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Young Professional Programme
<Guidance Information regarding the Procedure>

1. Purpose of the Programme

The Government of Japan and the Swiss Federal Council established a programme concerning the exchange of young professionals who go to the other country for a limited period of time to take employment within the field of their previously acquired professional technology or knowledge, in the hope of familiarising themselves with business, professional and technical practices in the country and improving their linguistic knowledge. The young professionals will be granted a permit for a temporary stay to take employment within their respective field, notwithstanding the situation in the labour markets.

2. Young Professionals' Network

Through the programme, it is expected to form a network among present and former young professionals, which should function as a platform for an exchange of information and experiences. For instance, new members for the programme can have contact with the present and former young professionals through the network to learn from their working and living experiences in Japan. For young professionals working in Japan, the network can be useful to share their concerns or problems in search of improvement or solution. Companies which have strong interest in hiring young professionals may also wish to use the network for the purpose of public relations and informal contacts. The Embassy of Japan in Bern and Consulate General of Japan in Geneva serve as coordinator to facilitate the communication in the network.

* All the information acquired through the network should be strictly limited to the use among the members and for the purpose of the network.

3. Requirements to be a Young Professional

• ① Swiss nationality
• ② Under the age of 35
• ③ Working visa with the status of residence as "Engineer" or as "Specialist in Humanities/International Services"

4. Application Procedures (see the flow chart)

(1) Apply for Young Professional Programme (① in the flow chart)

An application form for Young Professional is available at and should be submitted to the Embassy of Japan in Bern or Consulate General of Japan in Geneva. The application can be made by the applicant himself/herself or by his/her proxy at any stage of the following procedures. More detailed information can be provided with at those entities.

* Contact information of the Embassy and Consulate of Japan in Switzerland is as below;

Embassy of Japan in Bern
Engestrasse 53, 3012 Bern
Tel: (41-31) 300-22-22
Fax: (41-31) 300-22-55
http://www.ch.emb-japan.go.jp

Consulate General of Japan at Geneva
80-82 rue de Lausanne 1202, Geneva
Tel: (41-22) 716-9900
Fax: (41-22) 716-9901
http://www.geneve.ch.emb-japan.go.jp

(2) Job Hunting (② in the flow chart)

The applicant should find a position of employment in Japan on his/her own.

(3) Obtain "Certificate of Eligibility" (③-⑥ in the flow chart)

A "Certificate of Eligibility" is issued before a visa application by a regional immigration bureau under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice in Japan as evidence that the applicant fulfills various conditions of the Immigration Control Act. An application is usually made by a proxy (e.g. Japanese employer) in Japan at the nearest regional immigration bureau. The proxy needs to send the "Certificate of Eligibility" to the applicant in Switzerland.

(4) Apply for Working Visa (⑦-⑧ in the flow chart)

The applicant for the Young Professional Programme needs a working visa with the status of residence as "Engineer" or as "Specialist in Humanities/International Services", for which he/she must submit in person the documents below listed to the Embassy or Consulate General of Japan. The applicant might be requested to submit additional documents.

• Passport
• Two 45mm x 45mm passport-type photos taken within the previous six months
• Two official visa application forms, available at the embassy or consulate general
• Two copies of certificate of eligibility (the original and a photocopy)

* If the application for young professional programme has been made before the issue of the working visa, a photocopy of the application form should be submitted with the documents above.

* A working visa and a certificate of young professional will be issued and sent by mail to the applicant approximately a week later.

5. Expiration and Extension of Young Professional Status

A young professional is treated as so for a period of one year or two years, depending on period of validity of his/her working visa. When the young professional status is given for a year, it may be extended up to two years upon his/her request only when he/she is granted a permit for extension of period of stay(*). For the extension of the young professional status, the young professional himself/herself or his/her proxy needs to submit, in either way in person, by mail or by e-mail, a photocopy of the following documents to Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Central and South Eastern Europe Division) in Japan;

• Passport
• Permit for extension of period of stay
• Certificate of young professional

* For the detail information regarding the procedures for extension of period of stay, please contact the Immigration bureau of Japan .