Japan Job-Hunting Visa for Graduates (2026)

Japan’s job-hunting route for eligible international graduates is the Designated Activities status of residence, 特定活動 (tokutei katsudō). It allows graduates who began job hunting before graduation to remain for an initial six months, with one possible renewal for up to one year in total under the standard route described by the Immigration Services Agency.

This is the option commonly meant by “Japan job-hunting visa for graduates” or the Japanese search phrase 留学 卒業後 就職活動 特定活動 (ryūgaku sotsugyō-go shūshoku katsudō tokutei katsudō). It is not general work authorization: its main purpose is continuing a genuine post-graduation job search.

What the job-hunting Designated Activities status does

International students normally apply to change from Student status, 留学 (ryūgaku), to Designated Activities when they finish their studies but have not yet secured employment. The official category is specifically for continuing job hunting that started before graduation, rather than beginning an entirely new search afterward according to the eligibility rules.

The application is based on more than simply holding a diploma. Your former school’s recommendation, your continuing job-search activity, your financial support, and your residence history are relevant to the application.

Who is eligible?

The main route covers graduates who held Student status while attending an eligible Japanese university or vocational school. You must intend to continue job hunting that you were already conducting before graduation.

University and college graduates

Eligible university graduates include graduates of Japanese universities under the School Education Act, including junior colleges and graduate schools. Graduates of colleges of technology are treated similarly, but non-degree students, auditors, credited auditors, and research students are excluded from this university category under the official eligibility definitions.

A university applicant normally needs:

• A graduation certificate or copy of the diploma
• A recommendation from the university
• Materials showing continued job-hunting activity
• Evidence of the ability to cover living expenses

Vocational school graduates

Vocational school eligibility is more specific than simply graduating from any program. Graduates of an advanced course must have studied content connected to activities covered by an employment status, while graduates of a specialized course must have obtained the title 専門士 (senmonshi), or “Specialist,” and must also show that their studies relate to an employment status such as Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services as specified by the Immigration Services Agency.

These applicants need school records showing what they studied. Immigration therefore requests a graduation document, transcript, recommendation, proof of ongoing job hunting, and materials explaining the course content.

How long can you stay?

The standard post-graduation period is six months. If you remain eligible and continue the job search, one renewal can be granted, bringing the normal maximum to one year after graduation under the first-year job-hunting arrangement.

Renewal is not simply an extension for remaining in Japan. The renewal document list again requires a recommendation from your former institution, evidence that you are continuing to look for work, and evidence of financial support listed on the official application page.

A separate arrangement may allow participation during the second year after graduation in an eligible local-government employment support project. It requires participation in a qualifying project, certification from the local authority, acceptable residence circumstances, and a separate Designated Activities process; it is not part of the standard one-year route explained in the official guidance.

Application steps and document checklist

1. Ask your school for its recommendation

Contact your university or vocational school before graduation and explain that you want to continue job hunting in Japan. The school recommendation is a listed application document and is also required again for renewal.

An application may be submitted before graduation if you have the recommendation, an expected-graduation certificate, and the other required materials. The diploma copy or graduation certificate must then be provided when the change of status is granted under the official filing notes.

2. Prepare the common documents

The common change-of-status documents are:

• Application for Change of Status of Residence
• Photograph meeting the specified format
• Passport and residence card
• Documents showing how your expenses in Japan will be paid
• If another person supports you, evidence of that person’s financial ability and an explanation of the support arrangement

University graduates must add their diploma or graduation certificate, school recommendation, and evidence of continued job hunting. Vocational school applicants must also provide the applicable Specialist-title certificate, transcript, and detailed course materials listed by applicant category.

3. Check document dates and translations

Certificates issued in Japan generally must have been issued within the previous three months. A Japanese translation must accompany any document prepared in another language under the application cautions.

Immigration may request additional materials during its review. Keep copies of your application and supporting evidence, particularly documents that may be difficult to obtain again.

4. Submit the status-change application

Application forms are available through the official application page and regional immigration offices. Submit a complete application for the activity you intend to conduct; incomplete documents can substantially delay examination or result in an unfavorable decision according to the official filing guidance.

5. Prepare continuously for renewal

Do not wait until renewal to reconstruct your job-search history. Keep your records organized throughout the initial period and remain in contact with the institution that issued your recommendation.

Evidence of continuing job hunting

The official document list requires materials that make it clear you are continuing your job search, both for the initial change of status and for renewal as stated in the application requirements. The published list does not prescribe one exclusive evidence format, so use records that clearly show real and continuing activity.

Practical evidence can include:

• Job-application confirmations
• Emails or messages exchanged with employers
• Interview invitations, schedules, and results
• Records of career-center consultations
• Job-fair or recruitment-event registrations
• Notes showing follow-up actions on applications

A simple chronological tracker can make these materials easier to understand. Record the employer, position, application or interview activity, result, and next action, and retain the related email or document.

Can you work part-time?

Part-time work is possible, but it requires Permission to Engage in Activity Other Than That Permitted under the Status of Residence, 資格外活動許可 (shikakugai katsudō kyoka). If the requirements are met and permission is granted, the normal limit is twenty-eight hours per week under the official part-time work rule.

Do not treat part-time work as the main purpose of this status. The authorized Designated Activities purpose remains job hunting, and your application or renewal must continue to show that activity.

An internship undertaken as part of job hunting may qualify for separate permission exceeding the usual weekly limit. The official guidance also provides a limited exception for internships conducted within the qualifying local-government support arrangement, so confirm which permission rule applies before participating.

Employment-related requirements for vocational school graduates

For vocational school applicants, eligibility for the graduate job-hunting status depends partly on the relationship between the completed course and activities covered by an employment status.

Graduates of an advanced course must have completed studies recognized as related to activities under an employment status such as Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services. Graduates of a specialized course must hold the title 専門士 (senmonshi) and satisfy the same course-content relationship requirement under the official eligibility criteria.

For this reason, the application document list requires vocational school applicants to submit materials explaining the details of what they studied, in addition to their graduation document, transcript, recommendation, and evidence of continued job hunting.

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply if I only started job hunting after graduation?

The standard category described by the Immigration Services Agency is for continuing a job search begun before graduation. Applicants should therefore preserve evidence showing that their search was already underway while they were students.

Is the renewal automatic?

No. You must submit a renewal application supported by a recommendation from your former institution, continued job-hunting evidence, and financial-support documents.

Can I stay for longer than one year?

The standard route permits up to one year through an initial six-month period and one renewal. A further year is a separate exception connected to qualifying local-government employment support projects, not a general extension for every graduate.

Can a job-hunting internship exceed twenty-eight hours per week?

In some cases, an internship conducted as part of job hunting may qualify for permission to engage in activities outside the status for more than twenty-eight hours per week. Participants in internships conducted as part of a qualifying local-government employment support project do not need that permission for the project internship.

Common questions