Home/Work/Checklists

Tool · チェックリスト · chekkurisuto

Checklists: arriving, changing jobs, quitting, leaving

Four to-do lists with deadlines for the big moments of working life in Japan: arriving, changing jobs, quitting and leaving for good. Enter a date and the deadlines turn into calendar dates; tick what you have done, print the list or download the PDF. Every item links to the page that explains it.

Open the checklists

Your first 30 days

Deadlines checked against the Immigration Services Agency, the Japan Pension Service, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the National Tax Agency and city office websites on October 7, 2026 · Which insurance am I in?

Checklists: arriving, changing jobs, quitting, leaving4

Items with deadlines and links62

The most common deadline: city office and immigration14 days

Printable, freePDF

Checklists

Choose the event and tick what you have done

Dates and ticks are saved only in your own browser — nothing is sent anywhere.

How to use

Four steps

  • Choose a list — arriving for work, changing jobs, quitting or leaving Japan.
  • Enter the date the deadlines count from: the day you moved in, your last working day or your departure date. Deadlines such as “14 days” turn into dates, and overdue items turn red.
  • Tick what you have done. Ticks are kept in this browser: close the page, come back, and they are still there.
  • Print the list with your dates, or download a ready PDF and fill it in by hand.

Printable PDFs: Arriving for work · Changing jobs · Quitting a job · Leaving Japan.

A “14 days” deadline counts from the day after the event: if your last working day is November 30, the deadline is December 14. Which insurance and pension each family member is in: the insurance quiz; the Japanese words on these lists: the work glossary.

Arriving for work

Arriving in Japan for work: the first 30 days

Registration, insurance, papers for your employer and your family — in order, with deadlines counted from the day you move in. To tick items and get dates, use the interactive checklist above.

First week: the city office

# What to do When
1 Register your address at the city or ward office — the moving-in notification (転入届, tennyū todoke) — with your passport and residence card. Your address goes on the back of the card, and you get a My Number. More 14 days after moving in
2 If you have no job with company insurance: join National Health Insurance (国民健康保険) at the city office and, if you are 20 to 59, the National Pension. More 14 days
3 Your spouse and children register at the city office together with you. More 14 days
4 Child allowance (児童手当, jidō teate) — apply at the city office, or you lose months of payments. More 15 days after moving in
5 My Number Card — optional. Express issuance, in about a week, is for people who moved from abroad and apply within 30 days of the moving-in notification. More 30 days after registering

First days at the company

# What to do When
6 Check your working conditions — the notice of working conditions (労働条件通知書): contract term, place, hours, pay, rules on leaving. Compare it with what you were promised. More on your first day
7 Give your employer your My Number (from the Individual Number Notice). More when the notice arrives
8 Hand in the dependents form (扶養控除等申告書) — without it tax is withheld at the higher rate (column 乙). List your dependents. More before your first pay
9 Open a bank account and give it to your employer for your salary. Japan Post Bank (ゆうちょ銀行) can open one soon after you register your address. More before your first pay
10 The employer’s insurance covers you from your first day; the employer files within 5 days. Check that the insurance details notice (資格情報のお知らせ) or the Health Insurance Eligibility Certificate (資格確認書) arrives. More 5 days from your first working day
11 If you already joined National Health Insurance, leave it at the city office, showing the employer’s insurance. More 14 days after joining the employer’s insurance
12 Keep your passport and residence card yourself — employers should not keep them. More always

Family and later

# What to do When
13 Add your spouse and children as dependents in the employer’s insurance, through your employer, if their expected income — allowances and contract bonuses included — is under ¥1.3 million a year (¥1.5 million for a child aged 19–22, ¥1.8 million at 60 or older or if disabled) and, if you live together, under half of yours. More 5 days
14 Put money aside for resident tax (住民税, jūminzei): there is none in your first year, it starts in June of the next year. More from June of the next year
15 Remember: on a work status, when a contract ends and when you sign a new one, notify immigration within 14 days — or face a fine of up to ¥200,000. More when you change jobs

Everything explained in detail: arriving for work. Print this list: printable PDF.

Changing jobs

Changing jobs in Japan: a checklist with deadlines

Visa, notifications, insurance without a gap, and taxes — deadlines counted from your last working day. To tick items and get dates, use the interactive checklist above.

Before you leave

# What to do When
1 Check that the new job fits your status of residence. If unsure, ask for a Certificate of Authorized Employment (就労資格証明書). More before you hand in your notice
2 Sign the new contract first, then hand in your resignation. More before you hand in your notice
3 Give notice: at least 2 weeks on an open-ended contract; company rules usually ask for 1 to 2 months. More at least 2 weeks before
4 Agree on resident tax: the new employer continues the deduction (with a transfer form, 異動届出書), the rest comes from your last salary in one sum, or you pay it yourself with payment slips. More by your last day
5 Specified Skilled Worker: get permission for the change of status first; do not work for the new employer while it is being processed. More before the new job starts

After your last day

# What to do When
6 Notify immigration that the contract has ended (Notification of the Contracting Organization, 契約機関に関する届出) — online, at an immigration office or by mail. More 14 days
7 A gap between jobs: join National Health Insurance and the National Pension at the city office. More 14 days from the next day
8 Or keep the employer’s health insurance with optional and continued coverage (任意継続) if you were insured for 2+ months in a row — up to 2 years, you pay the whole premium. More 20 days from the next day
9 Family during a gap: enroll each family member in National Health Insurance, and a spouse aged 20 to 59 (Category III) in the National Pension. More 14 days
10 Get the withholding record (源泉徴収票, gensen chōshūhyō) from your old job. More within a month
11 No more than 3 months without doing the work of your status. Keep applications, interview invitations and Hello Work records. More the 3-month line

The new job

# What to do When
12 The second notification to immigration — about the new contract. More 14 days after signing
13 Give the new employer the dependents form and the withholding record from the old job — for the December recalculation. More on your first day
14 Leave National Health Insurance at the city office, showing the new insurance. More 14 days after joining
15 No new job by the end of the year: file a tax return — part of the tax usually comes back. More early next year; a refund return within 5 years

Everything explained in detail: changing jobs. Print this list: printable PDF.

Quitting a job

Quitting a job in Japan: a checklist

Resignation notice, leave, documents, insurance and your visa — deadlines counted from your last working day. To tick items and get dates, use the interactive checklist above.

Before you hand in your notice

# What to do When
1 Read the rules of employment (就業規則): notice period, bonus, severance pay. More in advance
2 Hand in your resignation notice (退職届, taishoku todoke) and keep a copy. On an open-ended contract: at least 2 weeks ahead. More at least 2 weeks before
3 Use up your remaining annual paid leave (有給, yūkyū) — it is lost when you leave. More by your last day
4 Check the reason for leaving on the employer’s form (離職証明書) before you sign it — your unemployment benefits depend on it. More by your last day

Your last day

# What to do When
5 Return company property: ID card, keys, laptop, the employer’s Health Insurance Eligibility Certificate; log out of work accounts. More on your last day
6 Ask for the certificate of loss of insurance eligibility (資格喪失証明書) for the city office and, if needed, a certificate on separation from employment (退職証明書); check your Employment Insurance card and Basic Pension Number Notice. More on your last day
7 Final pay and your money or belongings — the company must hand them over at your request. More within 7 days of your request

After you leave

# What to do When
8 Notify immigration that the contract has ended. More 14 days
9 National Health Insurance and the National Pension at the city office — if the new job does not start at once. More 14 days from the next day
10 Or keep the employer’s health insurance with optional and continued coverage (任意継続) if you were insured for 2+ months in a row — you pay the whole premium. More 20 days from the next day
11 Family: dependents lose the employer’s insurance with you — enroll each in National Health Insurance; a spouse aged 20 to 59 (Category III) joins the National Pension. More 14 days
12 Get the withholding record — for your next employer or a tax return. More within a month
13 Unemployment benefits: take the separation notice (離職票, rishokuhyō) to Hello Work without delay. The right lasts 1 year from the day after you leave; after that the payments stop. More as soon as possible; the right lasts 1 year
14 Resident tax: the rest comes from your last salary (required if you leave between January and April) or with payment slips from the city office. More after you leave
15 No more than 3 months without the work of your status; with a new contract, one more notification within 14 days. More the 3-month line

Everything explained in detail: quitting a job. Print this list: printable PDF.

Leaving Japan

Leaving Japan for good: a checklist

Your job, taxes, the city office, the airport and the pension refund — deadlines counted from your departure date. To tick items and get dates, use the interactive checklist above.

1 to 2 months before

# What to do When
1 Hand in your resignation: at least 2 weeks by law, usually 1 to 2 months under company rules. More 1 to 2 months before
2 Choose a tax agent (納税管理人, nōzei kanrinin) and notify the tax office and the city office (納税管理人申告書). More before you leave
3 Apartment, utilities, large-item garbage — start early. More a month before
4 Decide which accounts to close and where your last salary and refunds will be paid; tell your bank you are leaving. More before you leave

Your last working day

# What to do When
5 Year-end adjustment of income tax (年末調整) and the withholding record — your employer does it before you leave. More before you leave
6 The rest of the resident tax in one sum from your last salary (required if you leave between January and April and the pay covers it). More last pay
7 Take the document with your pension number (Basic Pension Number Notice or pension handbook) — you need it for the refund. More before you leave
8 Final pay, your money and belongings — due within 7 days of your request: ask in writing at least 7 days before your flight. More at least 7 days before the flight
9 Notify immigration that the contract has ended — within 14 days of leaving the job; easiest online before you fly. More 14 days after leaving the job

The city office and the last days

# What to do When
10 Moving-out notification (転出届, tenshutsu todoke) at the city office, with your departure date. One visit can cover the whole household. More from about 14 days before
11 Days between the job and departure: National Health Insurance and, if you are 20 to 59, the National Pension. More 14 days after leaving the job
12 Phone and internet — cancel the contracts and check installments; keep your number until the last day for SMS codes. More before you leave

At the airport

# What to do When
13 Without a re-entry permit your residence card is taken at passport control and your status ends — permanent residency included. More on departure day
14 Cash, checks or securities worth over ¥1,000,000 — declare them to customs. More on departure day

After you leave

# What to do When
15 Resident tax that arrives after you leave (if you lived in Japan on January 1, the city sends the new year’s tax by June) is paid by your tax agent. More June
16 Claim the Lump-sum Withdrawal Payment (脱退一時金, dattai ichijikin): send the claim so that it arrives on or after your moving-out date. More within 2 years of leaving
17 Get back the 20.42% tax on the Employees’ Pension Insurance refund — through your tax agent. More after the payment

Everything explained in detail: leaving Japan. Print this list: printable PDF.

Deadlines

The main deadlines and what happens if you miss them

What When If you miss it
Address registration after moving in (転入届) 14 days a breach of the law; 90 days after landing without a good reason, your status can be revoked
Notification to immigration when you leave and when you sign a new contract 14 days a fine of up to ¥200,000
National Health Insurance and National Pension during a gap 14 days from the day after you leave premiums are charged back for up to 2 years (3 where the city levies it as a tax); treatment before you join is at full cost
Optional and continued coverage (任意継続; needs 2+ months of insurance) 20 days from the day after you leave only National Health Insurance remains
Working in your status a gap of no more than 3 months your status may be revoked
Moving-out notification (転出届) from about 14 days before departure health insurance and pension premiums continue to be charged
Lump-sum Withdrawal Payment within 2 years of leaving the right to the refund is lost

Linked to your visa.

  • 14 days — the Notification of the Contracting Organization (契約機関に関する届出) when you leave and when you sign a new contract; permanent residents and spouses of Japanese nationals do not file it.
  • 3 months without the work of your status and without a good reason is a ground for revoking it; while job hunting, keep proof.
  • Leaving without a re-entry permit — the residence card is taken at the airport and your status ends, permanent residency included.

Notifications · Re-entry permit · Extending your period of stay

If you have a family

Spouse, children, parents: what changes

A dependent for tax and a dependent for health insurance are two different things with different income limits. All the rules for families: Family and dependents.

  • Registration and leaving — your spouse and children register at the city office with you; the moving-out notification can be filed for the whole household, but each person hands in their own residence card.
  • Insurance — dependents in the employer’s insurance lose it together with you; during a gap each family member is enrolled in National Health Insurance separately, and a spouse aged 20 to 59 moves to the National Pension.
  • Child allowance (児童手当) — apply at the city office within 15 days of moving in or of the birth.
  • Pension refund — everyone who paid contributions for 6 months or more files their own claim.

FAQ

Questions about the checklists

Can’t find your question? Write to us — a real person replies.

Ask us a question

What should I do first after arriving in Japan for work?

Register your address at the city or ward office within 14 days of moving in, with your passport and residence card. Then hand your employer the dependents form and your bank details before the first pay, and check that your employer has enrolled you in its health insurance and pension.

From the day after the event. If your last working day is November 30, the 14-day deadline for National Health Insurance and the notification to immigration is December 14. The checklist turns every deadline into a date once you enter yours.

On a work status such as Engineer/Specialist or Specified Skilled Worker, the Notification of the Contracting Organization twice: within 14 days after the old contract ends and within 14 days after you sign the new one. You can file online. Not filing can mean a fine of up to ¥200,000.

From about 14 days before your departure, at the city or ward office where you live. It ends your National Health Insurance and National Pension from your departure date, and one visit can cover the whole household.

After you leave Japan, within 2 years. You can mail the Lump-sum Withdrawal Payment claim from abroad, or send it from Japan so that it arrives on or after the moving-out date in your moving-out notification.

Yes, but only in your own browser on this device. Nothing is sent to us. To keep a copy elsewhere, print the list with your dates or save it as a PDF.

Yes. Every item is also listed on this page in plain text with its deadline and a link, and each list has a printable PDF you can fill in by hand.

Sources

Where this information comes from

Rates, limits and deadlines on this page were checked against the official websites of the Immigration Services Agency, the Japan Pension Service, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the National Tax Agency, Japan Customs and city offices on October 7, 2026. Amounts are in Japanese yen. When a rule changes we update the page and the date above.

Results and examples are estimates, not your employer’s payroll. The amounts on your payslip and in your resident tax notice are the ones that count. For a complex case, talk to a licensed tax accountant (税理士) or a Labor and Social Security Attorney (社会保険労務士, sharōshi).

Want to work in Japan? Many people start with a language school.

A language school gives you a student visa, the right to work part-time with permission and time to learn Japanese and find a job. Our help choosing a school and preparing the visa documents is free — the school pays us, not you.

Apply free
Students in yukata at a Japanese language school

Free for students