To attract new international talent to a floundering Japanese economy. The Japanese government introduced 3 new visa options the Future Creation Individual (J-Find), Highly Skilled Professional (J-Skip) and Digital Nomad visa. Launched in 2023 these 3 new visas offer new options to people looking to make Japan a long term home. With relaxed eligibility requirements and expedited application processes, J-Skip and J-Find visas present exciting opportunities for foreign nationals.
In this article, Navigating Japan’s New Visa Options: A Guide to J-Skip and J-Find Visas, we will delve into the details of these new visas, exploring their benefits, requirements, and application procedures to help you navigate Japan’s evolving visa landscape.
If you want to learn more about the Japanese Digital Nomad Visa read our article here:
The Japanese Digital Nomad Visa: Hits, Misses, and Alternatives.
The Current Situation of the Japanese Economy
It is no secret that Japan and the Japanese economy face huge headwinds. Japan currently has the oldest population of any country, having 28.2% of its population over 65 years of age. According to the World Bank Group, Japan also has one of the lowest birth rates of the OECD countries.
While it is incredible how long citizens of Japan live on average and there are many lessons regarding health that other countries like the United States could take from Japan. Unfortunately, elderly people on average do not contribute positive amounts to the economy and are usually a drain.
Having a population with more elderly than young will put a massive strain on a country’s pension and healthcare system. With less young people paying taxes towards these systems, then elderly people receiving them. This imbalance will either have to be solved by increased taxes on the working population, or decreased amount in how much a person receives in pension and healthcare. Both of these options are terribly un-popular for any politician to face. But as a “Yonderpreneur prediction” due to there being more elderly people, being the larger voting base it’s a good chance law makers will side with increasing taxes on the youth then lowering pension or healthcare.
Neither increasing taxes nor reducing pensions are going to be very popular. Many developed nations go with a third option. Increasing the amount of working-age people in the country through immigration. Japan has not been so “keen” on immigration as other nations but with facing down the proverbial gun barrel of economic collapse they have started to create new ways for foreigners to immigrate to Japan.
Enter the J-Skip and J-Find visas.
J-Skip and J-Find
Purpose and Goals of the J-Skip and J-find Visas
In a recent announcement by the Japanese Ministry of foreign affairs, 3 new visas were introduced.
- Special Highly Skilled Professional (J-Skip)
- Future Creation Individual, Spouse or Child of Future Creation Individual (J-Find)
- Digital Nomad Visa
We are only covering J-Skip and J-Find visas in this article. The purpose that all 3 of these new visa options have in common is to Attract Talented People. If Japan can bring in talented individuals they can address some of their more difficult problems they face like their labour shortage and boost global competitiveness.
However there are many differences between the two visas so continue reading to figure out which one might be right for you in your situation.
J-Skip Visa
Like most other visas the J-Skip visa is designed to attract talented individuals to Japan. To be able to qualify for the J-Skip visa though you must have a certain qualifications and criteria’s.
- Education – Applicants must hold a bachelors degree or equivalent qualification
- Job Offer – Applicants must also have a job offer from a Japanese employer. This job has to align with the field of specialization that the applicant has studied or has experience in.
- Salary Requirement – The job the applicant is applying for has to be over a certain threshold. There is no set in stone figure set by the Japanese government for this but it will depend on applicants qualifications, industry of specialization, regional cost of living, and number of the depends the applicant has.
- Health and Character Check – Applicants of the J-Skip visa will have to go through basic check of medical history which might include submitting a few documents. Often a clean bill of health from a Doctor will suffice. Applicants will also be required to submit a criminal record check from their home countries.
The J-Skip visa is targeting more established individuals, people with a career background already behind them. They seem to be targeting professionals from the fields of medicine, science, technology, engineering, and academia.
If granted a J-Skip visa you will be granted a visa for the length of 5 years. After which you can either apply for a permanent residency or Japanese citizenship.
J-Find Visa
Next up the J-Find Visa, the J-Find like the other visas is to once again attract talented individuals to come and live in Japan. However where the J-Skip was more of a usual, working visa the J-Find visa has a little more “innovation” to it. Furthermore the J-Find or “Future Creation Visa” is designed for individuals who are new in their careers rather then people who are already established. The requiremtents for the J-Find visa are as follows.
- Age – The applicant has to be 18 years of age or older at the time of applying for the J-Skip visa.
- Education – The applicant must have an been awarded either a bachelors degree, masters degree or Phd. from a “eligible university” within the last 5 years . The list of their: Eligible Universities
- Personal Savings – The applicant must be able to demonstrate that they have a personal savings of at least ¥200,000 or about $1,200 usd (at the date of writing this)
Moreover the J-Find visa will allow applicants to live in Japan for up to 2 years to look for a job in their chosen profession. The goal of the J-Find is that at some point within the 2 years of an applicants stay they will find a job and become a productive member of the economy. At which time the applicant is hired they can apply for the traditional Japanese work visa.
Flaws in the J-Skip and J-Find Visas
Competitiveness
Although the J-Skip and J-Find Visas are a major step in the right direction for Japan, a country that’s been historically against all forms of immigration.
Nevertheless we must realize that this is a very competitive market Japan is now entering. There are 193 countries in the world today and more then half of them are competing to attract the most talented individuals. Individuals who seek to prioritize making the most money as possible will not likely select Japan. They would be more interested in countries like the United States, UAE, or countries in Europe with (tax exclusion benefits) that have more valuable currencies where people are paid more, and have less of a tax burden.
The income tax rates in Japan can get up to 45% + a 10-20% tax by the municipality that you live in. Taxes in Japan are just as high as most European nations but without the benefits of being paid in the Euro as of now a still more valuable currency then the weakening Yen.
Conclusion
The J-Skip and J-Find visas are a step in the right direction for Japan, but currently, they are not competitive against the visas offered by other countries. The primary appeal of these visas will likely be to individuals who genuinely love Japan for its unique qualities. Japan is indeed an amazing country with incredible culture, cuisine, and infrastructure, offering many reasons to fall in love with it.
However, the current visa offerings may also attract individuals from less favorable situations who view Japan as a last resort. These are not the ideal candidates you want to attract. Instead, the focus should be on bringing in individuals who are excited about the opportunity to advance their careers and embrace the challenge of moving to a new country for personal and professional growth, not just those looking to escape their current circumstances.
If your are interested in applying for any of these visas reach out to us at Yonderpreneur and we can help you get on your way to your adventure in Japan.