From hiring to obtaining VISA: Real schedule and considerations for accepting new graduates from India (Technical-Skills VISA edition)
When hiring new graduates from India, the process design for obtaining a engineer/specialist Visa is critical to success. It is important to understand that in addition to company size and category classification, the level of congestion at immigration also affects the examination period.
Contents
Overview of accepting new graduates from India and tech country VISA
When employing Indian students in Japan, what applies most is 'Technology, Humanities, International Services (Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services)' visa. It broadly covers IT, data analysis, marketing, research positions, and the connection between educational background, field of study, and job content is confirmed.
Points to note with Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services VISA are as follows:
Must be university graduate or above
Field of study must relate to job content
Salary must be same as or more than Japanese nationals
In the case of new graduates from India, key is whether the company can explain the relation of degree name and job content well.
The required documents and review thoroughness vary by company size and category (1 to 4)
In the 技人国VISA, categories 1 to 4 are assigned based on the size of the company and the track record of employing foreigners.
Category Overview
Category 1: Listed companies, large companies
Category 2: Companies with a stable record of insurance participation and financial results
Category 3: Small to medium-sized enterprises with little history of employing foreigners
Category 4: New corporations, companies hiring foreigners for the first time
The important point here is that,
the category only affects "required documents" and "level of detail in explanation", and it is not a direct mechanism to shorten the COE screening period itself
.
When the category is high, fewer additional documents tend to be sufficient, resulting in a tendency to conclude quickly, but the control of the screening period strongly depends on "the congestion status on the authority side".
Differences in screening trends by company location and immigration branch
The examination of the technology, human resources, and nation VISA is operated under a nationwide common system; however, the response changes depending on which immigration bureau you apply to in practice.
Commonly observed tendencies are as follows.
Urban areas (Tokyo, Osaka) have a lot of employment records for foreigners, and procedures are well established.
On the other hand, the current Tokyo immigration bureau has a very high number of applications, and the examination is generally becoming prolonged.
Regional immigration bureaus tend to ask for additional explanations, but there is less congestion, and it can sometimes finish quickly.
Companies that are "employing foreigners for the first time" must provide careful explanations, wherever they are located.
Consequently, there is no fixed rule that "certain regions are always fast or slow," and the examination period is influenced by the congestion situation and the clarity of the application content.
Key practical points on acquiring a Skilled Worker VISA
In the case of Indian fresh graduates, the following issues often arise in the review of the Technical Intern Training Visa.
・How to explain the relationship between the major and the job
Even in information-related faculties, the variety of subject names means that unless the job details are clearly described, they may be deemed 'insufficiently related'.
・Appropriateness of salary standards
It must be confirmed if they are equivalent to or above those of Japanese workers in similar positions, so it is necessary to ensure consistency with local salary standards.
・Delay in issuing documents
In India, issuance speed for graduation certificates varies by state and university, and delays of 1 to 2 months are not uncommon.
・Progress in learning Japanese after receiving a job offer
Although not an official criterion, being able to explain the appropriateness of communication plans after joining can lead to smoother review.
Recruitment to VISA acquisition schedule (review period “varies with congestion”)
Since there are many factors in the schedule for accepting new Indian graduates that companies cannot control in a fixed manner, a flexible planning design is required.
Standard Schedule Example (August Selection → Following April Entry)
August~October: Selection & Offer
October~Following January: Japanese Study & Document Preparation
December~February: Employment Contract & University Document Issuance
February~April: COE Application
April~June: VISA Acquisition → Arrival in Japan
April~July: Entry & Onboarding
Important Notes on COE Screening Period
Companies with a high category require fewer additional documents, making it relatively easy to finish early
However, the screening period itself is strongly affected by the congestion at immigration and cannot be controlled by the company
Especially the current Tokyo immigration is experiencing longer screenings due to an increase in applications
Although there are many additional questions at regional branches, depending on congestion, they may actually be faster
In conclusion, it is necessary to pay attention to the point that "high category ≠ short screening period".
Follow-up after acceptance determines approval success
In new graduate recruitment in India, post-offer support directly influences 'VISA success rate'.
The main strategies that companies should implement are as follows:
Planning and progress management of Japanese language study
Pre-entry technical and cultural training
Document preparation assistance (to prevent mistakes and delays)
Communication follow-ups ranging from once a month to once a week
If this phase is weak, the risk of COE submission delays, document errors, and offer rejections increases, so it can be said that this is the real test rather than recruitment itself.
Summary
Acceptance of new Indian graduates is an extremely important process management task from "after recruitment to VISA acquisition" rather than at the point of hiring. The category (1-4) affects the requirements for documents and the thoroughness of explanations, but the period of COE examination itself is greatly influenced by the congestion situation at immigration, so it is essential to plan with leeway especially at the currently congested Tokyo immigration.
At Phinx, we offer a seamless support system for even the first-time Indian recruitment with local dispatch agencies who already have many achievements, social insurance labor specialists, and collaboration for organizing requirements by category, understanding examination trends by company location, Japanese language learning support, and preparation for COE submission.
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