Flow to change to working visa

Many foreign students work after completion of their study. Also there may be foreigners who want to work in Japan. Let’s see how to change their status.

1. Look for work and check if you can meet requirement of one of working visa

If they want to work in Japan, they have to meet one of requirement of working visa. Generally speaking, for university degree holders, status of “Engineer/ Specialist in Humanities / International Services” is their option. Also if they have degree of Japanese 4 years university and N1 certificate, there is a easy status, newly created in 2019, as well.

Depending on the role in the company, academic degree, or experience, they can’t work in Japan.

For example, if a foreigner, who has university degree without experience, wants to work in restaurant company, he can’t work as chef. He may be able to work as accountant or marketer, or as some role which matches his academic degree.

If it’s Japanese language school student without university degree, “Specified Skilled Worker” may be best choice because of its easy requirement. But they have to pass examination to get the status.

2. Get  sponsorship from the employer company

Meeting requirement is not good enough to get Japanese visa. It requires sponsorship from Japanese company. Applicant and employer company jointly make application forms. So it’s impossible to get working visa status if you don’t have any company that can help you.

And employer companies need to provide some required materials, such as financial statements, to applicant for the application.

3. Submit application to immigration bureau

If documents are ready, they can submit application to immigration bureau. If it’s status change, it takes 2 weeks to 1 month normally. If you use professional agency service, you don’t have to go to immigration bureau by yourself.

*Flow for foreign residents

Basic flow is same. They have to look for job first, and submit application to immigration bureau. Even if it’s difficult to look for one for foreign residents, it is same.

The procedure to do is different. What they have to do is to submit application for Certificate of Eligibility. The process takes 1-3 months normally. And it can take even longer if the application is not easy. Easy application means application with good applicant and good employer company.

*IMPORTANT

We offer service to obtain visas for work only to companies which want to employ foreigners, and employee applicants who already have employer company. We do not introduce any work to foreigners.