Health Insurance and Visa Applications

I have some updated information on the glowing topic of the new "rule" in Japan that will see the immigration bureau ask for health insurance enrollment documentation in order to approve visa applications and extensions.

It has been reported that as of April 2010 that the Immigration Bureau will begin asking for documentation on foreigner enrollment in the national health system as part of the process of receiving permission to live in Japan. This is caused an uproar in the foreign community, because;

1. There is no enforcement of enrollment in the health system of Japanese nationals, and therefore can be regarded as a discrimination against foreigners

2. Many foreigners don't want to be in the system anyway

3. Many companies would prefer their employees not to be in the system, as it reduces their labor spend

However, new information from a reliable source has arrived on my desk today in the form of answers to the following three questions from the Immigration Bureau themselves (answers in red below);

A. What is the purpose of the new immigration guideline?
B. Would the new immigration guideline be implemented in April 2010?
C. What would be the best way to express our organizations concerns regarding the new guideline

The answers received from the Immigration Bureau were as follows;

A. The purpose of the new guideline is to encourage all citizens to join a national health scheme.

B. The new immigration guideline would definitely NOT be a factor in processing visa applications from April of 2010. Until the guideline becomes a law the immigration office will not actively use the guideline as a criteria to accept or deny visa applications. The immigration office may recommend to applicants not enrolled in a national health plan that they enroll, but they will not use the lack of enrollment as a criteria for denying or approving visas.

C. Both the immigration office and Ministry of Justice have already received numerous concerns from large organizations, including Keidanren, regarding the implementation of the new health certificate guideline therefore it is very likely the DPJ and the Ministry of Justice will review the guideline prior to making any further recommendations as to how it should be implemented or whether it should become a law.

It therefore seems that this guideline will not be a big issue initially after all.

Don't rush out and get enrolled for the Japanese health package yet!!

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