Japan keeps ¥3 million income floor for Highly Skilled Professional visa

Japan is holding steady on the income requirement for its Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) residency status. According to the country's Immigration Services Agency and Ministry of Justice, the ¥3 million annual income floor for most applicants remains unchanged, and no effective date for any increase appears in government materials reviewed through mid-August.

The HSP route is a points-based fast track to long-term residence and permanent residency in Japan. Applicants must score at least 70 points across categories including income, education, work experience and other qualifications. It is aimed at skilled workers, engineers, executives and managers rather than tourists or short-term visitors.

What the rule says

For applicants in advanced specialized or technical roles and in business management roles, income below ¥3 million disqualifies them, even if they otherwise clear the 70-point threshold. In other words, points alone cannot compensate for a salary under the floor. This requirement has been in place for years.

Advanced academic research applicants are not subject to the same explicitly stated ¥3 million floor, but they still need to document realistic income.

A separate program, the Japan System for Special Highly-Skilled Professionals (J-Skilled), uses much higher income thresholds, from ¥20 million to ¥40 million, for an accelerated immigration track. J-Skilled is already operating and did not replace or raise the standard HSP income floor. Its eligibility covers holders of a master's degree or higher earning at least ¥20 million, those with more than 10 years of relevant experience earning at least ¥20 million, and business managers with more than five years of experience earning at least ¥40 million.

What it means for nomads

If you have been watching for a higher HSP income bar before filing, there is no new hurdle and no transition deadline. Current holders do not need to refile, and new applicants are not racing to beat a cutoff.

The practical takeaway is straightforward: before applying under the specialized, technical or business management categories, confirm that your guaranteed salary and bonuses actually reach ¥3 million. Since income below that level blocks eligibility regardless of your total points, it is worth verifying your compensation package in writing rather than assuming a strong points score will carry the application.

For remote workers eyeing Japan as a longer-term base, the HSP status remains one of the more direct paths toward permanent residency and specialized work privileges. J-Skilled offers an even faster track, but only for high earners well above the standard floor.

Originally reported by Stamped Nomad.