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Highly Skilled Professional

Status of residence · Japan

Residents, December 2025
32,953
Share of all foreign residents
0.8%
Change on a year earlier
+14.8%
Nationalities
135
Residents32,953Dec 2025
Year by year
Data as at Dec 2025
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Residents by year

Foreign residents holding the Highly Skilled Professional status of residence at the end of each December. Highly skilled professionals assessed under the points-based system (academic research, specialised or technical work, business management).

Foreign residents

16k33k201220132014201520162017201820192022202320242025
16k33k2012201420162018202220242025
Data table
20120
20130
20140
20151,508
20163,739
20177,668
201811,061
201914,924
202218,315
202323,958
202428,708
202532,953
December 2025
32,953
December 2015
1,508
Work-related status
Yes
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, Statistics on Foreign Residents (在留外国人統計), Table 1, end of December (e-Stat; Government of Japan Standard Terms of Use 2.0)Data as at Dec 2025

By nationality

Top 20 nationalities, end of December 2025. Hong Kong is shown separately but, as in the source table, is also counted within China.

Residents, December 2025
  1. China22,169
  2. India1,577
  3. Taiwan1,447
  4. South Korea1,234
  5. United States1,010
  6. Vietnam959
  7. Hong Kong600
  8. United Kingdom420
  9. France400
  10. Indonesia299
  11. Canada242
  12. Malaysia208
  13. Germany195
  14. Australia166
  15. Thailand166
  16. Bangladesh160
  17. Philippines151
  18. Myanmar151
  19. Russia136
  20. Singapore126
Nationality2022202320242025
China11,69615,75719,22822,169
India1,0441,2721,4331,577
Taiwan5901,0641,2641,447
South Korea8119191,0621,234
United States7608498951,010
Vietnam501643820959
Hong Kong0323428600
United Kingdom265332373420
France274310353400
Indonesia148188242299
Canada126162204242
Malaysia124156186208
Germany138156170195
Australia137162169166
Thailand124139154166
Bangladesh83102123160
Philippines100119146151
Myanmar5273102151
Russia102123134136
Singapore80103113126
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, Statistics on Foreign Residents (在留外国人統計), Table 1, end of December (e-Stat; Government of Japan Standard Terms of Use 2.0)Data as at Dec 2025

Official data, not advice. Visa Atlas publishes figures from government registers and statistics. It does not assess eligibility or give immigration advice; for advice, consult a regulated adviser. Read more