Foreign graduates
Assess an overseas computer science, engineering or other relevant university degree.
Japan Work Visa for Software Engineers
Japan Work Visa for Software Engineers
Have an offer to work in Japan as a software engineer, programmer, backend developer, cloud engineer or application developer? Japan's Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services residence status may be appropriate when your actual duties require specialized technology or knowledge. We help international applicants and Japanese hiring companies check qualifications, explain engineering duties and prepare a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) or change-of-status application.
Engineer visa COE / Change of status · Professional feeFrom ¥110,000Tax included · Other expenses separately
Standard Engineer visa renewal · No job changeFrom ¥44,000Tax included · Individual assessment
Applicants overseas and in Japan · Japanese employers and HR teams · Telephone 9:00–18:00 JST · Office in Sagae, Yamagata
Experienced developers
Examine professional work history or designated IT examination exceptions without a degree.
Japanese IT companies
Prepare technical job descriptions, contracts and the appropriate receiving-company documents.
Which Japanese Work Visa Applies to Software Developers?
Software developers commonly apply under Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services (技術・人文知識・国際業務), often called the Engineer visa. This is a Japanese status of residence, not a separate legal visa category officially named “Software Engineer Visa.” An employment or other qualifying contract with a public or private organization in Japan is normally essential.
Software / application development
Designing, coding, integrating and maintaining business systems, mobile applications and web software.
Infrastructure / cloud
Cloud architecture, network or systems design, deployment engineering and technically complex operations.
Data / AI / security
Engineering data platforms, machine-learning systems, security architecture or specialized technical solutions.
Job titles alone are not enough. Routine data entry, packing products, unskilled device assembly or other primarily non-specialist work normally cannot be justified merely by calling the employee a programmer or IT engineer. Mixed roles must be assessed by their real principal duties.
Do You Need a Computer Science Degree or Ten Years of Experience?
A foreign software engineer may be able to qualify through an appropriate university education, substantial relevant professional experience or a designated information-technology examination or qualification. The correct route depends on your background and actual work in Japan.
| Route | What immigration examines | Examples of evidence |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Related university degree | Completion of a university-level qualification and a reasonable relationship between relevant studies and specialist job duties. The university's nature and the coursework matter. | Degree, transcript, course descriptions, technical job description. |
| 2. Relevant professional career | Generally at least 10 years of relevant experience for the technical-knowledge route, including qualifying study periods where legally permitted. | Employer certificates, detailed role history, dates and duties, training/school records where relevant. |
| 3. Designated IT exam / qualification | Passing an IT examination or holding a qualification specifically listed in the Minister of Justice's applicable designation may provide an exception to the ordinary academic/experience criteria. | Official passing certificate and exact exam designation, with the proposed work description. |
University vs. vocational school: University graduates' degree-to-work relationship is assessed relatively flexibly in light of the educational institution's nature. The relationship may need to be more specific for Japanese specialized-training-college graduates. A bootcamp certificate alone is not necessarily a university qualification.
What If Your Degree Is Not in Computer Science?
Not every approved engineer has a diploma labeled “Computer Science.” Mathematics, electrical engineering, information systems and some other disciplines may provide relevant technical knowledge. For a degree in a less obviously related discipline, the coursework, professional record and the precise position in Japan become more important.
Clear technical relationship
A computing or engineering degree paired with a genuine software development position is often easier to document.
Indirect relationship
Quantitative courses, programming projects, statistics, systems subjects or relevant professional duties may help explain the connection.
Little or no relationship
Review whether qualifying professional experience or an officially designated IT examination offers another route.
Do not assume any bachelor's degree guarantees approval. The actual specialist activities and legally sufficient educational, experiential or designated-examination grounds must be shown. A GitHub portfolio supports practical skills but does not automatically replace the immigration academic requirements.
IT Examination Exemption: Can You Work in Japan Without a Degree?
Japan provides an important exception for certain IT professionals. Where an applicant has passed a specifically designated information-processing examination or holds a designated IT qualification and will perform qualifying technical work, the ordinary degree or ten-year-experience condition may be waived under the applicable designation.
| Examination / credential | How to approach it |
|---|---|
| Fundamental Information Technology Engineer Examination | Check the named Japanese examination and official passing certificate. |
| Applied Information Technology Engineer Examination | Check the qualifying exam and relevant technical job. |
| Information Security Management Examination | Check the applicable designation, examination title and certificate. |
| Specified foreign IT examinations / certifications | Only examinations and qualifications appearing in the ministerial designation qualify. Country and exact test/version can matter. |
| Vendor credentials (AWS, Microsoft, Cisco, etc.) | Useful professional evidence, but not automatically equivalent to a designated ministerial IT examination. |
Recognition of a credential depends on the current official notice, exact title and conditions. We recommend checking the Minister of Justice's IT examination and qualification designation before claiming the exception.
Not the same as HSP points: The IT examination exception for ordinary Engineer residence status and the points calculation for Highly Skilled Professional residence status are separate legal assessments.
Salary, Employer Contract and Japanese-Language Requirements
The Engineer status requires remuneration at least equivalent to what a Japanese national would receive for comparable work. There is no single universal annual salary figure, such as ¥3 million or ¥5 million, that applies to all software-engineer applicants under this ordinary residence status.
✓Contract: The Japanese company or eligible receiving organization and the applicant should have a genuine qualifying work arrangement.
✓Pay: Explain base salary, working conditions, duties and comparison with corresponding Japanese employees.
✓Specialist duties: The organization should describe actual engineering work, required knowledge and work location or assignment.
✓Japanese language: JLPT N2 is not a blanket legal requirement for ordinary software development. A position may have legitimate language requirements set by the employer.
2026 language-evidence changes: Some Engineer/Specialist applications involving language-based interpersonal services require CEFR B2-equivalent evidence for the language used. This should not be presented as an across-the-board N2 condition for engineering-only software roles; assess mixed customer-facing work separately.
What Does a Hiring Company Need to Prepare?
The Immigration Services Agency groups Japanese receiving organizations into categories 1–4. The necessary supporting records depend on the organization's category and whether the application is a COE, change or extension. A startup may need more business evidence than an established listed enterprise.
| Category | Typical position | Document implications |
|---|---|---|
| Category 1 | Listed companies, certain public bodies and designated qualifying organizations. | Some supporting materials may be simplified under the official lists. |
| Category 2 | Organizations meeting specified withholding-tax or recognized application-system criteria. | Often simplified but depends on the actual category proof. |
| Category 3 | Organizations that submitted relevant prior-year statutory payroll reporting but do not qualify as category 2. | Applicant's qualifications, employer activity and company documents may need detailed proof. |
| Category 4 | Entities outside categories 1–3, including many newly formed companies. | Business plan, company operations, pay arrangements and additional evidence may be important. |
Recent submission changes: Category 3/4 applications may require a declaration regarding the receiving organization's representative, and certain dispatched-work arrangements require dispatch-specific documents. Always check the latest official category-specific checklist rather than using an older fixed list.
Documents for an Engineer Visa COE or Change Application
| Source | Typical materials | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Applicant identity | Passport details, specified photo and the proper application form; current residence card when applying inside Japan. | Identity, application procedure and present status. |
| Education | Degree certificate, transcript and relevant courses or university information when necessary. | Establish the qualifying education and the relation to the work. |
| Professional career | CV with exact dates, company-issued duties and experience certificates. | Support the 10-year relevant career route where claimed. |
| IT examination | Official certificate for a designated information-processing exam or qualification. | Prove eligibility for a prescribed IT exception where applicable. |
| Japanese employer | Employment terms, technical duties, business profile and category-specific financial or organizational records. | Show genuine specialist work and company activity. |
| Project or dispatch work | Details of assigned development work and, where required, source/dispatch contracts and prescribed declarations. | Explain actual work locations, responsibilities and contractual arrangements. |
The official checklist controls which documents must be filed. Technical job explanations and portfolios may be useful supplemental evidence, not mandatory in every case. Documents in foreign languages generally need appropriate Japanese translations for immigration submission.
Special Considerations for IT Staffing and Contract Development
Japan has IT companies that place engineers at customer sites (including SES and dispatch arrangements). The contract name alone does not decide eligibility. Immigration may need to understand which entity has the employment contract, where technical work is carried out, who directs that work and whether required dispatch documents exist.
Direct-hire developer
One Japanese employer supplies specialized software duties, employment terms and company evidence.
Dispatched engineer
The dispatching company and client-side assignment may require prescribed pledges, contract materials and the actual placement details.
Remote / hybrid development
Explain the genuine Japanese contracting organization, authorized work, work location and commercial reality. Purely overseas freelance income is not automatically a Japanese Engineer residence basis.
Offshore freelancers: Simply receiving revenue from Japanese customers or working online from an apartment in Japan does not automatically make a person eligible for Engineer residence status. The Japanese contracting relationship and statutory activities need examination.
Applying From Overseas, Changing Status or Renewing
From overseas: COE
Once a suitable Japanese job and contract exist, review the applicant and receiving company's evidence for a Certificate of Eligibility. The consular entry-visa step follows where applicable.
Already in Japan: status change
International students and other eligible residents may apply to change into Engineer status. A job offer alone does not authorize work under an unrelated existing status.
Working and continuing: renewal
Review continued specialist activities, employment, income, residence history and organization-specific evidence. Renewal without an employer change generally has a different document scope.
Changing employers
Required affiliation notifications are generally due within 14 days of the relevant employment-contract event. A new Engineer application is not necessarily required for every move, but future duties and renewal eligibility must be checked.
An Engineer status can be granted for 5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 3 months; the actual period and approval are decided by the competent immigration authority. A COE is not itself the entry visa.
Do you have a Japan software engineering job offer?
Send a short description of the role, your degree or technical experience, IT qualifications and the hiring company. We can explain which evidence to collect before an application.
Request an English ConsultationCommon Reasons a Software Engineer Application Needs More Evidence
Degree and duties do not clearly connect
Provide relevant transcripts, coursework, technical duties or alternative qualifying career/IT examination evidence.
Work history letters are vague
Identify employers, employment dates, actual engineering tasks and professional responsibilities.
Japanese company evidence is incomplete
Match the correct category and provide legitimate evidence of company activity, staffing and remuneration when required.
A proposed salary, company registration or diploma alone does not guarantee approval. Incorrect information, invented experience or exaggerated technical duties can seriously damage an application.
Software Engineer Work Visa Application Fees
| Service | Professional fee (tax included) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Engineer visa Certificate of Eligibility (COE) | From ¥110,000 | Eligible hiring arrangements for overseas applicants. |
| Change of status to Engineer / Specialist | From ¥110,000 | For eligible residents already in Japan. |
| Standard Engineer residence renewal without job change | From ¥44,000 | Ordinary renewal; significant changes quoted individually. |
| Complex career/qualification proof, dispatch or reapplication | Individual quote | Scope agreed after reviewing the background and employer. |
These are starting professional fees. Government permission charges when applicable, translations, document procurement, postage, travel and other expenses are separate. A COE application ordinarily has no immigration filing charge. We give an individual quotation before paid work begins.
For all current publicly listed services, consult our professional fee schedule. No immigration result or decision time can be guaranteed.
Frequently Asked Questions About Software Engineer Visas
Is there an official “Software Engineer Visa” in Japan?
The usual legal residence status is Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services. “Software Engineer Visa” is a common English description, not a separate legal category.
Do I need a computer science bachelor's degree?
Not always. A qualifying university qualification with an appropriate relation to the technical duties, generally ten years of relevant experience, or a designated IT examination/qualification exception may be possible routes.
Can a foreign university degree be accepted?
Yes. A qualifying overseas university degree can meet the education route. We review the degree level, institution, coursework and the actual job duties in Japan.
What if I studied mathematics or electrical engineering?
These disciplines may provide relevant technical knowledge, depending on the courses and the proposed developer role. Immigration examines the actual relationship rather than the degree title alone.
Can I get an Engineer visa without university?
Potentially, with generally ten years of relevant experience or a legally designated IT examination/qualification, subject to the other residence criteria. Ordinary online coding certificates do not automatically create an exemption.
Does AWS certification count as the special IT exemption?
Not automatically. The exception applies to the precise examinations and qualifications designated by the Minister of Justice. Vendor certificates may be useful evidence of skill without satisfying that designation.
Are ten years of programming experience enough by themselves?
The relevant career must be substantiated with dates, duties and reliable supporting records. The actual Japan role, pay, contracting organization and other criteria must also qualify.
Do I need JLPT N2 to work as a programmer?
There is no across-the-board N2 immigration condition for ordinary software development. An employer may require Japanese for its position, and different language-evidence rules can arise for certain language-based interpersonal duties.
Is there a fixed minimum annual salary for an Engineer visa?
There is no universal fixed annual amount for all ordinary Engineer applicants. The remuneration must generally be at least equivalent to that of a Japanese worker in a comparable role.
Can I apply from India, the Philippines or another country?
Overseas applicants with a qualifying role and Japanese receiving organization may seek a COE, followed by any required consular visa process. Eligibility is assessed individually rather than by nationality alone.
Can a Japanese startup hire a foreign developer?
Potentially. New companies often need more evidence about genuine operations, the business plan, salary and the specialist role. The receiving organization's category affects the document checklist.
Can I work for an SES or dispatch company?
It may be possible where the work genuinely qualifies. Dispatch arrangements can require additional employer- and assignment-specific records, pledges and contractual evidence under the applicable rules.
Can I work remotely for a foreign company while living in Japan?
Remote work for a foreign company does not automatically qualify for Engineer status. The Japanese contracting relationship, proposed residence activities and any other applicable status must be examined.
Can I move from Student status after graduation?
Potentially, if the offer, actual duties and education or other qualifying route satisfy the Engineer conditions. A change-of-status application and approval may be needed before beginning the new work.
Do I need a new work visa each time I change employer?
Not necessarily. However, a change of contracting organization generally triggers a notification within 14 days, and the new activities must remain within the authorized residence category. Renewal and a Certificate of Authorized Employment may also warrant review.
How long does the COE application take?
Processing varies by case and immigration office. Official standard processing-time guidance is an indication, not a deadline or guarantee. Delayed employer or qualification documents can affect the overall timeline.
Can an HSP visa be better for a senior software engineer?
Possibly. Highly Skilled Professional (i)(b) is a separate points-based status, normally requiring a qualifying 70-point score and its other conditions. Ordinary Engineer status does not require 70 HSP points.
What are your fees for an Engineer visa application?
Our professional fee starts at ¥110,000 including tax for an Engineer COE or change-of-status application. Standard no-change renewal starts at ¥44,000 including tax. Government charges and additional expenses are separate.
English Immigration Support From a Licensed Administrative Scrivener
Kawagoe Masanobu Administrative Scrivener Office is based in Sagae City, Yamagata Prefecture. Our office supports foreign workers and Japanese hiring companies with residence-status documents and immigration application-intermediary services within the permitted professional scope. We welcome enquiries from developers in Japan and overseas.
Masanobu Kawagoe
Licensed Administrative Scrivener / Immigration Application Intermediary
Sagae, Yamagata, Japan
Tel: +81 237-86-7198
We confirm the application route, competent immigration authority and fee scope for each individual matter.
Related Work Visa Services
Immigration Services Agency Guidance
The competent Japanese immigration authority decides eligibility, documents and permission. Always check the current official rules for the application category and the precise IT examination claimed.
Planning a Software Engineering Career in Japan?
Tell us your nationality and current residence situation, the intended technical work, your university field or professional experience, any designated IT examination, and the Japanese hiring organization. We can explain which evidence and application pathway to examine and provide an individual fee quotation. Approval cannot be guaranteed.
Telephone 9:00–18:00 JST · COE / change from ¥110,000 (tax included) · Enquiries from Japan and overseas