Below is a non-exhaustive, practitioner-oriented set of potential interview questions that Japanese consular officers or immigration inspectors may pose in connection with work-visa applications and landing examinations. The questions are designed to test eligibility under the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (Act No. 319 of 1951, as amended) and the Ministerial Ordinance to Establish the Criteria Pursuant to Article 7, Paragraph 1, Item (ii) (Ministry of Justice Ordinance No. 16 of 1990), as well as to assess credibility, admissibility, and compliance.
General questions applicable across employment-based statuses of residence
- Identity and travel history
- Please state your full legal name, date of birth, and nationality as shown on your passport.
- Have you previously traveled to Japan? If yes, provide dates, status of residence, and compliance with authorized period of stay.
- Have you ever overstayed a visa, been refused entry, had a visa refused or revoked, or been deported from any country?
- Purpose of stay and intended status of residence
- Which status of residence are you seeking (e.g., Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, Intra-Company Transferee, Skilled Labor, Highly Skilled Professional, Business Manager, Specified Skilled Worker)?
- Describe your proposed job duties in Japan in detail. How do these duties correspond to the authorized activities under the status you seek?
- Employer and worksite details
- Identify your prospective employer, its legal form, address, and the specific worksite(s) where you will perform services.
- How and when were you recruited? Who interviewed you? Provide names and titles.
- Who will be your direct supervisor? Describe the reporting line and department.
- Qualifications and professional background
- What degrees or professional qualifications do you hold? Are they related to the proposed duties?
- How many years of relevant work experience do you have? Please specify roles, employers, and dates.
- Do you hold any licenses or certifications required for the occupation in Japan?
- Contract and remuneration
- What are the terms of your employment contract (position, term, working hours, salary, bonus, benefits)?
- What is your gross annual remuneration in yen? How does it compare to Japanese market standards for the role?
- Will you be enrolled in social insurance (health insurance, pension) and employment insurance? Who bears the premiums?
- Consistency with landing criteria and financial sufficiency
- Who will pay for your relocation, housing, and initial living expenses?
- Do you have sufficient savings to support yourself until your first paycheck?
- Where will you reside in Japan? Provide address, lease status, or employer-provided housing details.
- Compliance and admissibility
- Have you ever been convicted of a criminal offense? If yes, provide details, including disposition and sentence.
- Have you ever engaged in activities outside your authorized status in Japan or worked without authorization?
- Do you understand that engaging in activities outside the scope of your status without permission is prohibited and may result in revocation?
- Family/dependents
- Will your spouse or children accompany you or join you later? How will they be supported?
- What is your spouse’s employment plan in Japan, if any, and do they understand dependent status restrictions?
- Intent and duration
- What is the intended length of your assignment or employment?
- What are your plans upon expiration or termination of the contract?
Status-specific probes
Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services (E/S/I)
- Precisely delineate your job functions (e.g., software development, systems engineering, legal/HR/marketing analysis, translation/interpretation, international services).
- How do your academic major and/or professional experience directly relate to the duties?
- Will you perform any duties that are primarily manual labor or outside the scope of E/S/I? If so, explain.
- Describe the technologies, programming languages, or analytical frameworks you will use (for engineering/IT roles).
Intra-Company Transferee (ICT)
- Identify the sending and receiving entities; explain the corporate relationship.
- How long have you been employed by the sending entity? Provide evidence of at least one year of continuous employment in a relevant role.
- Compare your duties abroad and in Japan; explain continuity and level of responsibility.
- Confirm that your remuneration in Japan will be no less than that of a comparable Japanese employee.
Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) (i or ii)
- Provide a breakdown of your claimed points (academic degree, professional experience, annual income, age, research achievements, patents, managerial responsibilities, Japanese proficiency).
- Evidence of publications, intellectual property, or management of personnel and budgets.
- If claiming spouse’s points, what are your spouse’s qualifications and employment plans?
Business Manager
- Describe the business plan, industry, target market, and projected financials.
- Provide details of office space (exclusive use), capital amount, and funding source; if applicable, evidence of hiring at least two full-time employees or capital of at least JPY 5 million.
- Company registration status, articles of incorporation, and corporate bank account.
- Your role in daily operations and decision-making authority.
Skilled Labor
- Identify the specific skilled occupation category (e.g., foreign cuisine chef, stonemason, aircraft maintenance).
- How many years of specialized experience do you have in this skill? Provide documentary proof (often 10 years, or the category-specific requirement).
- For cooking or craft roles, what authentic techniques and menu items will you perform? Where will you work?
Specified Skilled Worker (SSW 1 or 2)
- Specify the industry field (e.g., care worker, building cleaning, industrial machinery, food service).
- Provide results of the requisite skill test and Japanese language proficiency test (e.g., JLPT N4 or JFT-Basic for SSW1).
- Describe the terms of employment, support plan, and the registered support organization’s identity and services.
- Housing, orientation, and grievance procedures arranged by the employer/support organization.
Professor/Researcher/Instructor
- Identify the host institution, funding source, research topic or courses taught, and contract terms (tenure-track, fixed-term).
- Will you supervise students, publish, or engage in sponsored research? Provide details.
- If partly funded by grants, identify the grantor and grant conditions.
Entertainer
- Nature of the performances, venues, and tour schedule.
- Contracting agency details, safeguards against exploitative terms, and remuneration structure.
- Prior professional record and portfolio.
Nursing Care
- Certification status, language ability, and employer’s training/support arrangements.
- Description of care facility, patient population, and shift patterns.
Documentation and credibility checks
- Present your Certificate of Eligibility (if issued). Explain any discrepancies between the COE and your current application.
- Why did you change employers or positions after the COE was issued (if applicable)?
- Provide original degrees, transcripts, professional licenses, reference letters, and proof of employment history.
- Explain any employment gaps, inconsistent job titles, or salary anomalies.
Compliance acknowledgments
- Do you understand that providing false information or forged documents may result in visa refusal, denial of landing, or revocation of status of residence?
- Do you understand the process for permission to engage in an activity other than that permitted by your status, if needed?
- Do you understand your duty to report changes in employer, residence, or other reportable matters where required?
Notes for preparation
- Interviews are discretionary; many applicants with a valid Certificate of Eligibility experience limited questioning focused on identity, purpose, and consistency with the COE. However, consular officers may expand inquiry if credibility, admissibility, or status eligibility is in doubt.
- The precise phrasing and scope of questions vary by status of residence and the examining post, but the themes above align with statutory landing criteria, ministerial eligibility standards, and common-risk compliance issues.
