Is it possible to get a working visa in a status of a freelance?

Generally speaking, a visa applicant can get working visa (Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services) in Japan when he is employed by a Japanese corporation.

There is another way for a foreigner to work in Japan legally without being employed by a Japanese corporation, which is getting a Business Manager visa.
In order to get a Business Manager visa in Japan, a visa applicant has to establish a Japanese corporation and invest at least 5,000,000yen in such corporation as capital.
However, in this way, even if he has established such corporation and invested such money, there is a possibility that the Japanese Immigration Bureau might not give him a Business Manager visa considering the business plan and any other matter of such corporation. In such case any and all costs he has paid and born to establish such corporation will not be returned to him.

Then, what I would like to clearly explain in this article is that it is possible to get a working visa (Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services) in Japan in a status of a freelance when he meets certain conditions.
Our office has been supporting in getting working visa for those foreign people who are willing to provide professional services to Japanese corporations as a consultant or a creator in a status of a freelance. As a result of our office’s professional support, most of them successfully got such working visas (Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services).

In order to get an Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services visa in a status of a freelance in Japan, a visa applicant doesn’t have to establish a corporation in Japan or no investment in the company is required.

A visa applicant who is willing to get an Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services visa in a status of a freelance in Japen is required to meet the following requirements:

1. Principle
(1)Having academic degree or business career
In principle, a visa applicant in a status of a freelance is required to have either of the following academic degree in order to get an Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services visa in a status of a freelance in Japan:
・Associate
　・Bachelor
　・Master
　・Doctor
or
　・Diploma(in Japan) *Senmonshi

(2)Certification of having more than 10 years’ business career
Provided that if a visa applicant in a status of a freelance doesn’t have any of the above-mentioned academic degree, he has to certify that he has more than 10 years’ business career regarding the business skill /service he is going to provide in Japan.
*Depending on the business skill/service, the period required for such business career will be reduced to 3 years.
ex) translation, advertisement, design

2. Restrictions/Exceptions for academic degree
(1)Diploma
If a visa applicant in a status of freelance has diploma (in Japan, Senmonshi) degree only, the business skill/service he is going to provide in Japan should be restricted to what he has learned at a vocational school in Japan.

(2)Associate, Bachelor, Master, Doctor
If a visa applicant in a status of a freelance has graduated from a university whether in Japan or overseas and has associate, bachelor, master or doctor degree, he can provide the business skill/service irrespective of what he has learned at a university.
For example, if a visa applicant in a status of freelance has bachelor of economics, he can provide business skill/service as a translator or IT engineer.

3. Long term service agreement/Amout of annual remuneration
(1)Long term service agreement between a visa applicant and client(s)
In order to get a working visa (Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services) in a status of a freelance in Japan, a long term service agreement between a visa applicant and Japanese corporation(s) (client(s) and visa sponsor(s)) is essential. Such corporation(s) will become visa sponsor(s) for his visa application.

* According to our experience, there is no specified minimum term of a service agreement.
Term should be at least 6 months.

(2)Annual remuneration
According to our experience, annual remuneration of a visa applicant in a status of a freelance having received regularly from the client(s) and visa sponsor(s) under such service agreement(s) should be 2,400,000 yen or more (before tax) ,if he is going to provide business skill/service in Tokyo area.
Needless to say, he can provide business skill/service to more than one corporation in Japan at the same time.

At the time of a visa application to the Japanese Immigration Bureau, a visa
applicant should submit a photocopy of such service agreement(s).The Japanese
Immigration Bureau will decide whether or not to admit his application depending on
the contents of such agreement(s) including the business skill/service to be provided
by him, the amount of annual remuneration. In this respect, service Agreement(s)
is the document(s) having vital importance for　getting a business visa in a status
of a freelance.

4.The matters to be prepared by the client(s) and sponsor(s)
The client(s) and sponsor(s) having made service agreement(s) with a visa applicant in a status of a freelance in Japan is required to provide such information and documents as the Japanese Immigration Bureau consider to be necessary to the Bureau at the time of a visa application and thereafter.
The Information and documents for the client(s) and sponsor(s) to prepare in advance are as follows:


・Amount of sales of the latest year

・The financial statements of the client(s) and sponsor(s) in the latest year
・A photocopy of the document(s) regarding taxation of the client(s) and sponsor(s)
We will firmly propose that a visa applicant in a status of a freelance in Japan should ask the client(s) and sponsor(s) to prepare the above-mentioned information and document(s) in advance.

If you have any questions,please feel free to contact us by sending email to following email address:

daito@houmu-law.com