Before you start

A signed job offer or employment contract with a Japan-based company willing to sponsor (the sponsor, not you, files the CoE)
A university degree or roughly 10 years of relevant experience matching the visa category
A passport valid well beyond your intended stay, plus the original CoE mailed or emailed to you by your employer
A confirmed Tokyo address (even a temporary one) so you can register at the ward office within 14 days of arrival

Step-by-step

1
Employer files for the Certificate of Eligibility (CoE)
Your sponsoring company submits the CoE application to the Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Bureau on your behalf, bundling its corporate registration and financials with your contract, CV and credentials. This is the long pole of the entire process and is entirely employer-driven; you mostly supply documents and wait. There is no government fee for the CoE itself.
Via employerWho: Employer / sponsor (with documents from you)1 to 3 monthsFree (employer may pay a scrivener ¥30,000-150,000)
2
Apply for the visa at a Japanese consulate with your CoE
Once the employer sends you the CoE, you apply for the work visa at the Japanese embassy or consulate covering your home region, submitting your passport, application form, a photo and the CoE. Standard turnaround is about 5 working days. The CoE is valid for 3 months, so you must enter Japan before it expires regardless of the date printed on the visa.
In personWho: You, at a Japanese embassy/consulate abroadAbout 5 working daysSingle-entry ~¥3,000 (rising to ~¥15,000 from 1 July 2026)
3
Land in Japan and receive your residence card at the airport
On arrival at Narita, Haneda, Kansai, Chubu, New Chitose, Hiroshima or Fukuoka, immigration grants landing permission and issues your zairyū (residence) card immediately at the counter. Land anywhere else and your passport is simply stamped, with the card mailed to you only after you register your address. Carry the card at all times — it is a legal requirement.
In personWho: You, at airport immigrationSame day, on arrivalFree
4
Register your address at the ward office within 14 days
Within 14 days of settling into your Tokyo address, go to your ward (ku) office to file the moving-in notification (tennyū todoke). Staff write your address on the back of your residence card, create your resident record (jūminhyō) and can enrol you in insurance and pension. Bring your residence card and passport.
In personWho: You, at your Tokyo ward (ku) officeWithin 14 days of moving inFree
5
Receive your My Number and (optionally) the My Number Card
Registering your address automatically assigns your 12-digit My Number; the notification is mailed to your registered address within ~2 to 3 weeks. You give this number to your employer for payroll and to banks. You can then apply for the physical My Number Card. From 14 June 2026 a combined Tokutei Zairyū Card merging the residence card and My Number Card is also available.
OnlineWho: You (number auto-issued; card application optional)Notice in ~2 to 3 weeks; card ~1 month after applyingFree (first issuance)

Documents you’ll need

Passport (valid beyond your stay) and the original Certificate of Eligibility
Signed employment contract or job offer plus proof of qualifications (degree/CV)
Residence card (zairyū card) issued at the airport, carried at all times
Confirmed Tokyo address details for the ward-office moving-in notification

Things most newcomers don’t know

The CoE is the real bottleneck, and it's your employer's job, not yours.

Newcomers assume the consulate visa is the slow part, but that takes about a week; the 1-3 month CoE wait sits entirely with the employer and Immigration and sets your whole timeline. Chase your company's HR or scrivener early.

Source: MOFA — working visa

Address registration is the keystone — no ward registration means no My Number, and no My Number stalls pay, banking and health insurance.

My Number is only generated once you register your address, so skipping the 14-day window quietly blocks getting paid and opening an account. Do it in your first days, even from a temporary address.

Source: Digital Agency / J-LIS My Number guide

If you clear the Highly Skilled Professional points threshold, take it.

70 points lets you apply for permanent residency after 3 years and 80 points after just 1 year, plus a 5-year stay, spouse work rights and easier family sponsorship. Standard PR needs ~10 years — a dramatic shortcut most employer-sponsored professionals never realise they qualify for.

Source: GaijinPot — Highly Skilled Professional visa

Before any trip abroad, tick the special re-entry permit box on the departure card and carry your residence card.

You can be away up to 1 year fee-free. Leave without it and you forfeit your residence status entirely — a surprising number of newcomers void their visa on a simple holiday.

Source: JETRO — re-entry permission

Common mistakes to avoid

Entering Japan after the CoE's 3-month validity has lapsed — the CoE expiry overrides any later date printed on your visa, and a stale CoE means starting over.
Missing the 14-day ward-registration deadline, which delays your My Number and cascades into late payroll, a blocked bank account and no health insurance.
Leaving Japan without ticking the special re-entry permit box, which forfeits your residence status and forces a fresh visa application.
Forgetting to notify Immigration within 14 days when you change or leave your sponsoring employer; the work status is tied to that specific employment.