TL;DR
- To sponsor a work permit, a foreign company must generally establish a registered Japanese entity or branch with proper tax standing and financial stability.
- The application centers on obtaining a Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) within Japan first; only after this is approved can the employee apply for the actual entry visa at a consulate abroad.
- Success depends on selecting the correct “Status of Residence” (such as Engineer, Intra-Company Transferee, or Business Manager) that strictly matches the employee’s background and job description.
- The entire process typically takes a few months, requiring a heavy load of corporate documents, financial statements, and certified translations.
- Employer responsibilities continue after the employee lands, including mandatory social insurance enrollment, tax withholding, and timely management of status renewals.
If you hire talent into Japan from abroad, the Japanese work permit process decides whether your project actually starts on time. You deal with immigration rules, tax exposure, and HR expectations, all at once.
This guide explains how a foreign company can sponsor and maintain a Japanese work permit, from choosing the right category to handling renewals and ongoing compliance, with a focus on employer duties and risk control.
Why Foreign Companies Must Understand Japan Work Permits?
If you are asking how to get a work permit in Japan, how to sponsor the right status of residence for each employee and keep it valid over time. Japan does not treat this as a simple formality, and immigration checks whether the job, salary, and corporate profile all match the claimed category.
For foreign companies, weak work permit processes can create real business risk: employees may be denied entry, projects may stall, and you may attract audits if roles or salaries do not match what was filed. Hiring foreign talent in Japan is also linked to payroll tax, social insurance, and labor law rules, so a bad immigration setup can quickly spill into wider compliance problems.
You should also expect a multi‑step process, not a quick form: your Japan entity gathers corporate documents, applies for a Certificate of Eligibility, then the foreign employee applies for the visa and residence card. There are direct government fees, but most of the cost of work permits in Japan comes from internal time, advice, translations, and dealing with renewals and role changes over the years of operation.
Understanding Key Terms: Work Permit vs Work Visa in Japan
When you search for how to apply for a work permit in Japan, you will mostly see two terms: “status of residence” and “work visa.” In practice, “work permit” often refers to the immigration approval that allows a person to work in a specific activity, while “work visa” is the sticker in the passport used to enter Japan.
Work Permit
- Granted as a specific “status of residence,” such as Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, Intra‑company Transferee, Business Manager, or Skilled Labor.
- Based on an in‑country review by the Immigration Services Agency, usually triggered through the Certificate of Eligibility filed by the employer or local sponsor.
- Defines what kind of work the person can do, for whom, and often the expected salary and job level.
Work Visa
- Issued by a Japanese embassy or consulate abroad, usually after the Certificate of Eligibility is granted in Japan.
- Acts as permission to travel to Japan and present yourself for landing examination, not as the long‑term work authorization itself.
- Once you enter Japan with this visa, you receive a residence card that reflects your work‑authorized status of residence.
When you apply for a work permit in Japan, you manage both sides: the “permit,” the underlying status of residence tied to your Japan operation, and the “visa,” the travel document that allows the employee to reach the job.
Eligibility Criteria for Foreign Employers Sponsoring Work Permits
Before you consider a specific role, check whether your company is eligible to sponsor a work permit for Japan. In most cases, you need a registered entity or branch in Japan, or you must work with a local employer of record that already has that status.
Typical requirements for the sponsoring employer
- Proper tax and social insurance registrations, including corporate tax, withholding tax, and enrollment in social security, where required.
- Demonstrable financial stability through recent financial statements, bank records, and sometimes a minimum capital or investment threshold, especially for Business Manager status.
- Clear business activity consistent with the employee’s proposed work, supported by contracts, service descriptions, and a credible business plan.
As a foreign employer, you also need clear internal processes: someone in your Japan entity or partner must own immigration timelines, document collection, and responses to any questions from immigration.
Types of Work Permits Available in Japan
When you research types of work permits in Japan, you are really looking at which status of residence matches each employee’s role. Selecting the wrong category can lead to rejection, shorter validity, or problems when the person changes projects.
Common “working visa” categories for companies
- Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services: For software engineers, other technical roles, and many white‑collar positions needing degrees or specialized knowledge.
- Intra‑Company Transferee: For employees transferred from a foreign parent or affiliate to your Japan entity, usually after at least one year of overseas service.
- Business Manager: For executives and founders managing a Japanese business, with stricter capital or business requirements that tightened again in October 2025.
- Highly Skilled Professional: For senior talent who score enough points based on education, salary, and experience, often with longer validity and family benefits.
- Skilled Labor: For specialized trades like licensed chefs of foreign cuisine, carpenters, and other technical crafts.
You may use several types of work permits within a single team, for example, engineers under the Engineer/Specialist category and a country manager under the Business Manager category. The key is to match each role to the correct status and keep job titles, contracts, and immigration forms aligned from the start.
Step‑by‑Step: How to Get / Apply for a Work Permit in Japan
From the employer’s perspective, how to work permit in Japan mostly comes down to a repeatable process built around the Certificate of Eligibility. You handle most of the heavy lifting in Japan while your employee prepares their personal documents and attends the consulate visit.
Typical employer‑side process
- Confirm the correct status of residence and check that the employee meets the degree, experience, and salary expectations for that category.
- Gather corporate documents such as registration certificates, tax information, financial statements, and company overview sheets in the formats immigration prefers.
- Prepare the employment contract, job description, organization chart, and explanation of why you need a foreign hire instead of a local candidate.
- File the Certificate of Eligibility application with the regional immigration office, either directly or through a local immigration specialist.
- Answer any follow‑up questions and wait for the COE, which usually takes around one to three months, depending on workload and category.
- Send the COE to the employee so they can apply for the work visa at the Japanese embassy or consulate in their country.
- Coordinate the start date with visa issuance and travel; upon landing, the employee receives a residence card reflecting their work authorization.
The more organized you are with your first filing, the easier it is to apply for a work permit in Japan for later hires because you can reuse many corporate documents and templates.
Required Documents & Compliance Checklist
A clean document set is where most applications live or die, especially for startups or new foreign entrants. Before you submit anything, map who will collect which records, who will translate them, and where you will store them for future renewals.
From the employer
- Certificate of corporate registration, company profile, and up‑to‑date articles or equivalent for your Japan entity or branch.
- Recent financial statements, bank statements, or capital confirmation that prove the business can support the role.
- Tax and social insurance registration evidence, especially if you already run payroll in Japan.
- Employment contract, job description, and salary details that match the chosen work permit category.
- An explanation letter about the business, why you need a foreign employee, and how the role fits your activity in Japan.
From the employee
- Valid passport, completed visa application form, and compliant photographs.
- CV or résumé, university degrees, transcripts, professional licenses, and reference letters as needed.
- Proof of relevant work experience when required by the category, such as Skilled Labor or Highly Skilled Professional.
- Police clearance or similar documents, if requested by the consulate or for certain categories.
You should factor in certified translations into Japanese where necessary, with notarization or apostille for some foreign corporate or academic records. Keeping these files organized up front will save you weeks during renewals or audits.
Cost, Processing Time & Validity
When you look at the cost of a work permit in Japan, split it into government fees and your own support and compliance spend. The actual visa fee is usually modest, but delays and poor planning can cost far more in project impact.
Cost elements
- Consular work visa fee is commonly around 3,000 JPY for a single entry and 6,000 JPY for a multiple entry, depending on nationality.
- Fees for document translations, notary services, and apostilles for foreign records.
- Immigration specialist or law firm fees if you use external support for the COE or complex categories like Business Manager.
- Internal HR and legal time spent on data collection, reviews, and responding to immigration questions.
Processing time
- Certificate of Eligibility review typically takes around one to three months, longer in peak seasons or more complex cases.
- Consular visa processing usually takes around five working days once the COE and documents are accepted.
- The overall planning window is around two to four months from the job offer to the employee arriving and starting work.
Validity and renewal
- Many work statuses are issued for one, three, or five years, depending on category, employer profile, and case history.
- You usually apply to extend status before expiry, with similar documents, but proof of ongoing business and stable employment.
- The COE itself is only valid for three months, so travel plans must fit that window, or you need a new certificate.
Planning budgets and hiring timelines around these ranges helps you avoid last‑minute pressure on both your team and your new hire.
Employer Responsibilities & Post‑Approval Compliance
Your responsibility does not end once the employee lands in Japan with a work permit and residence card. The immigration and labor authorities expect you to monitor status, keep records updated, and treat the employee under Japanese labor standards.
Key employer obligations
- Inform immigration if there are material changes in employer name, corporate structure, job role, location, or salary that affect the original permit basis.
- Maintain accurate employment contracts, payslips, and working‑time records to show compliance with Japanese labor law.
- Withhold and remit income tax correctly and enroll eligible employees in social insurance and pension schemes.
- Track permit and visa expiry dates and start renewals early to avoid gaps in status or issues at future border checks.
- Cooperate with audits or inspections and keep immigration‑related documents available for review.
- If employment ends, handle separation correctly and ensure immigration is updated when required.
By treating Japan work permits as part of your standard compliance stack, you reduce the risk of penalties or refusals that can affect later applications.
Common Pitfalls & Risk Mitigation for Foreign Companies
Foreign companies often underestimate how tightly Japan links the employee’s role, corporate profile, and immigration status. Small inconsistencies can delay or derail a case, especially for startups or new entities.
Frequent pitfalls
- Incomplete or inconsistent documentation between the employment contract, job description, and immigration forms.
- Choosing the wrong status of residence, such as using an Intra‑company Transferee for someone without enough prior overseas service.
- Not meeting capital, office, or business‑plan standards for Business Manager or other sensitive categories.
- Leaving renewals too late and scrambling for updated financials, tax filings, or company descriptions.
- Overlooking local labor norms on working hours, benefits, and terminations can trigger disputes and audits.
- Assuming a foreign parent can “sponsor directly” without a Japan presence, which is usually not accepted except via special structures or local partners.
You can mitigate most of these issues with clear internal ownership, standardized document packs, and periodic reviews of immigration status across your Japan workforce.
How Commenda Simplifies Japan Work Permit and Compliance Management
If you are scaling into Japan from abroad, your first pain point is usually structure: you need the right entity form, registrations, and documentation before immigration will even consider your staff. Commenda supports you across incorporation, compliance management, ongoing filings, tax support, and registered agent services so that your Japan work permit program rests on a solid corporate base.
Once your Japan presence is in place, Commenda helps you choose the right permit category per role, standardize company documents for COE filings, and keep expiries, renewals, and compliance tasks on a single trackable system. That way, you spend more time building your Japan team and less time chasing paperwork across borders. Book a free demo today to see how Commenda can simplify your expansion into Japan.
FAQs
Q. What is the cost of a work permit in Japan for foreign employees?
Government visa fees are usually around 3,000-6,000 JPY, with extra spending on translations and advisory support.
Q. How long does it take to apply for a work permit in Japan?
You should plan a few months from the Certificate of Eligibility filing to visa issuance and arrival.
Q. What types of work permits in Japan are available?
Key categories include Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, Intra‑company Transferee, Business Manager, Highly Skilled Professional, and Skilled Labor.
Q. Can a foreign company apply for a work permit in Japan without a local office?
In most cases, you need a Japanese entity or a local employer of record to act as a sponsor for the permit.
Q. What risks exist if a foreign company fails to comply after getting a work permit in Japan?
You may face permit non‑renewal, audits, fines, and reputational damage that affects future applications.
Q. Can the foreign employee change jobs/employers under the work permit?
Changes are sometimes possible but may require immigration notification or a change of status application.
Q. How to renew or extend a work permit in Japan?
You apply to extend your status at immigration before expiry with updated corporate, tax, and employment documents.
Q. Is a work permit sufficient for visa entry, or is a separate visa needed?
You still need a consular work visa for entry, even if your status of residence is already approved through a COE.
