How to avoid mistakes when changing from a Technology/Specialist in Humanities/International Service visa to a Business Manager Visa

For those who are considering changing from an Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services visa to a Business Manager visa

This article contains useful information for those of you who have the above concerns.

What you can learn about the change to the Business Manager Visa in this article

In this article, you will learn the following points:

Overview of the change to a business manager visa

（1）Problem

In order to enter into a contract with a company in Japan and carry out business, you need a “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services” visa. It is sometimes called the “Technical/Humanities Visa” (abbreviation of the first letters of the word).

So, I have a visa for a foreign engineer and I am planning to start a business. In that case, what should I do about the visa procedures? Or do I need to do nothing? I will explain this point below. However, before that, I need to check the relevant visa details first, as it is related to the whole thing.

（2）What kind of activities is this visa for?

The relevant visas here are the Skilled Worker Visa and the Business Manager Visa.
What kind of residence status is a Skilled Worker Visa? It is a visa that allows you to enter into a contract with a company and carry out work. This will become an important point later.

Next, the business manager visa is a visa that allows you to carry out activities such as managing a company or performing management or administrative duties as an officer. In other words, it is necessary if you want to start a business in Japan.

(3) Need to change to a business manager visa

Reasons for needing to change to a Business Manager Visa

Now, finally, regarding (1) above. If a person with a Skilled Worker Visa runs a company, they must change to a Business Manager Visa. This is because, as mentioned above, the only activity that can be done with a Skilled Worker Visa is working for a company, and the activity of “management” is not included in that, so it becomes an unqualified activity.

When a person on a Skilled Worker visa becomes a manager through promotion etc.

By the way, if you have been residing as a company staff member with an Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services visa, but are promoted to become the manager or administrator of that company, is it necessary to change to a Business Manager visa? In this regard, it is considered necessary to change to a Business Manager visa immediately. The reason for this is that, similar to the reason why it is necessary to change to a Business Manager visa, it may become illegal unlicensed activities.

Related to the above, there are some points that many people tend to misunderstand and make mistakes on, so we recommend that you read on from here on out.

Quitting the company and running a company while still on a skilled worker visa

（1）raising a problem

So, let me point out some common mistakes that people make. What they all have in common is that timing is key. You may not always be able to do what you want to do at the time you want to do it. What does that mean?

（2）Explanation and conclusion

When you quit your job and start a business, you may have one or two years left on your visa. Some people try to run their business during that time without changing their visa. However, if you run your business without changing your visa,



It may be considered as an unlicensed activity and may lead to arrest for illegal employment.

In this case, even if you apply to change to a Business Manager Visa, it will be rejected, and there is a risk that your Skilled Worker Visa will be revoked at that point. If that happens, the cost of establishing a company and setting up an office will go to waste.

Therefore, you should avoid running a company without changing your visa.

Quitting the company and preparing to start a business while still on a skilled worker visa

（1）raising a problem

So, what about activities to prepare for starting a business rather than managing it? For example, activities such as setting up a company and securing an office space.

（2）Explanation and conclusion

It is certainly possible to quit your job and prepare to start a business while still on a Skilled Worker visa. However, during the period between quitting your job and changing your visa, you will not be carrying out activities that are permitted under the Skilled Worker visa (contracting with a company and carrying out work). In fact, if you do not have an active period of more than three months on a Skilled Worker visa, your residence status may be revoked. If this is the case, then the above



Depending on the length of the gap, there may be a risk to the validity of your Skilled Worker Visa.

Preparing to start a business after changing to a business manager visa

(1) Rejected again

If you feel it is inconvenient to quit your job and start up a business while on a Skilled Worker visa, you could consider changing to a Business Manager visa and then starting up your business. However, unfortunately, in this case, a Business Manager visa will not be approved.



In short, the timing for applying for a business manager visa is,This will happen once the business you are planning to start is in a state where it can actually be launched.

(2) Summary

Considering the above, we can conclude that you cannot start or prepare for business operations at any time without going through the necessary procedures. So the question arises as to what you should do and when. Below we will explain in detail.

Flow of changing from a Skilled Worker Visa to a Business Manager Visa

(1) Basic principles of conduct

As we have seen above, in the process from applying for a Skilled Worker Visa to applying for a Business Manager Visa, we learned that you should do what you need to do at the right time. That’s right. You can’t do it haphazardly. In other words, you need to plan carefully in advance and then handle each task one by one.

So, when and in what order should you process what tasks? Below is a rough outline of the process.

(2) Overall flow

Below is a chronological list of the main events:

[Period of stay for Skilled Worker Visa]

①Establish a company
↓
② Obtain licenses and permits (if necessary)
↓
③Application for change to Business Manager Visa
↓ If permission is granted

[Period of stay for business manager visa]

④ Management etc. begins!

Conclusion

This article should give you a rough idea of ​​how to change your visa status in order to go from working for a company to being an entrepreneur. Each task takes a certain amount of time, so as I mentioned before, advance scheduling is essential.

So, let me summarize the essence of this article again.