How to Calculate Highly Skilled Professional Points - Explained by an Administrative Scrivener
If you want to apply for permanent residency or change to a Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) visa, this guide will help you calculate your points accurately.
What is the Highly Skilled Professional Points System?
The Highly Skilled Professional Points system is designed to attract highly skilled foreign professionals to Japan by offering various incentives to those who meet the point thresholds. By accumulating at least 70 points, you can obtain the "Highly Skilled Professional" visa. Furthermore, if you have 70 points for 3 years or 80 points for 1 year, you are eligible to apply for permanent residency.
Calculating your HSP points can be challenging, as it involves accurately determining factors like work experience and income. Many of our clients have discovered they qualify for more points after a thorough review of their documentation.
To help you understand your eligibility, we have broken down the calculation process into easy-to-follow steps.
The calculator is here.Japan Highly Skilled Professional Points Calculator
1. Calculate Your "Educational Background" Points
Points are awarded based on your highest educational attainment. Both degrees from your home country and from Japanese institutions are eligible.
| Highest Degree | Points |
|---|---|
| PhD | 30 Points |
| Master's (MBA/MOT) | 25 Points |
| Master's (Other) | 20 Points |
| Bachelor's Degree | 10 Points |
Additional points can be awarded if you meet the following criteria:
| Criteria | Points | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Holding multiple advanced degrees (e.g., PhD and Master's) | 5 Points | |
| Graduated from a university ranked in the top 300 worldwide | 10 Points | List of Eligible Universities |
| Graduated from a university designated as a "Super Global University" by the Japanese Ministry of Education | 10 Points | List of Eligible Universities |
| Graduated from a partner university of the "Innovative Asia" project by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs | 10 Points | List of Eligible Universities |
If you graduated from a Japanese university or graduate school, you are more likely to meet the criteria for the Super Global University category. If you are unsure whether your alma mater qualifies, please contact us.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. If I graduated from a junior college or technical college, do I still receive the 10 points for 'University Graduate'?
Yes, you will receive the 10 points. However, if you graduated from a vocational school (専門士), it does not qualify for points.
Q2. I obtained my Bachelor's and Master's degrees in different fields. Can I still receive the 5-point bonus?
No, you cannot receive the bonus. The 5-point bonus is only awarded when you obtain a Master's or PhD in multiple fields.
That concludes the points for educational background. Please calculate your total points up to this point!
2. Calculate Your "Work Experience" Points
You can earn points based on the number of years of professional experience relevant to your current job, whether obtained in Japan or abroad.
| Years of Experience | Points |
|---|---|
| 10 years or more | 20 Points |
| 7 to 10 years | 15 Points |
| 5 to 7 years | 10 Points |
| 3 to 5 years | 5 Points |
| 2 years or less | 0 Points |
Note: Only the years of experience directly related to your current job will be considered. Experience in unrelated fields cannot be counted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Can I include work experience from my home country?
Yes, as long as it's in the same field as your current job. However, you will need to provide documentation to prove your work experience.
Q2. What kind of documents can be used to prove past work experience?
To count your work experience points, the following information must be included in the documents:
- The period of employment (start and end dates)
- Job description (details of your responsibilities)
- Issued by the company (must be an official document)
Proving past work experience, especially from before you came to Japan, can be challenging. If you cannot obtain official documents, you should gather any possible evidence that shows your employment dates and job responsibilities.
Examples of acceptable documents:
- Employment certificate
- Offer letter
- Employment contract
- Separation certificate
- Pay slips during employment
That concludes the points for work experience. Please calculate your total points up to this point!
3. Calculate Your "Annual Income" Points
Your annual income, as paid by your employer, can earn you points. The threshold for points varies depending on your age.
| Annual Income | 29 years or younger | 30-34 years | 35-39 years | 40 years or older |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Over 10 million yen | 40 Points | 40 Points | 40 Points | 40 Points |
| 9 to 10 million yen | 35 Points | 35 Points | 35 Points | 35 Points |
| 8 to 9 million yen | 30 Points | 30 Points | 30 Points | 30 Points |
| 7 to 8 million yen | 25 Points | 25 Points | 25 Points | 0 Points |
| 6 to 7 million yen | 20 Points | 20 Points | 20 Points | 0 Points |
| 5 to 6 million yen | 15 Points | 15 Points | 0 Points | 0 Points |
| 4 to 5 million yen | 10 Points | 0 Points | 0 Points | 0 Points |
| 3 to 4 million yen | 0 Points | 0 Points | 0 Points | 0 Points |
| Less than 3 million yen | Not Eligible | Not Eligible | Not Eligible | Not Eligible |
Even if you clear the required points, an annual income of less than 3 million yen does not qualify you as a "Highly Skilled Professional."
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What types of payments are included in the "Annual Income" calculation for points?
The income that can be included in the calculation is the compensation paid for the work performed. Reimbursements for expenses such as transportation or housing costs cannot be included.
| Type of Payment | Included or Not |
|---|---|
| Basic Salary | ✓ |
| Diligence Allowance | ✓ |
| Adjustment Allowance | ✓ |
| Commuting Allowance | × |
| Dependent Allowance | × |
| Housing Allowance (if taxable) | ✓ |
| Bonus | ✓ |
Q2. Can overtime pay be included in the "Annual Income" calculation?
Overtime pay cannot be included in the income calculation at the time of application because it is uncertain how much overtime will occur in the year following the application.
However, if you are applying for permanent residency as a highly skilled professional, overtime pay can be included in the income for the previous year or three years prior, as it is clear that overtime occurred in the past.
Q3. Does the "Annual Income" have to be calculated from January to December?
When calculating annual income for Highly Skilled Professional points, you can base the calculation on a one-year period starting from the application date. For example, if you apply in March 2022, the calculation will be as follows:
- Period to prove estimated income: April 2022 to March 2023
- Period to prove income for the most recent year: April 2021 to March 2022
Q4. What documents can be used to prove annual income?
Generally, one of the following documents is used to prove annual income:
- Tax certificate of residence tax
- Withholding tax certificate issued by the company
Q5. Can income earned from a foreign company be included in "Annual Income"?
Income from a foreign company can be included in "Annual Income" in the following cases: when you are transferred from a foreign company to a Japanese company, or when you are paid by a foreign company that is related to the Japanese company you work for (e.g., a parent or subsidiary company).
4. Calculate Your "Age" Points
You can earn points based on your age at the time of application.
| Age | Points |
|---|---|
| Under 30 | 15 Points |
| 30-34 years | 10 Points |
| 35-39 years | 5 Points |
| 40 years or older | 0 Points |
The points awarded can change significantly depending on whether you have passed the key ages of 30, 35, or 40 at the time of application. Please be mindful of this.
Examples of Significant Point Changes
(Example) Case of a person born in April 1982 with an annual income of 6 million yen:
If applying in March 2022 (before their birthday):
Annual Income: 20 points (6 million yen)
Age: 5 points (35-39 years old)
If applying in April 2022 (after their birthday):
Annual Income: 0 points (6 million yen)
Age: 0 points (40 years or older)
Although it's just a difference of one month, in this case, turning 40 can result in a "25-point" change. If you're planning to apply for permanent residency using the Highly Skilled Professional Points System, please be aware of this.
5. Calculate Your "Research Achievements" Points
Researchers can earn points based on their research achievements.
| Research Achievement | Points |
|---|---|
| Having at least one invention with a patent | 15 Points |
| Receiving grants or funds from foreign governments for research at least three times | 15 Points |
| Having at least three papers published in academic journals indexed in academic databases | 15 Points |
| Other significant research achievements | 15 Points |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is an 'Academic Database'?
An academic database is a collection of scholarly articles from around the world. Examples include those managed by Thomson Reuters (headquartered in Canada) and Elsevier (headquartered in the Netherlands). The Immigration Services Agency of Japan uses Elsevier's "SciVerse Scopus" academic database.
6. Calculate Your "Qualifications" Points
You can earn points if you hold qualifications relevant to your work.
| Qualification Type | Points |
|---|---|
| Holding a relevant Japanese national qualification | 5 Points |
| Holding relevant IT qualifications | 5 Points |
| Holding relevant foreign qualifications | 10 Points |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What kind of "National Qualifications" are eligible?
Eligible qualifications include those classified as "Exclusive Right to Practice" or "Exclusive Right to Title". Examples include lawyers, certified public accountants, tax accountants, and medical doctors. The qualification must be actively used in your current job.
Since there is no clear government webpage explaining these qualifications, here are the relevant Wikipedia links:
Q2. What kind of "IT Qualifications" are eligible?
IT qualifications listed in the "IT Notification" document are eligible.
IT Notification (出入国在留管理庁ホームページ)Q3. What kind of "Foreign Qualifications" are eligible?
Eligible qualifications include U.S. Certified Public Accountants, foreign lawyers, etc.
List of Foreign Qualifications (出入国在留管理庁ホームページ)7. Calculate Your "Contracting Organization" Points
You can earn points if your contracting organization meets certain conditions.
- Receiving innovation promotion support (large companies): 10 Points
- Receiving innovation promotion support (SMEs): 20 Points
- Being a designated organization under the National Strategic Special Zones Act for promoting highly skilled foreign professionals: 10 Points
- SMEs with an R&D expense ratio of 3% or more: 5 Points
8. Calculate Your "Japanese Language Proficiency" Points
You can earn points if you graduated from a Japanese university or possess high Japanese language proficiency.
- Graduated from a Japanese university or graduate school: 10 Points
- Graduated from a foreign university with a Japanese language major: 15 Points
- Passed the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) N1: 15 Points
- Passed the JLPT N2: 10 Points
9. Calculate Your "Special Additions" Points
You can earn additional points if you meet any of the following criteria.
- Engaged in cutting-edge projects in growth fields under the Japanese government's involvement: 10 Points
- Completed training programs by JICA: 5 Points
- Involved in investment management work: 10 Points
Conclusion: Understand Your Highly Skilled Professional Points
Knowing your Highly Skilled Professional points is crucial for applying for the "Highly Skilled Professional" visa or permanent residency in Japan. However, the calculation process can be complex, and it's important to ensure accuracy.
Our office offers a free calculation service to help foreign professionals in Japan understand their points. We encourage you to consult with us to avoid any disadvantages in your application process.