What is a Business Management Visa?
A “Business Manager” visa is a type of work visa obtained by foreigners residing in Japan primarily to operate a business within Japan.
The most common type of business for which a Business Manager visa is obtained is to establish a company in Japan, become an officer there, and engage in company management activities.
Here, the question arises as to whether foreigners who work as freelancers (sole proprietors) and perform work on behalf of companies can obtain a business manager visa.
In conclusion, in certain cases, foreigners who work on this type of contract work can obtain a Business Manager Visa.
This page explains whether freelancers who are contracted to do business can obtain a Business Manager Visa.
Conditions for freelancers to obtain a business manager visa
Usually, freelancers who work on a contract basis with a company will obtain a “Technical/Humanities Specialist/International Services” visa.
However, if your business is large enough to hire assistants or staff, or if you purchase one store in a chain as a franchise, you can obtain a Business Manager visa.
In the case of the “Engineer, Specialist in Humanities, International Services” visa, ① the applicant must be located in Japan, and ② the work must be based on a continuous contract with a specific company; otherwise, the visa will not be granted. However, for the “Business Manager” visa, there are no such conditions.
If the work is outsourced by a foreign company or there is no continuous contract, it is advisable to consider obtaining a “Business Manager” visa instead of an “Engineer, Specialist in Humanities, International Services” visa.
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Requirements and conditions for business management visa
To obtain the “Business Manager” status of residence
- Eligibility for residence status
- Compliance with landing permission criteria
Two requirements must be met:
Eligibility for residence status
The eligibility for the “Business Manager” visa status is recognized for “activities to manage trade or other businesses in Japan or to engage in the management of said businesses.”
Freelancers are individuals who operate their own businesses, so they meet this requirement.
Business suitability
One of the conditions for eligibility for the “Business Manager” status of residence is that the business in which the foreigner is involved in management must be proper.
Therefore, even if you are working as a freelancer, you will need to obtain any licenses or permits required for any work.
Business stability and continuity
The second prerequisite for eligibility for the “Business Manager” status of residence is that the business in which the foreigner is involved in management must be stable and continuous.
When proving the stability and continuity of a business, the emphasis is on whether the business is generating a solid profit (whether it is operating in the black).
A business plan usually proves that the business will generate stable and continuous profits in the future.
If your main job is to perform work on a contract basis with a foreign company, you may be asked to provide a reasonable explanation as to why you are working in Japan on a contractasis.
Compliance with landing permission criteria
The place of business to operate must be located in Japan.
The business premises must have “separate space” and “facilities.”
If you are a freelancer running a business using a “home office,” it cannot be said that you have secured “separate space” unless it is confirmed that the landlord has agreed to use it for business purposes and that there is a clear distinction between the residential area and the business area.
In addition, if an establishment does not have the essential “facilities” required to carry out the business under the contract, it will not be recognized as a business establishment.
The scale of the business related to the application must be above a certain level.
The size of the project must be 5 million yen or more.
When establishing a company, it is relatively easy to prove that the business scale is more than 5 million yen, such as by having a capital of 5 million yen or more.
However, in the case of freelancers, there is no concept of capital or investment, so it is important to note that proving this can be difficult.
In this case, you will need to prove that you have made a total capital investment of more than 5 million yen, including equipment investment and staff wages.
Conclusion
This page explains whether a freelancer who is contracted to do business can obtain a Business Manager Visa.
If you work as a freelancer,
- Is this “Technical/Humanities/International Services” or “Business Management”?
- If this falls under “management and management,” what kind of documents should I submit to the immigration bureau?
If you are unsure about a decision, we recommend that you seek the advice of an experienced professional.
