Special Permit to Engage in Other Activities

Students and "dependent" visa holders are not allowed to work full time, but they can work part time if they ask for the permission in advance at the Immigration office.

It is called "Permission to engage in activities other than that permitted under the status of residence previously granted" (download the application form here). You will be working illegally if you don't obtain this permission in advance.

This Permission allows you to work within 28 hours a week and there is no restriction in the type of activities (except for the sex industry) or limit in terms of the amount of income.

If you have a dependent visa and are covered by your spouse's social security, you might want to be careful with the limits over which you will need to start paying for the social security contribution independently:

• Less than 3/4 of working hours compared to regular workers
• Less than 1.3 million yen of annual income
• Less than half the annual income of that of your spouse

These limits are different according to the type of social security that your spouse has joined, so it is highly recommended to check with his/her employer or the organization in charge of his/her social security.

If you wish to work on full time, it is necessary to change your visa status to an appropriate working visa. It is necessary to satisfy the requirements such as your educational or professional background, job description and financial performance of the employer.

• Change of visa status
• Ask for personalized advice