Post: #1

long time lurker, first time poster

Quote:GETTING PERMANENT RESIDENCE IN JAPAN: NEW RULES ANNOUNCED
January 18, 2017
The Japanese Ministry of Justice has decided that it is going to amend the rules for becoming a permanent resident in Japan to allow foreigners to apply for permanent residence after as little as one year in Japan. These rules will become effective as of the end of March 2017.

The current rules require a minimum of five years of residence in Japan, so the amendment will represent a big change to Japan’s immigration policy. The Ministry began the public comment process on the new rules on January 17th, and plans to implement the new rules through ministerial ordinance by the end of March this year.

At present, foreigners wishing to receive permanent residence status must live in Japan for a minimum of ten years, although the minimum residence period is reduced to five years for “highly-skilled [foreign] professionals” (高度人材). “Highly-skilled [foreign] professionals” are defined as foreigners who receive at least 70 points on the Ministry’s immigration scorecard. The scorecard is based on an assessment of criteria such as professional qualifications, education level, and annual salary.

The Ministry plans to change the rules so that after merely three years of residence a foreigner may qualify for permanent residence, with the minimum period reduced to one year for “highly-skilled [foreign] professionals” who can score at least 80 points on the Ministry’s scorecard.

The Ministry also has plans to expand the criteria it uses in its immigration scorecard. In the future, foreigners with special skills in information technology (IT), wealthy investors, and graduates from top international universities will receive additional points, making it easier for them to reach the 80 point threshold. The Ministry plans to amend the immigration scorecard concurrently with its scheduled March changes to the minimum residency period.

Source: Nikkei Shimbun, January 18, 2017

http://resources.realestate.co.jp/news/g...announced/

Post: #2

Damn!
Too bad I don't fit in any of those categories (unless Postcard maker is a highly qualified ancient field cherished by the nippon tradition)...

Post: #3

Can you post a direct link to the scorecard, thanks

edit:

http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/newimmiact_3/e...0406-6.pdf

Post: #4

This has to be motivated by Japan's economy being so sluggish. Probably too little too late. My guess is Japanese nationals in equivalent professions have started seeking employment abroad and this is an attempt to rebalance the brain drain.

Post: #5

You can download an excel sheet that calculates your scorecard.

http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/newimmiact_3/e...index.html

Shouldn't be very hard for sucessfull members of this forum to make it... just having a masters and having a good income get's you almost there (at least for technical guys like me).


Not sure if this is good news or bad news. On one side for some younger guys it will make it easier to get there. On the other han it will open the door to tons of useless losers which will lower the reputation of gaijins even more. If you had skills, it was never really hard to stay in Japan.

One thing I loved about japanese immigration policy was their no bullshit, "if we don't like you/you are not useful for society yo don't come in" aproach.

Post: #6

Can anyone answer how tough Japanese immigration is on doing back to back visas?

I've lived in Tokyo and Osaka for months at a time. Never had a reason to exceed a tourist visa. But always wondered what they'd say if I left after three months then came back a few days later.

Other people have said that they knew people doing it multiple times with only a week in between. I find that hard to believe since Japan is so strict on rules and regs.

Post: #7

(01-21-2017 06:55 AM)Travel Museums Wrote:  Can anyone answer how tough Japanese immigration is on doing back to back visas?

I've lived in Tokyo and Osaka for months at a time. Never had a reason to exceed a tourist visa. But always wondered what they'd say if I left after three months then came back a few days later.

Other people have said that they knew people doing it multiple times with only a week in between. I find that hard to believe since Japan is so strict on rules and regs.

I did it once. I was approaching the three-month mark and left on a visa run for a couple days - I took the ferry to South Korea and back. I believe that the ferry left from Kyushu somewhere and it went to Busan.

I came back to Japan and had proof of my return flight to gaikoku a month later. I basically charmed the border official but it wasn't that hard - a well-educated, professional white boy who speaks Japanese. But it didn't seem like it would have been much more difficult for any other American.

I changed visas a bunch of times in Tokyo (crappy English teacher-type visas) and never had any problems, and got it done after a few hours in the immigration office in Shinagawa, Tokyo each time.

Regarding the new laws for Japanese immigration, where is Debito to chime in on the human rights side of things? He doesn't seem to have posted about it yet.

One of the regrets that I have is going to Japan, and learning Japanese, instead of going to China after finishing uni. I never use my Japanese these days. Speaking Japanese is good for making Japanese friends and for going after 8 and above Japanese women. Beyond that, my time would have been better spent learning Chinese, or learning a martial art, or leaning to cook.

Post: #8

(01-22-2017 09:19 PM)Yeti Wrote:  

(01-21-2017 06:55 AM)Travel Museums Wrote:  Can anyone answer how tough Japanese immigration is on doing back to back visas?

I've lived in Tokyo and Osaka for months at a time. Never had a reason to exceed a tourist visa. But always wondered what they'd say if I left after three months then came back a few days later.

Other people have said that they knew people doing it multiple times with only a week in between. I find that hard to believe since Japan is so strict on rules and regs.

I did it once. I was approaching the three-month mark and left on a visa run for a couple days - I took the ferry to South Korea and back. I believe that the ferry left from Kyushu somewhere and it went to Busan.

I came back to Japan and had proof of my return flight to gaikoku a month later. I basically charmed the border official but it wasn't that hard - a well-educated, professional white boy who speaks Japanese. But it didn't seem like it would have been much more difficult for any other American.

I changed visas a bunch of times in Tokyo (crappy English teacher-type visas) and never had any problems, and got it done after a few hours in the immigration office in Shinagawa, Tokyo each time.

Regarding the new laws for Japanese immigration, where is Debito to chime in on the human rights side of things? He doesn't seem to have posted about it yet.

One of the regrets that I have is going to Japan, and learning Japanese, instead of going to China after finishing uni. I never use my Japanese these days. Speaking Japanese is good for making Japanese friends and for going after 8 and above Japanese women. Beyond that, my time would have been better spent learning Chinese, or learning a martial art, or leaning to cook.

why do you regret learning japanese, or rather, why don't you use it anymore?

Post: #9

Japan is really unlike anything else in Asia or the rest of the world. I don't regret learning Japanese, even if its utility is far lower than Chinese or Spanish. Its usefulness in gaming shouldn't be underrated. That country is still one of the best places to kick game, in a world where the growing number of fruitful places to do exactly that are shrinking.

Post: #10

They need more consumers and taxpayers to pay for their ever aging population. Makes sense. Just hope they are really careful about not letting the Muslim hoodlums in.

Post: #11

I checked the income tax levels for Japan, they seem to be high if you look at the numbers, but the tax is applied to each income bracket. So in summary it's a lot less.
Can someone chime in how to calculte the net income properly (after all the necessary insurances + healthcare)

Post: #12

The guy selling these signs just started a second production line

Post: #13

Compared to German immigration "procedure", I am sure Japanese Officials will check every necessary document. I doubt this initiative will mobilize millions of professionals to come to Japan, the barriers are reasonably high. Until you achieve the 70 or 80 points you will be around 30 years old, some people have kids or already settled down. Nevermind the language, culture and workplace culture differences.

Who will profit? People doing their PHD in Japan and want to stay.

Post: #14

Indeed, though the time requirements for permanent residence are now shorter, that has nothing to do with getting a visa. One still has to qualify for a visa that gets them in and living there in the first place, whether that's a job, significant capital investment in a business etc. Nothing is "easier" on that front.

Post: #15

Nice to see they are finally making the necessary changes to that Elite system that was way too selective.

Friend of mine is a bilingual engineer earning 6 figures and still didn't qualify as "Elite".

Europe's immigration policies are too lax (of course) but Japan has always been overly strict even towards highly qualified foreigners. Good step in the right direction.

Post: #16

(01-21-2017 06:55 AM)Travel Museums Wrote:  Can anyone answer how tough Japanese immigration is on doing back to back visas?

Other people have said that they knew people doing it multiple times with only a week in between. I find that hard to believe since Japan is so strict on rules and regs.

You should be OK for 2-3 back-to-back entries. Always mention meeting your Japanese girlfriend being the purpose of your stay (have a phone number ready of course even if she's not that serious).

They are worried about illegal English teachers more than anything so never mention anything to do with work and you're basically good. If you speak Japanese you are getting in 99.9% of the time.

Post: #17

(01-23-2017 03:20 PM)GlobalMan Wrote:  The guy selling these signs just started a second production line

have never seen a sign like that before nor been rejected from entry anywhere.

Post: #18

Tongue in cheek mate

Post: #19

With the new trend of aspie postings I sometimes forgot people can make posts and be done with humor.

Post: #20

I thought GlobalMan was bringing Arudo Debito into this thread.

He's an obese gaijin SJW with Japanese nationality who lives in Japan and is still crusading over a few misunderstood signs at countryside onsen and massage parlours. Bet they regret giving him a Japanese passport.

Won't link to him here but google him for shits and giggles.

Post: #21

Who said that "career women" were a good thing? You know, going to university, getting a job, buying a car, a house, and ending up unmarried at 60 with no children? This dropped the birth rates considerably, and forced Japan to open the floodgates to try to renew the population, since natives don't make kids anymore. At least, that's my view on this.

Post: #22

Quote:高度人材). “Highly-skilled [foreign] professionals” are defined as foreigners who receive at least 70 points on the Ministry’s immigration scorecard. The scorecard is based on an assessment of criteria such as professional qualifications, education level, and annual salary.

I absolutely love this concept! Getting into a good country should be like getting into a good college! Cheap labor mainly benefits the elites, you don't need as much of a welfare state if every swinging dick in your country can make a living wage from hard work and manual labor.

Post: #23

Y'all realize this is actually very bad news right? Japan was one of the last countries in the world that was able to keep cultural Marxism and its little brother multiculturalism at bay.

Post: #24

(01-25-2017 02:06 AM)Bushido Wrote:  I thought GlobalMan was bringing Arudo Debito into this thread.

He's an obese gaijin SJW with Japanese nationality who lives in Japan and is still crusading over a few misunderstood signs at countryside onsen and massage parlours. Bet they regret giving him a Japanese passport.

Won't link to him here but google him for shits and giggles.

I think the guy is a thoroughly entertaining clown. He's a dedicated SJW infiltrator type (originally David Schofill) that entered that homogeneous society with intent of breaking it down. He keeps running into a complete brick wall from non PC Japanese that don't give a fuck about his antics and protests.

Post: #25

(06-09-2018 08:02 PM)DarkTriad Wrote:  

(01-25-2017 02:06 AM)Bushido Wrote:  I thought GlobalMan was bringing Arudo Debito into this thread.

He's an obese gaijin SJW with Japanese nationality who lives in Japan and is still crusading over a few misunderstood signs at countryside onsen and massage parlours. Bet they regret giving him a Japanese passport.

Won't link to him here but google him for shits and giggles.

I think the guy is a thoroughly entertaining clown. He's a dedicated SJW infiltrator type (originally David Schofill) that entered that homogeneous society with intent of breaking it down. He keeps running into a complete brick wall from non PC Japanese that don't give a fuck about his antics and protests.

I think Arudo Debito is great. Don't get me wrong, he's the last person in the world that I'd ever want to share a beer with.

But given that the Japanese feel more than qualified to have opinions on how US immigration should be more open and "fair" and have given themselves permission to comment on Trump's discriminatory practices, I think it's fantastic that there's an unattractive dude somewhere who has gain Japanese citizenship and given those hypocritical ethno-nationalists a taste of their own medicine.