Japan Designated Activities Visa: When and How It Applies
最終更新日: 2026年5月27日
Japan's Designated Activities visa (特定活動, tokutei katsudō) is a flexible residence status used when a foreigner's purpose of stay doesn't fit any of Japan's standard work or residence categories. It's the legal home for everything from working holidays and digital nomads to job-hunting graduates and long-term wealthy tourists, with each sub-category carrying its own rules, time limits, and financial thresholds.
Last updated: May 27, 2026
What the Designated Activities Status Actually Is
Under Japan's Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, the Minister of Justice can designate activities for individual foreigners that aren't covered by the named statuses of residence (such as Engineer/Specialist in Humanities, Student, or Spouse of Japanese National). That designation falls under the umbrella status called Designated Activities.
In practice, this status splits into two streams:
- Notification-based categories (告示, kokuji): pre-defined sub-types published by the Ministry of Justice and numbered (No. 5, No. 40, No. 46, No. 51, No. 53, and so on). These have set eligibility criteria and you can apply for a Certificate of Eligibility from outside Japan.
- Non-notification (individually designated) cases: tailor-made permissions for situations the law didn't pre-anticipate, such as post-graduation job hunting, continued stay while awaiting a court ruling, or accompanying a family member on a non-standard status. These are decided case by case by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA).
Because the rules and numbering are issued by notice, the catalog of sub-categories shifts. The Digital Nomad visa (No. 53), for example, didn't exist before March 2024, and the J-FIND visa (No. 51) only launched in April 2023.
When the Designated Activities Visa Applies
You'll typically end up under Designated Activities in one of these situations:
- You're doing a working holiday in Japan from one of the participating countries.
- You've graduated from a top-ranked global university and want to come to Japan to look for work or start a business (J-FIND).
- You work remotely for a non-Japanese employer or clients and want to stay for several months (Digital Nomad).
- You graduated from a Japanese university and have a job offer in a general service industry that doesn't fit Engineer/Specialist in Humanities (No. 46).
- You're a high-net-worth long-term tourist wanting to stay in Japan beyond the standard tourist period.
- You're a domestic worker accompanying a Highly Skilled Professional employer.
- You're a job-hunting graduate, an academic intern, or in another niche situation Immigration recognizes case by case.
For anyone whose work falls under a clear professional category, a dedicated status is usually the better path. See the Engineer/Specialist in Humanities Visa Requirements for office-based work, or the Highly Skilled Professional Visa Points System for points-based fast-track residence.
The Main Notification-Based Sub-Categories
The numbered notices are where most applicants land. Here are the ones expats encounter most often as of 2026.
No. 5: Working Holiday
Japan has Working Holiday agreements with 32 countries and regions as of April 1, 2026, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Denmark, South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. The age range is generally 18 to 30, but for Australia, Canada, South Korea, and Ireland it's 18 to 25 unless your country has negotiated an extension. Applicants cannot bring dependents.
From February 1, 2026, Taiwanese nationals can participate in the Working Holiday Programme twice in their lifetime, in two non-consecutive one-year stays.
No. 40 and No. 41: Long-Term Tourism (High-Net-Worth)
Designated Activities No. 40 is the principal long-term tourism visa, with No. 41 covering the accompanying spouse. To qualify you must:
- Be 18 or older
- Be a national of a visa-waiver country
- Show bank deposits or savings of at least ¥30 million
- Hold private health insurance for the duration of the stay
Initial period of stay is 6 months, extendable once to a maximum of 1 year total.
No. 46: Post-Graduation Employment for Japanese University Graduates
This category lets graduates of Japanese universities work in general service industries (retail, hospitality, manufacturing floor roles) that wouldn't normally qualify under Engineer/Specialist in Humanities. It requires N1-level Japanese ability and use of skills acquired during higher education.
In November 2025, the Immigration Services Agency announced new application criteria for international students scheduled to start employment in April 2026, tightening how transitions from Student status into No. 46 are evaluated.
No. 51: J-FIND (Future Creation Individual)
Launched in April 2023, J-FIND is aimed at recent graduates of top global universities who want to job-hunt or prepare a startup in Japan.
Eligibility:
- Graduation from a university ranked in the top 100 of at least 2 of the 3 major rankings (QS, THE, ARWU)
- Graduation within the past 5 years
- Savings of at least ¥200,000 to cover initial living expenses
Initial stay is 6 months or 1 year, extendable to a total maximum of 2 years (counting time under similar designated activities statuses).
No. 53: Digital Nomad
Launched in March 2024, this category covers remote workers earning from non-Japanese sources. Requirements include:
- Annual income of at least ¥10 million from non-Japanese employers or clients
- Private health insurance covering at least ¥10 million for injury, illness, and death
- Nationality of a country with a tax treaty and visa exemption arrangement with Japan
The visa is valid for a single stay of up to 6 months. It is non-extendable and non-renewable inside Japan, and it does not lead to a Residence Card or long-term residency. If you want a longer or repeatable stay, compare options in Japan Digital Nomad Visa vs Tourist Visa.
Domestic Worker Categories
Domestic workers accompanying Highly Skilled Professional employers fall under a Designated Activities sub-category that requires the employer to pay the worker at least ¥200,000 per month, and the worker must be 18 or older.
Non-Notification Cases (Individually Designated)
Not every situation has a number. The most common non-notification use is post-graduation job hunting: students who finish their degree at a Japanese university but haven't yet signed an employment contract can apply to switch from Student to Designated Activities for job-hunting purposes. This typically grants a 6-month period of stay, renewable once for a total maximum of 1 year.
Other individually designated cases include continued residence to attend court proceedings, certain humanitarian situations, or family members of holders of statuses that don't have an automatic dependent provision.
Document Checklist
Documents vary by sub-category, but a typical application package includes:
- Valid passport
- Visa application form (paper, signed)
- Recent passport-style photograph (4 cm x 3 cm)
- Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) issued by Immigration in Japan, or supporting documents if applying directly at a consulate
- Proof of financial means: bank statements showing the required threshold (¥30 million for No. 40, ¥200,000+ for J-FIND, ¥10 million annual income for Digital Nomad)
- Proof of qualifying activity: university ranking evidence and diploma for J-FIND, employment/client contracts for Digital Nomad, working holiday itinerary and return funds for No. 5
- Private health insurance certificate (mandatory for Digital Nomad and Long-Term Tourism)
- Resume or CV
- For dependent/spouse categories: marriage certificate and family register documents
A Certificate of Eligibility, once issued, is valid for 90 days for use in the visa application at an embassy or consulate.
Application Steps
The process differs slightly by category but generally follows this sequence:
- Confirm the correct sub-category. Match your situation to a notification number, or consult an immigration lawyer if your case is non-notification.
- Apply for the Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) at the regional Immigration Services Agency office in Japan. A sponsor in Japan (employer, school, accepting organization, or in some cases a legal representative) usually files this on your behalf. For Digital Nomad and Working Holiday, you may apply directly at an overseas embassy without a CoE in some cases.
- Receive the CoE by mail and forward it to yourself overseas.
- Apply for the visa at the Japanese embassy or consulate with jurisdiction over your residence. Long-term Designated Activities visas cannot be obtained through the eVISA system, which is currently limited to single-entry short-term tourism visas of up to 90 days. Paper application is mandatory.
- Enter Japan within the CoE's 90-day validity window. You'll receive a Residence Card at the airport for stays longer than 90 days.
- Register your address at your local municipal office within 14 days of moving in.
Fees and Processing Time
Visa issuance fees were revised effective April 1, 2026, with the new rates applying through March 31, 2027.
Item | Fee (from April 1, 2026) |
|---|---|
Single-entry visa | USD $20 (approx. ¥3,000) |
Multiple-entry visa | USD $40 |
Transit visa | USD $5 |
Single or multiple-entry (India) | USD $6 |
In-country status change / extension | ¥6,000 (currently) |
Note: In fiscal 2026 reform discussions, the Japanese government proposed raising the in-country status change and extension fee, currently ¥6,000 and capped by law at ¥10,000, to as much as ¥100,000. That proposal has not been enacted as of May 2026. Check the ISA website for the current figure before you file.
Processing time for a Certificate of Eligibility under Designated Activities is typically 1 to 3 months as of early 2026. Once the CoE is in hand, embassies usually issue the visa within 5 to 10 business days.
Common Pitfalls
- Assuming the Digital Nomad visa leads to residency. It doesn't. It's a single 6-month stay with no extension and no Residence Card.
- Missing the J-FIND ranking proof. Immigration wants concrete evidence that your university appears in the top 100 of two of the three named rankings in a recent edition. Print screenshots and reference the year.
- Working Holiday age cutoffs. For Australia, Canada, South Korea, and Ireland the upper bound is 25, not 30, unless your nationality has a negotiated extension.
- Using the wrong number for a job-hunting extension. Post-graduation job hunting is non-notification and requires different documents than No. 46 (which assumes you already have a job offer).
- Letting the CoE expire. You have 90 days from CoE issuance to obtain the visa and enter Japan.
- Trying to apply online. The eVISA system doesn't handle long-term Designated Activities applications. You must submit paper documents to an embassy or consulate.
- Underestimating financial documentation. The ¥30 million threshold for No. 40 and the ¥10 million annual income for No. 53 are checked carefully. Submit official bank statements, tax returns, and contracts.
FAQs
Can I change jobs while on a Designated Activities visa?
It depends on the sub-category. Working Holiday allows broad work activity. No. 46 ties you to a specific employment relationship that uses your university-acquired skills, and switching jobs may require notifying Immigration or changing status. Digital Nomad ties you to non-Japanese income sources only.
Can my spouse and children come with me?
Some sub-categories have a paired family number (for example, No. 41 for the No. 40 long-term tourist's spouse, and No. 53 includes provisions for accompanying family). Working Holiday does not allow dependents. J-FIND allows accompanying family under a separate designation.
Does time on a Designated Activities visa count toward permanent residency?
Generally, only some sub-categories count toward the 10-year residence requirement for permanent residency, and even then the rules are stricter than for work visas. Working Holiday and Digital Nomad stays typically do not count.
Can I switch from Designated Activities to a work visa inside Japan?
Yes, this is one of the main use cases. J-FIND and post-graduation job hunting are explicitly designed as bridges to a full work status such as Engineer/Specialist in Humanities or Highly Skilled Professional once you have a job offer.
Where do I get the most current sub-category list?
The Immigration Services Agency of Japan (https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/) publishes the current notifications, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/) lists visa application procedures by category.
If you're moving to Japan on any of these statuses, being able to read official notices, fill out forms, and talk to immigration staff in Japanese will save you a lot of stress. Try Migaku to learn Japanese from the real-world content you'll actually encounter once you arrive.