For applications under Category 3 or 4 of the Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services 技術・人文知識・国際業務 (Engineer/Humanities 技人国) visa, the following documents are required starting from 15 April, 2026:
- Declaration regarding the representative of the organization (所属機関の代表者に関する申告書)
- Documents proving your Japanese language skills (CEFR B2 level or higher): You need to submit these if your main duties involve communication with others using Japanese language, such as translation, interpretation, or language teaching.
For the details, check each section below.
1. Declaration regarding the representative of the organization (所属機関の代表者に関する申告書)
The Immigration Office requires a document called “Declaration regarding the representative of the organization (所属機関の代表者に関する申告書).” You need to submit this if the representative of your contracting organization (visa sponsor) is a non-Japanese. This form is used to inform the Immigration Office of the representative’s name and Residence Card number.
This requirement applies not only to the Engineer/Humanities visa but also to other visas such as Skilled Labor (技能) and Nursing Care (介護).
The Immigration Office has not officially announced this rule, but they believe that an employment contract for an Engineer/Humanities visa is not valid if the non-Japanese company representative does not have a proper visa to manage a business in Japan. For example, this applies if the non-Japanese CEO (Representative Director 代表取締役 in case of Kabushiki Kaisha 株式会社, Represetentative Member 代表社員 in case of Godo Kaisha 合同会社) lives outside of Japan. This new form was likely introduced to make this rule clearer.
From the above, if you apply for a work-type visa through a company where the representative is a foreign national, the Immigration Office requires that this representative must hold a proper visa to run a business in Japan, such as a Business Manager visa or Permanent Resident status.
2. Documents proving your Japanese language skills (CEFR B2 level or higher)
If your main duties include communication with others in Japanese, you must now prove your Japanese language proficiency. This applies to roles such as translation, interpretation, language teaching, or hotel front desk work.
To prove your Japanese language skills, you must submit documents that show you meet one of the following criteria:
- JLPT: Passed N2 level or higher
- BJT: Scored 400 points or higher
- Residency: Have lived in Japan for 20 years or more as a mid- to long-term resident
- Education:
- Graduated from a Japanese university or graduate school
- Graduated from a National Institute of Technology (KOSEN/高等専門学校)
- Completed a postsecondary course at a Specialized Training College (Senshu-gakkou/専修学校)
- Graduated from a high school (in Japan or abroad) after completing compulsory education (elementary and junior high school) in Japan
In addition, if your job requires proficiency in a language than Japanese, you must prove your skills in that specific language. For example, if you are a Chinese national but your main duty is teaching English, you must submit documents to prove your English language skills.
NOTE:
These language requirements do not apply if your contracting/accepting organization is classified as “Category 1” or “Category 2.” However, please note that you will need to meet the criteria above if you change jobs and start working for a company in “Category 3” or “Category 4.”
For details, please refer to the following pages on the Immigration Office website:
- Clarification regarding requirements for Engineer/Humanities visa status「技術・人文知識・国際業務」の在留資格の明確化等について
- Engineer/Humanities visa status 在留資格「技術・人文知識・国際業務」
- Clarification regarding visa requirements if your main duties include communication with others in a specific language 翻訳・通訳業務等の言語能力を用いる対人業務に従事する場合の在留資格の明確化について（PDF）