What Is the Renewal Procedure for a Highly Skilled Professional Visa?

The Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) status of residence is assessed comprehensively based on actual employment conditions, stability, and residence status, under a point-based system. When applying for renewal (extension of period of stay), it is not simply a matter of extending the stay because the expiration date has arrived. In many cases, employment conditions, job duties, annual income, and maintenance of point requirements are carefully reviewed.

In particular, if there have been changes such as a job change, promotion (change in duties), or increase or decrease in income, it is important to determine whether renewal is appropriate or whether a change of status application should be considered. This page systematically explains the renewal process, required documents, key examination points, and common pitfalls.

1. Basic Knowledge of Highly Skilled Professional Visa Renewal

1. What Is Renewal of the Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) Visa?

Renewal of a Highly Skilled Professional Visa refers to the procedure for extending the period of stay while maintaining the same status of residence, allowing the holder to continue residing in Japan. An application for extension of period of stay must be submitted to the Immigration Services Agency before the current period expires.

Applications can generally be filed from three months before the expiration date. However, the closer it gets to the deadline, the greater the risk that there will be insufficient time to respond if deficiencies in documents or requests for additional materials arise.

The Highly Skilled Professional Visa is a status of residence that often involves detailed confirmation of employment conditions, income, points, and actual job duties. If there have been changes such as job transitions, income fluctuations, or changes in job responsibilities, it is important not to treat the process as a simple extension, but rather to identify key examination points in advance and proceed with renewal accordingly.

2. Highly Skilled Professional (i) (a / b / c)

• For Highly Skilled Professional (i), renewal often involves close review of whether current job duties, expertise, and employment conditions remain consistent with the approved highly skilled activities.
• If there have been changes such as job changes, departmental transfers, changes in duties, or income changes, it is important to clearly organize the differences from the previous approval and demonstrate the continuity of professional expertise through documentation and explanations.
• Since the HSP status is based on a point system, there may be cases where maintenance of the required points is substantively reviewed at renewal. Particular caution is required when there are income fluctuations or changes in evaluation systems.

3. Highly Skilled Professional (ii)

• Although Highly Skilled Professional (ii) relaxes restrictions on activities and period of stay, renewal still places importance on continuity and stability of activities and legal compliance (tax payments, pension, health insurance, etc.).
• It is a common misconception that renewal is automatic simply because the status is (ii), but in practice, immigration officers may conduct detailed reviews if there are changes in employment or living conditions.
• If there have been changes in family composition or income levels, it is important to clearly demonstrate that a stable livelihood is being maintained.

4. Difference Between Renewal and Change of Status

“Renewal” refers to extending the period of stay under the same status of residence, while “Change of Status” refers to changing to a different status of residence. These procedures are clearly distinguished under the system.

However, in practice, if there are significant changes in job duties after changing jobs or major changes in employment type or contract terms, immigration officers may conduct more careful substantive reviews even in renewal applications.

Therefore, during the preparation stage, it is important to assess in advance whether renewal is appropriate or whether circumstances warrant a change of status application. Doing so helps prevent unnecessary additional document requests or prolonged examinations. If you are unsure, we recommend consulting a professional early rather than waiting until just before renewal.

2. How Can You Obtain the Longest Period of Stay (3 or 5 Years) with Permanent Residence in Mind?

When renewing a Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) Visa, it is important not only whether renewal is possible, but also which period of stay (1 year / 3 years / 5 years) will be granted, as this is a key factor when planning for a future permanent residence application or a transition to Highly Skilled Professional (ii).

In practice, to obtain the longest period of stay (3 or 5 years), it is often not enough to simply meet the formal requirements; stability, continuity, and future prospects tend to be assessed comprehensively. Below, we explain the main factors that are likely to influence the decision on the period of stay.

1. Whether the Point Requirements Are Stably Maintained

Because the Highly Skilled Professional Visa is granted based on a point-based system, the renewal examination also tends to focus on whether “the conditions underlying your HSP status continue to be stably satisfied.”

In particular, income level, job duties, and evaluation of academic background, qualifications, research achievements, and work history can affect point allocation. The more these elements are considered continuous and stable, the more likely it becomes that a longer period of stay will be granted.

Although points are not necessarily recalculated in every case, substantive checks may be conducted from the perspective of whether “the basis on which you met the point requirements will continue to be maintained.” Therefore, if there have been changes that may affect your points, it is important to organize whether they are temporary or expected to continue, and to explain them together with supporting documents.

2. Whether Your Employment Situation (Job Duties and Contract Type) Is Stable Over the Long Term

To obtain the longest period of stay, immigration authorities place importance on whether your current employment situation is not temporary and is expected to continue going forward. Accordingly, during renewal examinations, checks are made not only on “what kind of work you are engaged in,” but also on whether “that work is expected to continue stably in the future.”

Even if you have changed jobs or transferred departments, it will not automatically be disadvantageous if you can explain that there is consistent professional expertise between your previous and new roles, and that the change represents a natural progression in your career. However, if your job duties change frequently or the connection to your professional expertise is difficult to understand, there is a tendency for a longer period of stay to be less likely to be granted.

In addition, regarding your employment contract, the evaluation is not limited to whether you are a full-time employee; taking into account the contract term, renewal status, work arrangement, and other factors, authorities assess whether a stable employment relationship can be expected in the mid to long term.

3. Whether Your Income and Benefits Are Stable and Show Future Potential

Income and employment conditions are important indicators not only for point-based evaluation, but also for demonstrating stability and future prospects for living in Japan. In determining the period of stay, the focus is not solely on “your current annual income amount,” but also on whether that level is expected to continue in the future.

Even if your income has increased, if a large portion consists of variable pay or performance-based compensation, immigration officers may confirm how reliably that amount can be expected. Conversely, even if your income has temporarily decreased, there may still be room for consideration of a longer period of stay if the reasons are clear and future recovery or stability is reasonably expected.

Especially if you are aiming for permanent residence, the key point becomes whether you can “continue to earn stable income over the long term.” Therefore, it is effective to organize your income history and the structure of your evaluation/compensation system in advance.

4. Maintaining Good Legal Compliance

To obtain the longest period of stay, it is essential not only that your work is appropriate, but also that your legal compliance—such as tax payment, social insurance, and residence status is consistently in good order.

Specifically, authorities confirm proper payment of resident tax and income tax, enrollment in and payment of pension and health insurance, and consistency between the information on your residence card and actual circumstances (address, employer, etc.). If there are issues in these areas, your renewal may still be approved, but the period of stay may be set shorter.

If you are aiming for a 3- or 5-year period of stay with permanent residence in mind, it is important not only to avoid “formal deficiencies,” but also to maintain a condition in which you are consistently compliant with laws and evaluated as being well-settled in Japanese society.

3. Required Documents for Highly Skilled Professional Visa Renewal and Immigration Examination Period

1. Required Documents for Highly Skilled Professional Visa Renewal

When applying for the renewal of a Highly Skilled Professional Visa, it is not necessarily sufficient to simply submit the formally listed required documents published on the Immigration Services Agency website.

In practice, it is important to assess each applicant’s past residence history and changes in living and employment circumstances, identify which points are most likely to be examined by immigration officers, and then design both the combination of documents and their order of presentation accordingly.

If you engage ACROSEED Immigration Lawyer's Office for your application, we first refer to the list of required documents officially published by the Immigration Services Agency, while also organizing details such as your income situation, job change history, number of dependents, children’s education status, and future residence plans. Based on this information, we design a complete set of documents in a structure that allows immigration officers to assess the case easily.

Our approach is not limited to merely “getting the renewal approved.” We also consider and compare future options, including applying for permanent residence, transitioning to Highly Skilled Professional (ii), or, depending on circumstances, changing to a work visa or Long-Term Resident status. We then propose an application strategy aimed at achieving more stable long-term residence.

The documents actually required vary depending on factors such as your occupation, the size of your employer, and whether you have changed jobs. Below, we organize the documents commonly required for renewal applications, dividing them into “basic documents” and “documents added depending on individual circumstances.”

(A) Documents Commonly Prepared by the Applicant

• Application for Extension of Period of Stay (latest form)
• Passport and Residence Card
• Photograph (please note the specified size and date of photography)
• Certificate of Residence (showing all household members and relationships; details may be adjusted depending on practice)
• Taxation (income) certificate and tax payment certificate (resident tax, etc.)
• (If applicable) Certificate of employment, salary statements, withholding tax slip, etc.

These documents are considered “formally required,” but inconsistencies in their contents may result in requests for additional materials. In particular, it is important to confirm in advance that details such as your address, household composition, and income amount are consistent across all submitted documents.

(B) Documents Commonly Prepared by the Employer

• Employment contract (or notice of employment conditions)
• Company profile materials (certificate of registered matters, company brochure, etc.)
• Most recent financial statements (requirements vary depending on company size and application category)
• Documents explaining job duties (job description, organizational chart, business plan, etc.)

For Highly Skilled Professional Visas, not only the applicant but also the stability and business activities of the employer form part of the basis for examination. Especially when you have recently changed jobs or when the company is small in scale, supplementary materials explaining job duties and the actual state of the company’s business become particularly important.

(C) Additional Documents in Cases of Job Changes or Changes in Employment Conditions (Examples)

• Written explanation of the reason for changing jobs and the consistency of job duties (if necessary)
• Materials comparing old and new job duties (explaining continuity of professional expertise)
• Documents supporting changes in income (breakdown of fixed and variable pay, explanation of expected amounts, etc.)
• Materials organizing factors that affect points (academic background, qualifications, work history, achievements, etc.)

These documents are not always mandatory, but depending on the circumstances, preparing them in advance may help prevent requests for additional materials from immigration officers.

2. Immigration Examination Period

The examination period for Highly Skilled Professional Visa renewal varies depending on the timing of application, congestion at the Immigration Services Agency, and the complexity of the application. The Immigration Services Agency publishes average processing times for residence examinations on a monthly basis, making it possible to check the latest reference figures.

However, if there are factors such as job changes or income changes, cases where additional documents are requested are not uncommon, and processing may take longer than the published average period. Therefore, it is important to submit your application with sufficient time remaining before your period of stay expires.

4. Cases Where Renewal May Become Disadvantageous and Points to Note

In the renewal of a Highly Skilled Professional Visa, even if the formal requirements appear to be satisfied, the way the application content and submitted documents are organized may lead to closer scrutiny or a shorter period of stay being granted. Below, we outline representative cases that require particular attention in practice.

1. Possibility That Points May Fall Below the Required Threshold

Because the Highly Skilled Professional status is based on a point system, points may fluctuate depending on decreases in income, changes in job duties, or how evaluation items are treated.

It is easy to assume that “because it was approved in the past, the same standards will apply this time,” but renewal examinations focus on whether the current situation continues to meet the underlying conditions. Therefore, it is essential to organize what has changed since the previous approval.

In particular, when income or job duties directly affect point calculations, clarifying which items are impacted and providing supplementary explanations as needed can help prevent misunderstandings or unnecessary requests for additional materials.

2. Decrease in Income or Change in Employment Type (e.g., Conversion to a Contract Employee)

A decrease in income does not automatically make renewal disadvantageous, but the reasons and background explaining why the income has decreased are critical.

If there are objectively explainable circumstances—such as company-wide performance issues, changes in evaluation systems, or changes in the applicant’s role— these should be clearly organized based on facts and supported with documentation.

Additionally, when there is a change in employment type, such as from a permanent employee to a contract employee, factors such as contract length, likelihood of renewal, and continuity of job duties are more likely to become key examination points. It is important to be prepared to explain whether the change is temporary and whether stable employment can be expected in the mid to long term.

3. Job Duties Appear to Fall Outside “Professional Expertise”

The Highly Skilled Professional Visa is granted on the premise of advanced professional expertise. Therefore, during renewal examinations, immigration officers confirm whether the applicant’s current duties continue to be based on such expertise.

Even if the scope of duties has expanded, there is no issue as long as you can explain that the core of your work remains within your professional field. However, if managerial or coordination tasks increase, it may become less clear where the applicant’s activities as a “professional specialist” lie.

Rather than relying solely on job titles or occupational labels, it is advisable to clearly organize and explain which tasks you perform, in what proportion, and in what capacity, and to demonstrate their relationship to your professional expertise.

4. Inconsistencies in Tax Payment, Social Insurance, or Address Information

In renewal examinations, not only employment details and income, but also formal consistency—such as tax payment status, enrollment in social insurance, and consistency between the residence card and resident record address— constitutes an important area of review.

Even if you are “living without practical issues,” a situation that cannot be adequately explained through documents may lead to requests for additional materials or prolonged examination periods.

Before applying for renewal, it is advisable to review tax certificates, social insurance documents, and address information, and confirm that they are consistent with other submitted materials, as this helps ensure a smoother renewal process.

5. Consistency with Future Permanent Residence Applications or Transition to HSP (ii)

Many Highly Skilled Professional visa holders have future plans to apply for permanent residence or to transition to Highly Skilled Professional (ii). For this reason, the explanations and submitted documents used at the time of renewal are often referenced again in subsequent applications.

Rather than viewing the renewal solely as “something that just needs to pass this time,” maintaining consistency in factual details and the overall narrative with future applications in mind contributes to greater stability in mid- to long-term residence.

5. Criteria for Deciding When You Are Unsure Whether to Apply for Renewal or Change of Status

Renewal and change of status are clearly distinguished under the制度, but in practice, it is not uncommon to encounter situations where it is difficult to determine “which application should be filed.” The following is organized as general guidance.

1. Cases Where Renewal Is Generally Easier to Proceed With (Examples)

• No major changes in employment conditions or job duties within the same company
• Even if there are changes, continuity between professional expertise and job duties is clear and easy to explain
• Income and contract conditions are stable and expected to continue in the future

2. Cases That Require Advance Confirmation (Examples)

• You have changed jobs, or plan to change jobs soon
• Your income will decrease, or the proportion of variable pay has increased significantly
• Your job duties have changed substantially, and management work has become your main focus
• There are changes that may affect the point requirements

In these borderline cases, even if it is procedurally possible to apply as a “renewal,” insufficient explanation of the changes may lead to requests for additional documents or a prolonged examination period.

If there are any concerns, it is safer to organize in advance “which points may become subjects of examination” prior to filing for renewal, and to design the order of presentation, supporting evidence, and explanatory statements accordingly.

6. Reasons You Should Consult a Professional

1. Renewal Is Not Merely a “Formal Review”; in Practice, Additional Checks May Occur

The renewal of a Highly Skilled Professional Visa is not examined with the same level of difficulty for everyone. When there are almost no changes, the process often proceeds relatively smoothly, whereas if there are changes such as a job change, income change, change in duties, or changes in family circumstances, the number of points that immigration officers wish to confirm tends to increase.

As a result, the risk of being asked to submit additional documents or having the examination period prolonged due to insufficient explanations increases. Organizing the application strategy at an early stage is important to reduce these risks.

2. You Can Design the Application with an Eye Not Only on “Whether Renewal Is Possible,” but Also on Future Permanent Residence or Transition to HSP (ii)

The consistency of the explanations and documents submitted at the time of renewal may also become an important factor when you later consider applying for permanent residence or transitioning to Highly Skilled Professional (ii).

Therefore, rather than focusing solely on whether you currently meet the requirements, organizing the facts as a consistent story that is easy for immigration officers to assess helps reduce mid- to long-term residence risks.

7. Highly Skilled Professional Visa Renewal Q&A

In principle, you can apply for renewal (an application for extension of period of stay) from three months before your period of stay expires.

However, depending on the content of your application, your employer may need time to prepare documents, and you may be required to submit additional materials. In particular, if there are changes such as a job change, department transfer, or change in job duties, an increase or decrease in income, or a change in employment type, the number of matters that should be organized in advance increases, so we recommend preparing with sufficient time.

If you start preparing only when the renewal deadline is close, you may need time to address missing documents or confirm details, which can result in a longer examination period. Starting early provides greater peace of mind.

In renewal examinations, in addition to confirming your residence situation and employment reality (job duties, employment conditions, etc.), checks may be conducted from the perspective of whether the underlying conditions for Highly Skilled Professional status are being maintained.

In particular, income, job duties, and job changes may affect points, so if there have been changes since the previous approval, it is important to organize those changes and present them clearly together with supporting documents.

Even if you are unsure whether something “may affect points,” checking in advance can reduce the risk of having to respond to additional document requests or facing issues due to insufficient explanations.

The fact that you changed jobs does not immediately become a reason for denial.

However, if you have changed jobs, the renewal examination tends to involve more careful checks of consistency of job duties (whether your professional expertise continues), stability of the employment contract, income and employment conditions, and the receiving company’s structure.

Therefore, it is important to organize the relationship between your previous and new job duties and your employment conditions (contract, explanation of job duties, etc.), and present them in a way that is easy for immigration officers to understand.

Even if your income decreases, it does not necessarily mean you cannot renew your status.

However, the examination may comprehensively consider factors such as the extent and reasons for the income decrease, the impact on points, and stability of your livelihood (household situation, expenses, savings, etc.).

In particular, if there is a possibility that your points may fall below the required threshold or if variable pay accounts for a large proportion of your income, it is advisable to organize in advance “which points may become issues” and prepare explanatory materials as necessary.

Transitioning to Highly Skilled Professional (ii) is a separate procedure carried out after meeting certain requirements, and it has a different purpose from “renewal,” which extends the period of stay.

However, the consistency of the explanations and documents submitted at the time of renewal may also become important when you later consider a transition to (ii) or an application for permanent residence.

Therefore, even if you are thinking “this time, I only need renewal,” if you have changes such as a job change or income change, it is reassuring to organize the facts with your future residence planning in mind before submitting the application.

8. Introduction to Our Highly Skilled Professional Visa Renewal Application Support Service

1. Service Overview

This service is a support service for individuals currently residing in Japan under the “Highly Skilled Professional” status of residence to apply for an extension of period of stay (renewal application).

We organize in advance the points that tend to be checked during renewal examinations (employment reality, income, job duties, point requirements, tax payments / social insurance, etc.), and aim to obtain renewal approval smoothly while reducing the risk of additional document requests or prolonged examinations.

We can support cases such as the following.

If you are considering applying for permanent residence from Highly Skilled Professional status (Points-Based PR), please also refer to the following page.

Obtaining a Permanent Resident Visa Through Highly Skilled Professional Points

This service is for those who wish to obtain a Highly Skilled Professional visa and for those who wish to obtain permanent residence through the Highly Skilled Professional points system.

2. Services Included

1. Organizing items that are likely to be checked during renewal examinations (employment reality, income, job duties, point requirements, etc.) and designing the submission strategy
2. Guidance on the full set of required documents, support for collection, and proposals/creation of additional materials as necessary
3. Filing the renewal application with the Immigration Services Agency and handling procedures such as obtaining the endorsement seal upon approval (depending on the plan)
4. Progress follow-up during the examination period and responding to requests for additional submissions
5. (For those who wish) Support for filing a simultaneous re-entry permit application

3. Advantages of Requesting ACROSEED Immigration Lawyer's Office