We Are Tomodachi Summer 2017

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18As the number of foreign workers in Japan reached a record high of 1.08 million in October 2016, the Japanese government is making significant efforts to facilitate employment of foreign professionals with particularly high-level skills, in order to spur Japan’s economic growth and strengthen its international competitiveness.“Highly skilled foreign professionals” are officially described as “quality, unsubstitutable human resources who have a complementary relationship with domestic capital and labor,” and “human resources who are expected to bring innovation to the Japanese industries, to promote development of specialized/technical labor markets through friendly competition with Japanese people and to increase efficiency of the Japanese labor markets.”To promote hiring of highly skilled foreign professionals, the government introduced the “Points-based System for Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals” (PBS) in 2012. Eligible candidates are workers from outside Japan who are in “advanced academic research activities,” “advanced specialized/technical activities” or “advanced business management activities.” According to criteria such as academic background, professional career history, annual salary and so on, points are awarded to each candidate, and preferential immigration treatment is granted to candidates who score point totals equal to or above a predetermined number. A conventional working visa does not allow the holder to stay in Japan longer than five years, nor authorize him or her to do a job other than what is stipulated in the visa. Beneficiaries of the PBS, on the contrary, have the possibility to extend their stays up to an indefinite period in some cases, and simultaneously engage in multiple activities that fall under different visa categories.To take things further, the Japanese government is introducing a “Japanese green card for highly skilled foreign professionals” in 2017. Foreigners who are regarded as especially highly skilled will be able to apply for permanent residence after staying only one year in Japan, instead of five years as before. By means of these systems, the government expects to attract large numbers of foreign professionals who will play active roles in the Japanese economy.Points System Aims to Attract Foreign Talent to JapanCumulative Totals of Admitted Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals and Accompanying Families, etc.＊The term “Highly Skilled Professional” has been in use since April 1, 2015.Source: Ministry of Justice70006000500040003000200010000(people)2012201420162013201556789101112123456789101112123456789101112123456789101112123456789101112Advanced academic research activities [Highly Skilled Professionals (i)(a)]Advanced specialized/technical activities [Highly Skilled Professionals (i)(b)]Advanced business management activities [Highly Skilled Professionals (i)(c)]Highly Skilled Professionals (ii)Dependent spousesDependent childrenWorking spousesDomestic workersParentsMay 7, 2012Introduction of systemDecember 24, 2013Revision notice and implementationApril 1, 2015Implementation of “Highly Skilled Professionals” category