With the current issue on labor shortage in Japan as a consequence of the country’s aging population, low birth rate and a decline in inward migration, the Land of the Rising Sun is in need of more and more skilled workers and professionals in various sectors.
As their way of enticing foreign professionals to come to Japan, the Japanese government through the National Diet amended its immigration policy last April of 2019 so as to provide more benefits and preferential advantage to qualified foreign nationals under the highly skilled professional visa.
One of the perks granted to highly skilled foreign professionals is that they are allowed to bring their parents to Japan. Unlike other types of work visa in which parents of foreign applicants are not permitted to accompany them, foreign nationals who obtain the Highly Skilled Professional Visa may bring their parents with them. In the absence of their biological parents, adoptive parents are also allowed to stay with them in the country.
This privilege that extends to the parents or legal ascendants of highly skilled foreign professionals may be availed of provided that the following requirements are present: First, the total annual household income is at least eight million yen. The said income is computed based on your income and your spouse’s earning.
Second, it is important that the accompanying parent will live with the highly skilled professional. This privilege also extends to the foreign professional’s parents in law. The rationale behind this requirement is that the parents who are allowed to come to Japan will be taking care of the foreign professional’s children that are below seven years of age or the pregnant spouse of the highly skilled foreign professional.
By providing this privilege extended to parents of foreign professionals, the Japanese government hopes to attract more and more foreign workers who will dedicate their knowledge and expertise in order to address the workforce demands of the country without worrying about who will be taking care of their children and household.
Reference: Highly-Skilled Foreign Professional Visa for Japan: How and Why to Apply
