KUALA LUMPUR - Japan's Immigration Services Agency has tightened pre-arrival screening for foreigners entering the country through intra-company transfers from April 1.

Foreign workers transferred to Japan are now required to submit documents proving their employment status before arrival  as reported by Japan Today. 

The move forms part of broader government measures to prevent foreigners from engaging in work not covered by their visa status.

Under the revised requirements, applicants must provide proof of enrolment in social insurance in their home country.

They must also submit proof of company registration for foreign entities and documentation of tax payment status.

Previously, most intra-company transfers only required proof of employment.

Authorities said this limited the government’s ability to properly assess a worker’s employment situation overseas.

As of the end of last year, around 19,000 foreigners living in Japan had entered through intra-company transfers.

The tighter checks follow earlier visa rule changes introduced in October.

For business manager visas, companies are now required to have a minimum capital of 30 million yen which was raised from 5 million yen previously.

Firms must also employ at least one full-time Japanese citizen or permanent resident.

Proof of Japanese language proficiency has also become mandatory for applicants seeking visas as engineers, specialists in humanities and workers in international services requiring Japanese-language communication, including front desk staff at hotels.

"It is a necessary measure for the conduct of proper reviews to prevent foreigners from abusing the system,” an immigration agency official said.

The government has increasingly strengthened immigration controls as Japan seeks to balance labour shortages with stricter oversight of foreign worker admissions.