Hello,
I have some questions regarding obtaining permanent residency (PR) in Japan. I arrived in Japan as a master’s student at Tokyo Tech on April 1, 2017, and started working as a software engineer on April 1, 2020, under the “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services” visa category. When I checked my points at the start of my employment in 2020, I had only 65 points. However, after changing jobs on February 1, 2024, my salary increased to over 7 million yen, raising my points to approximately 85.
I have a few questions:
From my research on the points-based system, it states that you can apply for PR if you have maintained over 80 points for 1 year or over 70 points for 3 years. Based on this, I should be eligible to apply for PR on February 1, 2025, after completing 1 year at my new job. Is it necessary to have a Highly Skilled Professional residence card to apply for PR, or can I apply with my current “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services” residence card?
If a Highly Skilled Professional residence card is required, should I first apply for that and then immediately apply for PR? Or is there a mandatory waiting period before I can apply for PR after obtaining the Highly Skilled Professional residence card?
Regarding Japanese National Qualifications (「国家資格」), is a driving license considered part of this qualification?
by AsideOptimal9279