Looking for Work

Work and Status of Residence

Some residence statuses restrict the type of work you can do in Japan. The only types of status that do not have restrictions on work are Long-term Resident, Permanent Resident, Spouse or Child of Japanese National, and Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident. If you wish to engage in work activities other than those permitted under your status of residence, you must obtain permission from the Regional Immigration Bureau before engaging in those activities. If you do not, you will be considered to be engaged in an illegal activity and may be subject to deportation. You may also be prohibited from re-entering Japan for a period of time.

How to Find a Job

Hello Work is the government employment service center. It gives job seekers advice and information on different job openings free of charge. Hello Work offices are connected by an online system, making it possible to view jobs throughout the country. The service covers both full-time and part-time employment. You should take your residence card and passport with you when you register with the service as they will need to confirm your status and period of residence. If you need Japanese language assistance, you can use a telephone interpreting service. Please ask for this service at the Hello Work reception desk.

Languages of Interpretation：

English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, Nepalese, Tagalog, Khmer, Mongolian, Portuguese, Burmese.

④Hello Work offices

Rules of Employment

Employers are required to specify to their employees in writing the conditions of their employment, including their salary and working hours. A verbal agreement can cause trouble later, so when you start a job, make sure that you have a written contract with the details of your working conditions, including the term of the contract, all matters pertaining to wages, the place and content of your work, working hours, breaks, non-working days, and paid vacations. Check whether the company employing you has any rules of employment and confirm the content.

💻The Model Rules of Employment

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare offers a pamphlet called on The Model Rules of Employment about appropriate working rules in five languages：

Japanese, English, Chinese, Portuguese, Vietnamese.

Model Rules of Employment

💻Working Conditions Handbook

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare offers a Working Conditions Handbook in fourteen languages：

English, Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish, Tagalog, Korean, Vietnamese, Japanese, Indonesian, Thai, Nepalese, Burmese, Mongolian, Khmer.

Working Conditions Handbook

💻Sample Notice of Employment

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare offers a sample notice of employment in thirteen languages：

English, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Tagalog, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Khmer, Mongolian, Burmese, Nepalese, Thai.

Model Sample Notice of Employment

For more information on working in Japan, please see Chapter 3 Employment/Working of the Guidebook on Living and Working on the website of the Immigration Services Agency.