Japan Plans to Raise the ¥3 Million Salary Floor for the Highly Skilled Professional Visa: The Direction Is Set, the New Amount and Start Date Are Not
Japan’s Highly Skilled Professional visa requires 70 points and, for two of its three tracks, a salary of at least ¥3 million a year; Jiji Press reports the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA) will raise that floor, with the amount and start date not yet announced.
On 18 October 2026, Jiji Press reported that several ISA officials said the agency had settled on raising the minimum annual salary for Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) status, citing rising wages, and aims to amend the relevant ordinance within the current fiscal year, which ends on 31 March 2027. The Nikkei reported on 14 August 2026 that the government plans to tighten the certification criteria, raise the salary condition and consider abolishing some scoring items. When the ISA website was checked on 19 October 2026, no revised ordinance had been published.
This guide separates what is decided from what is not, explains how the three categories and the points table work today, and sets out what applicants and current holders should keep in mind before and after the change. For a broader overview of benefits and the points system, see Zagdim’s earlier guide, Japan’s Highly Skilled Professional Visa: Benefits, Points and FAQ, linked under References.
Key Points
- Who should pay attention: foreign workers in Japan earning close to ¥3 million who are thinking of switching from a work visa such as Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services to Highly Skilled Professional status; professionals planning to apply from abroad; and current Highly Skilled Professional (i) holders planning to move to (ii) or to use the fast track to permanent residency.
- The status has two gates: at least 70 points, and a ¥3 million minimum salary for the professional/technical and business management tracks. The academic research track has no minimum salary today.
- The salary floor will rise and some point items may be dropped, but the new amount, start date and any transition for current holders have not been announced. This guide describes the ordinance in force in October 2026.
- Holders aiming for permanent residency should also note the permanent residency guidelines revised on 1 October 2026: the income test has been raised for applications filed on or after 1 April 2026.
Highly Skilled Professional Visa Changes: What Is Decided and What Is Not
| Item | Status | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Raising the minimum salary | Direction decided, according to reports | Jiji Press, 18 October 2026 |
| Timetable | Ordinance amendment targeted within FY2026, i.e. by 31 March 2027 | Jiji Press, 18 October 2026 |
| New minimum salary | Not announced | No notice on the ISA website as checked on 19 October 2026 |
| Start date and transition | Not announced, including whether renewals and moves to (ii) are affected | As above |
| Dropping some point items | Under consideration according to reports; which items is not known | Nikkei, 14 August 2026 |
| Permanent residency fast track (70 points: 3 years; 80 points: 1 year) | Kept in the guidelines revised on 1 October 2026 | ISA permanent residency guidelines |
| Higher income test for permanent residency | Decided; applies to applications filed on or after 1 April 2026 | ISA permanent residency application notice |
Reported changes take effect only once the amended ordinance is published. Until then, applications are assessed under the current ordinance.
The Three HSP Categories and the Current Salary Floor
| Category | Who it covers | Current minimum salary |
|---|---|---|
| HSP (i)(a) Advanced academic research | Research, research guidance or teaching under a contract with a Japanese organisation | None |
| HSP (i)(b) Advanced professional/technical | Work requiring knowledge or skills in the natural sciences or humanities under a contract with a Japanese organisation | ¥3 million |
| HSP (i)(c) Advanced business management | Running or managing a business in Japan | ¥3 million |
Under the ordinance, salary means the total annual remuneration from the contracting organisation and any foreign organisation. The ISA points sheet notes that bonuses count, and that people transferred from an overseas office can include pay from that office. According to ISA material from September 2025, 26,960 people held HSP (i) status at the end of 2024, of whom 21,094 (about 78%) were in the professional/technical track; 1,748 held HSP (ii).
How HSP Points Work: The Professional/Technical Track
Points are added up across education, experience, salary, age and bonus items, with a separate table for each track. All scores below come from the evaluation table in the Highly Skilled Professional ordinance (Article 1, item 2):
| Item | Criteria and points |
|---|---|
| Education | Doctorate 30; professional degree in business management (e.g. MBA) 25; master’s or professional degree 20; bachelor’s 10; multiple doctoral, master’s or professional degrees in different fields +5 |
| Work experience in the relevant field | 10+ years 20; 7+ years 15; 5+ years 10; 3+ years 5 |
| Annual salary | ¥10 million+ 40; ¥9 million 35; ¥8 million 30; ¥7 million 25; ¥6 million 20; ¥5 million 15; ¥4 million 10 |
| Age | Under 30: 15; 30 to 34: 10; 35 to 39: 5 |
| Common bonuses | JLPT N1 or a Japanese major from a foreign university 15; N2 10 (not added on top of N1 or a Japanese degree bonus); degree from a Japanese university or graduate school 10; research record 15; related Japanese national qualifications up to 10; working for a small or medium enterprise certified under innovation support measures 20, or another certified organisation 10 |
Salary points also have age-based minimums: under 30, points start at ¥4 million; 30 to 34, at ¥5 million; 35 to 39, at ¥6 million; 40 and over, at ¥8 million. Below the minimum for your age, the salary line scores zero.
That is why the ¥3 million floor is only an eligibility line; for most applicants the points are the real test. Someone under 30 earning ¥3.8 million scores nothing for salary and must reach 70 through education, Japanese ability, a Japanese degree and other items. In the business management track, salary points start at ¥10 million (10 points, rising to 50 at ¥30 million or more), with 10 points for a representative director and 5 for a director.
What Current Highly Skilled Professional Visa Holders Should Watch: Moving to HSP (ii) and Permanent Residency
HSP (i) brings seven benefits listed by the ISA: combining activities across statuses, a five-year period of stay, a shorter residence requirement for permanent residency, work rights for the spouse, bringing parents under conditions, bringing a domestic worker under conditions, and priority processing. After three years of activity under HSP (i), holders can apply for HSP (ii), which has no time limit.
Moving to HSP (ii): Under Article 2 of the ordinance, professional/technical and business management holders must again meet 70 points and the ¥3 million salary floor when they change to (ii). The ISA has not said whether the new floor will apply immediately to these changes or whether there will be a transition period. Holders close to the floor and close to three years should watch for the ISA notice and keep each year’s income records.
Applying for permanent residency: The HSP fast track remains: 70 points and three years’ residence, or 80 points and one year, according to the guidelines revised on 1 October 2026. But the income test has changed. The ISA announced on 1 October 2026 that applications filed between 1 April 2026 and 31 March 2027 are assessed on income under the new guidelines, which look at whether household income continuously reaches a level above the average income of Japanese households of the same size; applications from 1 April 2027 fall fully under the new guidelines, which add projected pension, Japanese ability, understanding of Japanese rules and children’s schooling. The guidelines give no yen figure. The B1 Japanese requirement is not applied to HSP fast-track applicants or their families. Zagdim’s report on the tightening, Japan Tightens Permanent Residency Rules with New Income, Pension and Language Tests, is linked under References.
Common Misconceptions About the HSP Salary Change
- Misconception: the ¥3 million floor has already gone up. Only the policy direction has been reported; the amended ordinance has not been published. Reminder: applications filed now are assessed under the current ordinance.
- Misconception: earning over ¥3 million is enough. ¥3 million is only the floor for two tracks; you still need 70 points, and from age 30 the salary line only starts scoring at ¥5 million. Reminder: work through the points table item by item.
- Misconception: HSP (ii) has no time limit, so income no longer matters. You must meet the points and salary conditions when you change to (ii), and permanent residency later has its own income test. Reminder: keep your income records.
- Misconception: the permanent residency fast track only looks at points. The 70- or 80-point routes shorten the residence period; income, tax, pension and other requirements still apply, and the higher income test covers applications filed from 1 April 2026. Reminder: check points and household income together.
- Misconception: the academic research track has a salary floor too. The current ordinance sets the ¥3 million floor only for the professional/technical and business management tracks. Reports do not say whether the change will extend to academic research.
Worked Scenarios: Points and the Salary Floor
Points below are added up from the professional/technical table above and count only the items listed; the ISA’s assessment is what counts.
Scenario 1: a 28-year-old engineer with a Japanese master’s degree earning ¥4.5 million. She has worked in Tokyo for three years on an Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services visa and holds N1. Master’s 20, three years’ experience 5, salary (under 30, ¥4 million+) 10, age 15, Japanese graduate degree 10, N1 15: 75 points, enough to switch to HSP (i) now. Her salary is above today’s floor, but the new floor is unknown; if she plans to switch, preparing her degree, employment and income documents early reduces exposure to rules that are not yet set.
Scenario 2: a 33-year-old graduate in sales earning ¥5.5 million. Bachelor’s 10, seven years’ experience 15, salary (30 to 34, ¥5 million+) 15, age 10, N2 10: 60 points, 10 short. The ¥3 million floor is not his problem; the points are. N1 (15 points instead of 10 for N2) or a related Japanese national qualification could close the gap.
Scenario 3: a 29-year-old HSP (i) holder, two years in, earning ¥3.8 million. She reaches three years next year and wants to move to (ii) or apply for permanent residency. Her salary is above ¥3 million today, but if the new floor is set above ¥3.8 million and takes effect before she applies, a move to (ii) could be affected, and a permanent residency application must meet the new household income level. Cases close to both the three-year mark and the floor need the most careful timing.
Highly Skilled Professional Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
When will the Highly Skilled Professional visa salary floor rise, and to what?
Neither has been announced. Jiji Press reported on 18 October 2026 that the ISA plans to raise the current ¥3 million minimum and aims to amend the ordinance within the fiscal year ending 31 March 2027. The new amount, start date and any transition depend on the ISA’s formal notice; until then, the current ordinance applies.
How is salary calculated for HSP status? Do bonuses count?
Under the ordinance, salary is the total annual remuneration from the contracting organisation and any foreign organisation. The ISA points sheet says bonuses are included, and transferees can count pay from the overseas office. In the professional/technical track, salary points have age-based minimums; for example, 30 to 34-year-olds start scoring at ¥5 million.
Will current Highly Skilled Professional visa holders lose their status when the floor rises?
No official statement says current holders will lose status. Reports cover only the plan to raise the minimum salary; whether renewals and moves to (ii) will use the new amount, and whether there will be a transition period, have not been announced. Current holders can keep their annual income and tax records and watch for the ISA’s notice.
What is the difference between 70 and 80 points for permanent residency?
Under the permanent residency guidelines revised on 1 October 2026, 70 points or more with three years’ residence as a highly skilled professional, or 80 points or more with one year, allows a permanent residency application; points can also be counted as of three years or one year before the application date. Income, tax, pension and other requirements still apply, and the higher income test covers applications filed from 1 April 2026.
Can the spouse of an HSP holder work in Japan?
Yes. According to ISA material, a spouse living with the holder can work in fields covered by work statuses such as Instructor or Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services even without meeting the usual education or experience requirements, beyond 28 hours a week, provided pay is at least equal to that of Japanese workers; the employer is specified in the permission.
Does the academic research track have a minimum salary?
Not under the current ordinance. The ¥3 million floor applies only to the professional/technical and business management tracks; academic research applicants need 70 points. Jiji Press noted that the academic track has no floor today but did not say whether one will be added; the ordinance the ISA publishes will settle it.
Working in Japan and Weighing HSP Status? Ask Zagdim
If you want to know whether your points are enough, or when to switch status or apply for permanent residency, Ask Zagdim.
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Important Disclaimer
This article is general information and does not constitute legal, immigration or tax advice, nor does it represent the position of any government body. Current requirements are based on the Ministry of Justice ordinance and the Immigration Services Agency of Japan website; the plan to raise the minimum salary is based on reports by Jiji Press on 18 October 2026 and the Nikkei on 14 August 2026. The new amount, start date and transition arrangements have not been announced, and the final rules will be those in the ordinance the ISA publishes. The scenarios are simplified; rely on the ISA’s assessment and a qualified professional for your own case.
Information is current as of 19 October 2026; please check the latest notices from the Immigration Services Agency of Japan.
References
Immigration Services Agency of Japan – What Is the Points-Based System for Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals? (Japanese) / Immigration Services Agency of Japan – Highly Skilled Professional Ordinance: Evaluation Items and Points (Japanese) / Immigration Services Agency of Japan – Criteria for Change to Highly Skilled Professional (ii) (Japanese) / Immigration Services Agency of Japan – Policy Roundtable Material: Accepting Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals (29 September 2025, Japanese) / Immigration Services Agency of Japan – Permanent Residency Guidelines, Revised 1 October 2026 (Japanese) / Immigration Services Agency of Japan – Permission for Permanent Residence (Japanese) / Jiji Press via Yahoo! News Japan – ISA to Raise Salary Requirement for Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals (18 October 2026, Japanese) / Nikkei – Income Condition for Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals to Rise, Ordinance Revision as Early as FY2026 (14 August 2026, Japanese) / Zagdim – Japan’s Highly Skilled Professional Visa: Benefits, Points and FAQ / Zagdim – Japan Tightens Permanent Residency Rules with New Income, Pension and Language Tests
