Japan HSP Points Calculator

How it works

How the HSP points system actually works

Japan's Highly-Skilled Professional (高度専門職) status is the most attractive long-term work visa in the country: a 5-year period of stay, fast-track to permanent residence, spousal work permission, parents allowed in, household-help eligibility at high income tiers, and bundled work permissions across multiple residence categories. The catch is that you have to score 70 points on the official Ministry of Justice points table to qualify, and 80 points to unlock the 1-year PR fast-track.

1. Pick your activity type first

Before counting any points, you choose one of three categories: (i) Advanced academic research (university researchers, professors), (ii) Advanced specialized / technical activities (engineers, specialists employed by companies), or (iii) Advanced business / management activities (executives, managers). Each type has its own point scales, so the same person can score differently under different categories.

2. Education, career, income, age = the bulk of your points

A PhD adds 30 points, a master's 20, a bachelor's 10. Multiple advanced degrees in different fields add 5 more. For Type (iii), having an MBA or MOT on top of a master's adds another 5. Career years in a relevant role add 5-25 points depending on type and tenure. Annual income points use a type-specific table: Type (i) and (ii) cross income against age (younger high-earners get the most), while Type (iii) uses fixed brackets up to ¥30M+ for a maximum of 50 points. Type (i) and (ii) also earn 5-15 age points if you're under 40.

3. Achievements and position

For Type (i) academic researchers, research achievements are weighted heavily: a single qualifying achievement is worth 20 points, two or more cap at 25. For Type (ii) specialized/technical, any one achievement is worth a flat 15. For Type (iii), the equivalent category is position: representative director adds 10, director adds 5.

4. Bonus points stack quickly

There are 13 separate bonus categories that can each add 5 to 15 points. The fastest stackable wins are JLPT N1 (+15), graduated from a Japanese university (+10), graduated from an MOJ-listed top global university (+10), and working at an MOJ-recognized innovation-promotion institution (+10, plus +10 more if it's an SMB). Mid-career Japanese-speaking applicants often clear 70 on bonuses alone, even before academic / income points.

5. The minimum income gate

Type (ii) and Type (iii) applicants must earn at least ¥3,000,000 annually regardless of points. Below that, you're disqualified from HSP no matter how high your score. Type (i) academic researchers have no statutory minimum, though income still affects the score.

6. The J-Skip alternative path

Since 2023, a separate Japan System for Special Highly-Skilled Professionals (J-Skip) bypasses the points table entirely. If you have a master's (or 10+ years experience) and earn ¥20M+ for academic / technical, or 5+ years experience and earn ¥40M+ for management, you automatically get Special HSP status. The result panel above flags whether you also satisfy J-Skip.

Key edge cases

• "Annual income" means gross from your main host organization in Japan, including bonuses.
• Career years count only relevant experience in the same line of work.
• JLPT N2 bonus does not stack with N1 or with the Japanese-university degree bonus.
• The MOJ-listed training bonus does not stack with the Japanese-university degree bonus.
• Type (iii) gets no age points at all (offset by stronger income brackets).