Meridian · Freshness tracker

What's changed.

Dated updates to visa, tax, residency, citizenship, housing, and labour policy across every country tracked. Every entry cites its primary source and the date we last verified it.

Subscribe via RSS ↗ · 8 entries shown

Country All countriesAQAntarcticaAUAustraliaBRBrazilCACanadaCNChina (Mainland)EGEgyptFRFranceDEGermanyHKHong KongIEIrelandITItalyJPJapanMXMexicoMAMoroccoNLNetherlandsNZNew ZealandPTPortugalSGSingaporeZASouth AfricaKRSouth KoreaESSpainAEUnited Arab EmiratesGBUnited KingdomUSUnited States
Category All categoriesVisa & immigrationResidencyCitizenshipTaxationLabourHousingHealthcareOther
In force 1 Apr 2025
In force Visa & immigration

Online Certificate of Eligibility application expanded to all categories

The ISA expanded the online Certificate of Eligibility (COE) application system to cover all categories of work and study visas from April 2025. Previously paper-only for several niche routes. Reduces typical COE processing time by 1–3 weeks for digitally-eligible applications.

Who it affects: Japanese employers sponsoring non-Japanese hires.

Immigration Services Agency of Japan ↗ · Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 21 Jun 2024
In force Visa & immigration

Startup Japan strategy 2024 update — visa friction reductions

The Cabinet's "Startup Japan" strategic-policy update committed to a series of visa-friction reductions for foreign founders, including expanded participating municipalities for the J-Find/J-Start programmes and faster Business Manager visa renewal cycles for verifiable scaling startups. Several elements have been implemented through 2024–2025.

Who it affects: Foreign founders considering Japan as their startup base.

Cabinet Office of Japan ↗ · METI — Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 4 Jun 2024
In force Visa & immigration

Invest Japan strategy targets foreign-investor visa friction

The Council on Investments for the Future approved the Invest Japan 2024 plan, committing to reduced friction in the Business Manager visa pathway for verified inward-investment cases — including expanded JETRO support, English-language application guidance, and pilot fast-track lanes at major immigration offices.

Who it affects: High-net-worth foreign investors and Business Manager visa applicants.

Cabinet Office of Japan ↗ · METI — Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Jun 2024
In force Visa & immigration

Specified Skilled Worker Type 2 expanded from 2 to 11 sectors

Cabinet decision of 29 March 2024 expanded the Specified Skilled Worker Type 2 (which permits unlimited renewal, family sponsorship, and a path to permanent residence) from the original 2 sectors (construction and shipbuilding) to 11 — adding agriculture, fishery, food service, accommodation, automobile maintenance, aviation, manufacturing of materials, industrial machinery, and electric/electronic information industries.

Who it affects: SSW Type 1 holders in newly-included sectors gaining a path to long-term residence and family sponsorship.

Cabinet Office of Japan ↗ · Immigration Services Agency of Japan ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Apr 2024
In force Visa & immigration

J-Find / Future Creation Startup Visa extended to 2 years

The Future Creation startup-visa programme — operated by Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, and other participating municipalities — was extended from 1 to 2 years for selected innovative-founder applicants. Provides a longer runway to register a company and transition to the standard Business Manager visa without leaving Japan.

Who it affects: Foreign founders launching startups under the participating-municipality programmes.

METI — Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry ↗ · Immigration Services Agency of Japan ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 31 Mar 2024
In force Visa & immigration

Digital Nomad Visa launched as new "Designated Activities" status

Introduced under the "Designated Activities" status of residence on 31 March 2024. Six-month stay, no renewal, ¥10 million annual income, restricted to nationals of 49 jurisdictions. Outside the standard work-visa framework — does not lead to permanent residence. Designed primarily as a tourism-spending and soft-power instrument.

Who it affects: Remote workers from 49 eligible jurisdictions earning ¥10M+/year.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan ↗ · Immigration Services Agency of Japan ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 21 Apr 2023
In force Visa & immigration

J-Skip — Highly Skilled Professional fast-track for top earners and top researchers

The J-Skip programme grants HSP-2-equivalent status without going through the points-based scoring to applicants meeting either (a) annual income of ¥20M+ AND a master's degree (¥30M+ AND a PhD/master's for ¥30M tier), or (b) a record of leading research at a recognised institution. Substantial fast-track for senior international hires.

Who it affects: Senior researchers and high-income professionals previously below HSP-2 thresholds.

Immigration Services Agency of Japan ↗ · Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 21 Apr 2023
In force Visa & immigration

J-Find Visa for graduates of top-100 global universities

The J-Find programme created a 2-year "Future Creation" status of residence for graduates within five years of graduation from a top-100 global university (per QS, THE, or Shanghai rankings). Allows job-search and short-term work activities in Japan without prior sponsorship — a substantive opening for international graduates.

Who it affects: Recent graduates of top-100 universities (per major rankings) considering Japan as a job-search destination.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan ↗ · Immigration Services Agency of Japan ↗ · verified 2026-04-19