Business Manager's Visa (経営・管理ビザ)
One of the most attractive statuses of residence (visa) for those who wish to settle in Japan is a "Business Manager's Visa" for when there is neither a family connection nor an academic/professional background to fulfill eligible requirements for an employment-based working visa.
Points of appeal:
1. A Business Manager's Visa does not require one to have an academic background of a higher education, whereas the most common "work visa", an "Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services Visa", requires applicants to hold at least an undergraduate degree or equivalent. For those without such educational qualifications, an alternative is a minimum of ten years (three years for the International Services) of work experience in the same occupation as the job you are to engage in Japan. The difficulty, however, when it comes to visa applications is that it is hard to prove a ten-year work experiences because one is often no longer in contact with previous employers so it is impossible to obtain a certificate of employment, resulting in a rejection for the visa application. Another hurdle is that you need to show that you have already secured an employment contract in Japan before applying for the visa, and many employers ask for you to have a visa before offering you a position. It is a chicken-and-egg problem and business owners tend to avoid the risk of employing foreign nationals in case their candidates fail to acquire the necessary visa.
2. Business Manager's Visa holders are allowed to be accompanied by their spouse and children so the family can stay together (provided Business Manager's Visa holder earns enough to financially support the whole family). They can even employ their spouse as a part-time worker in their company (on condition that a part-time work permission is granted by the Immigration Services Agency to the dependent visa holder).
3. The biggest bonus for Business Manager's Visa holders is that they are entitled to apply for a Permanent Residency status after 10 years of living in Japan (of which a minimum of 5 years have to be work visa or long-term visa). For holders of other types of work visas (except for "Skilled Worker (特定技能)" and "Technical Intern (技能実習)"), the conditions are the same for Permanent Residency applications, but one has little control over their income which is a core of a successful application. An adequate annual earning is one of the criteria for PR permission, so unless you are a high earner, staying as an employee may not achieve acceptable income for getting PR permission granted. When you are your own boss, however, you are capable of increasing your own earnings by putting effort into your business to earn more.
Points of appeal:
1. A Business Manager's Visa does not require one to have an academic background of a higher education, whereas the most common "work visa", an "Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services Visa", requires applicants to hold at least an undergraduate degree or equivalent. For those without such educational qualifications, an alternative is a minimum of ten years (three years for the International Services) of work experience in the same occupation as the job you are to engage in Japan. The difficulty, however, when it comes to visa applications is that it is hard to prove a ten-year work experiences because one is often no longer in contact with previous employers so it is impossible to obtain a certificate of employment, resulting in a rejection for the visa application. Another hurdle is that you need to show that you have already secured an employment contract in Japan before applying for the visa, and many employers ask for you to have a visa before offering you a position. It is a chicken-and-egg problem and business owners tend to avoid the risk of employing foreign nationals in case their candidates fail to acquire the necessary visa.
2. Business Manager's Visa holders are allowed to be accompanied by their spouse and children so the family can stay together (provided Business Manager's Visa holder earns enough to financially support the whole family). They can even employ their spouse as a part-time worker in their company (on condition that a part-time work permission is granted by the Immigration Services Agency to the dependent visa holder).
3. The biggest bonus for Business Manager's Visa holders is that they are entitled to apply for a Permanent Residency status after 10 years of living in Japan (of which a minimum of 5 years have to be work visa or long-term visa). For holders of other types of work visas (except for "Skilled Worker (特定技能)" and "Technical Intern (技能実習)"), the conditions are the same for Permanent Residency applications, but one has little control over their income which is a core of a successful application. An adequate annual earning is one of the criteria for PR permission, so unless you are a high earner, staying as an employee may not achieve acceptable income for getting PR permission granted. When you are your own boss, however, you are capable of increasing your own earnings by putting effort into your business to earn more.
Requirements for a successful application
There are three basic requirements for the Business Manager's Visa application.
1. A capital investment of a minimum of 5,000,000 yen. The fund does not have to originate from your own earnings and/or savings - it can be a loan from a bank or even from your family or friends as long as the source is legitimate and can be traced with a proof. You will be required to present official documents to show that the money you have invested is legally funded.
2. A well-prepared business plan is the key. You need to show sound and logical reasoning explaining how and why your business will succeed in Japan and make profit to convince the Immigration Services Agency.
3. An office is the last but not least important factor. It has to be an independent space for your business. That means it cannot be a shared office or a virtual office. Securing such an office can be costly for start-ups, so many entrepreneurs wish to make do with a spare room in their own residence. With this arrangement, however, visa applications often get rejected by the authorities, as they see it as not independent enough for the purpose running a business because of the shared facilities with your private living spaces, such as a kitchen and living room being in the way from an entrane to the room designated as an office.
Here at Japan Visa Support, we can advise what proof you should prepare to show the legitimacy of your fund. We can also tell wether your residence can accommodate an office for Business Manager's Visa application.
We believe new businesses founded by vibrant enterepreneurs come from across the borders stimulate and revitalize the stagnant Japanese economy and we are proud to be a part of such a positive move through our immigration legal assistance service.
1. A capital investment of a minimum of 5,000,000 yen. The fund does not have to originate from your own earnings and/or savings - it can be a loan from a bank or even from your family or friends as long as the source is legitimate and can be traced with a proof. You will be required to present official documents to show that the money you have invested is legally funded.
2. A well-prepared business plan is the key. You need to show sound and logical reasoning explaining how and why your business will succeed in Japan and make profit to convince the Immigration Services Agency.
3. An office is the last but not least important factor. It has to be an independent space for your business. That means it cannot be a shared office or a virtual office. Securing such an office can be costly for start-ups, so many entrepreneurs wish to make do with a spare room in their own residence. With this arrangement, however, visa applications often get rejected by the authorities, as they see it as not independent enough for the purpose running a business because of the shared facilities with your private living spaces, such as a kitchen and living room being in the way from an entrane to the room designated as an office.
Here at Japan Visa Support, we can advise what proof you should prepare to show the legitimacy of your fund. We can also tell wether your residence can accommodate an office for Business Manager's Visa application.
We believe new businesses founded by vibrant enterepreneurs come from across the borders stimulate and revitalize the stagnant Japanese economy and we are proud to be a part of such a positive move through our immigration legal assistance service.
Our Immigration Legal Specialist gyosei-shoshi has assisted a number of Business Manager's Visa applications (including filing an article of association and incorporating a company). We know exactly what supporting documents to prepare and the requirement for an office to be approved.
Once you have secured a 5 million yen capital and would like to apply for the Business Manager's Visa, we can also help with a company formation and drawing up your business plan as well as visa application procedures.
Please contact us for more details on how to apply for the Business Manager's Visa.
Once you have secured a 5 million yen capital and would like to apply for the Business Manager's Visa, we can also help with a company formation and drawing up your business plan as well as visa application procedures.
Please contact us for more details on how to apply for the Business Manager's Visa.