Hey everyone,
I'm planning a move to Japan and am really keen on pursuing the Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) Visa. I've been doing a lot of research into the points system and wanted to get some feedback from those with experience. I'm trying to figure out if my targets for accumulating points are realistic, and if so, what my chances are of landing a job with a salary of 6 million JPY or more.
Here's my current profile and future goals:
* Education:
* Bachelor's in Business Management (English-taught program)
* Goal: Pursue a Master's in International Business Management (English-taught program)
* Work Experience:
* Currently 6 months of work experience.
* Goal: Reach 5 years of work experience before applying for the HSP visa.
* Question: How relevant does this work experience need to be for the visa? Does it need to be strictly in business management, or would experience in finance or other related fields also count towards the "professional career" points?
* Japanese Language:
* Goal: Study Japanese diligently to achieve an N2 to N1 level. I know this is a huge undertaking and very difficult, but I'm committed to doing my best.
* Age:
* I'm currently young, and by the time I aim to apply with 5 years of experience, I'll still be under 29.
My Questions for the Community:
* HSP Points – Realism Check: Based on my goals (Master's, 5 years experience, N2/N1), how realistic do you think my target points are for obtaining the HSP visa? Are there any other point-earning strategies I should consider that are relevant to business/finance?
* Work Experience Relevance: For the "professional career" points, how strict is the interpretation of "relevant field"? If I have a Bachelor's in Business Management and a Master's in International Business Management, would work experience in finance (e.g., financial analyst, investment banking) or even general corporate roles (e.g., project management, operations) count fully? Or does it need to be directly "business management" related roles?
* Job Prospects (6M JPY+): Assuming I achieve 70+ points, how high are my chances of obtaining a job that is paid 6 million JPY and above in Japan, especially with a Master's in International Business Management and N2/N1 Japanese?
* What types of roles/industries should I focus on for this salary range? (e.g., foreign companies, specific sectors like IT, finance, consulting?)
* How crucial is the N1 level versus N2 for these higher-paying roles, particularly in non-tech fields like business/finance?
* Are there common pitfalls or challenges I should be aware of when targeting jobs in this salary bracket as a foreigner?
Any insights, personal experiences, or advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance for your help!
by Alex_UE5