Skilled Labour
for Cooks / Pastry Chefs
| VISA OVERVIEW |
| Skilled Labour visa is for foreign nationals who withs to engage in work in Japan requiring skills such as cooking. Typically, ten years of practical experience is required. As for Thai cuisine, five years of practical experience plus a relevant qualification is necessary. We primarily supports the cook and pastry chefs category. For other skilled labour visa occupations, please ask. |
| Dependent Visa Eligibility: ○ Duration of Stay: 1, 3, or 5 years Processing Time: 3 months or more (SIGNIFICANT DELAYS POSSIBLE !!!) |
| WHO IS ELIGIBLE Foreign nationals intending to work as chefs in foreign cuisine restaurants within their field of experience. As for Thai cuisine, the relevant qualification is required. |
| - The menu of the restaurant where the applicant intends to work must require the experience and skills of the chef to be employed. For example, a Chinese restaurant not serving Sichuan cuisine cannot employ a Sichuan cuisine cook. Similarly, a Russian cuisine cook cannot be employed as an Indian cuisine chef, as the cuisines are entirely unrelated. - If a chef can only prepare a specific menu, they do not meet the skill requirements. They must be capable of preparing a menu comprising a sufficient number of dishes to form a course meal. |
Examples:
| Experience | Positions in Japan | Likely Eligibility | Notes |
| Nepalese cuisine | Nepalese cuisine | ✅ | Culinary culture and cooking methods exact match. |
| Nepalese cuisine | Indian cuisine | ✅ | Culinary culture and cooking methods are highly similar to those of India. |
| Uzbek cuisine | Uyghur cuisine | ✅ | Culinary culture and cooking methods are highly similar to those of Uyghur. |
| Yemeni cuisine | Arabic cuisine | ✅ | "Arabic" is broad, may include Yemeni cuisine. Yemeni cuisine cook may be eligible if the restaurant has enough menu items requiring experiences and skills that Yemeni cook possesses. |
| Iraqi cuisine | Iranian cuisine | ❌ | Culinary culture and cooking methods mismatch. (Arabic / Persian) |
| Sichuan cuisine | Xinjiang cuisine | ❌ | Culinary culture and cooking methods mismatch. (Sichuan / Xinjiang) |
| Mithai | Baklava | ❌ | Culinary culture and cooking methods mismatch. (Indian / Middle Eastern) |
| Pho | Vietnamese cuisine | ❌ | Lack of expertise. Vietnamese cook must have experience and skills in preparing a variety of Vietnamese dishes other than pho. |
| Italian cuisine | Indonesian cuisine | ❌ | Irrelevant |
| Sushi | Sushi | ❌ | Japanese cuisine is outside the scope of the Skilled Labour visa. Please consider SSW visa. |
| SERVICE OVERVIEW |
| 1. Collect information and supporting documents from you – including personal details, employment records, and any official documents issued by your previous employer, home country government, or other relevant authorities. 2. We draft and organise the documents marked "✍️ WE ASSIST!" listed in the document section of this page based on the information and materials you provide, ensuring they meet immigration requirements. 3. Submit the application online to the immigration office on behalf of you. 4. Communicate with the immigration office and respond to the requests for additional information as required. 5. Send the Certificate of Eligibility (COE) to you once issued. |
Since Japan lifted its border restrictions in 2022, the number of applications to the Immigration Services Agency has risen sharply, causing significant delays. In some cases, processing for new applications has taken over a year. Please note that we are unable to urge the Agency to speed up the process, and we shall not be liable for any losses resulting from these delays.
| REQUIREMENT |
| Applicant (Thai Cuisine) | Applicant (Other Cuisine) | Employer |
| ✅ A valid job offer | ✅ A valid job offer | ✅ A restaurant |
| ✅ 5 years of relevant professional experience | ✅ 10 years of relevant professional experience | ✅ Business Activity (dormant or shell companies are not eligible) |
| ✅ Beginner or above skill level | ||
| ✅ Same or higher salary than Japanese employees in the same position | ✅ Same or higher salary than Japanese employees in the same position | ✅ A clear business purpose and financial stability |
| DOCUMENTS TO SUBMIT |
| Applicant |
| CAT1 | CAT2 | CAT3 | CAT4 | Note | |
| Application Form for Certificate of Eligibility ✍️WE ASSIST! | ● | ● | ● | ● | Common |
| Face photo - last 3 months, passport size | ● | ● | ● | ● | Common |
| A copy of your passport | ● | ● | ● | ● | Common |
| Statement of Purpose of Visa Application ✍️WE ASSIST! | ● | ● | ● | ● | |
| CV / Resume | -- | -- | ● | ● | |
| Diploma / Transcripts | -- | -- | ● | ● | |
| Certificates of Employment | -- | -- | ● | ● | |
| Certificates of Professional Qualifications | if applicable | if applicable | if applicable | if applicable | |
| Other Supporting Documents / Materials | if applicable | if applicable | if applicable | if applicable |
| Company |
| CAT1 | CAT2 | CAT3 | CAT4 | Note | |
| Copy of documentation showing listing on a Japanese stock exchange | ● | -- | -- | -- | |
| Copy of statutory summary of withholding tax (previous year) | -- | ● | ● | -- | |
| Copy of most recent financial statements | -- | -- | ● | ● | |
| Certificate of Incorporation | -- | -- | ● | ● | |
| Business plan ✍️WE ASSIST! (Option) | -- | -- | ●* | ● | Optional but highly encouraged for CAT3 |
| Copy of notification of salary-paying office | -- | -- | -- | ● | |
| Income tax payment records (last 3 months) | -- | -- | -- | ● | |
| Letter of Reason for Invitation ✍️WE ASSIST! | ● | ● | ● | ● | Must explain the background of the offer, details of the position |
| Employment contract or offer letter | -- | -- | ● | ● | |
| Company brochure, website or profile (with business details) | -- | -- | ● | ● | |
| Office Lease Agreement | -- | -- | ● | ● | if applicable |
| Office Photos | -- | -- | ● | ● | Must show desks, computers, and any other facilities |
| Other Supporting Documents / Materials | if applicable | if applicable | if applicable | if applicable |
You are encouraged to submit any additional supporting documents, as they may be beneficial to the assessment.
Please do not share any materials containing information subject to a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) unless you have obtained prior consent from the other party. We cannot take responsibility for any consequences resulting from unauthorised disclosure.
| FEES |
Basic fees
| Visa Acquisition | JPY 120,000 - |
| Visa Extension No significant changes in circumstances since your visa acquisition or previous extension. | JPY 40,000 - |
| Visa Extension Significant changes in circumstances since your visa acquisition or previous extension. | JPY 90,000 - |
| Change of Visa Status | May vary depending on the visa type and other factors |
| Option | May vary depending on the service Business Plan: JPY 50,000 - |
| Retainer | 50% of the total fee |
| Tax | 10% of the total fee |
Additional fee for complexity/difficulty
| Newly established company / company in 2nd year of operation | JPY 50,000 |
| Sole proprietor's business | JPY 30,000 |
| Company was at a deficit in the previous fiscal year | JPY 30,000 |
| Applications that have been previously denied once | JPY 30,000 |
| Applicant failed to notify the immigration authorities of a job change | JPY 30,000-50,000 |
| Applicant has a history of misconduct or behavioral issues | JPY 30,000-50,000 |
We are unable to accept requests in the following cases:
- You are not eligible for the visa
- Your application cannot be completed lawfully (for example, if it requires falsifying documents)
- You failed to provide essential information, making it impossible for us to complete the documentation process
You can contact us by submitting an enquiry below: