Status of residence is determined by the nature of the work. Defining the role at the hiring-plan stage is what determines whether a foreign national hire succeeds.
When companies begin considering hiring foreign nationals, many start by asking which nationalities to recruit, or how to obtain a "work visa." However, Japan's status of residence (在留資格) system is not designed around where a person is from — it is built on what activities they will carry out in Japan.
What determines whether a hire succeeds or fails is what happens before any application is lodged with immigration. Whether the scope of the role has been clearly defined at the hiring-plan (採用計画) stage forms the foundation for every subsequent step.
The overall process for hiring foreign nationals is explained in How to Hire Foreign Workers in Japan. This article sets out in detail what to address at STEP 1 — the hiring plan stage.
In Japan, work-purpose statuses of residence are defined according to the categories of activity that the holder may carry out after entry. For example, the Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services (技術・人文知識・国際業務) status covers roles requiring knowledge or skills in the natural sciences or humanities — such as IT, translation, and marketing. Nursing Care (介護) applies where a qualified care worker (kaigo fukushishi) carries out nursing care duties, and Skilled Labour (技能) covers roles requiring specialist skills in specific fields, such as foreign cuisine or sports coaching (see: Status of Residence List).
This means the required status of residence is determined not by the foreign national's country of origin, but by what they will do in Japan. Conversely, if it is not clear what the candidate will actually do, it is impossible even to determine which status of residence is needed. The hiring plan begins with this exercise of defining the scope of the role.
In a status of residence assessment, the job duties described in the application must be both specific and consistent. Addressing the following three points at the hiring-plan stage makes all subsequent consultation and application preparation considerably smoother.
1. Job Duties Set out in writing the specific types of work and their relative weighting. Rather than vague descriptions such as "sales" or "administration," it is important to capture something concrete — for example, "the principal duties consist of contract negotiations with overseas clients and the preparation of related documentation."
2. Required Knowledge and Experience When advertising the role, set out the educational background (including field of study), qualifications, or practical work experience — with length of service — required for the position. Depending on the status of residence, the relevance of the candidate's university major to the job duties may be an important factor in the assessment.
3. Terms of Employment Confirm the salary, employment type (permanent, fixed-term, and so on), contract period, and place of work. It is also advisable to check that there is no unjustifiable disparity in salary or treatment compared with Japanese employees carrying out equivalent work.
When you consult our office at the stage of first considering hiring a foreign national, we may ask to review certain documents in addition to the hiring plan, in order to understand your company's circumstances. Having the following documents ready in advance will help the process run smoothly.
Please note that the documents listed above are reference materials for our office to understand your situation at the consultation stage. The documents actually required for a status of residence application vary depending on the type of status and application category, and we will advise on these when the application stage is reached. That said, collating these materials from the early stages of recruitment makes it considerably easier to approach the formal application preparation without undue pressure.
📋 Consultation is available from the hiring-plan stage
We welcome enquiries from companies that are at the stage of "we would like to hire a foreign national, but we are not sure where to begin." We support you from the planning stage — from defining the role and identifying the likely status of residence required, through to preparing documentation. Please feel free to get in touch.
Hiring foreign nationals begins with carefully defining the scope of the role at the hiring-plan stage. Since status of residence is determined by the nature of the activities, without this groundwork it becomes difficult both to identify the appropriate status and to prepare a smooth application.
For the full picture of how foreign national hiring unfolds from the hiring-plan stage, see How to Hire Foreign Workers in Japan. For a detailed explanation of why preparation before the application stage matters, see Foreign National Hiring Begins Before the Visa Application.
🧭 For Companies Considering Hiring Foreign Nationals
Our foreign talent recruitment service provides end-to-end support — from introducing candidates and developing a hiring plan, through to assessing the appropriate status of residence and handling the application process. Start with our self-assessment tool for hiring eligibility.
