🇯🇵 Japan — Ministry of Justice / Regional Immigration Bureau (入管局)

Japan Highly Skilled Professional Visa — Korean Documents Required

Japan's Highly Skilled Professional (高度専門職) status is a work residence status granted to people who score 70 points or more across items such as academic background, career and salary. It carries preferential treatment, including a shorter residence requirement for permanent residency (3 years or 1 year instead of the standard 10). Korean nationals newly entering Japan under this status apply for a Certificate of Eligibility at a regional immigration office in Japan, with a points calculation sheet and supporting documents for the items they claim. The form rule the Immigration Services Agency states is that documents written in a foreign language must have a Japanese translation attached; its guidance does not ask for an apostille or a notarized translation. If a Japanese company, school or licensing body separately asks for a Korean document to be authenticated, the method is an apostille, not embassy legalization (Japan has been a Hague Convention member since 1970).

Required Korean Documents

May Also Be Required

University Diploma

학위증명서

Needed when you claim points for academic background: a graduation certificate and a certificate of the degree awarded. Attach a Japanese translation. The Immigration Services Agency's guidance does not ask for an apostille or a notarized translation. To claim the bonus for a designated university, also submit material showing that your university qualifies.

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Academic Transcript

성적증명서

Not a standard document. The agency may request a transcript, as needed, only when you claim the bonus for degrees in more than one field. Attach a Japanese translation if you submit one.

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Basic Certificate (Birth Certificate)

기본증명서

Not on the Highly Skilled Professional document list. When family members apply for residence status with you, a document proving the relationship between the applicant and the supporter is required (such as a copy of a marriage or birth certificate), so ask the office receiving the application which Korean certificate to submit. Attach a Japanese translation if you submit one.

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Step-by-Step Process

1
Calculate your points with the Immigration Services Agency's points calculation sheet (ポイント計算表) — a total of 70 points or more is required; check the current sheet for the points per item
2
Secure a job offer from a Japanese employer — the salary item is based on the pay you are expected to receive for the Highly Skilled Professional activity, not on past income
3
Obtain the Korean documents for the items you claim (graduation and degree certificates, a career certificate made by the organisation you worked for that shows the period and your duties) and attach Japanese translations
4
The applicant, a staff member of the receiving organisation, or a lawyer or administrative scrivener (行政書士) registered with the regional immigration bureau files the Certificate of Eligibility (在留資格認定証明書) application at the regional immigration office in Japan — with the points calculation sheet and supporting documents
5
After the Certificate of Eligibility is issued, apply for your visa at the Embassy of Japan in Korea or a Japanese consulate-general — check the embassy's current guidance for the visa-stage documents
6
Enter Japan and register your address (住民登録) at the local municipal office within 14 days

Tips & Common Mistakes

Material showing that your total is 70 points or more is enough — you do not need to submit supporting documents for every item that applies, so prepare documents only for the items you claim
To claim the bonus for a designated university, submit material showing that your university qualifies (for example a copy of the relevant part of the Ministry of Justice website) together with your graduation and degree certificates
The official form rule is a Japanese translation attached to foreign-language documents — the guidance sets no notarization or translator-qualification requirement; translate degree names, majors, company names and duties so they match what you wrote on the points calculation sheet
Submitted materials are not returned in principle — ask for the return of hard-to-replace originals when you file, and attach a passport copy if the name on the Certificate of Eligibility could be spelled differently from your passport. The agency may request materials beyond those listed during examination
After 3 years or more of continuous residence as a Highly Skilled Professional with 70 points or more (1 year or more with 80 points or more), the residence period required for Permanent Residency (永住) is relaxed from the standard 10 years — check the Immigration Services Agency's guidance for the other requirements
The spouse of a Highly Skilled Professional may work under the Designated Activities status, on condition of living with the Highly Skilled Professional and receiving pay equal to or greater than a Japanese national would receive

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Japan require apostille on Korean documents for the HSP visa?

The Immigration Services Agency's Highly Skilled Professional guidance, its basic examples of supporting documents and its points system Q&A do not ask for an apostille. The form rule they state is that documents written in a foreign language must have a Japanese translation attached; they set no notarization or translator-qualification requirement either. The 기본증명서 and the criminal background check are not on the Highly Skilled Professional document list. The agency may still request additional materials during examination, and a Japanese company, university, licensing body or an office handling a marriage or family registration may separately ask for a Korean document to be authenticated. If you are asked, Japan has been a Hague Convention member since 1970, so the method is an apostille, not embassy legalization: the Overseas Koreans Agency (OKA) issues it for public documents and the Ministry of Justice for notarized private documents (such as a career certificate issued by a company).

What is the minimum salary required for the Japan HSP visa?

According to the Immigration Services Agency's Q&A, for Highly Skilled Professional (i)(b) (advanced specialized/technical activities) and (i)(c) (advanced business management activities), an applicant whose annual salary is below ¥3,000,000 is not recognized as a Highly Skilled Professional even if other items bring the total above 70 points. Salary here means the pay you are expected to receive for the Highly Skilled Professional activity you are applying for, not past income, and it is shown with a document proving the annual amount of pay from the contracting organisation (and any foreign organisation you belong to). Check the current points calculation sheet for the points per salary band.

How does the HSP lead to Japanese permanent residency faster?

Permanent residency in Japan requires, in principle, a residence history of 10 years or more. According to the Immigration Services Agency's Q&A, this requirement is relaxed for Highly Skilled Professionals: to 3 years for those who have resided continuously for 3 years or more with 70 points or more, and to 1 year for those who have resided continuously for 1 year or more with 80 points or more. Permanent residency has other requirements as well, so check the Immigration Services Agency's current guidance before applying.

🇩🇪

EU Blue Card (Blaue Karte EU)

Germany

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H-1B Specialty Occupation Visa

United States

🇨🇦

Express Entry (Federal Skilled Worker / CEC / FST)

Canada

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