Japan · Talent & extraordinary ability
Highly Skilled Professional visa (points-based)
Open and unchanged in structure. The 70-point and 80-point fast tracks to permanent residency (3 years and 1 year respectively) remain in force as at July 2026.
The 80-point one-year track is the fastest route to permanent residency in any developed economy — and for a wealthy family it may be a trap rather than a prize, because Japanese PR is a Table 2 status that exposes the worldwide estate to 55% inheritance tax from day one. The right advice for many HSP holders is to keep renewing the HSP and never take PR.
Qualifying routes
Points across academic background, career, annual salary, age, research achievements, Japanese ability and bonus items; 70 points required
The route most foreign professionals use; 70 points required
70 points required; salary points weighted heavily
The facts
- Qualifying figure
- 70 JPY
- Total landed cost
- Standard visa fees only; no investment required
- Timeline
- 1–3 months — HSP applications receive priority processing — targeted at 10 days for a Certificate of Eligibility in practice, though this varies
- Physical presence
- Residence-based; the PR fast track requires continuous residence at the relevant points level
- Family
- spouse (may work full-time under relaxed rules)childrenparents in defined circumstances (childcare)domestic helper in defined circumstances
- Permanent residency
- 3 years at 70+ points; 1 year at 80+ points
- Citizenship
- generally 5 years of residence; discretionary; requires renunciation of other citizenships
- Language test
- no formal test; functional Japanese expected
- Dual citizenship
- Not permitted — you would have to renounce
- Requirements
- Score 70+ points on the applicable HSP points tableEmployment or business activity in Japan in the relevant categoryFor the PR fast track: maintain 70 points for 3 years, or 80 points for 1 year
- Points are heavily weighted toward salary and age. High earners over 40 lose age points and can fall short despite strong profiles.
- Japanese language ability (N1/N2) and a Japanese degree carry meaningful bonus points — often the difference between 70 and 80.
- The PR fast track is a tax event in disguise. Read the inheritance tax entry before applying.
- Points are assessed at application AND at the PR application. A salary drop between the two can break the fast track.
- Japan does not permit dual citizenship for adults; naturalisation requires renouncing your other passports.