The "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services" visa is the most common work visa. Learn the specific requirements for IT professionals and engineers.

If you are a software engineer, mechanical engineer, or IT specialist, you will likely apply for the "Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services" visa. Here are the specific Engineer visa Japan requirements.

1. Educational Background

• University Degree: A Bachelor's degree (or higher) in a relevant field (Computer Science, Engineering, Math).
• Vocational School: A "Senmonshi" diploma from a Japanese vocational school also qualifies.
• Alternative: If you don't have a degree, you need 10 years of documented work experience.

2. Salary Requirement

• Equal Pay: Your salary must be equal to or higher than what a Japanese person would receive for the same job.
• Minimum: Generally, immigration looks for at least 200,000 JPY/month, but for engineers, 300,000+ JPY is the norm.

3. Job Duties

• Relevance: Your code must match your major. You cannot be a cleaner or a waiter.
• Tech Stack: Immigration doesn't care if you use React or Vue, but they care that you are doing "engineering" work, not just data entry.

👉 Visa Guide: Japan Work Visa Application: Step-by-Step Guide 2026

The "ITPEC" Exception

If you don't have a degree or 10 years experience, you can still qualify if you pass a designated IT exam (like the FE - Fundamental Information Technology Engineer Examination) in your home country (available in Philippines, Vietnam, etc.).