2025-03-13

A work visa is a status of residence granted to foreigners working in Japan. The work visa specifies the type of work that is allowed for each visa status. In other words, you are not allowed to work in other occupations. However, part-time work is allowed with permission.

Work Visa and Part-time Work

There are two main types of status of residence (status of residence) that allow foreigners to stay in Japan: “work-related” and “status of residence”.

Work-related status of residence is a status that allows a foreigner to work at a specific job in Japan. A status of residence for status of residence that allows the holder to live in the same household as a relative or other family member residing in Japan.

Of these, work-related status of residence (work visa) determines the type of work that can be performed in Japan for each status of residence. For example, a person with “Art” status cannot work in the theater. This is because a visa status of “Entertainer” is required to work in theater, entertainment, sports, etc.

However, if a person with “Art” status can also work part-time in the arts, this is not prohibited. However, if there is a provision in the “work rules” of the company where you are employed that says “no side jobs”, then of course you are not allowed to work part-time.

What are activities permitted outside the status of residence?

Then, can I work at a part-time job other than that permitted under my current status of residence? The answer is no. However, in order to do so, you must obtain permission to engage in activities other than those permitted under your status of residence.

However, you do not need to obtain a “Permit to Engage in Activity other than that Permitted under the Status of Residence” permit in the following four cases.

The first is “an honorarium for a lecture not given in the course of business. By “in the course of business,” we mean “repeatedly and on a routine basis.” Thus, it is a case in which you were asked to give a lecture at a seminar or other such event one time and received a gratuity (remuneration).

The second is “occasional remuneration, etc., in connection with daily life. For example, a friend or acquaintance asks you to drive a car and you receive money as a reward.

The third is “activities permitted under the current status of residence. For example, a person with “artistic” status may work part-time in the arts.

Finally, the fourth is “if you have a visa with no restrictions on work activities. For example, a person who is married to a Japanese national and has “Spouse or Child of Japanese National” status of residence.

Please note that just because you are allowed to engage in “activities other than those permitted under the status of residence” does not mean that you can engage in any kind of part-time work. The part-time job that you are allowed to work at is granted on a case-by-case basis, and you are not allowed to change the place of your part-time job without permission.

What is the status of residence “Designated Activities”?

In addition to the above, there may be cases where a foreigner who has been working on a work visa quits his/her company or is laid off, and temporarily takes a part-time job. If they wish to remain in Japan, they will need to find a job. In such cases, a status of residence called “Designated Activities” is required.

Since your status of residence will be invalidated when you become unemployed, you will need to obtain a “Designated Activities” status as soon as possible. However, this status of residence allows you to engage in employment activities in Japan, so if you want to work part-time for a living, you will need to obtain “Engaging in activities other than those permitted under the status of residence” as in the previous example.

Foreigners who have obtained “Designated Activities” and are permitted to engage in “activities other than those permitted under the status of residence” are basically not restricted in the type of part-time work they can engage in. However, the types of business such as adult entertainment, game arcades, pachinko parlors, etc. are prohibited.

Conclusion

Foreigners residing in Japan do not need permission to work part-time if the type of work is the same as their status of residence. However, if the type of work is different from that of the status of residence, “Permission to Engage in Activity other than that Permitted under the Status of Residence” is required. Please note, however, that this status does not cover all types of part-time work.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)