Which visa do English teachers need in Japan?

Last checked: 2026-11-06

English teachers in Japan usually hold either Instructor status or Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services status, depending on the employer. The Immigration Services Agency lists language teachers at junior and senior high schools as an Instructor example, and language teachers at private companies as an Engineer/Specialist example.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Your employer or the Immigration Services Agency can confirm which status fits your job.

The two statuses compared

	Instructor	Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services
Japanese name	教育 (kyoiku)	技術・人文知識・国際業務
Where you teach	Elementary, junior high and high schools, special needs schools, vocational and miscellaneous schools, and similar institutions	Work under a contract with a public or private organization in Japan
Official teaching example	Language teachers at junior and senior high schools	Language teachers at private companies
Periods of stay	5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 3 months	5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 3 months

JET is an example. The JET FAQ says ALTs receive Instructor status and CIRs receive Engineer/Specialist status. University posts are different. See teaching English at a university.

Instructor: what the agency asks for

Applicants are sorted by employment type. Category 1 is full-time work at a public school. Category 2 is full-time work at another institution. Category 3 is part-time work.
Category 1 generally needs no other documents beyond the basic items.
A foreign language teacher provides proof of 12 or more years of education in that language. Teachers of other subjects provide proof of 5 or more years of practical experience. The page layout suggests this is for Categories 2 and 3, but this is not stated clearly.
International school teachers do not need that item.

Instructor: the landing criteria

The Instructor landing criteria PDF sets these rules.

Pay: you must receive at least what a Japanese person would receive for the same work.
Education: this applies at miscellaneous schools and similar institutions, and to posts other than teacher at other schools. You need a university degree or equal education, a qualifying diploma from a Japanese vocational school, or a license for the teaching. Language teachers also need 12 or more years of education in that language.
Exception: the 12-year item does not apply at such schools set up to teach the children of diplomats, officials or Dependent-status residents in a foreign language.

Have no degree? See teaching without a degree. Not a native speaker? See non-native speakers.

Engineer/Specialist: what the agency asks for

Employers are sorted into Categories 1 to 4. Categories 3 and 4 give a university graduation certificate or proof of equal education. Categories 1 and 2 generally do not need other documents.
Work based on foreign culture needs proof of 3 or more years of related experience. University graduates who teach languages, translate or interpret are exempt from this.
The agency's guidance says pay must be at least equal to what a Japanese person would receive for the same work.

Since April 15, 2026, Category 3 and 4 applications for jobs that mainly use language skills with people need proof of CEFR B2 level in the language used. The page's examples are translation, interpreting and customer service. It does not mention language teaching, so we could not confirm whether this applies to teachers. Ask your employer or the agency.

How the process usually starts

A Certificate of Eligibility is applied for before you enter Japan. A staff member of the receiving organization can apply. The agency does not charge a fee.
The standard processing time is 1 to 3 months.
The certificate helps you get a visa quickly at a Japanese embassy or consulate, and permission to land.

Fees after you are in Japan

These fees apply to change of status and extension of stay applications received on or after October 1, 2026. The fee depends on the period you are granted.

Period granted	At a counter	Online, fee plus payment charge
3 months or less	10,000 yen	10,330 yen
Over 3 months, up to 6 months	18,000 yen	15,330 yen
Over 6 months, under 1 year	25,000 yen	21,330 yen
1 year	33,000 yen	27,330 yen
Over 1 year, under 3 years	48,000 yen	42,330 yen
3 years or more, under 5 years	64,000 yen	56,550 yen
5 years or more	75,000 yen	65,550 yen

Applications received by September 30, 2026 paid the old fee of 6,000 yen at a counter or 5,500 yen online. Older pages may still show those amounts. Some applicants can get a reduced fee of 10,000 yen.

See the start-up costs page for the visa fee paid abroad.