Can I work this job on my Japanese visa?

With the comprehensive permission (包括許可) stamped on your residence card, up to 28 hours in any 7-day period, counting all jobs together. During your school's official long vacation (as set in its rules) you may work up to 8 hours a day. Without the permission you can't work at all. Most bureaus check any 7 consecutive days, not just Monday to Sunday.

Before, every permission outside status banned work at all 風俗営業 venues, including pachinko parlors, mahjong parlors and licensed game centers. From 2026-10-01, Dependent (家族滞在) holders only may work at venues licensed under category 4 or 5 of the Entertainment Business Act with an individual permission for that venue, even if they already have the 28-hour permission. The employer and the applicant both sign pledges, all side jobs stay within 28 hours a week, and students and Designated Activities dependents are still excluded.

Yes, if staff don't 'host' guests. Serving food and drinks, kitchen work and late-night alcohol service are fine. A place where staff sit with customers, pour drinks for them one-on-one or sing with them is a 風俗営業 (category 1) venue such as a hostess club, snack or girls bar, and every role there, including dishwashing and cleaning, is banned.

ISA says per-job contractor delivery is covered by the 28-hour comprehensive permission only if your working hours can be objectively confirmed (for example app login records); otherwise you need individual permission. Keep your records, and count app hours toward the 28. Platforms may set stricter rules of their own.

If your hours are clear (fixed in a contract) the comprehensive permission can cover it. If your hours can't be objectively confirmed, as with most freelancing, you need individual permission. Setting up a company, hiring staff or opening an office needs a change to Business Manager (経営・管理).

Work that fits your own status (an engineer doing other engineering work) needs no permission. Work that fits a different work status (a professor teaching at an eikaiwa) needs individual permission first. Simple labor such as konbini or restaurant shifts doesn't fit any work status, so it's generally not allowed; the 28-hour comprehensive permission is for students and dependents.

Permanent Resident, Spouse or Child of Japanese National, Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident, and Long-Term Resident have no work restrictions. Working Holiday holders can work without the 28-hour cap, but not at 風俗営業 venues. Temporary Visitors, Specified Skilled Workers and Technical Intern Trainees can't take side jobs.

Apply at the Regional Immigration Services Bureau for your address with the application form (資格外活動許可申請書) and your residence card. There's no fee and standard processing is 2 weeks to 2 months. Students entering Japan for 3 months or more can get the comprehensive permission at the airport. Don't start work until it's granted.

Working over the limit or without permission is unauthorized work. It can lead to refusal of your visa renewal, criminal penalties and deportation, and the employer can be charged with facilitating illegal work. For students, poor attendance because of part-time work is also a common reason for refused renewals.

Yes. GET or POST https://japan-parttime-check.vercel.app/api/check?status=student&job=convenience_store&permission=comprehensive&weeklyHours=30 (keyless, CORS open), rules at /api/rules, OpenAPI at /openapi.json, llms.txt, and the MCP tool japan_parttime_work_check on free-agent-tools.vercel.app/mcp. Every response carries rulesAsOf, sources and a disclaimer.

資格外活動の包括許可があれば、すべてのアルバイトを合わせて1週28時間以内（どの曜日から数えても7日間で28時間）です。学則で定める長期休業期間中は1日8時間以内まで働けます。風俗営業等の店舗では、皿洗いや清掃も含めて働けません。

2026年10月1日から、家族滞在の方に限り、風営法2条1項4号・5号の許可を受けた遊技場（ぱちんこ、まあじゃん、ゲームセンター）で、勤務先ごとに資格外活動の個別許可を受ければ働けるようになりました。包括許可を持っていても個別許可が必要です。勤務先と本人の誓約書、営業許可証の写し等を提出し、他のアルバイトと合わせて週28時間以内に収める必要があります。留学・特定活動（扶養）は対象外です。