Engineer / Humanities Visa vs SSW (i) in Detail
| Engineer / Humanities Visa | SSW (i) in Detail | |
|---|---|---|
| Education | Bachelor’s degree, or 10 years’ experience (3 for int’l services) | No education requirement |
| Experience / exam | None (degree route) | Skills exam pass |
| Japanese | No legal requirement | JLPT N4 or JFT-Basic |
| Family | Spouse & children (Dependent visa) | No family sponsorship |
| Work rights | Own field only | Own field only |
| Period of stay | 5y / 3y / 1y / 3m | 1y / 6m / 4m — 5 years total cap |
| Renewal | Yes, no limit | Renewable up to 5 years total |
| Changing employer | Yes, same field (14-day notification) | Yes, same field (14-day notification) |
| Road to PR | Standard route (10 years incl. 5 working) | Limited on (i); upgrade to (ii) for the standard route |
This table is a simplified overview verified against official sources on the linked visa pages — each page cites the specific Immigration Services Agency documents per requirement. Always confirm with those sources before acting.