This article is for foreign students who, after graduating from a university or vocational school in Japan, wish to remain and seek employment in Japan.
The majority of such students change their status of residence from “Student” to “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services” (hereafter referred to as “Gi-Jin-Koku”) upon graduation and find employment in private companies. So, this article will concentrate on the following 3 themes which are related with Gi-Jin-Koku:
- About the status of residence “Gi-Jin-Koku”
- The status of residence “Designated Activities No. 46” which is supposedly an expanded version of Gi-Jin-Koku?
- Job-seeking activities after graduation
Of course, the options after studying in Japan are not limited to these three mentioned above. They are merely the popular choices for the majority of foreign students.
Foreign students who have obtained national qualifications of Japan such as medical doctor, nurse, or care worker will be granted other status of residence than Gi-Jin-Koku. Graduates who wish to start their own business instead of seeking employment will need to get the status of residence “Business Manager”. If you are interested in entrepreneurship in Japan, please visit our previous post Easy Introduction to “Startup Visa” Parts 1, 2, and 3.
I. Status of Residence “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services” (Gi-Jin-Koku)
(1) The Scope of Job Covered by “Gi-Jin-Koku”
This status of residence is for so-called ‘white-collar’ (intellectual labour) workers. As it has a broad range of work applications, many foreign students may have heard of it.
As its official name “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services” suggests, this status of residence includes three occupational fields. Let’s take a brief look at each one:
Engineer: Foreign nationals who have studied natural sciences such as electrical and electronic engineering, mechanical engineering, information technology (IT)*, chemistry, physics, biology, agricultural science, etc. at universities or similar institutions, and graduated from them. The job at companies where they are employed must utilize their specialized knowledge.
*For IT-related jobs, it is not necessary to have graduated from a university or similar institutions if you have passed specific exams or hold certain qualifications that are granted by the Ministry of Justice.
Specialist in Humanities: Foreign nationals who have studied humanities (social sciences) such as law, political science, economics, business administration, sociology, literature, linguistics, etc. at universities or similar institutions, and graduated from them. The job at companies where they are employed must utilize their specialized knowledge.
International Services:
(i) Foreign nationals with more than three years of practical experience in jobs that require the knowledge and sensibility unique to those who grew up in a certain foreign country. The job at companies where they are employed must utilize their unique knowledge and sensibility.
(ii) However, if a university graduate is engaged in translation or interpretation at his/her place of employment, practical experience in job is not required.
Since this article is targeting foreign students studying in Japan, we will proceed our discussion focusing only on foreign nationals who fall under (ii) as for the category of ‘International Services.’
Now, what are the common requirements in these three work fields? All three fields mention the words “company” and “university or similar institution (or just university).” Below, we will explain these two keywords.
(2) About the Company that you are going to work for
If a foreign student did not study properly and spent most of their times doing part-time job beyond the hours permitted by the permission for engaging in activities other than that permitted under the status of residence previously granted (shikaku-gai-katsudo), it is not the company but the student who is to be blamed for failure to obtain the status of Gi-Jin-Koku. However, there are also many cases where the reasons for denial of the status of residence lies with companies.
The reasons on the company’s side mainly fall into the following four categories:
(i) The content of the work to be engaged in does not meet the standards required by Gi-Jin-Koku. As mentioned at the beginning, the subject of Gi-Jin-Koku is ‘white-collar’ (intellectual labour) workers. Therefore, if the actual job involves ‘on-site manual work’*, it will not be permitted. However, if the work is part of internal training of the company and has a fixed period, it may be acceptable.
*On-site manual work is referred to as “Gen-gyo” in Japanese. It is a kind of work that does not require special skills or knowledge and can be acquired through repetitive training. Examples include carrying luggage at hotels, cleaning guest rooms, serving in restaurants, and assembly work in factories.
(ii) The relevance between the knowledge acquired during your study and the job to be engaged in is also important. For example, if you studied animation at a vocational school but applied to work as an interpreter at a hotel, such an application is likely to be rejected.
Each of foreign students should carefully check the content of the work and the relevance with your study for the job offered by a company.
(iii) The salary should be equal to or larger than that received by Japanese workers engaged in the same or similar jobs. Although there seems no need for further explanation, still you should check what the salary includes and does not include. For instance, reimbursement for actual expenses incurred, such as transportation costs, is not considered as a part of salary.
(iv) The stability and future prospects of the company where a foreign graduate will be employed. Even if he/she manages to get a job, if the company soon goes bankrupt or faces financial difficulties resulting in delayed or stopped salary payments, the person may not be able to maintain a stable life in Japan, and may end up becoming an illegal resident in the worst-case scenario.
Therefore, the Immigration Services Bureau (called “Nyu-kan” in Japanese) scrutinizes the size and performance of the company. The smaller or newer the company, the more documents need to be submitted to prove the company’s healthiness and expectations. Companies employing international students must prepare sufficient documentation to satisfy Nyu-kan.
(3) About Universities and Similar Educational Institutions
In Japan, there are various types of schools, which can be roughly classified into “university” types and “vocational school” types.
University types: universities, graduate schools, professional universities, junior colleges, colleges of technology (kosen), etc. These are generally regarded as more academic.
Vocational school types: specialized training colleges are divided into 3 different courses which are the general course, the upper secondary course and the post-secondary course. Usually, the first two courses are called “Senshu-Gakkou” and the third one is called “Senmon-Gakkou” in Japanese. These aim to acquire skills needed for specific professions.
Regarding the occupational fields “Engineer” and “Specialist in Humanities” in Gi-Jin-Koku, those who have graduated from university type schools and post-secondary courses of specialized training colleges (senmon-gakkou schools) are eligible for permission.
If you are not sure whether your school is eligible for Gi-Jin-Koku, please contact your school’s administration office or feel free to ask us for clarification.
While the relevance of the knowledge acquired during your study to the work you will engage in has been mentioned above, let us provide an additional note:
The relevance will be judged relatively loosely for university graduates, but it will be judged rather strictly or narrowly for graduates of senmon-gakkou schools. This is because university type schools are defined as places to receive broad education while exploring specialized academic fields, whereas senmon-gakkou schools are practically aimed at acquiring the knowledge necessary for specific professions.
II. The status of residence “Designated Activities” No. 46
(1) The Status of Residence for Jobs Combining Intellectual and Manual Work
“Designated Activities” No. 46 is a status of residence that allows foreign students who have graduated from Japanese universities to engage in jobs that are not fit to the scope of Gi-Jin-Koku.
The work defined under Gi-Jin-Koku is limited to intellectual tasks requiring the knowledges of natural or human sciences studied at universities or senmon-gakkou schools. However, many real-world jobs have both aspects of intellectual work and on-site work (manual labour).
For example, a person working at a hotel front desk (which is a job of Gi-Jin-Koku) might also act as a concierge or doorman, greeting guests and carrying luggage. Similarly, a person working on product improvements at a manufacturing factory (which is a job of Gi-Jin-Koku) might also participate in production line work.
It can be natural that the smaller the company is, the more likely it is that a single employee has to do multiple tasks.
Designated Activities No. 46 is a relatively new status of residence that covers jobs combining Gi-Jin-Koku tasks with on-site manual labour.
Previously, there was no status of residence for such jobs, so foreigners could not take these positions even if they wanted. However, due to the rapidly progressing labour shortage in Japan and calls from industries for foreigners to fill these positions, Specified Activities No. 46 was created in 2019 that relaxes the requirements of Gi-Jin-Koku.
(2) However, the requirements for applicants are stricter than those for Gi-Jin-Koku?
While the Designated Activities No. 46 opens new job fields for foreign nationals, the requirements for applicants to take up these jobs are actually stricter than those for “Gi-Jin-Koku.
What does this mean? It might be a consideration for the certain conservative populations who are reluctant about accepting more foreigners into Japan. However, if the criteria are too restrictive, there is a concern that this newly established residence status will not be effectively utilized.
Anyway, let’s take a closer look at the requirements for applicants:
Educational Requirements: Graduates of universities and graduate schools are eligible with no problem. For junior colleges or technical colleges graduates, however, simply graduating from these schools is not enough. It is necessary to complete the advanced courses and obtain a bachelor’s degree.
As for graduates of specialized training colleges (senshu-gakkou schools), only those who have completed the “Certified post-secondary courses of specialized training college”* (not just ordinary post-secondary courses of senmon-gakkou schools) and obtain the title of Advanced Diploma (koudo-senmon-shi) will be eligible for this status.
*For more details, please refer to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s website Regarding the certification of the “Career Development Promotion Program for International Students” at vocational schools (specialized training college courses) (2023)
Japanese Language Proficiency: It is not sufficient to merely understand instructions. Applicants must have the high level ability to engage in two-way communication in Japanese. A score of 480 or higher on the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (N1) or the BJT Business Japanese Proficiency Test is required.
III. Job-Seeking Ronin (Continuing Job Search Activities After Graduation)
(1) Job-Seeking Activities in the First Year After Graduation
Although a foreign student has started looking for a job before graduation, he/she may end up graduating without finding a good company. In such cases, continuing to stay in Japan and searching for a job is called “job-seeking ronin.” The word “ronin” originally referred to samurai in old Japan who were not serving any lord. Similarly, an employment seeker who has not yet been employed by any company is called a job-seeking ronin.
Since a foreign job-seeking ronin is no longer a student, he/she needs to change the status of residence from “Student” to “Designated Activities” in order to continue job-seeking activities in Japan. However, the Immigration Services Bureau (nyu-kan) does not grant the “Designated Activities” status simply because you are a job-seeking ronin. It will require a recommendation letter from the graduated institution and proof of sufficient funds for living expenses during the period of job-seeking.
The permitted period of stay is six months, and it can be extended once, allowing a total of one year for job searching.
For your information, unlike the “Designated Activities” No. 46 explained above, the status for the job-seeking ronin does not have a specific number. Such types of “Designated Activities” with no number are referred to as “outside the notification.”*
*The status of residence “Designated Activities” covers new types of work (e.g., digital nomads), temporary jobs (e.g., jobs related to the Olympics), and other irregular reasons for middle-long term residency. Some of these are listed with numbers in the Minister of Justice’s notification. Those not yet listed are referred to as “outside the notification.”
(2) Job-Seeking Activities in the Second Year After Graduation
The one is in a quite difficult situation if a good suitable job has not been found yet after one year of job-seeking activities. Nevertheless, if you apply for and are allowed to participate in the job-seeking support program conducted by some local governments, including internships by the local companies, you can obtain another year of “Designated Activities” (non-notice) status as a job-seeking ronin. In this case, the initial period of stay is six months, and it can be extended once.
Local governments expect that, by supporting foreign job-seeking ronins, they will find employment within the region, and subsequently contribute to the regional economy.
To get along with this purpose, the Immigration Services Bureau considers the following points when granting the second-year residency permission to job-seeking ronins:
(i) Is the job-seeking support program managed and supervised properly by the local government?
(ii) Is the local government appropriately managing and supervising each internship program conducted by companies within its region?
(iii) Is the local government assessing the qualities and motivation of job-seeking ronin participating in the internship programs through interviews and other means?
For more details, please refer to the Immigration Services Agency’s website “For those who wish to stay in Japan to look for a job after graduating from university etc.”
IV. Additional Information
(1) From Employment Agreement to the Date of Start Working
Even after an employment agreement is made between a company and yourself, there may be a gap between graduation and start working for the company. For example, if the status of residence “Student” expires on April 30, and the starting date at the company is October 1, from 1st May to 30th September, you have 5 months of empty period. If you wish to continue staying in Japan for this 5-months period, you can obtain the status of residence, another “Designated Activities” to cover the period.
However, there are requirements to be met, such as the employment starting within one year after the employment agreement, and the company must submit a written pledge (to confirm employment on the promised date) to the Immigration Services Bureau. For details, please check the Immigration Services Agency’s website “For those who wish to stay in Japan until employment is confirmed while they are studying at university or after they have graduated.”
(2) Cool Japan: Trainees for Promoting Japanese Cuisine Overseas
Have you heard of the word “Cool Japan”? Although it seems to be used less frequently in these days, it refers to activities that promote ‘cool (stylish)’ Japanese cultures, such as anime, fashion, and cuisine to the world.
As part of the “Cool Japan” promotions, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MOFF) is implementing the “Japanese Food Culture Overseas Promotion Human Resource Development Project.”
This project allows foreign students who have graduated from cooking or confectionery schools to work and learn skills further at restaurants and other establishments in Japan. They are granted the status of residence “Designated Activities”, allowing them to stay for up to five years.
MOFF aims to train many foreign chefs of Japanese cuisine and to encourage them to promote Japanese cuisine in their home countries. For more details, please refer to the MOFF’s website “About the Project for Training Human Resources for Promoting Japanese Food Culture Overseas.”
(3) Employment Support for Foreign Graduates of Overseas Universities Who Studied at Japanese Language Schools
The system that supports job-seeking activities after graduation has been applicable not only to graduates of Japanese universities but also to foreign nationals who had graduated from overseas universities and then studied at Japanese language schools* since 2014.
*This applies only to Japanese language schools certified by the Ministry of Justice ordinance.
**Previously, this system was only applicable within “National Strategic Special Zones” established by the Cabinet Office, but since 2014, it has been extended to cover the nationwide.
To grant the status of residence “Designated Activities” to the foreign students for this purpose, the Immigration Services Bureau requires the following conditions to be met:
(i) Having started job-seeking activities before graduation from Japanese language school.
(ii) Holding meetings regularly after graduation with the Japanese language school that the foreign graduate attended to report on the progress of job-seeking activities, and to receive advice from the school regarding job-seeking.
(iii) Receiving a letter of recommendation from the Japanese language school attended.
(iv) Having sufficient funds to continue job-seeking activities.
For detailed information, please refer to the “Guidelines for Promoting Employment of Foreign Graduates of Overseas Universities Studying at Japanese Language Schools in National Strategic Special Zones”.
◎ This is all for the post regarding “Employment After Studying in Japan – 3 Options.” I hope it was helpful for you. Since the explanations are rather simplified, you may have questions or want to know more. If so, please do not hesitate to contact us.
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