HSP Points from Your Employer in Japan: Innovation and R&D Bonus Points
office-babaakiraWhy “my company is a startup” or “my company conducts research” may not be enough
Japan’s Highly Skilled Professional points system includes several items based on the applicant’s qualifications, salary, age and experience.
It also contains bonus categories connected to the organization where the applicant works.
These employer-related points can affect whether an applicant reaches 70 or 80 points. However, they are often more difficult to confirm than personal items such as age or academic degree.
Two categories that are commonly confused
Two separate bonus categories may be relevant to an HSP calculation.
1. An organization receiving an eligible innovation-support measure
Points may be available where the applicant works for an organization that receives a qualifying measure designated for promoting innovation.
The important point is that not every subsidy, grant, accelerator program or public project automatically qualifies.
It is necessary to identify the particular support measure and confirm that it falls within the measures recognized under the HSP framework.
2. An SME with an R&D expense ratio above the required level
A separate bonus category may be available for employment at a qualifying small or medium-sized enterprise whose ratio of research and development expenses exceeds 3 percent.
This requires more than showing that engineers perform research or that the company develops products.
The company must satisfy the applicable SME definition, and the relevant accounting figures must support the required ratio.
Being employed by an SME alone does not create points
Some applicants assume that working for a small company automatically adds five or ten points.
That is not the structure of these bonus categories.
SME status may be one required element, but another qualifying fact is also needed—for example, an eligible innovation-support measure or the required R&D expense ratio.
The SME definition can also vary according to the company’s principal industry, capital and number of regular employees.
What evidence may be required?
These points usually cannot be established from the applicant’s employment contract alone.
Depending on the category, relevant documents may include:
- a grant or subsidy decision notice identifying the support measure
- documents showing that the measure was received by the employing organization
- the company registry and materials confirming the principal business
- documents showing capital and the number of regular employees
- financial statements and accounting materials concerning R&D expenses
- documents identifying the relevant accounting period and revenue figures
- a written explanation or confirmation prepared by the employer
The precise evidence depends on the claimed category and the company’s circumstances.
Immigration may also request additional evidence where the relationship between the documents and the point category is unclear.
Why employer cooperation matters
An applicant may know their salary, age, degree and language qualifications. They may not have access to the employer’s financial records, subsidy decisions or employee information.
Before relying on employer-related points, it is useful to ask whether the company is able and willing to provide the necessary evidence.
A verbal statement such as “our company spends a lot on research” or “we received government support” may be a useful starting point, but it does not complete the point assessment.
- Identify the exact point item before requesting documents
- Explain to the employer why the document is required
- Confirm the relevant date and accounting period
- Check whether confidential information can be presented appropriately
- Do not include the points in the final total until the evidence is reviewed
Do the points exist at the correct time?
Timing can become especially important where the HSP calculation is used for an accelerated Permanent Residence route.
For the 80-point one-year route, an applicant generally needs to demonstrate at least 80 points at the time of the Permanent Residence application and at the relevant point one year earlier.
For the 70-point three-year route, points must generally be demonstrated at the application date and at the relevant point three years earlier.
If employer-related points are needed to reach the threshold, it is not enough to prove that the company qualifies today.
It may also be necessary to establish that the relevant support measure, SME status, accounting figures or employment relationship existed at the earlier date.
A practical order for checking employer-related points
- Calculate the points that can be proved from the applicant’s own records.
- Identify how many additional points are actually needed.
- Select the exact employer-related category that may apply.
- Confirm the legal requirements for that category.
- Ask the employer what supporting documents are available.
- Check the relevant dates, particularly for a Permanent Residence route.
- Complete the final calculation only after reviewing the evidence.
This approach may also show that the employer-related points are unnecessary because the applicant already reaches the threshold through other categories.
Alternatively, it may show that waiting for another point item—such as professional experience, salary or a qualification—is more reliable than depending on company records that cannot be obtained.
Final message
Employer-related HSP points are not based on the general reputation or size of a company.
They depend on a specific legal category, the company’s actual circumstances and documents capable of proving those circumstances at the relevant time.
Before adding these points, ask: “Can my employer identify and document the exact category I am claiming?”
Official references: HSP Points System Q&A / HSP Points Calculation Table / Examples of Supporting Evidence
Initial Inquiry & Contact
An initial inquiry can confirm whether the matter is within the scope of this office. A case-specific HSP calculation or review of employer evidence is a paid consultation or Decision Check.
