Students employed by a Japanese company or other enterprise in Japan, will need to change their status of residence to one that allows for employment, since students cannot hold a job with a “College Student” status of residence. The purpose for residence in Japan will change to “labor” and “working.” However, just getting a job does not necessarily allow students to change their status of residence. What follows is information regarding changing one’s status of residence while hunting for a job.
The Career Center also offers advice on many issues related to career paths and employment opportunities.
Status of Residence for “Working”
While there are 10 types of status of residence for working, Rikkyo University students will most likely apply for the “Specialist in Humanities / International Services” status of residence. Students in the College of Science have the potential to obtain an “Engineer” status of residence. (If alumni of the College of Arts apply for the “Engineer” category, they will either have to pass a test on information processing techniques prescribed in the landing permission criteria, or obtain certain qualifications.)
Jobs frequently performed by “Specialists in Humanities / International Services”:
Purchase of commodities and raw materials with a commercial firm
Employee at a trading company; trading with other countries including one’s home country
Employee at a Japanese branch of a company from one’s home country
Full-time teaching of one’s native language at a language school
Production control and management of operations with a manufacturing company
Cases where Authorization is Often Denied
Restaurant or café work, delivery work, or similar undertakings as an extension of part-time work
Jobs in which the employees are all part-time workers
Cases where the salary offered is significantly lower than that of Japanese employees Positions in companies which do not have work falling under the category of your status of residence, and companies where the business is not stable and continuous
Manual labor and cases where the necessity of having a foreigner work is not evident (work which a Japanese person could do part-time)
The above cases tend to be invalid
Changing one’s residence status from “College Student” to “Specialist in Humanities / International Services” or “Engineer”
The procedures for changing your status of residence from “College Student” to “Specialist in Humanities / International Services” or “Engineer” in order to work can be performed at the Immigration Bureau. A student scheduled to commence employment in April, needs to go through the procedures to change their status of residence according to employment, even if their term of residence as a “College Student” extends beyond April. In the event that the term of residence as a “College Student” expires before April, students need to apply for a change of status of residence to “Specialist in Humanities / International Services” or “Engineer” during their term of residence as a “College Student.”
List of Application Forms
(1) Application form for permission to change the status of residence (form prescribed by the Immigration Bureau)
(2) Materials which provide a clear overview of the hiring organization (company serving as your place of employment, etc.); a, b, and c are all required
a. Commercial or corporate registry
b. Copies of profit and loss statements (the most recent ones; or projections for the coming year in the case of new businesses)
c. Guidebooks on the hiring organization
(3) Resume
(4) Diploma (anticipated)
(5) Employment contract and other materials which attest to the substance of your work activities, as well as your employment term, position, and compensation
*The company must prepare documents (2) and (5)
Points to Note when Applying
(1) The job responsibilities must meet the permission standards.
(2) There must be a need for a foreigner to perform the work. → If the connection between the substance of one’s studies at the University and ones work is difficult to discern, a “statement of reason” explaining this connection is required.
(3) The job must pay a salary equal to that offered to Japanese . → This must be personally confirmed from the employment contract or similar sources.
(4) The documents must be properly arranged.
(The criteria for (1) refer to the “criteria” established by the Ministry of Justice’s Ordinance Stipulating the Criteria for Article 17, Paragraph 1 Item 2 of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act)
After Gaining Employment
If transferred within the company, or if you change jobs, and the work of your newt job is the same as the work covered by your status of residence, no special procedures are required. This change requires your presenting certification of the company to which you are transferred (the abovementioned application documents (2) and (5)) when extending your status of residence.
To confirm whether the work of your new job corresponds to your status of residence, you need to apply for a Certificate of Authorized Employment from the Immigration Bureau.
Please check the following homepage for information on matters such as status of residence procedures and consultations related to working.