We Are Tomodachi Summer 2017

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19Status of residence for employmentPreferential treatment for highly skilled professionalsBringing one's dependent parents is generally not permitted➡Bringing parents to accompany the highly skilled professional is permittedBringing domestic workers is only permitted in exceptional circumstances➡Bringing domestic workers is permittedResidence permit has to be individually renewed in units not exceeding five years (e.g. five years, three years, one year)➡- Residence permit is granted for the maximum of five years (Highly Skilled Professionals (i))- Granted an indefinite period of stay (Highly Skilled Professionals (ii))- Preferential processing of entry and residence procedures (Highly Skilled Professionals (i)) Only allowed to engage in the activities permitted under a single status of residence➡- Permission for multiple types of activities (Highly Skilled Professionals (i))- In addition to the activities permitted Highly Skilled Professionals (i), nearly all forms of employment are permitted (Highly Skilled Professionals (ii))More than 10 years of residency are generally required before permanent residency is granted➡The residency requirements for permanent residency are relaxedThe spouse's employment is not generally permitted➡A highly skilled professional's spouse is permitted to workPoints-Based Preferential Immigration Treatment＊Points are awarded based on educational and professional career history, yearly salary, and other factors, and a total of 70 points or more permits categorization as a Highly Skilled Professional (i). Highly Skilled Professionals (i) who have engaged in activities as such for at least three years can become Highly Skilled Professionals (ii). Comments from workers benefitting fromthe Points-based System (PBS) for Highly Skilled Foreign ProfessionalsI had worked in Japan for a total of twelve years before working for three years in Germany, and I came back to Japan this year. The PBS is allowing me to build a longer and more stable relationship with the company than I had before, and it lets me concentrate on my work without worrying about visa procedures.I think working in Japan has become more comfortable. I find Japan to be a great place to live—there’s an excellent transportation system with reliable railways and a robust health care system. I’d love to work long-term in Japan, under the PBS.Craig Olinsky Data Analytics Section, EC Data Analytics Department, E-Commerce CompanyWhat’s wonderful about the PBS is that it not only grants you a longer stay, but there’s also thoughtful consideration for workers’ families. Under certain conditions, the spouses of workers benefitting from the PBS can also work in Japan, and the workers can even bring their parents. It creates a good environment that allows you to work long-term in Japan while having peace of mind. I studied in a university in Japan and started working here directly after graduation. I find that Japanese companies have very effective training programs for new graduates. I recommend that foreign students in Japan as well as students overseas work in Japan after they graduate.Zhang, Qi Business Data Platform Group, EC Business Empowerment Section, EC Marketplace Business Support Development Department E-Commerce CompanyIn 2011, when the PBS was not yet introduced, the percentage of employees of foreign nationality at Rakuten was only about 4%, but due also in part to the transition to English as the official language within the company, it’s now more than 20%. As a company that mainly provides internet services, Rakuten recruits a large number of engineers from overseas who have specialized IT skills. The PBS is enabling us to employ these highly capable foreign professionals for longer periods. This is very advantageous for our business operations. Recently, more and more Japanese companies are recruiting foreign workers overall. I think that this tendency will grow in the years to come.Human Resources SupervisorFrançois Bergeron Engineer Recruiting Group, Recruiting Section, Global Human Resources Department(*)Rakuten, Inc. was founded in 1997 and operates Japan's largest online marketplace. It offers e-commerce, fintech, digital content and communications services to more than 1 billion members around the world. It employs 14,202 people (as of Mar. 31, 2017).The three persons featured below are employees of Rakuten, Inc.(*)