What Does “Major and Job Consistency” Mean under the Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services Visa?
The “Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services” Status of Residence
The Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services status of residence is one of the most common work visas that allows foreign nationals to work in Japan by utilizing their professional expertise.
The most important screening point for this visa is whether
there is a reasonable and logical connection between the applicant’s academic major (or educational background) and their actual job duties in Japan.
Immigration authorities carefully examine whether the knowledge and skills acquired through university education are appropriately reflected in the work to be performed.
The Relevance Between Academic Major and Job Duties Is the Key to Approval
What immigration authorities assess is:
“Is this person genuinely engaged in professional work that makes proper use of their academic background and expertise?”
It is not simply about whether the applicant holds a degree. Rather, the key judgment criteria are:
🔹 Whether their specialized knowledge is clearly reflected in their actual job duties
🔹 Whether there is a rational and justifiable reason for them to be employed in that specific role
In other words, the decision is based on whether the applicant’s education and skills are meaningfully connected to the work they are performing in Japan.
Examples Likely to Be Considered as a Clear Match
🔹 Information Engineering → System Engineer
🔹 Business Administration → Sales Planning / Marketing
🔹 International Relations → Overseas Sales / Trade Administration
These are typical examples that are more likely to be approved, as
the connection between the applicant’s academic background and actual job duties is clear and logically established.
Because the relationship between what was studied and the work performed is easily understood, immigration authorities tend to view such cases favorably.
Examples Likely to Be Considered as Not Matching
❌ Faculty of Literature → Factory Production Line Work
❌ Department of Sports Science → Restaurant Floor Staff
❌ Art Major → Warehouse Sorting Work
These examples are likely to be judged as
“not utilizing specialized knowledge = simple labor,”
and therefore carry a high risk of denial.
Because the connection between the academic background and the actual job duties is unclear, immigration authorities may determine that the work does not qualify as professional activity under the status of residence.
Majors That Are Likely to Be Approved for Interpreting and Translation Work
🔹 Language Studies (e.g. English, Chinese, etc.)
🔹 International Relations
🔹 Comparative Cultural Studies
🔹 Foreign Literature
🔹 Translation Studies
🔹 Linguistics
When these majors are accompanied by proven abilities such as:
✅ Foreign language proficiency
✅ Cross-cultural understanding
✅ Strong document comprehension skills
they are considered to have an excellent level of compatibility with interpreting and translation work.
Simply Acting as a “Conversation Assistant” May Not Be Acceptable
For example:
• Assisting with factory work while occasionally providing interpretation
• Providing customer service at a restaurant with only simple interpreting tasks
• Performing interpretation only on a one-time or irregular basis
In such cases, these duties are often regarded as “incidental or supplementary tasks,”
and if interpretation is not the main responsibility, approval becomes less likely.
Immigration authorities strictly examine whether
interpreting and translation constitute the primary job function of the applicant.
Cases Where Approval Is Possible Even When the Major Is Indirectly Related to Interpreting Duties
For example:
🔹 Tourism Studies → Interpreter Guide for Inbound Foreign Visitors
🔹 Economics → Interpreter for Overseas Business Transactions
🔹 Law → Contract Translation / Legal Interpretation
In these cases, even if the academic major is not directly related to interpreting or translation,
approval is still highly possible as long as a logical and convincing explanation can be provided showing how the applicant’s knowledge and background support the professional duties.
Benefits of Hiring an Administrative Scrivener
Because interpreting and translation work is often subject to differing judgments,
professional assistance can be highly effective.
✅ Strategic structuring of job descriptions
✅ Clear linkage between academic background and job duties
✅ Expressions that avoid being misinterpreted as simple labor
✅ Documentation prepared in line with immigration approval standards
Through this approach, the risk of denial can be significantly reduced, helping to ensure a smoother and more reliable approval process.
For Those Aspiring to Work in Japan!
✅ For visa application support, entrust your case to Administrative Scriveneri Taro Fujita Office!
✅ We handle a wide range of immigration procedures, including work visas, family stay visas, and permanent residence applications!
✅ Free consultations available! We support you in achieving a smooth and successful visa process!
