ENGINEER VISA

What is the Engineer Visa?

The Engineer Visa scheme utilizes Fukuoka City's status as a National Strategic Special Zone to shorten and clarify the length of the screening period for the "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services" residential status (visa), which is available to foreign IT engineers.
Through this scheme, Fukuoka City checks and certifies in advance the business stability of the company where the foreign IT engineer plans to work. This reduces the screening time by the Immigration Services Agency to around one month, instead of the one-to-three-month period usually required, thus allowing foreign IT engineers to enter Japan in a more organized and efficient manner.
By having many foreign IT engineers and companies take advantage of this scheme, Fukuoka City aims to become "Engineer-Friendly City", where engineers can come together, play active roles and grow.

Eligibility Requirements for Companies

  • The company must have an office in Fukuoka City and intend to employ foreign 
engineers at their office.

  • The company must be registered as a commercial or corporate entity.

  • The company must not be listed on the stock exchange.

  • The company must be a supporter of the Engineer-Friendly City Fukuoka initiative.

  • The company must not be connected to any organized crime groups or their members.

  • The company must not be in arrears with their municipal taxes.

  • The company's business activities must be recognized by Fukuoka City as belonging to
　one of the following categories.

    Major Group E: Manufacturing

    Subgroup 28: Manufacture of electronic parts, devices and electronic circuits

    Major Group E: Manufacturing

    Subgroup 30: Manufacture of information and communication electronic equipment

    Major Group G: Information and communications

    Subgroup 37: Communications

    Major Group G: Information and communications

    Subgroup 39: Information services

    Major Group G: Information and communications

    Subgroup 40: Internet-related services

    Major Group L: Academic research, professional and technical services

    Subgroup 71: Academic and development research institutes

    Minor Group 711: Research institutes for natural sciences

    Detailed Group 7112: Research institutes for engineering

    Classification in accordance with the Japan Standard Industrial Classifications (Revised in October 2013 (13th revision), implemented on April 1, 2014).

Eligibility Requirements for Foreign IT Engineers

  • Individuals confirmed by Fukuoka City to be planning to engage in one of the following classified occupations and its associated duties.

    Major Group B: Professional or technical workers

    Subgroup 07: Manufacturing engineers (development)

    Minor group 072: Electrical, electronic or telecommunication engineers (excluding communication network engineers) (development)

    Major Group B: Professional or technical workers

    Subgroup 10: Data Processing and Communication Engineers

    Minor Groups: 101: System consultants/102: System designers/103: Data processing project managers/104: Software creators/105: System operation managers

    Classification in accordance with the Japan Standard Occupational Classifications (statistical standard set in December 2009).

How to apply

1

Apply via email to Fukuoka City

Send your application form (Form No. 1)via email to the Fukuoka City New Industry Promotion Sectionwith the following documents:

・Certificate of all Historical Matters regarding registration

・Financial statements (for the most recent two accounting periods)

・Commitment Pledge (Form No. 6)

・Consent form (Form No. 1: Form related to Article 3 of the Guidelines)

・Company profile

・Any other documents deemed necessary by Fukuoka City

⚠ You must post an original copy of the Certificate of all Historical Matters to the address 
listed at the bottom of the page under Application and Inquiries.
⚠ For renewals, apply by sending the Renewal Application Form (Form No. 2) along with
the above documents.

2

Application is checked by Fukuoka City(Takes 2 weeks up to 1 month)

・Business stability of the company is checked; SME consultants provide opinions based on your application documents.
・Any connections to organized crime groups or their members are checked.
・Municipal tax arrears are checked.

3

Accreditation certificate issued

Fukuoka City issues an accreditation certificate* (Form No. 3) to the company. This accreditation is valid for one year.
*A handling fee of 300 yen is required.

4

Apply to the Fukuoka Regional Immigration Services Bureau

Attach the accreditation certificate (Form No. 3) you received from Fukuoka City when applying for your certificate for the status of residence.
The screening process at the Immigration Bureau is completed in about one month!

Related Links

Application and Inquiries

New Industry Promotion Section,

New Industry Promotion Department,

Fukuoka City Economy, Tourism & Culture Bureau

14th Floor, Fukuoka City Hall
1-8-1 Tenjin, Chūō-ku, Fukuoka City 〒810-8620

： 092-711-4333
： shinsangyo.EPB@city.fukuoka.lg.jp
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