Job Hunting for International Students and Foreign Residents

Student status exists for studying, so to work after graduation the person must apply for a change of status of residence (在留資格変更許可申請) to a work-eligible status that fits the job, such as Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services (技術・人文知識・国際業務), and receive permission. A job offer does not change the status automatically. Handing the residence card to the employer does not give anyone a work-eligible status. Permission to engage in activities outside one's status is for part-time work, generally up to 28 hours a week, not for full-time employment.

The Immigration Services Agency lists examples such as mechanical and other engineers, interpreters, designers, language teachers at private companies and marketing staff. Even with a degree, the application is not approved if the job does not fit the status, so it is not true that any job is always approved. Pay must be at least equal to what a Japanese employee would receive for the same work; the person agreeing to less does not change this. Jobs centered on tasks that need no special skill or knowledge, or that can be done after repetitive training, are judged not to fall under this status.

The guideline says the link between the major and the job is judged flexibly for graduates of universities, including junior colleges. Graduates of vocational schools (the specialized course of a 専修学校) generally need a considerable degree of relevance, although those who completed a course certified by the Minister of Education are judged flexibly. An exact match is not required, so the statement that both must match exactly is wrong. Vocational school graduates are in fact checked more strictly, so saying they are not asked at all gets it backwards. Nothing limits the check to Japanese language school graduates.

Applications pile up between January and March, and reviews may not finish in time, so the agency asks people who want to start work in April to apply between December 1 and the end of January. Applications are accepted with a certificate of expected graduation, so there is no need to wait until graduation. Applying after joining the company would mean working for pay before permission, which is a problem. There is no rule limiting the application to two weeks after the job offer.

The Q&A says attending an entrance ceremony or training without pay is acceptable. However, a person may actually report to work and receive pay only after the change of status is approved, so applying alone does not allow paid work. Entering the building is not banned outright; joining events such as the entrance ceremony is accepted. Once a student has graduated and is no longer enrolled, their Student activities have ended, so they can no longer do part-time work.

The blanket permission for international students generally allows up to 28 hours a week, or up to 8 hours a day during the school's long vacations. The limit is counted per week, not per month. With more than one job, the total must stay within 28 hours; each workplace does not get its own 28 hours. Activities at businesses operating adult entertainment are excluded from the permission.

Graduates of universities and similar schools may be allowed to change to Designated Activities (特定活動) for continued job hunting if, among other conditions, their residence record has no problems and their school recommends them. The period of stay is six months and one renewal is allowed, so they can job hunt for about a year. They are not required to leave immediately. Student activities end at graduation, so they cannot keep job hunting on Student status. A recommendation letter is required, and the period is not three years.

Specified Skilled Worker Type 1 allows a total stay of generally up to five years, and family members are basically not allowed to accompany the worker. It is Type 2 that has no limit on renewals, and Type 2 workers who meet the requirements can bring a spouse and children. Work is limited to designated fields facing labor shortages (特定産業分野), and for Type 1 the skill and Japanese levels are generally checked by tests (people who completed Technical Intern Training (ii) in good standing, among others, are exempt). A university degree is not a requirement.

The agency's Q&A on the system states that it takes effect on April 1, 2027 (Reiwa 9). It replaces and builds on the Technical Intern Training Program (技能実習制度), developing workers to the Specified Skilled Worker Type 1 level through three years of work in principle. As of October 2026 it has not started yet, so the claim that it already began is wrong. It is not a system for international students' employment after graduation. Because the start date has been set, saying nothing has been decided is also incorrect.

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare supports international students' job searches through the Employment Service Centers for Foreigners (Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka and Fukuoka) and the international student corners, offering job counseling and referrals, job fairs, company information sessions and guidance. Decisions on residence status are made by the Immigration Services Agency, not by the employment service centers. The Kanagawa student corner tells graduates to bring their passport (with the designation document), so graduates can use it too. Residence procedures can also be discussed at the Foreign Residents Support Center (FRESC) and the immigration information center, not only at embassies.