COE Application Kit — Highly Skilled Professional (i)(b), Category (b)

A 27-page, page-by-page walkthrough of one fully worked Highly Skilled Professional (i)(b) COE application — so you understand what your employer is preparing and filing on your behalf, before it happens.

What This Guide Is

For a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) application under Highly Skilled Professional (i)(b), category (b) — the pattern covering Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services duties — preparation is split between you and your employer. You'll typically prepare about half of the required documents yourself (including your own part of the application form, your résumé, and copies of your certificates), while your employer prepares the rest and submits the complete package to the Immigration Bureau in Japan — often while you're still abroad.

This guide walks through both sides of that split: built around a single, fully worked sample case, it shows each required form filled in, with plain-language notes on what each field means and why it's asked for.

Prepared by TKG Immigration Consulting Office, a licensed Japanese immigration law office (gyoseishoshi).

Who It's For

• Foreign professionals living abroad who have a job offer in Japan under this category, and want to understand — before their employer files — what the COE application involves and how the forms are filled in
• Anyone who wants to understand exactly what they'll personally need to prepare (their part of the application form, résumé, and supporting certificates), as well as what their employer's side looks like
• HR / General Affairs staff handling their company's first Highly Skilled Professional sponsorship, who want a concrete reference alongside official guidance

What's Inside

• 27 pages, built around one worked example (a fictional applicant, "Jane Doe")
• A 13-item checklist covering every document used in this case — who prepares each one (applicant or employer), and whether an original or a copy is required
• Sample-filled pages for the application form (applicant and employer sections), each annotated with notes on specific fields
• Sample-filled pages for the supporting documents — certificate of job description, employment contract, point calculation sheet, certificate of expected annual income, and more — each annotated the same way
• A short guide to preparing Japanese translations for documents not already in Japanese
• A summary of what happens after filing: where the application goes, typical processing time, and the steps from certificate issuance through visa application and entry into Japan

Why This Guide

Most free guides explain what a COE is in general terms. This one shows the actual paperwork, filled in, the way an immigration office prepares it for a client — so you know exactly what's expected in the parts you prepare yourself, and what to expect from your employer's side, including the final submission to the Immigration Bureau.

What This Guide Is Not

• It's a guide for understanding the application, not a substitute for the final filing. You will personally prepare several of the documents, but your employer (or their representative) assembles the complete package and submits it to the Immigration Bureau — typically while you're still abroad.
• Reading it does not, by itself, produce a complete or error-free application. Its purpose is to deepen your understanding of the documents involved, not to serve as an all-in-one filing manual.
• It covers category (b) only. Patterns (a) [Intra-company Transferee] and (c) [Legal / Accounting / Medical Services] require different documents.
• It's a general-reference tool, not legal advice for your specific case, and it does not guarantee that an application will be approved.
• The documents shown are for one worked example. Your own required documents may differ depending on your employer's category, the points you claim, and your personal circumstances.
• Requirements change over time — always confirm against current Immigration Services Agency guidance before filing.

Edition: September 2026 · Information as of August 2026

Format

• PDF, 27 pages, English
• Instant download after purchase

About TKG Immigration Consulting Office

TKG Immigration Consulting Office is a Japan-based gyoseishoshi (certified administrative procedures legal specialist) office focused on visa and immigration matters.

For our business details, refund policy, and other disclosures required under Japan's Act on Specified Commercial Transactions, see our Notice Under the Act on Specified Commercial Transactions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to file this application myself?

Not the final submission. You'll typically prepare several of the documents yourself — your part of the application form, your résumé, and copies of your certificates — but your employer (or a representative acting on their behalf) assembles the complete package and submits it to the Immigration Bureau in Japan, often while you're still abroad. This guide covers both what you prepare and what your employer prepares.

Does this replace hiring an immigration specialist?

No. It's designed to deepen your understanding of the application, not to serve as a complete self-filing manual. If your case is complex, or you'd like professional review, TKG Immigration Consulting Office also offers paid consultations.

What if my case doesn't match the sample case in the guide?

The sample illustrates one common scenario. The guide's "Important Notice" section explains what to check and where your own documents may differ.

Which visa category does this cover?

Highly Skilled Professional (i)(b), category (b) only — activities corresponding to Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services. It does not cover category (a) or (c), or other visa types.