What Is a Business Manager Visa?
The “Business Manager” visa is a type of work visa obtained by foreign nationals who reside in Japan primarily to operate a business. It is mainly intended for foreigners who stay in Japan to manage business operations within the country.
The most common way to obtain a Business Manager Visa is to establish a company in Japan, assume a managerial role, and engage in business operations.
This raises the question: can a foreign freelancer (sole proprietor) who performs work under outsourcing contracts with companies obtain a Business Manager Visa?
The conclusion is that, in certain cases, foreign freelancers working under outsourcing contracts can obtain a Business Manager Visa.
This page explains whether freelancers working under outsourcing agreements can obtain a Business Manager Visa.
Conditions for Freelancers to Obtain a Business Manager Visa
Normally, freelancers who work under outsourcing contracts with companies obtain the “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services” visa.
However, if the business has a scale that involves hiring assistants or staff, or if the applicant purchases and operates a franchise store as part of a chain, it is possible to obtain a Business Manager Visa.
In addition, for the “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services” visa, the work must (1) be located in Japan and (2) be based on a continuous contract with a specific company. These conditions do not apply to the Business Manager Visa.
If the freelancer mainly works through outsourcing contracts with overseas companies, especially without continuous contracts or with multiple unspecified clients, it may be more appropriate to consider applying for a Business Manager Visa rather than the “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services” visa.
Requirements and Conditions for a Business Manager Visa
To obtain the “Business Manager” status of residence, you must meet the following two requirements:
- Eligibility for the status of residence
- Compliance with landing permission criteria
Eligibility for the Status of Residence
Eligibility for the “Business Manager” status is defined as engaging in “activities of managing or administering a business related to trade or other operations in Japan.”
Since freelancers operate their own business individually, they satisfy this requirement.
Business Legitimacy
As a prerequisite for eligibility, the business managed or operated by the foreign national must be legitimate.
Therefore, even in the case of freelancing, any required licenses or permits must be properly obtained.
Business Stability and Continuity
Another prerequisite is that the business must be stable and sustainable.
A key factor in demonstrating stability and continuity is whether the business generates consistent profits (i.e., operates in the black).
Typically, this is proven through a business plan showing that the business will generate stable and continuous profits in the future.
If the main business involves outsourcing from foreign companies, a reasonable explanation may be required as to why the work is being performed from Japan.
Compliance with Landing Permission Criteria
A Business Office Must Exist in Japan
The business office must have both an independent physical space and necessary equipment.
Even for freelancers, operating the business from a home office does not meet the requirements for a Business Manager Visa. You must secure a separate office space outside your residence that matches the scale of your workforce.
Additionally, if the necessary equipment required to perform the outsourced work is not available, the location will not be recognized as a valid business office.
The Business Must Meet a Certain Scale
The business must have a scale of at least JPY 30 million.
When establishing a company, it is relatively easy to demonstrate this by setting the capital at JPY 30 million or more.
However, for freelancers, there is no concept of capital or investment, making it more difficult to prove. In such cases, you must demonstrate the total amount invested into the business, such as office costs, employee salaries (for one year), and equipment expenses.
In addition, you must employ at least one full-time staff member in Japan who has no work restrictions, such as a Japanese national or permanent resident.
Furthermore, either the applicant or one of the full-time employees must have Japanese language ability equivalent to JLPT N2 or higher. If the full-time employee requirement is met by hiring a Japanese national, this condition is generally satisfied. However, caution is required when employing foreign nationals without work restrictions.
The staff member who meets the Japanese language requirement does not necessarily have to be Japanese or a permanent resident.
For example, a freelancer operating an IT outsourcing business may hire a foreign national with a “Spouse of Japanese National” visa as a programmer to meet the staff requirement, but if that employee has just arrived in Japan and does not speak Japanese, and the applicant also lacks Japanese ability, the requirement can still be met by hiring another programmer with JLPT N2 or higher under an “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services” visa.
Conclusion
This page has explained whether freelancers working under outsourcing contracts can obtain a Business Manager Visa.
Due to the stricter requirements, the difficulty of obtaining a Business Manager Visa as a freelance contractor has increased significantly. In particular, proving the required business scale is challenging, so establishing a company is generally more advantageous.
If you are working as a freelancer and are unsure about:
- Whether your situation falls under “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services” or “Business Manager”
- What documents should be submitted to immigration if applying for “Business Manager”
we recommend consulting an experienced professional.
