engineers, scientists, and people in humanities)
(3) Advanced Business Management Activities (executive-level managers for public or private enterprises)

While the system to be soon rolled out in March this year, might seem too rigid, enough consideration has been given to factors such as age, educational attainment, awards and such for the scores to sum upto 405. However, the exactly formula for calculation is not been set and could still be modified before the planned roll out.

With the system meant to target high-level workers, in concept it could mean a step towards widespread deregulation of Japan’s immigration laws.

As perennial concerns of a rapidly ageing workforce and lower birth rates indicate towards the inevitable skilled labour shortage experienced today, the country is soon opening up gates to attract more skilled workers by luring them with permanent residency status in the times to come.

Also read: Rapidly Ageing Workforce: A Perennial Concern in Japan
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