Alongside assessing skills and character, checking status of residence eligibility from the screening stage can help prevent problems after a job offer is made.
Screening foreign candidates requires the same "skills, experience and character" evaluation criteria used when hiring Japanese nationals, plus one further consideration: "status of residence (在留資格) eligibility". It is not uncommon for employers to discover only after making a job offer — once they begin preparing the application documents — that the relevance between the job duties and the candidate's academic background or qualifications is not recognised, or that the candidate does not meet the requirements for the relevant status of residence.
If such mismatches can be identified early, at the screening stage, both the candidate and the company can avoid wasting unnecessary time and effort. Conversely, it is also worth bearing in mind from the outset that there may be cases where, despite a candidate being excellent in both character and skills, it is not possible to proceed with the hire from a status of residence perspective.
This article sets out the points worth checking, from a status of residence perspective, when screening and interviewing foreign candidates. For an overview of the recruitment process as a whole, please also see How to Hire Foreign Workers in Japan.
One of the statuses of residence most commonly used by foreign nationals working in Japan is Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services (技術・人文知識・国際業務). The activities covered by this status of residence fall into two categories: "work requiring technology or knowledge in a natural science field such as physical science or engineering, or in a human science field such as law, economics or sociology" and "work requiring thinking or sensitivity founded on a foreign culture" (reference: Immigration Services Agency of Japan — Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services).
For this status of residence, as a rule, "relevance" is required between the job duties the candidate will be assigned and their academic or work history. The general guidelines for the specific requirements are as follows.
For example, if the role is "marketing", a degree in business administration or economics may be regarded as relevant; if the role is "systems engineer", a degree in information engineering or computer science may be regarded as relevant. Conversely, where there is a substantial gap between the field of the candidate's degree and the assigned job duties, permission for the status of residence may not be granted.
Points worth checking at the screening stage:
For candidates already residing in Japan, it is important to check the details on their residence card (在留カード). The residence card is an official form of identification issued to medium- to long-term residents, and it is the basic document for confirming a person's current status of residence and whether they are permitted to work (reference: Immigration Services Agency of Japan — What is a residence card?). Note that, from 14 June 2026, a new format of residence card incorporating My Number card functionality (the Special Residence Card, 特定在留カード) has been introduced. As cards in the previous format remain valid until their expiry date, candidates may present either format at the screening stage.
Key points to check:
Some statuses of residence do not, as a rule, permit work (for example, Student or Dependent). Even where a holder of such a status has obtained permission to engage in activities outside status (資格外活動許可), there are often restrictions on the hours they may work and the scope of permitted activities. Furthermore, even where a candidate already holds a status of residence that permits work, it is helpful to establish from the screening stage whether the scope of permitted activities matches the job duties they would be assigned after hiring.
Interviews with foreign candidates may call for several practical considerations in addition to the usual screening process.
Explain the job duties specifically It is helpful to explain the assigned duties, required skills and scope of the role clearly at interview, so that candidates can, to some extent, assess for themselves how well their academic and work history matches the status of residence requirements.
Avoid inappropriate questions about nationality, beliefs and similar matters Discriminatory treatment on the basis of nationality, religion or region of origin is not permitted during screening. As a rule, questions should be limited to matters relevant to suitability for the role.
Conducting interviews online for candidates based overseas For candidates applying from overseas, it is realistic to conduct interviews online. Because there are also status of residence constraints on travelling to Japan before a job offer is made, it is generally best to proceed with screening without assuming the candidate will travel.
Confirming Japanese language ability and the working language Where necessary for the role, Japanese communication ability should be checked as part of the interview. For some job duties, the candidate's native language will often be the principal working language, so it is advisable to clarify the required language ability (native language / working languages, etc.) in advance.
If the status of residence check at the screening stage is insufficient, this can cause problems with the procedures after a job offer is made. This section sets out typical points that are easily overlooked at the screening stage.
① A gap between the candidate's major and the job duties, or an insufficient volume of work For example, in a case such as offering a systems engineer role to a candidate who graduated in literature, where there is a substantial difference between the field of the candidate's university major and the field of the intended job duties, the status of residence application may be regarded as lacking "relevance" and permission may not be granted. It is also worth checking whether the volume of work expected after hiring is sufficient to constitute genuine activity under the newly obtained status of residence (that is, whether the hours of activity or volume of work might be regarded as insufficient).
② Not meeting the practical experience requirement where the candidate does not qualify on academic background alone Where a candidate does not meet the requirements on academic background alone and seeks to meet them instead through practical experience, the required number of years of experience differs depending on the category of work to be assigned. For work making use of a foreign language (such as translation, interpretation or language teaching — the so-called International Services (category)), at least 3 years of relevant practical experience is required as a rule (except where a university graduate is engaged in translation, interpretation or language teaching). By contrast, for work falling under the Engineer / natural-sciences (category) or the Specialist in Humanities (category), at least 10 years of practical experience may be required in lieu of a university degree or equivalent. It is not uncommon for screening to proceed without these requirements having been confirmed.
③ Whether the candidate's previous residence status has been proper For candidates already residing in Japan, whether the activities carried out under their previous status of residence have properly matched the content of that status is also a factor to weigh at the screening stage.
④ Whether the required notification has been filed Where a foreign national residing under a work-related status of residence resigns or changes employer, they are, as a rule, required to file a notification with the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (出入国在留管理庁) — the Notification concerning the Contracting Organisation (契約機関に関する届出) — within 14 days (reference: Immigration Services Agency of Japan — Notification concerning the Contracting Organisation). For candidates who have left a previous employer, it is worth checking whether this notification has been properly filed.
📋 We are also happy to advise from the screening stage
We can also help with queries that arise partway through screening, such as "Can this candidate's status of residence be changed?" or "How should we assess the relevance between work history and job duties?" Please feel free to get in touch in the first instance.
When screening candidates for a foreign national hire, progressing "assessment of skills and character" and "confirmation of status of residence eligibility" in parallel is key to keeping the recruitment process as a whole running smoothly. The more thoroughly the relevance between academic/work history and job duties, and the details of the candidate's current status of residence, are established at the screening stage, the more room there will be to manage the procedures and applications after a job offer is made.
The next step is to consider specifically, based on the job duties presented to the candidate, which status of residence should be applied for. This is explained in detail in STEP 4, "Checking and considering the status of residence", in How to Hire Foreign Workers in Japan.
For the fundamental approach to hiring foreign nationals, we would also encourage you to read Hiring Foreign Workers Begins Before the Visa Application.
🧭 For companies considering hiring foreign talent
Our foreign talent recruitment service provides consistent support, from organising your hiring requirements through to confirming status of residence eligibility. You can consult us with confidence even if this is your first time hiring a foreign national. Please also make use of our self-check for hiring feasibility.
