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Work in Japan: FAQ

Short answers to the 69 questions people ask us most about working in Japan — jobs and visas, contracts and rights, pay, taxes, insurance and pension, family, part-time work for students, arriving, leaving and professions. Every answer links to the page that explains it in detail.

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Work glossary

Answers checked against the official websites on October 7, 2026 · Work in Japan · Checklists

Answers in 11 topics69

Minimum wage an hour in Tokyo from October 1, 2026¥1,280

To notify immigration after leaving a job or signing a new one14 days

Part-time a week for students and dependents, with permission28 hours

Topics

11 topics

The questions follow the sections of the Work in Japan portal. Each answer links to the page with the details, examples and deadlines.

Finding a job

8 questions

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Visas and status of residence

10 questions

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Contract and rights

7 questions

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Pay

5 questions

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Taxes

8 questions

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Social insurance and pension

8 questions

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Family

6 questions

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Part-time work for students

5 questions

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Arriving in Japan

4 questions

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Losing a job, leaving Japan, freelancing

4 questions

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Professions

4 questions

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02

Visas and status of residence

Which status fits your job and what changes when you move companies. In detail: Work visas · Changing jobs · Working holiday

Which visa do I need to work in Japan?

It depends on the job. Office, IT, engineering, translation and language-teaching jobs usually use the Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services status; care, construction, hotels and manufacturing use Specified Skilled Worker. The employer picks the status, and immigration checks that the job, your education and your experience match. All statuses: work visas.

Yes, mostly through Specified Skilled Worker: a skills test for the field and a Japanese test at A2 (JFT-Basic or JLPT N4). For IT work, a listed IT exam such as FE replaces the degree for the Engineer/Specialist status. More: jobs by profession and IT jobs.

A work status for fields short of workers, such as care, construction, manufacturing, accommodation and agriculture. You pass a skills test and a Japanese test; JFT-Basic and many skills tests are held in Japan and abroad, for example in Indonesia, Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, India and Vietnam. Specified Skilled Worker (i) cannot bring family. More: Specified Skilled Worker and care worker jobs.

Not if the new job is the same type of work your status allows: you only file the 14-day notifications. If the new job is in a different field, you need a change of status before you start. Specified Skilled Workers need permission for each new employer. More: changing jobs.

On Engineer/Specialist, Specified Skilled Worker and similar statuses you file the Notification of the Contracting Organization within 14 days after a contract ends and again within 14 days after signing a new one — online, at an immigration office or by mail. Not filing can mean a fine of up to ¥200,000. More: notifications to immigration.

If you do not do the work of your status for 3 months without a good reason, immigration can revoke it. Job hunting can be a good reason if you can prove it, so keep applications, interview invitations and Hello Work records. More: changing jobs.

Yes. With a job offer you apply for a change of status of residence. For an April start, immigration asks you to apply between December 1 and the end of January; processing takes 1 to 2 months. More: changing your status and shūkatsu.

Graduates of Japanese universities, and of vocational schools with the specialist title, can switch to Designated Activities for job hunting with their school’s recommendation: 6 months, renewable once. Language-school graduates qualify only in limited cases. More: the job-hunting status.

Yes, if your country is one of the 32 countries and regions with a working holiday arrangement with Japan and you are usually 18 to 30 (18 to 25 for some countries unless extended). You may work to fund your holiday, but not at bars, nightclubs, gambling or other adult entertainment businesses. Working holiday makers are not covered by Employment Insurance. More: working on a working holiday.

Permanent residents, spouses of Japanese nationals or permanent residents and long-term residents can. On a student or Dependent status it counts toward the 28 hours and needs permission; on a work status it cannot be your main job. Nationals of 51 listed countries and regions with a high income can use the 6-month Digital Nomad status. More: remote work from Japan and the Digital Nomad status.

03

Your contract and your rights

Japanese labor law protects foreign workers exactly as it protects Japanese workers. In detail: Your contract · Working hours · Leave · Rights and free help

Does Japanese labor law protect foreign workers?

Yes, fully. The Labor Standards Act applies to everyone working in Japan, whatever their nationality or status, part-time jobs included: the minimum wage, overtime premiums, annual paid leave and the dismissal rules. Discrimination because of nationality is prohibited. More: your rights at work.

The law requires the conditions in writing, not in a specific language. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare publishes a model notice of working conditions in English and 12 other languages, bilingual with Japanese, so you can compare it field by field. More: your employment contract.

The limit is 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week; overtime needs an Article 36 Agreement and is paid at least 25% extra, 50% beyond 60 hours a month, 25% for late-night work from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. and 35% on the statutory day off. More: working hours and overtime.

After 6 months with at least 80% attendance, 10 days of annual paid leave, rising to 20 days from 6.5 years. Part-timers get days in proportion to their working days. You choose the dates; the employer may only ask you to move them if the business would be disrupted. More: paid leave and other leave.

On an open-ended contract the law requires 2 weeks. Company rules often ask for 1 to 2 months, which makes leaving easier, but a rule that forbids you to leave is invalid. More: quitting a job.

No. The government guidelines for employers of foreign workers say employers should not keep them. Showing them when you are hired is normal; handing them over for safekeeping is not. More: your rights at work.

Call the Telephone Consultation Service for Foreign Workers (English 0570-001-701, weekdays 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., closed noon to 1 p.m., paid call) or the free Labour Standards Advice Hotline (0120-531-401, weekdays 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., weekends and holidays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.), or visit a General Labor Consultation Corner. Status questions: FRESC, 0570-011000, weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. More: rights and free help.

04

Pay

What you earn, what is added and what is left. In detail: Salaries in Japan · Reading a payslip · Take-home pay calculator

What is the minimum wage in Japan?

Each prefecture sets its own hourly rate. From October 1, 2026 it is ¥1,280 an hour in Tokyo and ¥1,279 in Kanagawa; the national average is ¥1,177. Other prefectures raise their rates on dates from October to December 2026. It applies to every worker, whatever the nationality or type of contract. More: salaries in Japan.

In the official 2025 wage census, full-time foreign workers earned ¥254,300 a month on average before deductions, without overtime and bonuses: ¥313,200 on professional statuses such as Engineer/Specialist, ¥221,400 on Specified Skilled Worker. More: salaries in Japan.

On a ¥300,000 monthly salary in Tokyo, a single employee under 40 keeps about ¥249,590 in the first year and ¥237,090 from the second, when resident tax starts — roughly 79%. The take-home pay calculator works out your own case.

Resident tax is charged on last year’s income, so there is none in your first year. From June of the second year it is deducted every month — about ¥12,500 on a ¥300,000 salary in Tokyo. More: resident tax.

No, the law does not require bonuses. If your company pays them, the rules must be in your working conditions or the rules of employment, and premiums are deducted from bonuses too. More: reading a payslip.

05

Taxes

Income tax, resident tax, tax returns and income from abroad. In detail: Taxes for employees · Resident tax · Tax return · Income from abroad

Which taxes do foreigners pay in Japan?

The same as Japanese citizens: income tax (5% to 45% plus a 2.1% surtax) and resident tax (about 10% of last year’s income). Employees also pay social insurance premiums, and consumption tax is included in prices. More: taxes for employees.

Usually not: your employer settles the year’s tax in the year-end adjustment in December. You must file if your salary is over ¥20 million, your other income is over ¥200,000, you are paid from abroad without Japanese withholding, or you run a business. Returns are filed from February 16 to March 15. More: filing a tax return.

If you came for a job that normally lasts a year or more, you are a resident from your first day. For your first 5 years (in total, out of the last 10) you are a non-permanent resident: foreign income is taxed only if it is paid in Japan or sent to Japan. More: income tax.

It depends on the treaty. Most student articles only exempt money sent from abroad for living and study — that is the case for India, Vietnam, the United States and the United Kingdom. Some, such as the treaties with China, Indonesia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka, can also exempt part-time wages. You claim it with Form 8 through your employer before the first pay. More: taxes for students.

Yes. Pay for work you do in Japan is Japanese income wherever it is paid. The foreign employer withholds no Japanese tax, so you file a tax return whenever there is income tax to pay, and declare the income to your city for resident tax in any case. More: income from abroad.

As a non-permanent resident, a transfer to Japan counts as your foreign income of that year up to the amount transferred, even if you say it came from savings; with no foreign income that year, a transfer of savings is not income. After 5 years all worldwide income is taxed. More: income tax.

Only where a tax treaty between Japan and your country says so, and within its limits. Japanese social insurance premiums are deducted in full. More: tax deductions.

Yes. If you had an address in Japan on January 1 and income the year before, you owe the whole year’s tax. Pay the rest before you go or appoint a tax agent (納税管理人, nōzei kanrinin). More: leaving Japan.

06

Social insurance and pension

Health insurance, pension, social security agreements and the refund when you leave. In detail: Social insurance · Pension · Social security agreements · Which insurance am I in? (quiz)

Is social insurance compulsory for foreigners?

Yes. Everyone living in Japan for more than 3 months must have public health insurance, and everyone aged 20 to 59 must be in the pension system, whatever their nationality. Private or travel insurance does not replace it. Which system you are in: the insurance quiz.

Health Insurance is the employee scheme: your employer enrolls you, pays half of the premium and low-income family members are covered free as dependents. National Health Insurance is run by your city for everyone else, such as students and freelancers, and charges a premium for every family member. More: health insurance.

From October 2026, yes, at 20 hours a week or more at an employer with more than 50 insured staff (36 or more from October 2027), if the job is expected to last more than 2 months and you are not a full-time student. The ¥88,000 wage test was abolished. More: which insurance am I in?.

Yes. Everyone aged 20 to 59 living in Japan is in the system. The National Pension is ¥17,920 a month from April 2026; employees pay 9.15% of their standard monthly remuneration. More: pension.

Japan has agreements in force with 24 countries, including India, the Philippines, China, Korea, Brazil, the US, the UK, Canada, Australia and many European countries; those with the UK, Korea, China and Italy only prevent double contributions. Vietnam is in negotiation; Nepal, Indonesia and most other countries have none. More: social security agreements.

Usually yes, with the Lump-sum Withdrawal Payment, if you paid for at least 6 months and claim within 2 years of leaving; at most 60 months count, and 20.42% tax is withheld from the Employees’ Pension Insurance part. The refund erases your Japanese periods, so check a social security agreement first. More: Lump-sum Withdrawal Payment.

Students join National Health Insurance; with no income and an income declaration filed it costs about ¥20,120 a year in Shinjuku. From 20 they are in the National Pension, but students of eligible schools can postpone it with the Special Payment System for Students. More: taxes and insurance for students.

Yes. Cities are due to share National Health Insurance payment data with immigration from June 2027 (planned), and then unpaid premiums without a payment plan are, in principle, a reason to refuse an extension or change of status. For permanent residency you need 2 years of on-time pension and health insurance payments. More: taxes and your visa.

07

Family

Bringing your family, your spouse’s work, children and relatives abroad. In detail: Family and dependents · Spouse · Children · Relatives abroad

Can I bring my family on a work visa?

On most work statuses your spouse and children can come on the Dependent status. On Specified Skilled Worker (i) and Technical Intern Training you cannot bring family; on Specified Skilled Worker (ii) you can. More: Dependent visa.

Yes, up to 28 hours a week across all jobs, after getting part-time work permission (資格外活動許可) from immigration. At Tokyo wages that can take them over the dependent limits. More: your spouse in Japan.

For tax, a salary of up to ¥1,360,000 for 2026 gives you the full exemption for spouse, and a smaller special exemption continues up to ¥2,070,000. For health insurance, the spouse’s expected income must stay under ¥1.3 million a year (¥1.8 million with a disability). More: your spouse in Japan.

Yes. The child allowance (児童手当) is paid to the person raising a child registered in Japan, whatever the nationality: ¥15,000 a month under 3, ¥10,000 until the end of high school, ¥30,000 for the third and later children. Apply within 15 days of the birth or your move. More: children in Japan.

Yes, if on December 31 they are 16 to 29 or 70 or older, or aged 30 to 69 and either left Japan to study abroad, are disabled or received at least ¥380,000 from you that year. You need relationship documents and bank transfer records; cash does not count. They usually cannot be on your health insurance. More: relatives abroad.

No. The Dependent status covers only a spouse and children. The exception is the Highly Skilled Professional route, where a parent may come to help raise a child under 7 or during a pregnancy. More: Family and dependents.

08

Part-time work for students

The 28-hour rule, the permission, pay and taxes. In detail: Part-time work for students · Taxes for students · Part-time work permission

How many hours a week can I work on a student visa?

Up to 28 hours a week, all jobs together, with part-time work permission; the limit must hold in any 7 days in a row. During the long vacations set in your school’s rules, up to 8 hours a day. More: part-time work for students.

Only once you have the permission. You can apply at one of the airports that issue residence cards, and it is stamped on your card on arrival, free; otherwise apply at an immigration office — it takes 2 weeks to 2 months. More: part-time work permission.

Any work at adult entertainment businesses (風俗営業): pachinko and gaming halls, hostess and host clubs, snack bars and the like — even cleaning there. More: part-time work for students.

It breaks the conditions of your permission. Immigration checks your work at your extension, and serious or repeated breaches can lead to a refused extension, a criminal penalty and deportation. More: part-time work for students.

Little or none on a small income: no income tax on a 2026 salary up to ¥1,780,000 for a single student, and in Tokyo’s 23 wards no resident tax on a 2025 salary up to ¥1,100,000. Give your main employer the dependents form. More: taxes for students.

09

Arriving in Japan

Address, bank, cards and the first weeks. In detail: Your first 30 days · Checklists

What should I do first after arriving in Japan?

Register your address at the city or ward office within 14 days of moving in, with your passport and residence card. It puts your address on the card, gives you a My Number and lets you join health insurance and open a bank account. More: your first 30 days and the arriving checklist.

No. The residence card comes from immigration, is mandatory and must be carried at all times. Everyone gets a My Number, but the plastic My Number Card is optional. Since June 14, 2026 you can choose to combine both into one card. More: your first 30 days.

Japan Post Bank is usually the easiest start, and SBI Shinsei Bank offers support in English. Some big banks ask for 6 months in Japan, and international transfers may be restricted at first. More: your first 30 days.

Look it up in the work glossary: 151 terms in kanji, kana and romaji, with the English name, a short explanation and audio. Line by line: how to read a payslip.

10

Losing a job, leaving Japan, freelancing

What to do, and by when, when your work or life changes. In detail: Quitting · Unemployment benefits · Leaving Japan · Freelancing

Can foreigners get unemployment benefits?

Yes, if you were insured: 20 hours a week or more and a job of at least 31 days. You need 12 insured months in the last 2 years (6 in the last year if you were let go) and must be ready to work. Students and working holiday makers are usually not insured. More: unemployment benefits.

The employer’s insurance ends the day after your last day. Within 14 days join National Health Insurance and the National Pension, or, if you were insured for at least 2 months in a row, within 20 days keep the employer’s health insurance for up to 2 years, paying the whole premium. More: quitting a job.

Appoint a tax agent or settle your taxes, file the moving-out notification from about 14 days before you leave, notify immigration that your contract ended, and claim the Lump-sum Withdrawal Payment within 2 years. Without a re-entry permit your residence card is taken at the airport. More: leaving Japan and the checklists.

Freely if you are a permanent resident, a spouse of a Japanese national or permanent resident, or a long-term resident. On a work, student or Dependent status only with permission from immigration; a business as your main activity needs the Business Manager status. More: freelancing in Japan.

11

Professions

Who gets hired, which language you need and what it pays. In detail: Jobs by profession · IT · English teaching · Care work

Which jobs in Japan are open to foreigners?

Almost any, with a status that allows it. With a degree: office, IT, engineering, sales, interpreting and teaching on Engineer/Specialist. Without a degree: the Specified Skilled Worker fields such as care, construction, manufacturing, accommodation, agriculture and transport. More: jobs by profession.

No. Immigration rules do not mention native speakers. A school ALT job needs 12 years of education in English plus a degree; an eikaiwa job on Engineer/Specialist needs a degree in any subject. The JET Programme takes citizens of the country where you apply. More: teaching English in Japan.

Yes, if you pass an IT exam on the immigration list, such as FE or AP (also held in English through ITPEC in several Asian countries), or have 10 years of experience. IT Passport does not count. More: IT jobs in Japan.

Yes. Specified Skilled Worker (i) needs the care skills test, the care Japanese test and JFT-Basic A2 or JLPT N4, with no degree; citizens of Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam can also come through the EPA program. To stay long term you need the certified care worker qualification and the Nursing Care status. More: care worker jobs.

Didn’t find your question?

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Look up a Japanese word in the work glossary, check the checklists with deadlines, or write to us. For a problem at work, the free lines on rights and free help answer in English.

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 Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the National Tax Agency, the Japan Pension Service and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 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). On visa questions the Immigration Services Agency always decides.

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