2025-08-30

Foreign nationals married to Japanese citizens can obtain a spouse visa. If they obtain this visa, can they work in Japan? Are there restrictions on the type of work? We will explain in detail.

What is a Spouse Visa?

A spouse visa is a residence status that can be obtained by a foreign national residing in Japan who marries a Japanese citizen.

Note that “spouse visa” is a common name; the official designation is “Residence Status: Spouse or Child of Japanese National.” Individuals eligible for this status include not only foreigners married to Japanese nationals, but also foreigners who have been specially adopted by Japanese nationals and those born as children of Japanese nationals.

To obtain a Spouse Visa, you must prepare and submit the application form and required documents to the Regional Immigration Bureau. After that, an examination is conducted, and a decision is made on whether to grant permission.

Can you work with a Spouse Visa?

There are no restrictions on employment for foreigners who have obtained a Spouse Visa. While work-related visas typically limit employment to specific occupations designated by that visa, the Spouse Visa imposes no such employment restrictions.

However, simply marrying a Japanese national does not automatically grant a spouse visa or allow conversion from another residence status. Employment must only commence after the spouse visa has been obtained.

The absence of work restrictions means you can freely choose your occupation, employment type (full-time employee, part-time worker, etc.), and working hours. Naturally, you are not limited to being employed; you also have the option to start your own business and become an entrepreneur.

Benefits Regarding Employment

Obtaining a spouse visa offers the following five employment-related benefits:

First, as explained earlier, it allows employment in such occupations.

General work-related visas cover the “Technical/Humanities/International Services” field. This includes jobs such as engineer, marketing specialist, international trade specialist, designer, language instructor, translator/interpreter, etc. These occupations involve utilizing knowledge acquired at universities or similar institutions, or leveraging characteristics as a foreign national. Therefore, employment in “unskilled labor” to address labor shortages is not permitted. However, the spouse visa has no such restrictions.

Second, you can work without requiring academic qualifications or practical experience. To obtain a work visa, you typically need a certain level of education, over 10 years of practical experience, or international achievements. However, with a spouse visa, you can work without restrictions, regardless of your educational background, work experience, or achievements.

Third, you can work part-time or as a temporary worker. There are no work visas that only permit part-time work. However, with a spouse visa, there are no restrictions on working part-time, as a temporary worker, or as a contract employee.

Fourth, you can run a business. For foreigners to operate a company in Japan, numerous requirements apply: establishing a domestic office, having capital of at least 5 million yen, employing two or more full-time staff residing in Japan, and possessing relevant experience or management skills. However, with a spouse visa, you can start a business as a sole proprietor with as little as 1 yen in capital and even use your home as an office. You can conduct business just like a Japanese national.

Fifth, you can choose whether or not to work. Work visas are intended for employment with a specific company or in a specific occupation. Therefore, if you leave the company or change occupations, that purpose is lost, requiring you to change to another visa or return to your home country. However, with a spouse visa, as long as either the husband or wife earns an income, the “livelihood requirement” is met, so you have the option not to work.

Summary

If you obtain a spouse visa, there are restrictions on employment. This means you are free to choose your occupation. Furthermore, if the “livelihood requirement” is met, you also have the option not to work.