Japan HSP Visa – Changing Employers | Immigration Support
HIGHLY SKILLED PROFESSIONAL / CHANGE OF EMPLOYER
Changing Employers on a Highly Skilled Professional Visa in Japan
Are you working in Japan with Highly Skilled Professional (i) status and planning to join a new company? A job change can require a Change of Status of Residence application—even when your visa category stays the same. Kawagoe Administrative Scrivener Office helps skilled professionals and hiring companies review the new job, recalculate HSP points, prepare supporting documents, and plan the immigration procedure.
Telephone hours: 9:00–18:00 Japan time · Based in Yamagata, supporting clients across Japan
Know which procedure applies
Check whether your designated employer is changing and why HSP (i) requires different procedures from an ordinary work status.
Recalculate your points
Review your new annual salary, age, experience, qualifications, and any employer-based bonus points before applying.
Prepare for the new role
Coordinate documents from the applicant and the hiring company, including contracts and evidence of the proposed activities.
Do you need permission to change employers?
Yes, if you hold Highly Skilled Professional (i) and your designated organization changes. Under HSP (i), the Japanese organization where you undertake your qualifying activities is designated. Even if your new job is in the same profession and you intend to keep HSP (i), the Immigration Services Agency states that a Change of Status of Residence application is required when the designated organization changes.
A valid period of stay does not by itself authorize qualifying HSP (i) activities at a different designated organization. Check the required permission before beginning the new activities. You may also have a separate institution-notification obligation.
| Your present status | When changing employers |
|---|---|
| Highly Skilled Professional (i)(a), (b), or (c) | A new HSP (i) Change of Status application is generally required if the designated organization changes, together with consideration of institution notifications. |
| Highly Skilled Professional (ii) | Not the same employer-specific change procedure as HSP (i); check whether your new activities remain permitted and submit applicable institution notifications. |
| Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services | Different rules apply. An employer change does not automatically require an HSP-style change application, but activity eligibility and notification obligations must be checked. |
Please confirm your exact status, category, designated organization, and period of stay. A company name change, group-company transfer, or contractual restructuring may require a different analysis from moving to an unrelated employer.
What happens to your 70 HSP points after changing jobs?
To obtain new HSP (i) permission under the standard points system, the proposed activities must qualify and the relevant points assessment generally must reach at least 70 points. The points shown on your previous application should not simply be reused: your circumstances and the new company's details may have changed.
Points that may change
Example: 75 points becomes 65
You may have held 75 points when first receiving HSP (i), but a lower salary or a change in eligibility for employer-based bonuses can reduce your score after a job change.
In that situation, we review available supporting evidence and whether another appropriate residence status should be considered. Holding HSP (i) previously does not guarantee approval for the new company.
For the standard points route, HSP (i)(b) and (c) have a separate minimum annual remuneration criterion of ¥3 million. HSP (i)(a), (b), and (c) have different scoring categories; the same calculator cannot safely be applied to every professional.
HSP (i)(a), (b), and (c): identify your activity category
| HSP category | Typical activities | Questions when changing jobs |
|---|---|---|
| HSP (i)(a) — Advanced academic research | Research, research guidance, or education at a qualifying institution. | Will the new university, company, or research institution engage you in qualifying research or education? |
| HSP (i)(b) — Advanced specialized / technical activities | Engineering, IT, professional or specialist work requiring advanced expertise. | Does the new position involve qualifying specialist activities and meet salary and points criteria? |
| HSP (i)(c) — Advanced business management | Management or administration of a qualifying organization or business. | Will the new position and management responsibilities meet the relevant HSP requirements? |
Changing from research work to specialist employment—or moving into management—may affect the activity category and the supporting documents. The applicant's actual duties, not just the job title, are decisive.
Documents to prepare for an HSP (i) employer change
The required list varies by activity category, application history, points claimed, and the receiving organization's circumstances. We help identify which evidence supports the proposed activities and the points calculation.
Documents from the professional
Documents from the new employer
Additional documents may be requested by the Immigration Services Agency. Japanese translations may be required for foreign-language documents. For certain receiving-organization categories, additional forms may apply under current submission rules.
When should you apply, resign, and start work?
1. Before accepting your new start date
Confirm your HSP category, the designated employer, whether a new application is required, and your updated points. Coordinate the proposed start date with the immigration process.
2. After receiving the new employment offer
Collect the offer letter, contract, job description, expected salary, and organization documents. Review the relevant points and the immigration application strategy.
3. Submit the Change of Status application
Prepare and submit the application for the new HSP (i) activities and designated organization. An application filing receipt is not the same as permission to begin qualifying HSP activities for the new employer.
4. Check the separate notification deadlines
Contract termination and a new contract, or leaving and joining an activity organization, may trigger notifications to immigration within 14 days. Exactly which notifications remain necessary when a Change of Status application is also filed depends on the facts and procedural timing.
5. Begin the new designated activities after permission
Confirm the permission, designated organization, and permitted activities before starting the new position. Keep records of the application and notifications.
Please seek an individual assessment promptly. The relevant dates, current employment, activities already performed, and status expiration date are important. Do not assume that submitting a late notification alone resolves the issue.
HSP (ii), J-Skip, and permanent residence: different rules
| Situation | Key distinction |
|---|---|
| HSP (i) changing designated employer | Generally requires a Change of Status application, even where the HSP (i) category remains the same. |
| HSP (ii) changing employer | Not subject to the same employer-designation change requirement, but permitted activities and institution notifications must be checked. |
| J-Skip / Special Highly Skilled Professional | Uses a separate eligibility route based on specified education, professional experience, and income conditions; the designated-employer issue for HSP (i) still requires attention. |
| Permanent resident | Generally not restricted to a designated employer under a work-based residence category. |
A job change may also affect a planned transition to HSP (ii) or an application for permanent residence. For permanent residence, the 70-point / three-year and 80-point / one-year pathways are separate from the ordinary HSP (ii) eligibility timeline, and all other permanent residence requirements continue to apply.
We can review your present status, qualifying period, points, activities and intended start date to determine which application should be examined first. HSP (ii) is not granted automatically because you have held HSP (i) for a certain period.
Professional fees for changing employers
| Service | Our fee (tax included) |
|---|---|
| HSP (i) — Change of Status of Residence for a new designated organization | From ¥110,000 |
| HSP (ii) — Change of Status application, where appropriate | From ¥110,000 |
| Detailed HSP points assessment | ¥16,500 |
| Initial consultation and quotation | Free |
The fees above are professional service fees, not government charges. An individual quotation is provided before engagement. Additional work involving complex employment histories, multiple applications, translations, document retrieval, travel, or extensive supporting explanations may incur separate fees.
For applications filed from 1 October 2026, Japanese immigration permission fees depend on the period of stay granted and the filing method. Online filings may also involve payment-processing charges. We will explain the applicable amount for your case rather than relying on an outdated flat fee.
When you purchase our detailed points assessment and subsequently formally engage us for the residence-status application, the ¥16,500 assessment fee is deducted from the application service fee, subject to our published service terms.
Frequently asked questions
I have a five-year HSP (i) residence card. Can I work for another company immediately?
Not simply because your card is still valid. If your designated organization changes, you generally need Change of Status permission for the new HSP (i) arrangement. Plan this before starting the new activities.
Is a 14-day notification enough for HSP (i)?
No. A notification and a Change of Status application serve different purposes. HSP (i) holders changing designated organizations generally need a Change of Status application; separate notification obligations must also be examined.
Will I lose my status if my points drop below 70?
A temporary change in your score during an existing authorized stay does not necessarily cause immediate loss of status. However, a new HSP (i) permission or renewal requires the relevant eligibility assessment, normally including at least 70 points. Obtain advice before relying on your old score.
Does my new salary need to match the salary at my former employer?
Not necessarily. The relevant questions are whether your new remuneration meets the applicable criteria and how it affects your overall points. Different activity categories have different conditions.
What if my new employer is a startup or a small company?
An application may still be possible. We review the company's business activities, organizational and supporting documents, remuneration arrangements, and whether any points based on the former employer remain applicable.
Does moving from one group company to another count as changing employers?
It can. The legal identity of the designated organization and the actual contract arrangement matter, even when both companies belong to the same corporate group. We review the current designation and proposed structure.
Do HSP (ii) holders need a new Change of Status application for every employer?
No, the HSP (i) designated-employer rule does not apply in the same way. However, your activities must remain within the permitted scope and applicable institution changes must be reported.
Can I change employers while applying for HSP (ii) or permanent residence?
Possibly, but the applications have different criteria. The timing of your new contract, points, qualifying activities and your current immigration permission should be reviewed together.
Can my new employer contact your office directly?
Yes. We welcome enquiries from individual HSP holders, hiring companies, HR departments, universities and research institutions. We can explain what each party needs to prepare.
Do you support clients outside Yamagata?
Yes. We support enquiries across Japan, with remote consultations and document review. The method of filing and representation is confirmed according to the circumstances of each case.
Related immigration guidance and official sources
ENGLISH IMMIGRATION CONSULTATION
Changing jobs in Japan with HSP status? Check the procedure before your start date.
Tell us your current HSP category, the name of your designated organization, your expected new role and salary, your planned start date, and your residence-card expiration date. We can explain the points review, application documents, and the procedure applicable to your circumstances.
Kawagoe Administrative Scrivener Office · Sagae, Yamagata, Japan · Phone: 9:00–18:00 JST · Nationwide consultation