MENU
Free Initial Consultation
  1. Home
  2. work visa
  3. Flow of obtaining a work visa when hiring a foreigner and 5 points to keep in mind

Flow of obtaining a work visa when hiring a foreigner and 5 points to keep in mind

work visa
Work Visa Precautions

When you want to hire a foreigner, you can't just sign an employment contract.You are not allowed to work in JapanThe **work visa** is required for foreigners to work legally. In order to work legally, a foreigner must obtain a **status of residence (work visa)** appropriate to the nature of his/her work.

In this article, an administrative scrivener explains in an easy-to-understand manner the process for obtaining a work visa, which is required when a company hires a foreign national, and the precautions that should be taken beforehand.

1. what is the "status of residence" for foreigners to work?

What is a work visa?Resident status to work legally in JapanIt is a type of The status of residence is determined according to the type of work, and the main types are as follows

Examples of status of residenceTarget Occupations
Technical/Humanities/International ServicesEngineers, interpreters, accountants, human resources, etc.
specific skill14 sectors including food service, nursing care, agriculture, and construction
Management and AdministrationManagers, company founders, etc.
highly specialized occupationHighly specialized personnel (e.g., university professors, researchers)

2. the flow of hiring a foreigner and procedures for obtaining status of residence

Step 1: Recruitment activities and job offers

First, select the foreigner you wish to hire,Matching the job description with the person's education and backgroundCheck the

Step 2: Execution of employment contract

After the offer,Prepare an employment contract.... To be required for application for status of residence,Contract period, duties, working hours and remunerationshould be clearly stated.

Step 3: Prepare necessary documents

  • employment contract
  • Company brochures, certified copy of registration, financial statements, etc.
  • Certificate of graduation, resume, passport, etc. of the foreigner himself/herself

Step 4: Application for status of residence

  • [Overseas residents]:Application for Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
  • [Resident in Japan]:Application for Change of Status of Residence
    Applications should be submitted to the Immigration Bureau. The examination period is usually from one to three months.

Step 5: Residence card issued and employment begins

Once the Certificate of Authorization is issued, overseas residents must obtain a visa and come to Japan to pick up their resident card at the airport. Domestic residents will renew their resident card after the change is approved.

3. five common cautions

(1) Mismatch between status of residence and work content will result in disapproval.

For example,Assigning people to customer service simply because they speak a foreign language.It is not a good idea to use the same information for both educational and professional backgrounds and job descriptions.Relevance is of great importance.The following is a list of the most common problems with the

(ii) If the employment contract is ambiguous, it will not be reviewed.

If the "job description" or "conditions of service" in the contract is unclear, the immigration office may request additional materials.

(iii) Creditworthiness of the employer (company side) is also subject to examination.

  • Newly established company
  • Not covered by social insurance
  • The company is still in the red.
    In such a case,Ability to maintain employment will be questioned.The following is a list of the most common problems with the

4) Management after obtaining status of residence is also important.

  • Change of employment details (change of department or job title)
  • arrears of pay
    and so on, there is a risk that the foreigner himself/herself will not be able to renew the visa.

5) There are individual requirements for transferring from specified skills and technical training.

If you are considering transitioning from technical training or hiring for a specific skill,Establishment of rules and support systems for each industryis also required.

Advantages of hiring an administrative scrivener

  • ✅ Proper documentation based on the latest immigration system
  • ✅ Full support for tedious document collection and reason writing
  • ✅ Selection of the most suitable residence status according to the company's business
  • ✅ Can be used for specific skills and support plans

Summary: "Understanding and preparing for the system" is essential before hiring.

Recruitment of foreign personnel is an effective means of compensating for the shortage of domestic human resources, though,Risk of disapproval if proceeding with insufficient understanding of the systemis also higher.

For companies that are hiring foreigners for the first time,Gyoseishoshi Lawyer, a specialist in visa applicationsWe recommend that you contact

work visa
TOC