Guide
Changing Your Status of Residence in Japan (在留資格変更)
How to change your status of residence in Japan, from student to work or work to business manager, applying from inside the country at your immigration office.
When your situation in Japan changes, your status of residence often has to change with it. This is called a change of status of residence (在留資格変更), and you apply for it from inside Japan at your regional immigration office.
Common reasons to change status
- Student to work, when you graduate and start a job.
- Work to business manager (経営・管理), when you launch or run a company.
How it works
The core requirement is simple: you need a job, role, or qualification that genuinely fits the new status. Immigration checks that your activity matches the category you're applying for, so the supporting documents come from your employer or your own business.
Apply before you begin the new activity, and don't let your current period of stay lapse while you wait for a decision. Approval is not automatic, so build in time.