In order to work in Japan, foreigners must obtain a status of residence permitting them to work in Japan. (For the status of residence, please refer to “What is the status of residence”)
There are several types of status of residence that can work in Japan.
Let’s briefly explain the most common “technology, humanities knowledge, international business”
What is an employment visa?
Always heard that foreigners must obtain an “employment visa” if they want to work in Japan, but the “employment visa” is not the name of the visa.
In addition to the “technology, humanities knowledge, and international business” to be explained this time, depending on the work style of foreigners working in Japan, there are various status of residence, such as “business/management”, “skills”, and “internal company”. Transfer”, “study abroad (activities other than qualifications)” and “specified activities”, etc.
What is “Technology,Humanities knowledge, and International business Visa”?
When foreigners work in Japan, they are most often hired by companies to work as engineers or office workers.
If you want to work at a company as a technician or office worker, you need a status of residence of “Technology, Humanities knowledge, and International business Visa”.
As of the end of 2018, there are 189,273 foreigners residing in Japan with a status of residence of Technology, Humanities knowledge, and International business affairs.
Since it has increased by 17.5% compared to the end of 2017, we can see that the number of foreigners working in Japan is increasing.
What is “technology”?
Businesses that fall under “technology” are defined as “businesses that require technology that belongs to the fields of science, engineering, and other natural sciences.”
On the website of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, for example, “engineers such as mechanical engineering, engineers such as system engineers” is written.
Specific examples of obtaining a status of residence as “technology” are as follows.
- Engaged in technology development work at a company whose business is manufacturing electrical products. (University graduate / Faculty of Engineering)
- Engaged in game development work at a company whose business content is computer-related services. (Graduated from a vocational school, manga, animation department)
What is “humanities knowledge”?
Businesses related to “humanities knowledge” are said to be “businesses that require knowledge belonging to the fields of law, economics, sociology, and other humanities.”
On the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare website, for example, “Clerical work such as planning, sales, and accounting” is written. Specific examples of obtaining a status of residence as “humanities knowledge” are as follows.
- Engaged in legal assistance at a law firm. (University graduate, Faculty of Law)
- Engaged in building estimation work at a company whose business content is building design, design supervision, and building estimation. (Graduated from a vocational school, Department of Architectural Interior Design
What is “international business”?
Businesses related to international business are “businesses that require thinking or sensitivity based on foreign cultures”
The website of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare says, for example, “Language teachers at English conversation schools, interpreters, translators, designers, etc.”
Specific examples of obtaining a status of residence as “international business” are as follows.
- ・Engaged in English conversation instructor work at a company whose business is language instruction.(University graduate, Faculty of Education)
- ・Engaged in translation / interpretation work at a company whose business is computer-related services.(University graduate, Faculty of Business Administration)
Cases of disapproval of “Technology / Humanities / International Business Visa” and 5 points
If you are denied permission to apply for new certification or renewal of your status of residence, there is always a reason for it to be denied.
I would like to introduce the points that you should pay particular attention to when applying for a “Technology / Humanities / International Business Visa”.
“Point 1” Relationship between studying content and job content
The work performed by foreigners who acquire “technology, humanities knowledge, and international work” is “work that requires specialization in technology and knowledge.”
In order to carry out “business that requires specialization such as technology and knowledge”, it is necessary to acquire university and specialized technology and knowledge.
It is not judged that you have “specialty such as technology or knowledge” in fields that are not related to the subjects you majored in at a university or vocational school.
Therefore, it is important that the “subjects majored in a university or vocational school” and the “job content to be engaged in” are related.
For example, the following cases are cases in which the content of the major and the content of the job were not recognized and were not permitted.
【Disapproval case 1】
A person who has graduated from a vocational school (jewelry design department) and has been granted the title of diploma receives a monthly pay of 200,000 yen based on a contract with a company whose business is computer-related services in Japan. There was an application to engage in work related to consultation, interpretation and translation from a customer, but it was disapproved because there was no relationship between the subjects majored content and the job content.
【Disapproval case ２】
A person who has graduated from a vocational school (voice actor department) and has been granted the title of diploma receives a monthly remuneration of 140,000 yen based on a contract with a hotel in Japan that is visited by many foreign guests, and applied for engaging in translation / interpretation work as a lobby staff, but it was not permitted because there was no relationship between the subjects majored content and the job content.
“Point 2” Specialization of job content
The work performed by foreigners who acquire “technology, humanities knowledge, and international work” is “work that requires specialization in technology and knowledge”, so simple work is not permitted.
The following cases are cases in which it was judged that the transportation of luggage by guests and the cleaning of guest rooms are not “businesses that require expertise such as technology and knowledge”, and they were not permitted.
【Disapproval case 1】
Those who majored in economics in their home country and graduated from university. There was an application that it would be adopted by a hotel in Japan, but when I requested the submission of detailed materials related to the work I plan to engage in, the main work was the transportation of guest’s luggage and the cleaning of guest rooms. It was not recognized that he was engaged in “technology, humanities knowledge, and international work”, and he was disapproved.
As in the following cases, it is not permitted to apply for front desk work and engage in restaurant serving and cleaning work as practical training.
【Disapproval case 2】
A person who majored in hotel services, business practices, etc. at a vocational school in Japan and was granted the title of diploma. Based on a contract with a hotel in Japan, there was an application to do front desk work. From the submitted materials, it was found that the first two years after hiring will be exclusively engaged in serving at restaurants and cleaning guest rooms as practical training.
Businesses that do not fall under the status of residence of these “technical / humanistic knowledge / international business” will occupy most of the period of stay, so they are not permitted.
“Point 3” Salary equal to or higher than that of Japanese
It is forbidden to set salaries cheaper than Japanese people just because they are foreigners.
If a foreigner and a Japanese have the same work content, the foreigner’s remuneration is equal to or greater than that of the Japanese.
The following cases of disapproval are cases in which Japanese and foreigners are denied permission because they are doing the same kind of work but the remuneration of foreigners is set lower than that of Japanese people.
【Disapproval case 1】
From a person who graduated from a university (Faculty of Engineering), based on a contract with a company whose business is computer-related services with a monthly reward of 135,000 yen, There was an application to engage in engineer work, Since it was found that the monthly remuneration of Japanese graduates who are hired at the same time as the applicant and engage in similar work is 180,000 yen per month. The remuneration was not recognized as being equal to or greater than that of the Japanese, and was disapproved.
“Point 4” Necessity of employment
Even if the job content is the same as the major subject at the university or vocational school and the salary is the same as that of the Japanese, it may be disapproved unless the work performed by the foreigner is necessary for the company to be employed.
You need a reasonable reason that you absolutely need to hire a foreigner.
In the following cases, it is okay for university graduates majoring in Japanese to perform interpreting work, but it is judged that there is no need for a language to interpret and it is not permitted.
For example, even if you can interpret in Spanish, if there are few foreign guests who speak Spanish at the inn, it is judged that there is almost no demand for a Spanish interpreter at the inn.
【Disapproval case 1】
Those who majored in Japanese language in their home country and graduated from university. At Japanese inns, the language used by most foreign guests is different from the applicant’s native language.It was disapproved because it was not recognized that there was a sufficient amount of work done by the applicant in his / her native language.
In the following example, in a company with 12 employees, it was judged that there was not enough work to hire one person for accounting management and labor management of the company by computer, and it was disapproved.
【Disapproval case 2】
After graduating from a vocational school (Department of Information Systems Engineering), and had been given the title of diploma. Based on a contract with a company whose business is the management of Japanese restaurants, received an application for a monthly fee of 250,000 yen to engage in computer-based company accounting management (sales, purchasing, expenses, etc.), labor management, and customer management (reservation reception). Regarding accounting management and labor management, due to the size of the company with 12 employees, it is not recognized that there is sufficient workload to carry out it as the main activity. The specific contents of customer management are accepting reservations by telephone and writing in books. The work is not recognized as requiring technology or knowledge belonging to the field of natural sciences or humanities. It was disapproved because it did not correspond to “technology” or “humanities knowledge / international business”.
Point 5 Behavior during residence
Behavior while attending a university or vocational school is also subject to examination.
The following cases violate the rules for working (part-time job) in permission for activities outside the status of qualification, which is limited to 28 hours a week. Those who have been working as a part-time job for more than 200 hours a month for more than a year. This is a case in which the status of residence was not recognized as good and the permit was denied.
【Disapproval case 1】
From those who graduated from university (Faculty of Commerce), based on contracts with companies engaged in trading and overseas business with a monthly reward of 200,000 yen, for engaging in overseas trading business, but it became clear that the applicant had been working as a part-time job for more than 200 hours a month for more than one year while staying with the status of residence of “International students”. Since the operation was far beyond the scope of permission for activities outside the status of qualification, it was not recognized that the status of residence was good, and the permission was denied.
Summary
I hope you understand what kind of requirements are required to obtain the status of residence of “technology, humanities knowledge, international business”.
In order to be certified as “technology, humanities knowledge, international business”, there are various examination criteria such as the relationship between the major and job content, job specialty, and salary.
When hiring a foreigner as a technician or clerical worker, be sure to check that the relevance to the major and the salary amount meet the standards.