{ "rulesAsOf": "2026-10-26", "name": "Japan part-time work permission (資格外活動許可) rules", "legalBasis": "Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act art. 19(2); Enforcement Regulation art. 19(5)", "generalPrinciple": [ "Main status activity is not hindered and you are actually doing it.", "The activity fits a status in Annexed Table I(1)/(2) (except SSW and Technical Intern Training). Not required for the comprehensive permission.", "Not illegal; not at 風俗営業, 店舗型性風俗特殊営業 or 特定遊興飲食店 venues, nor in non-store sex, video-transmission or phone-dating businesses.", "No detention or hearing notice; good conduct; employer consent where your status is based on a contract." ], "comprehensive": { "hours": "28 hours per week (students: 8 hours per day during the school's official long vacation)", "who": [ "Student (留学)", "Dependent (家族滞在)", "Designated Activities: dependent of a foreign national", "Designated Activities: continued job hunting / waiting to join", "Instructor / Engineer-Humanities / Instructor (sports) employed by local governments (within their status)" ], "cardStamp": "許可：原則週28時間以内・風俗営業等の従事を除く", "contractorWork": "Self-employed delivery etc. paid per job is covered only if hours can be objectively confirmed; otherwise individual permission." }, "individual": [ "Students: job-hunting internship over 28 h/week (final-year undergrad ~90%+ credits, final-year master's/PhD) or credit-bearing practicum.", "Students: language teacher, interpreter, tutor or other student-type jobs, or startup preparation, outside the comprehensive scope.", "Self-employed or contract work with hours that can't be objectively confirmed.", "Work-visa holders doing work of another work status (e.g. Professor teaching at a language school).", "Dependents: work outside the comprehensive scope, for no more than half of the period of stay." ], "pachinkoChange2026": { "effective": "2026-10-01", "who": "Dependent (家族滞在) only. Not Student, not Designated Activities (dependent).", "venues": "Businesses licensed under 風営法 art. 3(1) for categories 2(1)(iv) (mahjong, pachinko) and (v) (game centers) only", "requires": [ "Individual permission per venue, even with the comprehensive permission", "Employer pledge + applicant pledge", "Copy of the venue's license", "All side jobs ≤ 28 h/week" ], "stillBanned": "Sex-related work (性風俗関連) and category 1-3 venues (hosting, low-light, booth seating)", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/10_00274.html" }, "noLimit": [ "Permanent Resident", "Spouse or Child of Japanese National", "Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident", "Long-Term Resident" ], "notAvailable": [ "Temporary Visitor", "Specified Skilled Worker", "Technical Intern Training" ], "workingHoliday": "Work allowed without separate permission or hour cap, except at 風俗営業 etc. venues (check your 指定書).", "procedure": { "fee": "None", "processing": "2 weeks to 2 months", "where": "Regional Immigration Services Bureau for your address; students entering for 3+ months can apply at the airport", "online": "Only together with a change/extension/acquisition application" }, "statuses": [ { "id": "student", "en": "Student (College Student)", "ja": "留学" }, { "id": "dependent", "en": "Dependent", "ja": "家族滞在" }, { "id": "designated_dependent", "en": "Designated Activities (dependent of a foreign national)", "ja": "特定活動（扶養を受ける配偶者・子等）" }, { "id": "job_hunting", "en": "Designated Activities (job hunting after graduation / waiting to join)", "ja": "特定活動（継続就職活動・内定後待機）" }, { "id": "work_visa", "en": "Work visa (Engineer/Specialist in Humanities, Instructor, Professor, etc.)", "ja": "就労資格（技術・人文知識・国際業務、教育、教授 等）" }, { "id": "specified_skilled", "en": "Specified Skilled Worker (SSW i / ii)", "ja": "特定技能" }, { "id": "technical_intern", "en": "Technical Intern Training", "ja": "技能実習" }, { "id": "working_holiday", "en": "Designated Activities (Working Holiday)", "ja": "特定活動（ワーキング・ホリデー）" }, { "id": "temporary_visitor", "en": "Temporary Visitor (tourist / short stay)", "ja": "短期滞在" }, { "id": "unrestricted", "en": "Permanent Resident, Spouse of Japanese/PR, Long-Term Resident", "ja": "永住者・日本人の配偶者等・永住者の配偶者等・定住者" } ], "jobs": [ { "id": "restaurant", "en": "Restaurant / café / fast food", "ja": "飲食店", "kind": "ordinary" }, { "id": "izakaya_bar", "en": "Izakaya or bar with no hosting of guests (incl. late-night alcohol)", "ja": "居酒屋・バー（接待なし、深夜酒類提供を含む）", "kind": "ordinary" }, { "id": "convenience_store", "en": "Convenience store", "ja": "コンビニ", "kind": "ordinary" }, { "id": "retail", "en": "Shop / supermarket / drugstore sales", "ja": "販売", "kind": "ordinary" }, { "id": "hotel", "en": "Hotel or ryokan staff", "ja": "ホテル・旅館", "kind": "ordinary" }, { "id": "factory_warehouse", "en": "Factory or warehouse", "ja": "工場・倉庫", "kind": "ordinary" }, { "id": "cleaning", "en": "Cleaning", "ja": "清掃", "kind": "ordinary" }, { "id": "office", "en": "Office / admin / IT support", "ja": "一般事務", "kind": "ordinary" }, { "id": "language_teacher", "en": "Language teacher (eikaiwa, school)", "ja": "語学講師", "kind": "skilled" }, { "id": "interpreter_translator", "en": "Interpreter / translator", "ja": "通訳・翻訳", "kind": "skilled" }, { "id": "tutor", "en": "Private tutor (katei kyoshi)", "ja": "家庭教師", "kind": "skilled" }, { "id": "delivery_employee", "en": "Delivery as an employee (shift contract)", "ja": "配達（雇用）", "kind": "ordinary" }, { "id": "delivery_gig", "en": "App delivery as a contractor (Uber Eats, Wolt, Demae-can…)", "ja": "配達（業務委託・アプリ）", "kind": "gig_verifiable" }, { "id": "freelance", "en": "Freelance / self-employed with no fixed hours (writing, design, video, consulting)", "ja": "個人事業主・業務委託（稼働時間が不明確）", "kind": "freelance" }, { "id": "internship", "en": "Paid internship over 28 hours a week", "ja": "インターンシップ（週28時間超）", "kind": "internship" }, { "id": "pachinko", "en": "Pachinko / pachislot parlor (any role, incl. cleaning)", "ja": "ぱちんこ店", "kind": "fuzoku_45" }, { "id": "mahjong", "en": "Mahjong parlor", "ja": "まあじゃん屋", "kind": "fuzoku_45" }, { "id": "game_center", "en": "Game center / arcade licensed under the Entertainment Business Act", "ja": "ゲームセンター（風営法5号許可）", "kind": "fuzoku_45" }, { "id": "hostess_bar", "en": "Hostess/host club, snack, cabaret, girls bar with 'hosting' (settai), low-light bar", "ja": "キャバクラ・ホスト・スナック等（接待飲食・低照度・区画席）", "kind": "fuzoku_hosting" }, { "id": "nightclub", "en": "Nightclub open after midnight with entertainment (tokutei yūkō)", "ja": "ナイトクラブ等（特定遊興飲食店）", "kind": "nightclub" }, { "id": "adult", "en": "Adult / sex industry (incl. online and phone services)", "ja": "性風俗関連特殊営業", "kind": "adult" } ], "sources": [ "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/nyuukokukanri07_00045.html", "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/nyuukokukanri07_00003.html", "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/nyuukokukanri07_00004.html", "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/nyuukokukanri07_00002.html", "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/10_00274.html", "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/16-8.html", "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/shikakugai_00001.html", "https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/koyou_roudou/koyou/jigyounushi/seido/anteikyoku/gairou/980908gai01.htm", "https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/work-in-japan/part-time-jobs/" ], "disclaimer": "Educational guide, not legal or immigration advice, not affiliated with the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA). Only the permission stamp on your residence card / passport and the ISA decide what you may do. Unauthorized work can lead to refusal of renewal, criminal penalties and deportation, and employers can be punished too. Confirm with your Regional Immigration Services Bureau, the Immigration Information Center (外国人在留総合インフォメーションセンター, 0570-013904), your school, or a licensed gyoseishoshi before you start.", "docs": "https://japan-parttime-check.vercel.app/openapi.json", "checker": "https://japan-parttime-check.vercel.app/api/check" }