When transferring a foreign employee from an overseas corporation to a branch or subsidiary in Japan, there are two main visa options: the “Intra-Company Transferee” visa and the general working visa known as “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services” (Gijinkoku).
Many HR managers carelessly proceed with the application thinking, “It’s a transfer, so it must be an Intra-Company Transferee visa.” However, this carries significant strategic risks. These two visas are entirely different in terms of hurdles to acquire and the freedom of career path after landing in Japan.
This article explains the logical criteria for choosing which visa to apply for, keeping in mind the academic/experience barriers and future career plans.
1. The Greatest Advantage of “Intra-Company Transferee”: Breaking the Academic and “10-Year” Barrier
The greatest strategic value of the “Intra-Company Transferee” visa lies in the fact that “it can be obtained with only short-term experience, even without a university degree.”
To obtain a standard working visa (Gijinkoku), one must generally clear the hurdle of either “academic credentials such as a university degree” or “proving 10 years or more of related practical experience” by aggregating work history from multiple companies. However, the Intra-Company Transferee visa can be granted without a degree if you can simply prove “continuous employment in related duties at the overseas office for at least one year immediately prior to the transfer.” When bringing highly skilled, self-taught talent or young engineers who lack formal degrees or the 10-year experience to Japan, this visa serves as a powerful option.
2. The Superiority of “Gijinkoku” (Working Visa): Career Freedom in Japan
On the other hand, if the employee has a university degree (or can prove 10 years of practical experience), “Gijinkoku” should generally be chosen.
The Intra-Company Transferee visa is premised on “working for the current company (or group).” Therefore, changing jobs to “another Japanese company” during their stay is not permitted. If they resign, they instantly lose the foundation of their visa, making it difficult to remain in Japan. With a Gijinkoku visa, the freedom to change jobs is guaranteed as long as the job duties match, giving the foreign talent an overwhelming advantage in long-term career building.
3. Salary Requirements: The Strict “Equal to or Greater than a Japanese National” Rule
Both visas require that the applicant “receives remuneration equal to or greater than that which a Japanese national would receive for equivalent work.” However, for the Intra-Company Transferee visa, the salary can be paid by either the “overseas headquarters” or the “Japan branch.” It is necessary to logically prove through a secondment contract that the total compensation, including housing or cost-of-living allowances, clears the standard salary level of Japanese peers.
[Advice from an Expert]
The absolute strategy when transferring personnel to Japan is: “Choose ‘Gijinkoku’ if they meet the academic (or 10-year experience) requirements; choose ‘Intra-Company Transferee’ if they lack these but have worked overseas for over a year.” For the company, the Intra-Company Transferee visa might seem better at preventing talent drain since the employee cannot change jobs. However, considering the foreign talent’s motivation and their path to future Permanent Residency, bringing them over on a Gijinkoku visa ultimately builds a stronger partnership for them to become core members of the Japanese entity. Always start by meticulously screening the candidate’s “alignment of academic and professional history.”