RResidents in Japan

Told I need 10 years IT experience or IT degree to change jobs. Is it true

I have been an English teacher for a while (a combo of English teaching and office admin). I am looking for work in IT as a web developer/software engineer, but have been told by FRESC that to change to an IT job I need to prove I am qualified with on of the following:

1. A uni degree related to IT
2. A test to prove my skill (done in the Philippines)
3. 10 years IT experience

I have none of these, but articles ([such as this one](https://www.tokyodev.com/articles/japanese-engineering-visa-options#existing-esi)) point to it not being needed.

Anyone got experience in this?

I’m freaking out I have spent all this time self studying for nothing, and worse of all I’d hate my visa renewal to be rejected down the line.

​

EDIT: Current visa- Engineer/Humanities/Int services.Job aiming for: Web developer/software engineer.

11 comments

  2. Exactly what kind of IT job do you want to do?

    I think it depends on what your want to do exactly.

  3. yeah 1&3 are pretty standard

    or

    4. go to a senmongakko( vocational training school)that teachs IT . cheaper than college, only two years. you can get a job through it when you’re graduating. but there’s a catch , your salary will be average+ finding jobs will be hard.

  4. Does this include a change of visa? Because in a lot of cases experience is required for a specific visa. You can’t get a chef visa without a cooking license and 10+ years in a professional kitchen in your home country for example, and even then you’re likely to be denied without your sponsor expressly fighting for why you are important for their business.

  5. What visa are you on currently?

    The link you have specifically mentions

    > your background needs to be relevant to the position at the company that’s sponsoring you

    If it’s your first time to get the humanities engineering visa

  8. If you go with the test get ready to study, the contents and specificity of the questions are insane. If your visa is in engineering already I don’t see why you would need to change it.

  10. Category 1 and Category 2 in principle don’t need to provide job role/duties and relative degree and/or relative experience. Of course immigration may still request it though.

    But for Category 3 and 4 an outline of job role and duties is required (see requirement 8)

    And relative education (degree etc) and/or relative experience will be examined (see requirement 9)

    https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/gijinkoku.html

    Ultimately though, if one is not sure and wants to do their due diligence to ensure immigration consider them all good, they should get a “certificate of authorized employment” https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/syuurou_00001.html

  11. How did you get the current visa in the first place and why can’t you just renew it? It allows you to work as a software engineer.

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