Guide to temporary entry for Canadian business persons into Japan under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)

This guide provides Canadian business persons with important information regarding the eligibility requirements and authorizations necessary for entering Japan temporarily for business purposes under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and Japan’s acts and regulations governing entry and stay.

Please familiarize yourself with all relevant travel requirements before seeking entry into Japan.

Before you travel to Japan:

This guide is for information only. It is not the official text of the CPTPP or Japanese law. Always verify information using the text of the Agreement and official government sources of Japan. You may also seek advice from a licensed or authorised individual like an immigration lawyer or immigration consultant.

To be eligible for temporary entry into Japan for any of the categories under the CPTPP, you must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

More information:

For any questions related to temporary entry commitments under the CPTPP, please contact: enquiry-demande.TE@international.gc.ca

Short-term business visitors

Do I qualify as a short-term business visitor?

For Japan’s CPTPP commitments, a Canadian short-term business visitor is a Canadian business person who is:

Entering Japan to negotiate the sale of goods or services;
Engaging in other similar activities, including preparing to establish a commercial presence in Japan.

A short-term business visitor cannot:

Receive remuneration from within Japan;
Make direct sales to the general public in Japan;
Supply goods or services to the general public in Japan.

For Japan’s CPTPP commitments, a Canadian short-term business visitor can stay in Japan for up to 90 days. Extensions are possible.

Do I need a visa as a short-term business visitor?

No. Canadian short-term business visitors to Japan are visa exempt so long as their period of stay in Japan is 90 days or less and they are not engaged in income-earning activities.

For more information, consult Japan’s official page on visa exemptions.

Do I need a work permit short-term business visitor?

No. A Canadian short-term business visitor will not require a work permit, as they will not and cannot be engaged in any income-earning activities while in Japan.

Intra-corporate transferees

Do I qualify as an intra-corporate transferee?

For Japan’s CPTPP commitments, a Canadian intra-corporate transferee is a Canadian business person employed by an enterprise that supplies goods or services or invests in Japan, who is being transferred to:

its branch or representative office in Japan;
an enterprise owned or controlled by the Canadian enterprise, constituted or organized in Japan; or
an enterprise controlled by, or whose decision-making on finance and business policy could be significantly affected by, the Canadian enterprise, constituted or organized in Japan.

An intra-corporate transferee must be performing one of the following activities during their temporary stay in Japan:

directing a branch office or a representative office as its head;
directing an enterprise as its board member or auditor;
directing one or more departments of an enterprise;
performing activities that require specialized technology or advanced level of knowledge, pertinent to the field of work, obtained through a college education or higher education.

These activities must be in one of the following fields:

natural sciences, including physical sciences and engineering;
human sciences, including jurisprudence, economics, business management and accounting;
activities that require ideas and sensitivity based on culture of a country other than Japan, recognised as an engineer or specialist in humanities/international services under Japan’s Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, listed under activities under engineer and specialist in humanities/international services.

An intra-corporate transferee must have been employed by the Canadian enterprise for at least one year immediately before the date of their application for temporary entry into Japan.

For Japan’s CPTPP commitments, Canadian intra-corporate transferees can stay in Japan for up to 5 years. Extensions are possible.

Do I need a visa as an intra-corporate transferee?

Yes. To temporarily enter and work in Japan, a qualified intra-corporate transferee should apply for a working visa. Find more information about the working visa, see the section Applying for a working visa section of this page.

Do I also need a separate work permit as an intra-corporate transferee?

No. The working visa, once issued, acts as a permit authorizing work in the specified position and for the specified duration of stay. You will be issued a residence card upon displaying your working visa at an immigration inspection when entering Japan. The residence card will correspond with your length of stay and function as your work permit.

Investors

Do I qualify as an investor?

For Japan’s CPTPP commitments, a Canadian investor is a Canadian business person who is entering Japan temporarily to either:

invest in and manage a business in Japan;
manage a business in Japan on behalf of a non-Japanese investor in the business; or
conduct business in Japan in which a person other than that of Japan has invested.

For Japan’s CPTPP commitments, Canadian investors can stay in Japan for up to 5 years. Extensions are possible.

Do I need a visa as an investor?

Yes. To temporarily enter and work in Japan, a qualifying investor should apply for a working visa under the category investor/business manager. Find more information about the working visa, under the Applying for a working visa section of this page.

Do I also need a separate work permit as an investor?

Qualified professionals

Do I qualify as a qualified professional?

For Japan’s CPTPP commitments, a Canadian qualified professional is a Canadian business person who is a legal, accounting or taxation service supplier qualified under the laws and regulations of Japan, as specified below.

A qualified professional must be engaging in one of the following activities, with the associated qualification:

legal services supplied by a lawyer qualified as “Bengoshi”;
legal advisory services on law of jurisdiction supplied by a lawyer qualified as “Gaikoku-Ho-Jimu-Bengoshi”;
legal services supplied by a patent attorney qualified as “Benrishi”;
legal services supplied by a maritime procedure agent qualified as “Kaijidairishi”;
accounting, auditing and bookkeeping services supplied by an accountant qualified as “Koninkaikeishi”;
taxation services supplied by a tax accountant qualified as “Zeirishi”;
legal services supplied by a judicial scrivener qualified as “Shiho-Shoshi”;
legal services supplied by an administrative scrivener qualified as “Gyosei-Shoshi”;
legal services supplied by a certified social insurance and labour consultant qualified as “Shakai-Hoken-Romushi”;
legal services supplied by a land and house surveyor qualified as “Tochi-Kaoku-Chosashi”.

For Japan’s CPTPP commitments, Canadian qualified professionals can stay in Japan for up to five years. Extensions are possible.

Do I need a work visa as a qualified professional?

Yes. To temporarily enter and work in Japan, a qualifying qualified professional should apply for a working visa. Find more information about the working visa, under Applying for a working visa section of this page.

Do I also need a separate work permit as a qualified professional?

Independent professionals

Do I qualify as an independent professional?

For Japan’s CPTPP commitments, a Canadian independent professional is a Canadian business person with a personal contract with an enterprise in Japan to either:

perform activities that require specialized technology or advanced level of knowledge, pertinent to the field of work, obtained through a college education or higher education. These activities must be in one of the following fields:
- natural sciences, including physical sciences and engineering;
- human sciences, including jurisprudence, economics, business management and accounting;
- activities related to architectural services, civil engineering services, urban planning and landscape architectural services, accounting, auditing and bookkeeping services, specialty design services, trade fair and exhibition organisation services, travel agencies and tour operator services and tourist guide services;
- activities that require ideas and sensitivity based on culture of a country other than Japan, recognised as an engineer or specialist in humanities/international services under Japan’s Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, listed under activities under engineer and specialist in humanities/international services.
perform activities for research, guidance of research, or education at a university in Japan, an equivalent educational institution in Japan, or a college of technology in Japan, recognised under the status of residence of “professor” provided for in the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act

For Japan’s CPTPP commitments, Canadian independent professionals can stay in Japan for up to five years. Extensions are possible.

Do I need a work visa as an independent professional?

Yes. To temporarily enter and work in Japan, a qualifying independent professional should apply for a working visa under the category that applies to the activities they are contracted to engage in. To determine the relevant category that applies to the activities you will perform while in Japan, consult Japan’s list of potential categories under a working visa.

Find more information about the working visa, under the Applying for a working visa section of this page.

Do I also need a separate work permit as an independent professional?

Contractual service suppliers

Do I qualify as a contractual service supplier?

For Japan’s CPTPP commitments, a Canadian contractual service supplier is an employee of a Canadian enterprise with no commercial presence in Japan that has a service contract with an enterprise in Japan, in compliance with relevant laws and regulations, to perform one following activities:

perform activities that require specialized technology or advanced level of knowledge, pertinent to the field of work, obtained through a college education or higher education. These activities must be in one of the following fields:
- natural sciences, including physical sciences and engineering;
- human sciences, including jurisprudence, economics, business management and accounting;
- activities related to architectural services, civil engineering services, urban planning and landscape architectural services, accounting, auditing and bookkeeping services, specialty design services, trade fair and exhibition organisation services, travel agencies and tour operator services and tourist guide services;
- activities that require ideas and sensitivity based on culture of a country other than Japan, recognised as an engineer or specialist in humanities/international services under Japan’s Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, listed under activities under engineer and specialist in humanities/international services.
perform activities for research, guidance of research, or education at a university in Japan, an equivalent educational institution in Japan, or a college of technology in Japan, recognised under the status of residence of “professor” provided for in the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act

For Japan’s CPTPP commitments, Canadian contractual service suppliers can stay in Japan for up to five years. Extensions are possible.

Do I need a work visa as a contractual service supplier?

Yes. To temporarily enter and work in Japan, a qualifying contractual service supplier should apply for a working visa under the category that applies to the activities they are contracted to engage in. To determine the relevant category, consult Japan’s list of potential categories under a working visa.

Find more information about the working visa, under Applying for a working visa section of this page.

Do I also need a separate work permit as a contractual service supplier?

Activities under engineer and specialist in humanities / international services

A Canadian qualified professional, independent professional or contractual service supplier fulfilling all other eligibility requirements can enter Japan to perform activities that require ideas and sensitivity based on the culture of a country other than Japan, recognised as an engineer, specialist in humanities, or in international services under Japan’s Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act.

Activities under engineer

An Engineer includes activities to engage in services that require technology and/or knowledge pertinent to physical science, engineering or other natural science fields, based on a contract with a public or private organization in Japan.

Activities under specialist in humanities

Activities to engage in services, which require knowledge pertinent to jurisprudence, economics, sociology or other human science fields.

Activities under international services

Activities to engage in services which require specific ways of thought or sensitivity based on experience with foreign culture, based on a contract with a public or private organization in Japan, with the exception of the following activities:

Professor
Artist
Journalist
Business Manager
Legal/Accounting Services
Medical Services
Researcher
Instructor
Intra-corporate transferee
Entertainer

Applying for a working visa

How do I apply for a working visa?

Initially, you should obtain a certificate of eligibility before beginning the working visa application process. Obtaining a certificate of eligibility will reduce the amount of paperwork you need to submit and decrease your application’s processing time. See the documents required based on the category you qualify for:

Intra-corporate transferee: apply under the intra-corporate transferee category, please consult Japan’s list of documents required as an intra-corporate transferee.
Investor: apply under the business manager category, please consult Japan’s list of documents required as business manager.
Qualified professional: apply under the legal/accounting services category, please consult Japan’s list of documents required as a legal/accounting services personnel.
Independent professional: select the category that applies to your contracted activities under the list of categories for a working visa.
Contractual service supplier: select the category that applies to your contracted activities under the list of categories for a working visa.

For more information regarding the certificate of eligibility, and to apply, consult Japan’s official page for application procedures.

Once you have obtained a certificate of eligibility, you will need to complete a hard copy of the visa application form. There are three ways to submit your application for a working visa:

you, as the visa applicant, can apply directly at the Japanese Embassy / Consulate General with the required documents;
you can write a Letter of Proxy and get a proxy to go to the Japanese Embassy / Consulate General in their place; or
you can use an accredited travel agent approved by the Japanese Embassy / Consulate General.

If you are a resident of British Columbia or Yukon, you, your proxy, or your accredited travel agent should apply at the Consulate General of Japan in Vancouver.

If you are a resident of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Northwest Territories or Nunavut, you, your proxy, or your accredited travel agent should apply at the Consulate General of Japan in Calgary.

If you are a resident of Ontario, you, your proxy, or your accredited travel agent should apply at the Consulate General of Japan in Toronto.

If you are a resident of Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Labrador or Newfoundland, you, your proxy, or your accredited travel agent will apply at the Consulate General of Japan in Montreal.

To learn more about the working visa, and verify the information provided in this guide, please consult the Japan’s official Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.

I qualify for temporary entry into Japan under the CPTPP; can my spouse or dependants accompany me?

Japan extends temporary entry coverage to spouses and dependants for select categories under the CPTPP. Spouses and dependants of short-term business visitors are not eligible for temporary entry into Japan under its CPTPP commitments. Spouses and dependants of qualified Canadian intra-corporate transferees, investors, qualified professional, independent professionals, or contractual service suppliers are granted temporary entry, so long as they:

are recognized as a spouse or child of the business person under Japan’s laws and regulations
receive support from the business person
engage in daily activities recognised under the status of residence of “dependent” under Japan’s Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act

Upon application, the spouse or children of qualified Canadian business persons may stay in Japan for up to the same length of time as the principal applicant they are accompanying.

While residing in Japan, a spouse who has been granted temporary entry under the CPTPP can apply to have their status of residence changed to allow them to work, subject to the approval of the Government of Japan in accordance with the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act.

What if I am a business person under a category that is not covered?

Entry into Japan for Canadian business persons not belonging to any of the categories covered under the CPTPP is subject to Japan’s acts and regulations governing entry and stay.

To explore other paths for entry into Japan, consult Japan’s official Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.

Disclaimer

The information contained herein is current as of May 2023 (national immigration legislations may change, sometimes at short notice). It is offered for informational purposes only and does not constitute general legal advice. The information: (i) must be regarded as a practical guide for general information and not a process guide for determining the specific immigration requirements of the countries covered, (ii) should not be a substitute for a more in-depth analysis of applicable facts and circumstances (including, without limitation, criminal or health-related circumstances) conducted by competent professionals, (iii) indicated processing times and fees herein are approximate, are subject to the specific case circumstances, and change. The information herein does not guarantee the outcome or approval of any particular immigration application.

Date modified:: 2024-10-07

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