Working part time on a Student or Dependent visa: the 28 hour rule explained
If you live in Japan on a Student or Dependent visa, you need permission from the Immigration Services Agency (ISA) before you take a part time job. Even with that permission, there is a cap on how many hours you can work: the well known 28 hour rule. It matters to the people looking for work and to the companies that hire them, so here are answers to the questions that come up most often.
Your questions, answered
What is permission to engage in activity outside my status?
It is the permission you need to earn money from work that your current status of residence does not cover (ISA overview, in Japanese). It applies to people on work visas, Student visas and similar statuses. Permanent residents, long term residents and others whose status puts no limit on the work they do do not need it. The application is free and goes to the regional immigration office for the area where you live. The ISA says processing usually takes between two weeks and two months (application page, in Japanese).
What exactly is the 28 hour rule?
Ordinary part time work is covered by what the ISA calls blanket permission. The enforcement regulations of the Immigration Act (in Japanese) limit blanket permission to 28 hours a week. Work at adult entertainment businesses is never allowed, no matter how few hours.
Can I work more during summer break?
Students can. During the long vacation periods set in their school's rules, students may work up to 8 hours a day (ISA page for students, in Japanese). This exception is for students only. People on a Dependent visa stay at 28 hours a week all year round (ISA page for dependents, in Japanese).
I have two part time jobs. How does that work?
The 28 hours is a total across all your jobs. The ISA's leaflet for employers (in Japanese) states this plainly. Each employer may not know how many hours you work elsewhere, so keeping track is up to you.
Can I keep working after I graduate?
Not on the same permission. The regulations say a student's blanket permission only covers work done while enrolled at a school. Once you graduate or leave school, it no longer lets you work. If you stay on to look for a job, the "Designated Activities" status for job hunting can also qualify for blanket permission, so check this together with your visa paperwork.
What if I want to work more than 28 hours?
Anything outside blanket permission needs individual permission, which the ISA decides case by case. For example, a university senior who has almost all the credits needed to graduate may get individual permission to do an internship of more than 28 hours a week as part of job hunting. Freelance or contract work where your working hours cannot be clearly verified also needs individual permission.
What happens if you go over
The ISA's guide for new international students (in Japanese) warns that breaking the terms of your permission may lead to your visa extension being refused. Under the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (in Japanese), working without permission or beyond it can be punished by up to one year of imprisonment, a fine of up to 2 million yen, or both (Article 73). If it is clear that you are mainly working rather than doing the activity your status is for, the penalty rises to up to three years of imprisonment, a fine of up to 3 million yen, or both (Article 70), and you can be deported (Article 24).
Employers carry risk too. A student working beyond the permitted hours counts as illegal work, and the employer can be charged with facilitating illegal employment. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Q&A (in Japanese) also confirms that student part timers must be reported to Hello Work, and that the employer should check their work permission when doing so.
Before you start a job
- Your residence card shows that you have permission to work outside your status
- Your total weekly hours across every job stay at 28 or fewer
- You know the exact dates of your school's long vacations, if you are a student
- You have thought about what changes when you graduate or change your status
If you have questions about your visa or the kind of work you can do, feel free to talk to Sincero Global. You can reach us by phone at +81 90 7841 8887, by email at [email protected], or on LINE.
