Nurse visa routes in Japan
Thinking about Japan as a place to work? Below is the 1 Japan visa route that most commonly fits nurses, with what each one needs and a link to the official government source. Always confirm the current rules on the primary source before acting.
Also searched as: registered nurse, RN, staff nurse, adult nurse.
What this means for nurses
Of the 1 Japan route that commonly fits nurses, 1 needs a sponsoring employer and 0 do not, 0 have confirmed permanent residence mapping. Nurses work in a regulated field, so immigration approval is only half the journey: in most countries you must also clear a separate professional-registration or licensing step before you can practise in Japan. That recognition process often takes as long as the visa itself, so it is worth starting in parallel.
The most-used skilled route into Japan overall is the Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) Visa; it is not specific to nurses but is worth understanding as the benchmark route.
Occupation salary-floor answer
Nurse salary floor in Japan
Verified 8 July 2026
Mapped route
Specified Skilled Worker Type 1 (SSW-1 / 特定技能1号)Sponsor/job offer route · temporary route
Salary floor
No route-specific floor mapped
Specified Skilled Worker Type 1 (SSW-1 / 特定技能1号) eligibility
No route-specific salary threshold is mapped for this profession-route pair yet; use the route source for eligibility and the salary-threshold dataset for any destination-level pay test.
Compare this occupation across priority destinations · Source datasets: /api/public/salary-thresholds, /api/public/visas
Licensing vs visa timeline
Nurse: visa vs licensing timeline in Japan
Version 2026-07-02
This separates the immigration filing track from the profession, regulator or recognition track. It uses route source data and cost-to-complete evidence; it is indicative and not legal advice.
Visa track
- 1
Confirm route fit
Before relying on an offer
Specified Skilled Worker Type 1 (SSW-1 / 特定技能1号) is the representative route for this profession page. It requires a sponsor or job offer and is not mapped as a direct settlement route.
Source: ISA — Specified Skilled Worker support site - 8 July 2026
- 2
Check current route figures
Before budgeting
No salary, fee or processing figure is currently available for this route in the verified figure layer.
Source: Visa Atlas figure datasets
- 3
Follow the official application pathway
After route fit is clear
Take the industry-specific skills test (held in Japan and some partner countries) and the JLPT N4 or JFT-Basic.
Source: ISA — Specified Skilled Worker support site - 8 July 2026
Licensing / recognition track
- 1
Regulator or recognition check
Run in parallel with visa planning
This profession category is regulation-sensitive. The route page may approve immigration only; confirm the professional regulator or recognition body before relying on a start date.
Source: ISA — Specified Skilled Worker support site - 8 July 2026
Method: Compares the representative visa track with profession-sensitive recognition, registration or skills-assessment evidence found in the route cost model; it does not create country-specific regulator claims when no source-backed line exists. Source datasets: /api/public/visas, /api/public/cost-to-complete, /api/public/salary-thresholds, /api/public/processing-times.
Source basis
This profession page uses Japan's official immigration portal plus the primary government source for each matched route. The route cards link to full eligibility and source records.
Reviewed
Primary sources
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan
Immigration Services Agency (ISA) - verified
- ISA — Specified Skilled Worker support site
Immigration Services Agency (ISA) - verified
Routes that fit nurses
Frequently asked questions
Which visa routes suit nurses moving to Japan?+
Japan has 1 route that commonly fits nurses: Specified Skilled Worker Type 1 (SSW-1 / 特定技能1号). The best fit depends on whether you already have an employer sponsor, your salary, and your qualifications — open any route below for its full eligibility criteria and primary government source.
Do nurses need a job offer to move to Japan?+
For the routes that fit nurses here, yes — all 1 require a sponsoring employer or a confirmed job offer. Securing that offer is usually the first and slowest step, so it is worth starting there.
Can nurses settle permanently in Japan?+
None of the routes that most closely fit nurses here are flagged as leading directly to permanent residence — they are temporary or transitional. You may still be able to switch to a settlement route later; see all Japan routes for the options.
Do nurses need to requalify or register to work in Japan?+
Nurses work in a regulated field, so immigration approval is only half the journey: in most countries you must also clear a separate professional-registration or licensing step before you can practise in Japan. That recognition process often takes as long as the visa itself, so it is worth starting in parallel.
What salary do nurses need in Japan?+
Specified Skilled Worker Type 1 (SSW-1 / 特定技能1号) does not have one fixed numeric floor in the mapped salary-threshold record. No route-specific salary threshold is mapped for this profession-route pair yet; use the route source for eligibility and the salary-threshold dataset for any destination-level pay test. Source: ISA — Specified Skilled Worker support site, verified 8 July 2026.