PR chances and points calculation

Hi all, I first posted this last Wednesday in the MegaThread but it was drowned out in the many questions with minimal replies. So I’m posting here again to get feedback and advice.

I was browsing through the requirements for PR and was wondering how are my chances…

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**Current age:** 34 yo

Been in Japan since 2016; timeline is as below:

**2016 – 2020 (Sept) :** Enrolled in a PhD course; then withdrew in my 4th year because my scholarship (MEXT) ended but was then supported by my supervisor (now boss)

**2020 (Oct) – current :** Employed as researcher then post-doc, been under Professor visa since (1-year term, had to renew them every year)

**2022 (Mar) :** Graduated from PhD course; published an article as first-author in a high-impact journal

**Annual salary from 2020 (Oct) – current :** Around 3 million yen

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So I was wondering if I can convert my visa to a Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) visa or if I can use the points system for PR application.

The points calculation was a bit confusing for me though… Technically, since I graduated this year, the points for a PhD and graduating from Japanese university only counts for year 2022, right? Does my work experience for the past several years count? Including my PhD period? I have been technically working at the same lab for the past 6 years…

What do you think? Or should I stack up some more years / achievements to score more points before starting my application?

Hope to get some feedback! Thanks everyone and cheers! \^\^

6 comments
  1. I’m not very familiar with the academics route point calculations, I went through the technical route. But what I hope I can help with, is the following:

    – Yes, points for having a PhD count from 2022 and onwards
    – Are you still on 1 year visa? If so you are not eligible for PR so it’s better you switch to HSP visa first
    – Working while studying doesn’t play well with immigration. I was asked to prove I was working full time before I graduated. Not sure if there are different criteria for the academics route though.
    – I’ve heard there is something like a minimum wage threshold for applications to be accepted. It’s worth checking that as well

    There’s a line you can call at. Immigration to ask questions regarding applying for PR and they are actually quite helpful. You can try that as well.

  2. Work experience is best if it is full time during which taxes and social insurance + pension have been paid. Without that it is kinda iffy.

  3. I contacted lawyers about this yesterday, got an interesting reply today:

    >Part of the minimum requirements for applying PR via the points system is either:
    >
    >At least 70 points 3 years ago and at least 70 points now

    So this means that if you graduated in the last two years or you count the last two years as work experience those points are not eligible… WTF? Is this really true?

  4. If I remember correctly anything that you do under your student visa will not be counted as “work experience” (at least that’s the case for me. Immigration only counted my full-time work experience)

    Your points calculation (based on your post above) will be based on these items:
    – a PhD
    – from a japanese univ (can be double counted if it falls into a Global Univ program)
    – a job/an offer with a minimum 3 million yen (better if it’s a min 4 mill yen to get points)
    – your age

    No need a HSP visa to apply for PR as long as you have 70 points for the last 3 years. But it also depends on the visa and the duration of the visa that you have during your PR application. IIRC, our time in Japan under student visa will not be counted (probably because most students get exemption from nenkin?)

  5. We might be similar

    I submitted my PR and the staff helped me with the calculations. I did it from a more “rural” office so people there are generally friendlier and more helpful than Shinagawa where everyone seems unhappy.

    I’m older than you and aged out of the points they give for being young.
    I also have no proof of my Japanese language skills either so no points from there either (I’m Asian-American and always was surrounded by Japanese language, so I felt no need to take the JLPT, but wish I did. but they will give you points if you majored in japanese too).

    But despite missing those things, I still managed to get over 90 points.

    I can’t recall everything I tabulated, but off the top of my head.

    A lot of my points came from having a Ph.D from a top Japanese national university.
    more points for MA from a relatively decent American University

    I have 20 publications and standards, so several points there

    I did/do a lot of work for the national government and also hold a position with one of the ministries, so some points there.

    for the personal statement, I wrote a lot about how I contributed to the recovery of the Japanese economy and promote Japan to foreign governments. I also provided copies of letters from various majors and governors of Japan thanking me for past works. So this helped a lot in trying to explain how I contributed to the country. I also had our director write a reference letter too. Its not needed but it helps a lot.

    My example is probably not applicable for many here, but for those of you with Ph.Ds, some of it may be replicable.

  6. >Does my work experience for the past several years count? Including my PhD period? I have been technically working at the same lab for the past 6 years…

    They didn’t count work done while a PhD student for me…. back in 2014 when I applied for HSFP.

    They don’t have much of an understanding of what it’s like.

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