### Chapter 3. Review of Points-Based Preferential Immigration Treatment for Highly-Skilled Foreign Professionals

## Section 1 ☐ Outline of the System

In order to promote the acceptance of foreign nationals with advanced abilities and qualities (highly-skilled professionals), the points-based preferential treatment for highly-skilled professionals provides three categories of activities, namely, “advanced academic research activities”, “advanced specialized/technical activities” and “advanced business and management activities”, with points being awarded according to the characteristics of the particular category for such items as “academic background”, “professional career” and “annual salary”. When a foreign national satisfies the criteria by acquiring a prescribed total of points, he or she will be recognized as a “highly-skilled foreign professional” and granted the status of residence of “Designated Activities”.

Foreign nationals who are recognized as highly-skilled professionals may receive the following preferential treatment in immigration procedures.

(1) Permission for multiple purposes of activities

Normally, foreign nationals are not allowed to conduct activities beyond the scope permitted under their status of residence. However, highly-skilled professionals may engage in multiple activities covering multiple statuses of residence.

(2) Grant of the “five years” period of stay

A period of stay is usually set for each status of residence, and a decision is made depending on the state of residence and details of the activities of the foreign national, but highly-skilled foreign professionals are, in principle, granted the maximum period of stay available under the law of five years.

(3) Easing of the requirements for permanent residence in line with the number of years of residence history in Japan

In order to obtain permission for permanent residence, foreign nationals need to have stayed in Japan for at least 10 years, in principle. However those who have continuously conducted activities as highly-skilled professionals for five years are eligible to apply for permission for permanent residence.

(4) Preferential processing of immigration and residence procedures

For highly-skilled professionals, pre-entry examination procedures and status of residence examination procedures will be preferentially processed within 10 business days and within 5 business days, respectively, after the application has been received by immigration authorities.

(5) Work permission for the spouse of the highly-skilled foreign professional

When foreign nationals staying in Japan with the status of residence of “Spouse” intend to engage in activities falling under such categories as “Instructor”, “Engineer” and “Specialist in Humanities/ International Services”, they usually need to satisfy certain requirements, such as academic background and professional career, and further obtain the relevant status of residence. However, the spouse of highly-skilled professionals may be allowed to engage in these activities with their status of residence as the spouse of a highly-skilled professional, without satisfying the requirements of academic background and/or professional career.