Important Notice

Simplification of Required Documents for Change of Status of Residence

(From “Student” visa to “Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services” visa or “Researcher” visa)

Effective from December 1, 2025

The Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA) has announced a new policy effective December 1, 2025, allowing partial exemption of required documents for applications to change status of residence from “Student” visa to:

• Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services (E/H/I)
• Researcher

This measure is in addition to the existing document simplification system based on the category of the employing organization.

Eligible applicants may benefit from a level of document exemption equivalent to Category 2 organizations.

What Is the “Category” System for Work Visa Applications?

In Japan’s immigration system, the term “Category” refers to one of four classifications established by the Immigration Services Agency (ISA) to evaluate the size, stability, and credibility of the employing organization when applying for a work-related status of residence.

In general:

• Lower category numbers indicate higher stability
• A higher category allows for simplified documentation and often shorter examination periods

For example:

• Category 1: Publicly listed companies and equivalent large, highly stable organizations
• Category 2: Well-established private companies meeting certain financial and compliance criteria
• Category 3: Small to medium-sized enterprises
• Category 4: Newly established companies or organizations with limited operational history

Traditionally, document requirements for work visa applications have been determined primarily by this category system.

Who Is Eligible for Document Exemption

Applicants may qualify for document simplification if any one of the following conditions applies.

1. Graduates (or Expected Graduates) of Japanese Universities

Applicants who have graduated, or are expected to graduate, from a university in Japan are eligible.

This includes:

• Universities
• Graduate schools
• Junior colleges

2. Graduates of Top Overseas Universities (Top 300 Worldwide)

Applicants who graduated from a foreign university ranked within the Top 300 in at least two of the following three global university rankings are eligible:

• QS World University Rankings – Top 300
• THE World University Rankings – Top 300
• Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) – Top 300

This means it is the same as the universities that qualify for points under the Highly Skilled Professional Visa.

Important Practical Point

This policy is not limited to students graduating from Japanese universities in March.

It also applies to individuals who:

• Graduated from a Top 300 overseas university, and
• Are currently studying at a Japanese language school under a “Student” visa, and
• Have secured employment in Japan

In such cases, applicants changing status from “Student” visa to “Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services” visa may also benefit from document simplification.

This is a significant advantage for highly educated foreign nationals who first enter Japan on a student visa to improve their Japanese language skills before entering the workforce.

3. Employment at an Organization with a Proven Track Record of Hiring Former Students

Applicants may qualify if they will work for an organization that:

• Currently employs a foreign national who previously changed status from “Student” to a work-related status, and
• That employee has received at least one extension of period of stay while working for the same organization

Dispatch (Haken) Employment Is Explicitly Excluded

Please note that dispatch-style employment (haken) is not eligible for document exemption under this policy.

This exclusion is a critical point and reflects the Japanese government’s recent policy direction regarding work visas.

Policy Background (Expert Commentary)

This policy revision reflects discussions from the 6th Immigration and Residency Policy Council Meeting, as summarized in the official Summary Report.

The report identified several systemic concerns, including:

• Misuse of the Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services visa by dispatch companies
  • Applicants nominally hired as “translators” or “IT engineers”
  • But actually assigned to factory work or manual labor
• The risk that vocational schools may be used as shortcuts to obtain work visas with insufficient scrutiny
• Unusually high concentrations of applicants from certain countries or regions, suggesting broker involvement or fraudulent practices

In response, the government has considered reforms such as:

• Stricter verification of academic credentials
• Mandatory reporting of actual work locations and job content
• Restrictions on or exclusion of dispatch-style employment under the E/H/I visa category

The explicit exclusion of dispatch employment from the document exemption system clearly aligns with these policy objectives.

How to Apply for Document Exemption

Applicants wishing to use this document simplification system must:

• Prepare a written explanation form designated by the Immigration Services Agency
• Attach it to the Application for Change of Status of Residence

Important Notes:

• Immigration authorities may still request submission of omitted documents depending on the review process
• Providing inaccurate or false explanations may be deemed a false application, which can negatively affect the outcome

Our Office’s Comment

This new policy aims to streamline immigration procedures for objectively high-skilled individuals, while at the same time tightening controls on higher-risk employment structures, such as dispatch work.

Determining eligibility, assessing whether an employment arrangement constitutes dispatch work, and preparing an appropriate explanation form often require professional legal judgment.

If you are considering a change of status of residence, we recommend consulting with a qualified immigration specialist to ensure compliance and maximize the likelihood of approval.

Please feel free to contact us for advice!

First, please call +81-3-6264-9388 or leave a message on our website with your inquiry. (Please contact us by phone or consultation page.)

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