Part of 特定活動 (Designated Activities). See the Designated Activities hub for the full list of 20+ sub-types.
The 家事使用人 (Domestic Helper) status under 特定活動 is a narrow, employer-linked residence status designed around three specific classes of sponsors: diplomats and consular officers posted to Japan; Highly Skilled Professional (HSP, 高度専門職) visa holders whose income and household circumstances justify live-in support; and Special Highly Skilled Professionals recognised under J-Skip (特別高度人材), with no household-income minimum. Outside these three categories, there is no legal channel to bring a foreign domestic helper into Japan.
Diplomat's household helper (外交官等の家事使用人)
The original form of the status. Helpers attached to foreign diplomats and consular officers enter under 特定活動 tied to the diplomat's 外交 or 公用 status. Typically the helper was already employed by the diplomat before the posting, or comes through established consular household arrangements. The period of stay mirrors the diplomat's own.
HSP holder's household helper (高度専門職外国人の家事使用人)
The HSP variant is the most common non-diplomatic case. Eligibility is strict: the sponsoring HSP holder must earn at least ¥10 million per year, and the household must meet one of these conditions — a spouse who due to work or illness cannot handle household duties, a child aged 13 or under, or a family member needing ongoing care. The policy rationale is that high-value foreign talent in demanding roles should not be lost to Japan because of household constraints. Monthly salary guideline ≥ ¥200,000, room and board typically provided separately.
Special Highly Skilled (J-Skip) helper (特別高度人材外国人の家事使用人)
J-Skip (introduced 2023) employers face no household-income minimum and no family condition such as a child under 13: they may employ one helper if household income is under ¥30 million, or up to two at ¥30 million or more. The helper must be 18 or older, earn at least ¥200,000 a month and be able to hold everyday conversations in the employer's language.
For helpers themselves the practical picture is consistent across variants: age 18+, prior domestic-service experience, a formal employment contract meeting Japanese labor standards, and duties strictly confined to the employer's household. Family cannot accompany. The period of stay matches the employer's residence period, and if the employer departs Japan or loses their qualifying status, the helper's status ends with it. Conversion to other residence statuses is rare given the employment-linked nature of this status.
Who Is This For
- ✓Foreign household workers hired by diplomats or consular officers posted to Japan
- ✓Domestic helpers for Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) visa holders meeting the income threshold
- ✓Domestic helpers for Special Highly Skilled Professional (J-Skip) holders
- ✓Filipino, Indonesian, and other Southeast Asian household workers with prior overseas domestic experience
- ✓Families with children, elderly care needs, or intensive household management requirements
Requirements
- •(a) Diplomat variant - Employer must hold 外交 or 公用 status; helper must have been employed by the employer before posting to Japan (or approved equivalents)
- •(b) HSP variant - Employer must hold 高度専門職 status and have annual income ≥ ¥10 million; with spouse who cannot handle household duties, or with a child aged 13 or under, or with a family member requiring care
- •(c) Special Highly Skilled variant (J-Skip) - Employer is recognised as a Special Highly Skilled Professional; no household-income minimum — one helper if household income is under ¥30 million, up to two at ¥30 million or more
- •Helper must be 18 or older
- •Helper must have prior domestic-service experience (typically 1 year or more)
- •Monthly salary of at least ¥200,000 (guideline; actual level depends on employer contract)
- •Duties limited strictly to domestic work at employer's household
- •No concurrent employment elsewhere
Full breakdown of Immigration fees, scrivener rates, and all other costs for this visa type.
Required Documents
- Valid passport
- Application for Certificate of Eligibility (CoE)
- Copy of employer's residence card and proof of their residence status (外交 / 高度専門職 / J-Skip)
- Proof of employer's income (tax withholding certificate, salary statement)
- Employment contract between employer and helper (with Japanese translation)
- Helper's prior work experience documents (past employment certificates)
- Household conditions documentation (child's birth certificate, spouse's work certificate, or family care letter)
- Photograph (4cm x 3cm, taken within 3 months)
- Statement of the employer's justification for needing a foreign helper
Application Process
- 1Confirm the employer holds the required status (外交 / 高度専門職 / J-Skip) and meets income/household conditions
- 2Draft an employment contract covering salary (≥ ¥200,000/month), working hours, duties, and accommodation
- 3Employer submits the Certificate of Eligibility application at the Regional Immigration Bureau
- 4Upon CoE issuance, helper applies for the visa at the Japanese Embassy / Consulate abroad
- 5Helper enters Japan and receives a residence card (period tied to employer's residence period)
- 6Work exclusively at the employer's household in domestic duties
- 7If employer's status changes (expires, converts), the helper's status typically must be updated or terminated
- 8Extension applications must be filed before the helper's period of stay expires
Apply for the Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
Once you've chosen your visa, your Japan-side sponsor (employer / school / family) files the COE with Immigration — then you exchange it for a visa at the embassy.