Work Visa Testimonials: Hatsugai Construction Co., Ltd.,

Hatsugai Group, a construction company in Tochigi Prefecture, requested Touch Immigration Law Firm to assist with hiring new graduate foreign nationals.

We spoke with Mr. Makoto Nakazato, who is in charge of personnel recruitment in the Administration Department of Hatsugai Construction Co., Ltd., about how to choose an administrative scrivener and the details of the procedures. （Interview: March 2020）

Hatsugai Group

Overview

https://hatsugai-kun.com/
Group companies: Hatsugai Construction Co., Ltd., HATSUGAI Co., Ltd., P・S・C Recycle Co., Ltd., and Hatsugai Co., Ltd. Hatsugai Construction Co., Ltd.
Founded: Showa 40
Established: February, Showa 60
Capital: JPY 30,000,000

Process Until Hatsugai Group Obtained the Visa

Interview

Consulting About Hiring a Vietnamese International Student as a New Graduate

Please tell us about your company’s business.

Hatsugai Group is a company specializing in demolition work within the construction industry. We do not do any building work at all. Our main business is demolition.

Our business is centered on demolition work for large-scale buildings, including demolition of high-rise buildings and condominiums, as well as demolition of ordinary houses, asbestos removal work, and civil engineering work.

Where are your offices located?

Our head office is located in Sano City, Tochigi Prefecture. We have four offices in Tokyo, Gunma, and Saitama, and we undertake demolition work throughout the Kanto region. Hatsugai Group has approximately 140 employees in total. The office in Omiya City, Saitama Prefecture, for which we requested this visa application, has approximately 25 employees.

What did you request from Touch Immigration Law Firm this time?

We requested a change of status of residence for a Vietnamese student related to new graduate hiring in April 2020. Until March 2020, he was enrolled in a Japanese vocational school, so he held a Student Visa. With this hiring, we requested a change to Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services.

Had you hired foreign employees before?

Yes. We had previously hired foreign employees in the form of trainees and technical intern trainees. However, this was the first time for us to hire a Vietnamese national who graduated from a vocational school in Japan as a new graduate. Our previous hiring was handled through an association, so we thought it would be difficult to handle visa applications ourselves.

The First Administrative Scrivener Told Us It Would Be Difficult and Declined the Case…

Why did you think it would be difficult to handle internally?

I instinctively felt that visa applications seemed difficult, so I never considered handling it myself as a non-specialist. Of course, I also had my regular work and could not secure enough time. If I were to do it myself, I would have to prepare written application documents as well. I did not have the time, and I would have had to learn everything from scratch. I was also concerned whether an application prepared by an amateur like me would actually be approved. In that case, I thought it would be smoother to pay and ask an administrative scrivener who specializes in visas.

I then consulted someone in our company who was qualified as an administrative scrivener. He said that visas are highly specialized, and also that he had not been able to keep up with the latest information, so it would be difficult. For that reason, we considered asking a visa specialist and submitted an internal approval request.

Did you compare administrative scriveners when selecting one?

Yes. We searched online and compared several administrative scriveners. Among them, we contacted one administrative scrivener who caught our eye and consulted the first office.

They said they were concerned that what the Vietnamese student had studied at vocational school was slightly different from the position he was being hired for. Later, they consulted the Immigration Bureau on that point, and it seems that they judged the case to be difficult, so they declined it.

What did you do after being declined?

Later, as a report of the result, we informed the vocational school teacher that we could not hire the student. The teacher said they still could not give up and asked if there was any way to make it work…

So I thought I would at least consult another administrative scrivener. I searched within Saitama Prefecture, and that is how I found Mr. Yuda. I contacted him immediately and asked him to come to our company right away.

Why did you choose Touch Immigration Law Firm?

Including the very first phone call, they were very polite and easy to understand. When he came to our company, he was also easy to talk to. In fact, he listened carefully to the details of our business and the student’s job duties, and then made a solid assessment. That was the impression I had. So we did not hesitate much.

Another major reason was the refund system. If we could receive a refund, there would be no risk for us. That was one of the reasons we chose them.

In the End, Asking a Specialist Is the Fastest Way

Do you have any advice for people in charge of hiring foreign nationals who are currently struggling with visa issues?

I think entrusting the matter to a specialist is ultimately the fastest way. As I mentioned repeatedly, the refund system was also a reason we were able to decide immediately. There was no risk. Also, we have our main business to handle. Regarding visas, large companies may be different, but at our scale, we cannot assign a dedicated person. Considering that someone would have to handle it as an additional responsibility, and given the high level of specialization, this comparison made me realize clearly that asking a specialist is faster in the end.

Please share your evaluation of Touch Immigration Law Firm.

I think it was very good. Administrative scriveners can sometimes give a stiff impression, but Mr. Yuda did not have that kind of atmosphere. Rather, he seemed approachable. His responses by email and phone were also very reliable, so I always felt reassured. In the end, I am glad we asked Mr. Yuda. If we have trouble with visas again next time, we will consult you, and we look forward to continuing to work with you.

Mr. Nakazato, thank you very much for taking time out of your busy schedule.

＊Interview date: March 2020
＊All numerical information and other details stated in the article are as of the interview date.

Article Supervisor

Touch Immigration Law Firm Representative Administrative Scrivener Kazuki Yuda

August 2018	Established “Yuda Administrative Scrivener Office,” specializing in visa applications and naturalization applications
April 2022	Incorporated the private office as “Touch Immigration Law Firm”
Areas of Expertise	Foreign nationals’ statuses of residence and naturalization applications Specializes in foreign national visa-related matters and handles more than 1,000 consultations annually
Seminar Experience	Numerous seminars, including the International Administrative Scrivener Training Course, Toda City International Exchange Foundation, Saitama Japanese Language Network, Administrative Scrivener TOP 10% Club, and work visa training seminars for administrative scriveners
Operated Websites	Touch Immigration Law Firm International Marriage & Spouse Visa Support Center Naturalization Application Support Center Work Visa Support Center Permanent Resident Visa Support Center Business Manager Visa Support Center U.S. Visa Support Center Visa Support Center

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