Redefining the “Highly Skilled”: The Points-Based System for Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals in Japan

Abstract

This article examines recent policy developments concerning highly skilled migration in Japan with a particular focus on the newly introduced points system. After numerous debates, the Japanese government introduced the points system in 2012 to attract more foreign professionals. The Japanese points system differs from those adopted in other countries in that it does not serve as an entry-screening mechanism. Rather, it aims to narrow down the definition of “highly skilled migrants” and promote their settlement by offering them more incentives and privileges. While this is one of the most significant reforms in the country's postwar immigration policies, the analysis suggests that the impact of the existing points system is likely to remain limited. This article identifies the limits of the points system and argues for more fundamental reforms in Japanese corporate practices, integration programs, institutional systems, and more fundamental actions against anti-migrant movements.