8 Things to Know Before Gaining Permission to Work in Japan with Dependent Visa

August 28 2023

Can you work with a dependent visa?

When you stay in Japan with a dependent visa, you are not allowed to work.

However, if you gain permission to engage in an activity other than that permitted under the status of residence previously granted (資格外活動許可 – Shikakugai Katsudo Kyoka), you can work part-time, up to 28 hours a week.

Stamp of 資格外活動許可 – Shikakugai Katsudo Kyoka

Why only 28 hours a week?

A dependent visa is given to those who accompany their spouse or parents. Under this visa, employment is not regarded as a purpose to stay in Japan. This is why there is a limitation on work hours.

What kind of part-time job can I have?

In general, you can find a job at a convenience store or restaurant, where you will be paid hourly.

You can also work as an engineer or in an office, if you are paid hourly and work for 28 hours or less a week.

Is there a limitation on wage?

If you are staying in Japan with a dependent visa, you are basically regarded as a “dependent.” So, if you have a sizable wage from a part-time job, you may not be eligible for the renewal of the visa.

To cite an extreme case, say a husband is earning 6 million JPY a year with an Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services Visa, whereas his wife is working for 20 hours a week under a dependent visa. If the wife is an excellent engineer and earns 10,000 JPY per hour, she ends up earning 9.6 million JPY in a year (20 hours a week x 4 weeks a month x 12 months).

In this case, the husband’s annual income is 6 million JPY and his wife’s is 9.6 million JPY. She is earning more than her husband, and thus she may be regarded as non-eligible for the status of a “dependent.”

Along with the restriction of work hours to 28 hours, you should keep your wage within the range of a dependent status so that the renewal of your visa can go smoothly.

If you sign a contract with an overseas company and work up to 28 hours

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, remote work has become much more common. Consequently, we have been receiving questions about working for a company located abroad through a permitted activity.

In short, it is possible to gain permission to engage in an activity other than that permitted under the previously granted status and work for an overseas company to receive compensation, if you work for 28 hours a week or less and your wage does not exceed what is expected of the dependent status.

Yet, you will probably need to file a tax return about your compensation, after consulting a local tax office.

In addition, you need to keep a record of how many hours you work, when you are working remotely for an overseas company.

We recommend that you sign a written contract with the company so that you have a document that can prove you work within 28 hours a week by showing what day of the week you work or how many hours you are expected to work.

There are “General Permission – 包括許可” and “Individual Permission – 個別許可” when you gain permission to engage in an activity other than that permitted under the previously granted status.

When you earn hourly wages, there will be no problem if you have General Permission.

If you work for an overseas company, it may be better to apply for Individual Permission and have the contract reviewed by the Immigration Services Agency beforehand.

Application process and review period

As mentioned above, there are General Permission and Individual Permission, each of which requires different documents.
For General Permission, all you need is an application form, your residence card, and your passport. For Individual Permission, in addition to these documents, you also need to submit a copy of the contract, documents about the company, or reasons for work in some cases.

According to the Immigration Services Agency, the review takes about 2 weeks to 2 months.

If you work for more than 28 hours a week for a domestic company

Even if you have permission to engage in an activity other than that permitted under the previously granted residence status, you cannot work more than 28 hours a week if you are in Japan as a dependent. If you want to work more than 28 hours, you need to consider adjusting your residential status.

For example, a person who has been working as a part-time engineer for 28 hours a week may want to start to work full-time. If this person meets the requirements with their education and employment history, they can apply for an Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services Visa and start to work full-time once the visa is granted.

Furthermore, if a person gains a Permanent Resident status, their spouse can adjust their status from a dependent visa to a Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident visa. There is no limitation on employment with this visa, so you can work full-time.

If you work for more than 28 hours a week for an overseas company

The Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services Visa is permitted only for those who have a contract with a company in Japan. You cannot work for a company in overseas with this visa.

If you want to sign a contract with an overseas company and work full-time, you need to consider adjusting your status to a Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident Visa, which has no employment restrictions, or we will look for other possibilities after learning your individual background and circumstances.