Moving to Japan from India as an Engineer: Step-by-Step (2026)
To move from India to Japan for an engineering job, you usually need three things in order: a Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) applied for in Japan, a work visa from a Japanese embassy or consulate in India, and, after you land, a residence card and address registration. Your employer or its agent in Japan normally starts the process.
This guide explains each step, the typical timelines as described by official sources, and what to do in your first weeks: address registration, bank account, health insurance and pension. It is written for engineers who have an offer or are close to one. It is general information as of October 2026. Rules change, so always check the official pages linked below.
Key takeaways
The CoE is applied for in Japan, usually by your employer. ISA's standard processing period is one to three months, and there is no fee.
A CoE can now be issued by email. It is valid for three months from issue, so you must enter Japan within that time.
Japanese missions in India say visa processing usually takes at least about five working days after they receive your application, and times can vary.
Residence cards are issued at 10 major airports when you land. Register your address at the city office within 14 days.
As an employee, you join Japanese health insurance and Employees' Pension through your employer. The Japan–India social security agreement covers pensions, not health insurance.
What are the main steps to move from India to Japan for work?
The process has a clear order. Each step depends on the one before it.
Step | Who does it | Where | Official timing information |
|---|---|---|---|
1. Job offer and contract | You and the employer | — | Depends on hiring process |
2. CoE application | Employer or agent in Japan | Regional immigration bureau in Japan (or online) | Standard processing: 1–3 months (ISA) |
3. CoE sent to you | Employer | By email or post | Valid for 3 months from issue |
4. Visa application | You | Japanese embassy/consulate in India, often through a visa application centre | At least about 5 working days after receipt; can vary (Japanese missions in India) |
5. Travel and landing | You | Japanese airport | Residence card at 10 major airports |
6. Address registration | You | City, ward or town office | Within 14 days of moving in |
7. Health insurance, pension, bank | You and employer | Employer, city office, bank | First weeks |
Because each step depends on the previous one, the total time from offer to first day often runs to several months. Plan your notice period in India with this in mind.
How does the Certificate of Eligibility work?
The CoE is a document from the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA) that shows you meet the conditions for a status of residence, such as Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services. It is applied for in Japan, not in India.
Key facts from ISA
Who applies: the applicant, or staff of the organisation that will accept you (your employer), or certain registered agents such as an immigration lawyer (gyōseishoshi).
Standard processing period: one to three months. ISA notes that applications increase before the April hiring season.
Fee: none for the CoE itself.
Online: the CoE can be applied for online.
Electronic CoE: since 17 March 2023, a CoE can be received by email. Your employer forwards the email to you, and you can show it when you apply for the visa.
Validity: a CoE is valid for three months from the date of issue. You must apply to land in Japan within that time.
ISA's CoE information is on the ISA Certificate of Eligibility page (Japanese).
What your employer will usually ask you for
Document | Notes |
|---|---|
Passport copy | Check it is valid well beyond your planned arrival |
Photo | Size rules apply; your employer will tell you |
Degree certificates and transcripts | For Engineer/Specialist status, your degree or experience must relate to the job |
CV and employment history | Dates must match your other documents |
Experience letters | From past employers, if your experience is used for eligibility |
Signed contract or offer letter | Shows the job content and pay |
Answer requests quickly and check every date. Small differences between documents can slow the review.
How do you get the work visa in India?
After you receive the CoE, you apply for a visa at the Japanese embassy or consulate that covers the state where you live. Many applications now go through a visa application centre rather than directly to the mission.
The Embassy of Japan in India explains that the CoE must be obtained in Japan first, and you submit it with your visa application.
Japanese missions in India say processing generally takes a minimum of about five working days after they receive the application, and that times can vary when applications are high.
The consulates say processing cannot be expedited to match personal travel plans. Do not book non-refundable flights before you have the visa.
Check the latest rules on the Embassy of Japan in India long-term visa page, and the website of the consulate for your area.
What happens when you land in Japan?
At the airport, the immigration officer stamps your passport with a landing permission. If you land at one of the major airports below, you receive your residence card (在留カード, zairyū kādo) on the spot.
Airports that issue residence cards at landing (ISA) |
|---|
New Chitose, Sendai, Narita, Haneda, Chubu, Kansai, Kobe, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Naha |
At other airports and seaports, your passport is stamped and the card is mailed to you after you register your address. See the ISA port and city procedures page (Japanese).
Carry your residence card at all times. It is your main ID in Japan.
What do you need to do in your first two weeks?
Register your address first. Many other steps, such as health insurance, pension, bank accounts and phone contracts, become easier after address registration.
Address registration (within 14 days)
Go to the city, ward or town office where you live within 14 days of moving in. Bring your residence card (and your passport if your card will be issued later). The address registration with immigration is done at the same time as your resident registration.
After registration:
You will receive a resident record (jūminhyō), which you may need for other procedures.
You are assigned a My Number (individual number). The city office mails the notification to your address. You can apply for a My Number Card, which can also be used as a health insurance card.
Ask at the city office
While you are at the office, ask about:
National Health Insurance and National Pension (if you are not yet covered by your employer)
Resident tax rules
Garbage sorting rules for your area (these are strict and local)
How do health insurance and pension work for new arrivals?
If you are employed by a company in Japan, you usually join employer health insurance and Employees' Pension through your employer. Your nationality does not matter. Premiums are deducted from your salary.
Your situation | Health insurance | Pension |
|---|---|---|
Employee at a company that must enrol you | Employer health insurance | Employees' Pension |
Living in Japan but not yet employed (for example, family members or a gap before starting) | National Health Insurance at the city office | National Pension at the city office (ages 20–59) |
Sent by an Indian employer to work in Japan for a short period | Check with your employer | May be exempt from Japanese pension for up to 5 years under the Japan–India agreement, with a certificate |
The Japan Pension Service says all residents aged 20 to 59, regardless of nationality, must be covered by National Pension or Employees' Pension. The National Pension premium for April 2026 to March 2027 is ¥17,920 a month. See Enrolment in National Pension on the Japan Pension Service website.
The Japan–India social security agreement
Japan and India have a social security agreement that came into force in October 2016. It covers pension systems only.
Detached workers: a person sent by an employer in one country to work temporarily in the other, expected for up to five years, generally stays only in the home country's pension system.
Totalisation: pension coverage periods in both countries can be added together to meet the minimum period for a pension, in certain cases.
If you are hired directly by a Japanese company or agency, you normally join the Japanese system. For more detail, see Working in Japan as an Indian engineer and Pension lump-sum withdrawal in Japan.
How do you open a bank account and get a phone?
You will need a Japanese bank account to receive your salary. Banks set their own rules, so expect some differences.
Bank account
Usually needed: residence card, a registered address, and often a Japanese phone number.
Some banks have extra conditions for people who arrived recently. Ask your employer which bank other foreign employees use.
Bring your company details (name, address, phone) because the bank may ask where you work.
Phone
A phone number makes many tasks easier, including bank registration and deliveries.
Major carriers and lower-cost providers usually need your residence card and a payment method.
Practical order
Many people follow this order: residence card → address registration → phone → bank account → salary registration with the employer.
What else should you prepare before you leave India?
A little preparation saves a lot of time in Japan.
Documents: carry originals of your degree certificates, transcripts and experience letters. You may need them for future visa renewals or job changes.
Driving: a foreign licence may not be enough to drive in Japan. Check the rules before you plan to drive.
Medicines: some medicines that are common in India may be restricted in Japan. Check MHLW's information before you pack.
Money: bring enough to cover your first month, including rent deposits and daily costs, before your first salary.
Housing: ask your employer whether it provides housing support or temporary accommodation. Rental contracts in Japan often need a guarantor company and initial payments.
Family: if your spouse or children will join you, they usually need their own CoE for Dependent status. See Dependent visa and spouse work.
How AGG can help
AGG (Awaji Global Gateway, a division of Fukuyoshi Inc.) employs engineers for dispatch roles and supports the visa paperwork. We explain the timeline honestly, including the CoE period and visa processing, and we enrol employees in social insurance. Some jobs need someone who can start soon, and the overseas process takes several months, so we tell you openly when a role's start date does not fit your timeline. AGG charges no agency fees.
Frequently asked questions
Q. How long does it take to get a Japanese work visa from India?
There are two parts. First, the Certificate of Eligibility is processed in Japan; ISA's standard processing period is one to three months. Then you apply for the visa at a Japanese mission in India, which says processing usually takes at least about five working days after receipt and can vary. Add time for document collection and your notice period. In total, several months from offer to arrival is common.
Q. Who applies for the Certificate of Eligibility for a job in Japan?
Usually your employer in Japan, or an agent such as an immigration lawyer, applies at the regional immigration bureau or online. You provide documents such as your passport copy, photo, degree certificates and CV. You cannot apply for a CoE at the Japanese embassy in India. Once issued, the CoE can be sent to you by email, and you use it to apply for your visa.
Q. How long is a Certificate of Eligibility valid?
A CoE is valid for three months from the date of issue. You must apply to land in Japan within that period. If it expires before you travel, your employer may need to apply again. Plan your visa application and flight soon after you receive it. The CoE validity is separate from your visa's validity, so check both dates carefully when you receive them.
Q. Where do I get my residence card in Japan?
If you land at New Chitose, Sendai, Narita, Haneda, Chubu, Kansai, Kobe, Hiroshima, Fukuoka or Naha airport, ISA issues your residence card at the airport. At other ports, your passport is stamped and the card is mailed to you after you register your address at the city office. Carry the card at all times as your main ID, and keep it valid by renewing your status on time.
Q. What should I do in my first week in Japan?
Register your address at your city, ward or town office within 14 days of moving in, bringing your residence card. This also creates your resident record and leads to your My Number notification by mail. Then get a phone number, open a bank account and give the details to your employer for salary payments. Ask the city office about local rules such as garbage sorting.
Q. Does the Japan–India social security agreement cover health insurance?
No. The agreement covers pension systems only. It helps people avoid paying into two pension systems at once when they are temporarily sent to work in the other country for up to five years, and it allows coverage periods to be added together for pension eligibility in certain cases. If you are hired directly in Japan, you normally join Japanese health insurance and Employees' Pension through your employer.
Q. Do I have to pay into Japanese pension as an Indian engineer?
In most cases, yes. The Japan Pension Service says all residents aged 20 to 59 must be covered by National Pension or Employees' Pension, regardless of nationality. If you are an employee, you join Employees' Pension through your employer. If you are sent temporarily by an Indian employer, you may be exempt under the agreement with a certificate. If you leave Japan, you may be able to claim a lump-sum withdrawal payment.
Summary
The order is: offer → CoE in Japan (1–3 months standard) → visa in India → landing → address registration.
A CoE can be issued by email and is valid for three months from issue.
Residence cards are issued at 10 major airports; elsewhere they are mailed after address registration.
Register your address within 14 days, then set up phone, bank and salary payments.
Employees join Japanese health insurance and Employees' Pension; the Japan–India agreement covers pensions only.
Planning your move? See our open engineering jobs and apply here. We explain timelines honestly and support visa paperwork. AGG charges no agency fees.
Reviewed by
Naoya Mitani — Head of Business Operations, Awaji Global Gateway (Fukuyoshi Inc.). Supports foreign engineers moving into jobs in Japan, including visa changes and onboarding.
