How do foreigners work in Japan?

■ Types of visas (status of residence) for foreigners working in Japan

There are many types of visas (status of residence) that allow foreigners to work in Japan. However, it is important to note that each type of visa (status of residence) may have restrictions on the type of work and hours.

Status visa with few restrictions on job type, etc.

Foreign nationals with permanent resident, long term resident, spouse of Japanese national, or spouse of permanent resident visas (status of residence) have no restrictions on the type of work they can do or the hours they can work in Japan. Basically, they can work any kind of work and can work any number of hours as long as it does not violate labor laws.

Companies that hire foreign nationals can hire them with relative peace of mind, as there is little risk of violating the restrictions and ending up working illegally.

However, with visas (status of residence) for permanent residents other than permanent residents, spouses of Japanese nationals, and spouses of permanent residents, there is a period of stay in Japan called the "period of stay," and care must be taken not to let this period pass. If you miss the period of stay by even one day, you will be considered to have overstayed your visa. Especially for companies that employ many foreign nationals, it is important to keep track of this period of stay.

Work visa with strict restrictions on job types, etc.

There are many types of work-related visas (status of residence), and each foreigner is granted a specific visa (status of residence) depending on the nature of the work (business) that he/she performs. For example, "technical" visas are granted to cooks, "international services" visas to interpreters, "technical" visas to engineers, "medical" visas to doctors, "nursing" visas to caregivers, "professorship" visas to university professors, and "entertainment" visas to professional athletes.

It is important to note that these visas (status of residence) restrict the work (duties) of the visa holder and allow him/her to do only specific jobs. Therefore, for example, a cook with a "technical skill" status working as an interpreter or an interpreter with an "international service" status working as a caregiver would be considered illegal employment for doing work other than that permitted under the status of residence (activity other than that permitted under the status of residence). *Except in cases where the interpreter has obtained "permission to engage in activity other than that permitted under the status of residence.

In addition, work-related visas are only granted for jobs that require a high level of knowledge or skill. There is no applicable visa (status of residence) for work that can be done by so-called student part-time workers (called "simple labor"). Work on factory production lines in the manufacturing industry, construction site work in the construction industry, customer service and cooking work in the restaurant industry, and driving and packing work in the transportation industry are not allowed, as they are considered simple labor.

Other special visas

In cases other than those listed above, it is not the case that foreigners cannot work in Japan at all. There are some restrictions other than those mentioned above, but there are cases where a special visa (status of residence) will allow you to work in Japan.

Technical intern

The most common type is the technical intern trainee. They are mainly engaged in manufacturing, construction, agriculture, and fisheries, and are allowed to engage in some simple labor that is not permitted under normal work visas and visa statuses.

However, the technical internship system was created to contribute to Japan's human resource development in developing countries, and its purpose is to provide "practical training. The purpose is not to secure inexpensive labor personnel, but to provide practical training based on a practical training plan, and there is a time limit of no more than three years (up to five years for those in the third category).

In addition, with the exception of other visa/resident statuses, the procedures and administration are extremely complicated, so with the exception of a few large companies, technical intern trainees are hired through a management organization (often a business cooperative). It can be said that the degree of freedom is quite low for both the hiring company and the apprentice being hired.

Part-time work for international students and foreign family members

The next most common type of part-time job is probably that of a foreign student. Foreign students are literally foreigners who are attending universities, vocational schools (many of which are Japanese language schools), or special training colleges in Japan. The main activity of a foreign student is, of course, to attend school and study. However, if they obtain permission to engage in activities other than those permitted under the status of residence, they are allowed to work part-time for a certain number of hours (usually 28 hours per week).

In addition, family members (husband, wife, and children) of foreign nationals with work-related visas (status of residence) are not allowed to work in principle, as their activity is to support their spouse or parents and live as a family. However, if they obtain permission to engage in activities other than those permitted under the status of residence, they can work part-time for a certain number of hours, just like foreign students.

Part-time work is limited in time, and as long as it does not interfere with your main activities (study and family life), you can work without any restrictions on the content of your work. Therefore, students can work at convenience stores, taverns, construction sites, hotel cleaning, etc.

However, if the student does not go to school and his/her attendance rate and grades remain poor, or if the student lives an independent life away from his/her parents by cooking for himself/herself, he/she may no longer be allowed to engage in activities other than those permitted under the "College Student" or "Family Resident" visa (status of residence), or in some cases, the College Student or Family Resident" visa (status of residence) itself may be denied. In some cases, the visa for "College Student" or "Family Resident" (status of residence) itself may be denied.

Internship and work-holiday students

Internships and working holidays allow students and young foreigners to work in Japan for a certain period of time under a treaty or partnership between universities or between countries. They have a "Designated Activities" visa (status of residence).

Specific skill

The "Specified Technical Skills" visa (status of residence) is a system that allows foreign nationals to work in industries that are genuinely in need of labor, rather than for the purpose of international contribution like technical internship.

Currently, there are industries such as construction, shipbuilding/marine industry, automobile maintenance, aviation, lodging, nursing care, building cleaning, agriculture, fishery, food and beverage manufacturing, food service, materials and equipment industry, industrial machinery industry, and electrical and electronic information-related industry.

■ Understanding Visas and Getting Ready to Work in Japan

It is recommended that you ask an administrative scrivener who is qualified to act as an immigration application agent to process visa and residence status applications for foreigners to work in Japan on your behalf. If you request Gyoseishoshi Lawyer to process your application on your behalf, he/she will prepare the application documents and apply to the Immigration Bureau on your behalf or on behalf of the company that employs you.

Please start preparing to work in Japan with an in-depth understanding of visa requirements.