Last updated: ｜ Reviewed by:Makoto Sano, Certified Administrative Procedures Legal Specialist
For those considering Permanent Residence in Japan through the Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) points system, this page explains the 70-point and 80-point routes, including the 3-year and 1-year residence requirements, point calculation, required documents, and key points to consider when applying for Japan Permanent Residence.
This page is intended for those applying for Permanent Residency (PR) from a Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) visa, as well as those currently residing in Japan on a standard work visa who are considering applying for Permanent Residency using the Highly Skilled Professional points system.
If you are considering obtaining a Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) visa itself, please refer to the pages below, which explain the eligibility requirements, points calculation, and the overall application process.
▼ Scroll down to continue reading about applying for Permanent Residency through the Highly Skilled Professional points system.
This page explains how to obtain Permanent Residency (PR) through the Highly Skilled Professional Points System — including category-specific point calculation, automatic score tools, and eligibility diagnostics.
Also try our Permanent Residency (PR) Eligibility Self-Check Tool to ensure you meet the general PR requirements (good conduct, stable income, tax and social insurance compliance, etc.).
“Highly Skilled Professionals” are foreign nationals with advanced expertise who are expected to contribute to Japan’s academic research and economic development.
The HSP points system evaluates advanced academic research, specialized/technical work, and business management using factors such as education, professional experience, annual income, age, and other criteria. Reaching 70 points is a key threshold, but the applicant must also satisfy the requirements for the relevant status and activity.
There are multiple benefits under the HSP system. Among them, the relaxed conditions for Permanent Residency (PR) — shortening the required stay in Japan from 10 years to as little as 1 year — is particularly impactful. Many applicants aim to use Highly Skilled Professional Points to obtain PR faster.
① 70 points or more: if you have maintained the required score and continuously resided in Japan for at least 3 years, the general 10-year residence requirement for PR may be shortened to 3 years.
② 80 points or more: if you have maintained the required score and continuously resided in Japan for at least 1 year, the general 10-year residence requirement for PR may be shortened to 1 year.
Japan’s Special Highly Skilled Professional system (J-Skip), introduced in 2023, also provides a PR residence-period exception that may allow eligible applicants to apply after at least one year of continuous residence, subject to its separate requirements.
If you use the HSP points exception while remaining on an ordinary work status, the 80-point route is generally substantiated with a points calculation and supporting evidence for the filing date and one year earlier; the 70-point route uses the filing date and three years earlier. This does not mean that points are needed only on those two dates—the required score must have been maintained throughout the applicable period.
Reaching 70 or 80 points does not by itself guarantee Permanent Residence. You must also satisfy the general PR requirements, including good conduct, an independent and stable livelihood, and proper fulfillment of public obligations such as taxes, pension, and health insurance. For HSP (i)(b) and HSP (i)(c), there is also a minimum annual income requirement of JPY 3 million, separate from the points calculation.
In other words, even if you currently hold a regular work status (e.g., Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services or Business Manager), if you meet the Highly Skilled Professional Points criteria, you can apply for Permanent Residency under the HSP relaxation without first changing to the HSP status.
The system has been in place since April 2017. At ACROSEED, more clients have used the Highly Skilled Professional Points system to obtain a PR visa from an Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services (work visa) after about one year of residence.
If you are considering PR through the standard 10-year residence route, please see the page below.
Comprehensive guide for obtaining permanent residency from a work visa in Japan.
Yasmine Chang from Acroseed goes over the various types of residence statuses available for foreigners in Japan, and goes in-depth into the methods and risks associated with trying to obtain a status.
How to obtain permanent residency in Japan by 3 common methods. Living and working in Japan for years, having a child or spouse, or the Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) point system in Japan.
To use the Highly Skilled Professional points framework, first confirm that your activities fall under Advanced Academic Research, Advanced Specialized/Technical Activities, or Advanced Business Management, and that you meet the requirements for the relevant status. As a general rule, you then need at least 70 points under the Immigration Services Agency’s official Points Calculation Table. HSP (i)(b) and HSP (i)(c) also have a minimum annual income requirement of JPY 3 million.
The “Points Calculation Table” evaluates applicants under the “HSP (i)” categories (a–c) based on the following items:
1. Academic background
2. Professional career
3. Annual income
4. Age
5. Japanese language proficiency
6. National qualifications
7. Graduation from designated institutions
8. Engagement in designated industries, etc.
Follow the steps below to see whether you meet the PR requirements via Highly Skilled Professional Points.
Foreign nationals in Japan who qualify as Highly Skilled Professionals fall into the following three categories.
Confirm your category before calculating points.
In simple terms, (a) covers researchers and specialized educators, (b) covers white-collar professionals in private companies, and (c) covers corporate managers and executives.
Applies to research, research guidance, education, and business management conducted alongside such activities.
Applies to work requiring knowledge/skills in natural sciences or humanities, and business management conducted alongside such activities.
Applies to engagement in the management or administration of trade or other businesses.
Because HSP (i)(c) is based on Business Manager activities, the actual substance of the business and its financial soundness are particularly important.
On October 16, 2025, revised landing-permission standards and related rules for the Business Manager status took effect. Because HSP (i)(c) is based on Business Manager activities, it is important to confirm that the applicant's current activities comply with the revised standards.
For Permanent Residence applications, Immigration also reviews whether the applicant's current status satisfies the applicable landing-permission standards. Applicants applying for PR from HSP (i)(c) should therefore check the latest official requirements concerning business scale, full-time employees, Japanese-language ability of the manager or employees, and the business plan.
Professional confirmation of a business plan may be required in certain situations, but this does not mean that a professional evaluation report is uniformly required for every application.
If you plan to obtain HSP (i)(c) with Permanent Residence in mind, it is important to prepare your actual business operations, employment arrangements, and tax compliance at an early stage.
For the latest requirements and important points, see the page below.
After confirming whether you fall under HSP (i)(a)/(b)/(c), calculate your score using the Points Table.
Reference: Official Points Calculation Table (Immigration Services Agency)
Before applying for PR, first confirm that you meet the general PR requirements.
This test quickly checks whether you currently meet PR conditions from the perspectives of years of residence, conduct, income, tax, social insurance, and family composition.
All questions are Yes/No, and the results page highlights items that may need improvement. It is also useful if you aim to meet the shortened PR pathway through Highly Skilled Professional Points (70 points → 3 years / 80 points → 1 year).
Start with the button below to try the PR Eligibility Self-Check.
Foreign nationals recognized as Highly Skilled Professionals receive major advantages that differ from ordinary work statuses.
A spouse of a Highly Skilled Professional may, subject to the prescribed requirements and procedures, engage in activities corresponding to statuses such as Researcher, Instructor, Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, or Entertainer, even if the spouse does not independently meet certain academic or work-experience requirements. This is not unrestricted permission to work in any occupation.
Highly Skilled Professionals may employ a foreign domestic helper if the applicable requirements are met. The requirements differ depending on the category, such as the accompanying-entry type, family-circumstances type, or financial-professional type.
・Some categories require household annual income of at least JPY 10 million
・The permitted number of helpers depends on the category
・The helper must generally receive at least JPY 200,000 per month
・Additional requirements apply depending on the category
Residence procedures for Highly Skilled Professionals receive preferential processing. The target is generally within 10 days for a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) application and within 5 days for a Change of Status or Extension of Period of Stay application. Additional documents or factual checks can make processing longer. These expedited targets do not apply to Permanent Residence applications.
Because required documents may change due to legal revisions, always confirm the latest information on the Immigration Services Agency website.
If you engage our services, we will prepare a set of documents tailored to your situation—based on the official list—designed to maximize the likelihood of approval.
Guidelines are as follows.
・If you have maintained 70+ points for the most recent 3 years and still have 70+ points at filing ⇒ you may apply for PR after 3 years of residence.
・If you have maintained 80+ points for the most recent 1 year and still have 80+ points at filing ⇒ you may apply for PR after 1 year of residence.
Both are “special measures via Highly Skilled Professional Points,” and you must also satisfy the general PR guidelines such as good conduct (no violations), stable and independent livelihood (steady income), and proper public obligations (tax, pension, and health insurance payments).
Yes. Even if you remain under Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services or Business Manager, you may apply for PR under the relaxation measures as long as you meet the points conditions (continuous 70/80 points).
When filing, you will substantiate that you met the requirements at filing and retroactively for 1 year (80-point track) or 3 years (70-point track) with points sheets, employment/income certificates, qualification proofs, and other reasonable evidence.
Yes. The Highly Skilled Professional Points framework includes family-related advantages. For example:
・Spouse employment: Under Designated Activities (Spouse of HSP), full-time employment can be permitted with fewer restrictions on job type.
・Parents’ accompaniment: Possible when the purpose is raising a child under 7 or pregnancy/maternity care (e.g., household income guideline: JPY 8 million+, cohabitation and other conditions apply).
・Domestic helper: If conditions such as household income are met, one helper may be accompanied (minimum pay and other requirements apply).
Details vary by case, so it is important to design evidence around your purpose, income thresholds, and cohabitation conditions.
The Immigration Services Agency’s monthly “Processing Times” page publishes updates.
Because PR (Permanent Residency) tends to take longer than other procedures, we recommend a filing plan that leaves buffer before your current status expiry (and renewing in parallel if needed).
Eligible Special Highly Skilled Professionals under J-Skip may use a residence-history exception for Permanent Residence after at least one year of continuous residence in Japan, provided the applicable requirements are met. J-Skip uses criteria different from the points-based HSP system, so eligibility must be checked separately.
You must separately apply to extend your current period of stay. Filing a Permanent Residence application does not automatically extend your existing status or period of stay.
HSP points only relax the residence-history requirement; they do not waive the general PR requirements. Proper and timely fulfillment of public obligations is reviewed. Unpaid or late resident tax, income tax, pension, or health insurance contributions can negatively affect the application.
Yes, but check both your points and your immigration procedure. A change in salary, position, employer, or achievements can change your score. In addition, HSP (i) is tied to the designated organization and activities. If you change employers and continue activities under HSP (i), you generally need to apply for a Change of Status of Residence. Review the required procedure and your points before deciding when to file for PR.
For the HSP points PR exception, you must maintain the required score throughout the relevant period: 70+ points for the previous 3 years or 80+ points for the previous 1 year, and also meet the threshold at filing. If your score fell below the threshold during that period, you may not qualify for the exception. Recalculate the score at each relevant point and support it with objective evidence.
When you use the Highly Skilled Professional Points System to obtain a status and aim for PR, the general flow is as follows.
First, a free consultation to assess your HSP points (education, income, career, Japanese ability, etc.) and to confirm which status is feasible now and the outlook toward PR. After contract and payment, our immigration specialists prepare application forms and supporting evidence.
When applying, in addition to meeting 70/80 points, authorities examine residence record, tax/social insurance compliance, employer stability, and family composition holistically.
At ACROSEED, we provide end-to-end support from obtaining the Highly Skilled Professional status to applying for PR. Depending on your case, we may recommend a “step-by-step route” (obtain HSP first, then apply for PR after 1 or 3 years) or a “direct PR route” (apply for PR directly by leveraging HSP points if you already meet requirements).
We stay current with operational practices and screening trends, and file with the optimal document structure combining point evidence, employer letters, and tax certificates.
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The standard processing period for a Permanent Residence application is 4 to 6 months. The Immigration Services Agency also publishes actual residence-examination processing data on a monthly basis.
HSP residence procedures have preferential processing targets: generally within 10 days for a Certificate of Eligibility application and within 5 days for a Change of Status or Extension of Period of Stay application. These targets do not apply to Permanent Residence applications.
As a general rule, a Permanent Residence application is filed with the Regional Immigration Services office that has jurisdiction over your place of residence. If your current period of stay will expire while the PR application is pending, you must separately file an Extension of Period of Stay application.
As of August 12, 2026, the government fee for Permanent Residence is JPY 10,000, payable upon approval by revenue stamp. A draft Cabinet Order has been published proposing a JPY 200,000 fee from October 1, 2026, but this is not final as of the page update date; the current fee remains JPY 10,000.
This service supports obtaining the status of “Highly Skilled Professional” or “Permanent Resident” from the Immigration Services Agency.
We maximize your chance of approval and help you obtain HSP or PR smoothly.
We handle the following cases:
For PR applications via the standard 10-year route, see the page below:
Comprehensive guide for obtaining permanent residency from a work visa in Japan.
When applying for Permanent Residence through the Highly Skilled Professional Points System, meeting the required number of points alone is not sufficient. Immigration authorities examine whether the applicant’s employment history, income, and living situation in Japan demonstrate long-term stability and lawful, continuous residence.
At ACROSEED, we go beyond point calculations and structure each application around a clear and well-supported permanent residence narrative, presenting objective evidence that shows the applicant has established a stable life in Japan appropriate for permanent residence.
We apply long-term screening insight and corporate-level standards to your individual case.
Learn MoreExperts who understand screening criteria reduce refusal risks through consulting.
Learn MoreNo dispersed standards — decisions reflect accumulated experience and current trends.
Learn MoreNot interpreters — but practitioners who understand visa evaluation points in English/Chinese.
Learn MoreReal-time status, document tracking, and uploads reduce inquiry stress.
Learn MoreWe decline applications when approval prospects are extremely low — honesty first.
Learn MoreQuality and information security are systemized for long-term client trust.
Learn MoreWe clarify approval prospects, risks, and preparation priorities.
Learn MoreSame standards anywhere in Japan. No hidden charges or mid-process fee increases.
Learn More▼Learn more about the 9 reasons ACROSEED is chosen
ACROSEED has received high evaluations from many clients regarding the quality of our services, regardless of visa type or nationality.
• There are no additional charges based on your individual circumstances.
• ACROSEED provides services throughout Japan. Clients living outside the Tokyo area may also use our services at the fees listed below.
• We accept payment by Visa and MasterCard.
| Permanent Residence from a Work Visa | 200,000 yen |
|---|---|
| Permanent Residence for applicants under the "Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services" visa who qualify for Highly Skilled Professional points | 180,000 yen |
| Permanent Residence from a Highly Skilled Professional Visa, Spouse of Japanese National / Permanent Resident, or Long-Term Resident Visa | 150,000 yen |
| Other Permanent Residence Applications | Quotation Required |
Even if your situation is more complicated than a standard application, there may still be options available. We recommend discussing your circumstances with an immigration professional before making assumptions about your eligibility.
Cases like these may be eligible for our Complex Immigration Case Support Service. After reviewing your circumstances, ACROSEED Immigration Lawyer's Office will explain the available options, possible challenges, and the documents or preparation that may improve your application.
A comprehensive overview of permanent residency applications in Japan: key requirements (income, years of stay, taxes / pension compliance), typical patterns by status of residence, and how to respond to refusals.
An up-to-date guide for those who aim to obtain permanent residency in Japan from a work visa. Includes a self-check tool for work-visa holders on PR requirements.
A service for those who wish to obtain a Highly Skilled Professional visa or permanent residency in Japan using the Highly Skilled Professional points system.
For applicants moving from a spouse visa to permanent residency, this guide explains requirements, documents, and common refusal cases, with a PR self-check tool for spouse visa holders.
A 30-second self-diagnosis tool to check whether you meet Japan’s permanent residency requirements: Highly Skilled 70/80 points, work visa, spouse visa, and Long-Term Resident.
What to do if your PR application is refused and how to prepare for reapplication.
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ACROSEED Immigration Lawyer's Office
Representative Administrative Scrivener
Makoto Sano
1998 Graduated from Aoyamagakuin University
2001 Registered as an administrative scrivener
He has Over 20 years of experience as an international administrative scrivener, specializing in foreign employment consulting and residence procedures for foreign residents in Japan.
Click here to see information about his business achievements
Click here to see books he has authored
Since opening our practice in 1986, we have been involved in consulting on visa applications for foreigners for nearly 40 years as an immigration lawyer.
Telephone consultation, email consultation, online consultation, and consultation at our office are available.
