Japan Status of Residence “Instructor” – Overview & Requirements

Japan Instructor Visa Requirements
A practical guide to the status of residence “Instructor”

The Japanese status of residence “Instructor” is designed for foreign teachers working at
elementary schools, junior high schools, high schools, secondary schools, special needs schools, colleges of technology and certain international schools.
It is different from the usual work visa (“Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services”) used by language schools and private companies.

On this page, we summarise the scope, requirements and key examination points for the Instructor visa,
based on the Japanese Immigration Act standards – in a way that teachers and employers can actually use.

Information for foreign teachers, ALT candidates, international schools and Japanese education employers.

1. What is the Japan “Instructor” status of residence?

The status of residence “Instructor” was created in response to the internationalisation of the Japanese education system, especially foreign language education.
It allows schools to employ foreign teachers for:

  • Elementary schools
  • Junior high schools
  • High schools and secondary education schools
  • Special needs schools and special support schools
  • Colleges of technology / special training schools
  • “Various schools” and educational institutions equivalent in facilities and organisation, including certain international schools

In legal terms, the scope is described as:
“Activities to provide language education and other education at schools or educational institutions in Japan
which are equivalent in facilities and organisation to elementary, junior high, high, secondary, special support and special training schools.”

2. Scope of activities under the Instructor visa

The Instructor visa covers not only full-time teachers but also certain “non-teaching” education roles, as long as they are
employed by or dispatched from an educational institution.

(1) Teachers employed by schools

Teachers who belong to an educational institution and provide education at that institution, or are dispatched
by that institution to other places (e.g. companies) under the school’s direction, can generally fall under “Instructor”.

If the person mainly teaches at a general company or private language school (not a “school” in the legal sense), the correct status is usually
“Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services”, not “Instructor”.

(2) Teachers at foreign university branches

When a foreign university has a Japanese branch that is officially approved as a “school corporation”,
teachers employed there may receive the “Instructor” status of residence.

If the branch is not recognised in this way, teachers are normally classified under
“Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services”, depending on the subject.

(3) International schools

International schools that are equivalent in facilities and organisation to Japanese schools (or are members / equivalent to members of bodies such as JCIS)
can fall under the “Instructor” category. Teachers here may obtain “Instructor” if they meet the academic / licence requirements.

3. Instructor vs other Japan work visas

Several other statuses of residence also involve education. The relationship with “Instructor” is roughly as follows:

Status of residenceTypical use
InstructorTeaching at schools (primary, secondary, special support, certain international schools, approved branches, etc.).
ProfessorTeaching and research at universities, colleges, and equivalent higher education institutions.
Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International ServicesTeaching at private language schools, corporate training, cram schools, and other non-school organisations.
Highly Skilled Professional (i) (a)Advanced teaching / research at approved institutions contributing to high-level research or industrial development.

Choosing the correct category is critical – the same “teaching” job can lead to different visa types depending on the employer’s legal status.

4. Japan Instructor visa requirements (key criteria)

4.1 Landing Criteria – Criterion No. 1 (Qualifications)

For teachers and education staff at schools or equivalent educational institutions, the Immigration standards require that the applicant normally meets
both (a) and (b) below, except for certain cases at Japanese public schools where teaching licences are controlled by other laws.

  • (a) Academic degree or teaching licence
    – A university degree or higher, or
    – A teaching licence related to the education they will provide (licences from foreign countries are also recognised).
  • (b) Language / subject background
    – If teaching a foreign language: at least 12 years of education conducted in that language (e.g. 12 years of education in English for English teachers), or
    – If teaching another subject: at least 5 years of work experience teaching that subject at an educational institution, proven by documents.

Note: For teachers formally appointed at Japanese schools under the School Education Law, the required teaching licence is controlled by the
Education Personnel Licensing Law and related rules, so separate Immigration “qualification checks” are not always applied in the same way.

4.2 Landing Criteria – Criterion No. 2 (Salary level)

The applicant must receive remuneration equivalent to or higher than a Japanese national in a comparable position.
Immigration will check the salary / remuneration section of the application and supporting tax documents to see if it is sufficient for living and working in Japan.

4.3 “Non-teaching” posts and assistants

The term “positions other than teaching” includes assistant language teachers, teaching assistants and other education staff
who are not formally classified as “teachers” under Japanese education law.

  • At Japanese schools: ALTs under programmes like JET are often hired as assistants and may still fall under “Instructor” if the employer is a school or board of education.
  • At international schools: teachers usually need a degree or licence; early childhood and primary teachers can also be classified as “Instructor”.

5. How Immigration examines an Instructor application

5.1 When you first apply (new Instructor visa)

  • Correct status field: The application must clearly indicate “Instructor” as the requested status.
  • Nature of employer: Immigration checks that the workplace is a school or equivalent educational institution.
  • Job duties: The description of activities must match education-related work under “Instructor”.
  • Working pattern: If part-time, total income must still be sufficient, or combined with other permitted work.
  • Qualifications: Degree, special training, teaching licence and teaching experience are examined according to Criterion 1.
  • Remuneration: Salary is checked against Criterion 2 (equal to or above that of Japanese nationals in similar roles).

5.2 When renewing your period of stay

  • If your employer and duties have not changed, Immigration mainly checks continuity and that your salary and tax situation remain appropriate.
  • If your employer or duties have changed, they may re-check the same points as a new application (correct status choice, job scope, salary, etc.).

Special cases, such as research & development schools designated by the Ministry of Education, or international schools equivalent to JCIS member schools,
are usually examined in line with these same principles but may have additional internal guidelines.

Need help navigating the Japan Instructor visa requirements?

Understanding the difference between “Instructor” and other work visas, matching your job offer to the correct status,
and presenting the right documents are all crucial to a successful application.

If you are a teacher, ALT candidate, or an educational institution planning to hire foreign staff, we can review your case and advise which status of residence fits best,
and what evidence Immigration will expect to see.

*Information on this page is a general summary of the legal standards. It is not a guarantee of approval and does not replace individual legal advice.