Japan Job Seeker Designated Activities Visa: Practical Guide
最終更新日: 2026年5月27日
If you've just graduated from a Japanese university and still haven't landed a job offer, the Designated Activities (Job Hunting) visa lets you stay in Japan for up to one year, six months at a time, to keep searching. It's the bridge between your student status and a proper work visa, and the rules around it tightened noticeably in 2025–2026.
Last updated: May 27, 2026
What the Job Seeker Designated Activities Visa Actually Is
Japan does not have a single visa labeled "job seeker." Instead, the Immigration Services Agency grants a sub-category under the broad Designated Activities (Tokutei Katsudo / 特定活動) status of residence, sometimes informally called the post-graduation job-hunting visa or shūshoku katsudō (就職活動) visa.
Key points as of 2026:
- Initial period of stay: 6 months, renewable once for another 6 months.
- Maximum total: 1 year under this category.
- Designed for recent graduates of Japanese universities, graduate schools, and junior colleges who began job hunting before graduation and want to continue after.
- Part-time work is permitted up to 28 hours per week, but only after you separately obtain "Permission to Engage in Activity Other Than That Permitted Under the Status of Residence Previously Granted" (the so-called shikakugai katsudō kyoka).
If you are looking at the broader landscape of this status of residence, our Japan Designated Activities Visa overview explains the other sub-categories (internships, EPA, J-Find, dependents of highly skilled professionals, and more).
Who Is Eligible
The Immigration Services Agency expects applicants to fit a fairly specific profile. As a baseline you must:
- Have graduated from a Japanese university, graduate school, or junior college (a degree, not a language-school certificate).
- Have started job hunting before graduation and want to continue after.
- Be able to prove ongoing job-search activity (interviews, company information sessions, applications submitted).
- Have a letter of recommendation from your school confirming your status and intent.
- Demonstrate sufficient savings to support yourself during the stay.
A few important exclusions and edge cases:
- Japanese language school graduates are generally not eligible. Only graduates of overseas universities who meet specific additional criteria are treated as a narrow exception.
- Vocational school (senmon gakkō) graduates with a Diploma may apply only if their specialized course is directly related to qualifications such as Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services. If that's your path, the Engineer/Specialist in Humanities Visa requirements guide is the natural next read.
- In November 2025 the Immigration Services Agency announced "New Application Criteria for International Students Scheduled to Start Employment in April 2026," which tightened compliance and documentation expectations for transitions from a Student visa to Designated Activities (No. 46) and other work-related statuses. Expect officers to scrutinize your school records and job-hunt evidence more carefully than in past years.
How much money do you need
There is no nationally published minimum, but universities advise concrete figures. Kanazawa University, for example, recommends:
Length of stay | Suggested savings |
|---|---|
6 months | at least ¥500,000 |
1 year | at least ¥1,000,000 |
Treat these as floor numbers. If you live in Tokyo, Osaka, or Yokohama, your real costs will be higher and officers know it.
Document Checklist
Bring originals plus copies. The standard packet for a status change from Student (留学) to Designated Activities (Job Hunting) at your local Regional Immigration Services Bureau includes:
- Application for Change of Status of Residence form
- One photo, 4 cm x 3 cm, taken within 3 months of application, no hat, plain background
- Passport and current Residence Card (在留カード)
- Graduation certificate (卒業証明書) or, if you are between graduation and the ceremony date, a certificate of expected graduation
- Letter of recommendation from your university confirming you were job hunting before graduation and that the school continues to support your search
- Documentary evidence of job-hunting activity: records of interviews, application emails, company seminars attended, screenshots from job platforms, written statement of how you have been searching and how you plan to continue
- Proof of financial means: bank statements, scholarship records, statement of remittances from family, or a notarized letter of support from a sponsor
- Transcript of academic record (成績証明書)
- Resident tax certificate (課税証明書) or non-taxation certificate from your municipal office, where applicable
- Self-addressed prepaid envelope (for postal notification of result)
If you are renewing for the second 6 months, you submit the same form for extension rather than change, plus refreshed evidence that you are still actively job hunting (typically a new school recommendation, recent application records, and updated bank statements).
Step-by-Step Application Process
1. Before graduation
Start documenting your job hunt. Save emails, keep a log of company information sessions, and track which firms you applied to. Officers want to see that you began searching while still a student.
2. Get the school recommendation
Visit your career center or international office. Most universities require a meeting and a written explanation of your search plan before they issue the recommendation letter. Some schools take 2 to 4 weeks to issue it, so request early.
3. File the change-of-status application
Submit at the Regional Immigration Services Bureau covering your address. You can apply before your Student visa expires, ideally within the last weeks of student status. Do not wait until after expiration.
4. File the school-discontinuation notification
Separately from the visa application, you must notify Immigration of the change to your accepting organization (graduation from school) within 14 days of graduation. This is a legal obligation under the Immigration Control Act.
5. Wait for the postcard
Immigration mails a postcard when a decision is ready. Typical processing for Designated Activities is 1 to 3 months from submission. Bring the postcard, passport, residence card, and the fee payment form when you collect the result.
6. Pay the fee and collect the new residence card
When the change is approved, you pay using a revenue stamp affixed to the Certificate for Payment of Fee form. See the next section for the current amount.
7. Apply separately for part-time work permission
If you want to work up to 28 hours per week, file the shikakugai katsudō kyoka application at the same window. It is free and usually issued on the spot or within a few weeks.
Fees and Processing Times
Item | Amount / time (as of 2026) |
|---|---|
Status change fee (in Japan), revenue stamp | ¥6,000 |
Part-time work permission | Free |
Standard processing, change of status | 1 to 3 months |
Embassy/consulate visa stamping after CoE | About 1 week (3 to 5 working days) |
CoE review (Certificate of Eligibility) | Usually 2 to 4 months |
A few notes for 2026:
- Japan revised consular visa fees effective April 1, 2026, with rates applying through March 31, 2027. Pre-revision figures still cited in February 2026 were ¥3,000 for single-entry and ¥6,000 for multiple-entry Designated Activities. The exact post-April 2026 yen figure was not consistently published across official sources at the time of writing, so confirm directly with your local Japanese embassy or consulate.
- The government's fiscal 2026 reform discussions have proposed raising the in-country renewal and change-of-status fee from ¥6,000 to as high as ¥100,000. The current law caps this at ¥10,000, and any increase above that requires a legislative amendment that has not yet passed. For now, ¥6,000 remains the operative figure.
- On January 23, 2026 the Japanese government adopted a policy package on the acceptance of foreign nationals and "orderly coexistence," which signals tighter compliance reviews and more weight placed on Japanese language ability across visa categories.
For live figures, check the Immigration Services Agency (https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa page (https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/).
What You Can and Cannot Do on This Visa
Permitted
- Continue job-search activities, including interviews, internships connected to a hiring process, and unpaid trial work.
- Part-time work up to 28 hours per week with the separate work permission.
- Travel in and out of Japan, provided you use the re-entry system at the airport.
Prohibited
- Working in adult entertainment establishments, nightclubs, bars, pachinko parlors, or any business categorized under the Entertainment Business Law.
- Jobs that require specific licenses you do not hold.
- Full-time employment. Once you receive a job offer, you must change status to the appropriate work visa (most commonly Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services) before starting full-time work.
- Overstaying. Even one day past your visa expiration can trigger detention, deportation, and a 5 to 10 year re-entry ban.
How It Compares to J-Find (Designated Activities No. 51)
If you did not graduate from a Japanese school, you are not eligible for the job-hunting category described above. There is, however, a separate route called J-Find, formally the Future Creation Individual visa, launched in April 2023.
Feature | Job-Hunting (post-graduation) | J-Find (Future Creation Individual) |
|---|---|---|
Who | Graduates of Japanese universities, grad schools, junior colleges | Graduates of universities ranked in the top 100 by at least two of QS, Times Higher Education, and Shanghai (ARWU) |
Graduation window | Recent graduate continuing job search | Within the last 5 years |
Max stay | 1 year (6 months + 6 months) | Up to 2 years |
Minimum savings | No fixed national figure (¥500K–¥1M suggested by universities) | ¥200,000 (around USD 1,400) |
Dependents | Generally no | Spouse and child may join under a paired Designated Activities status |
The official list of qualifying J-Find universities is maintained by the Ministry of Justice at moj.go.jp/isa/content/001394994.pdf and is updated as rankings change. If your degree is from a top-100 institution, J-Find is usually the better option because of the longer stay and the ability to bring family.
If you eventually land a senior role, also look at the Highly Skilled Professional Visa points system, which can shorten the path to permanent residency considerably.
Common Pitfalls
- Submitting weak job-hunting evidence. A vague statement that you are "looking for work" will not pass. Bring records: dated emails, screenshots of submitted applications, interview notification messages.
- Missing the 14-day school-discontinuation notification. This is separate from the visa change and is easy to forget.
- Letting the Student visa expire before filing. File the change application while you are still on a valid Student status.
- Counting on a third 6-month extension. The cap is 1 year total. If you have not found a job by month 12, you must leave or find another lawful status.
- Working over 28 hours per week. Immigration checks this through tax and pension records during status changes. Excess hours are one of the most common reasons later work-visa applications are denied.
- Assuming a language school credential qualifies you. It does not, except under narrow conditions for overseas-university graduates.
- Ignoring Japanese language ability. The January 2026 policy package gives more weight to Japanese language skill in compliance and renewal reviews. Practically, applicants at intermediate or higher levels have an easier time at interviews and with officers.
FAQs
Can I switch to this visa from a Working Holiday or Tourist visa?
No. The route is from Student (留学) status only, with the school recommendation as the anchor document.
What happens if I receive a job offer during the visa?
You apply to change status to the appropriate work visa, most often Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services. You cannot start full-time work until the new status is granted.
Can I leave Japan during the visa and come back?
Yes, with a re-entry permit (or special re-entry permit obtained at the airport on departure) if you return within one year. Extended absences can complicate renewal because they undermine the claim that you are actively job hunting in Japan.
Is health insurance required?
Yes. You must remain enrolled in National Health Insurance or an employer-based plan if you have qualifying part-time work. Unpaid premiums show up in later visa applications.
Do I need to file taxes?
If you earn part-time income, yes. Keep your gensen chōshū-hyō (源泉徴収票, withholding slip) at year end. It is often requested at renewals.
Can I apply to graduate school instead and switch back to Student status?
Yes. If you are accepted into a program, you can change back to 留学 status with the new school's documentation.
Final Practical Notes
The Designated Activities (Job Hunting) visa is a useful but narrow tool. It rewards applicants who can show methodical, documented job searching and who handle the bureaucracy on time. Build your paper trail from your final semester, keep your finances above the suggested thresholds, and treat the 14-day notification deadline as immovable.
If you're job hunting in Japan, your Japanese ability will quietly decide which interviews convert into offers. Migaku helps you learn Japanese from the shows, news, and articles you already read in Japan, which is the closest thing to interview practice you can get outside the room itself.