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Graduate continued job search: Designated Activities

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Guidance updated 15 November 2026. Full-review date shown above.

An in-country change for eligible graduates continuing job search begun while studying in Japan, with school recommendation, funding and the actual qualification/course basis. It is a separate permission from Student residence.

Eligible prior study and graduation, continuing job search, school recommendation, resources and actual branch conditionsDoes not lead to permanent residencyNormally six months with one renewal, up to one year. A further second year requires the specified local-government support programme and separate approval.
Processing time
An in-country status-change decision is required. Timing depends on the competent bureau and evidence; plan before the current permission expires and do not assume approval by a fixed employment date.
Government fees
For status changes or renewals received from 1 October 2026, office fees by granted period are: up to three months JPY 10,000; over three to six months JPY 18,000; over six months to under one year JPY 25,000; one year JPY 33,000; over one to under three years JPY 48,000; three to under five years JPY 64,000; five years or more JPY 75,000. Online totals including the processing charge are respectively JPY 10,330, 15,330, 21,330, 27,330, 42,330, 56,550 and 65,550. Receipts by 30 September 2026 retain the old office JPY 6,000 / online JPY 5,500 regime. Actual exemptions, reductions and special card charges require the authority assessment; concession requests use the office procedure. This is an in-country change; overseas visa and COE charges are not the ordinary application basis.
Typical duration
Normally six months with one renewal, up to one year. A further second year requires the specified local-government support programme and separate approval.
Required support
Eligible prior study and graduation, continuing job search, school recommendation, resources and actual branch conditions
Leads to permanent residency
No
Reviewed Japan Immigration Services Agency ↗

In short

An in-country change for eligible graduates continuing job search begun while studying in Japan, with school recommendation, funding and the actual qualification/course basis. It is a separate permission from Student residence. Guidance updated 15 November 2026. Costs, application stages and eligibility conditions are set out with their sources below.

Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/japan/graduate-job-search-japan#answer

What is the Graduate continued job search: Designated Activities in Japan?

Eligible prior study and graduation, continuing job search, school recommendation, resources and actual branch conditions. Follow the actual entry, status-change or renewal procedure and issued activity conditions. Indicative government fees are For status changes or renewals received from 1 October 2026, office fees by granted period are: up to three months JPY 10,000; over three to six months JPY 18,000; over six months to under one year JPY 25,000; one year JPY 33,000; over one to under three years JPY 48,000; three to under five years JPY 64,000; five years or more JPY 75,000. Online totals including the processing charge are respectively JPY 10,330, 15,330, 21,330, 27,330, 42,330, 56,550 and 65,550. Receipts by 30 September 2026 retain the old office JPY 6,000 / online JPY 5,500 regime. Actual exemptions, reductions and special card charges require the authority assessment; concession requests use the office procedure. This is an in-country change; overseas visa and COE charges are not the ordinary application basis; indicative processing time is An in-country status-change decision is required. Timing depends on the competent bureau and evidence; plan before the current permission expires and do not assume approval by a fixed employment date; typical duration is Normally six months with one renewal, up to one year. A further second year requires the specified local-government support programme and separate approval. This route does not lead to permanent residence.

Primary guidance checked with Japan Immigration Services Agency on 15 November 2026.

Overview

Eligible Japanese university, junior-college, graduate-school and technical-college graduates can request the continued job-search arrangement. The specified vocational graduate branches require the appropriate course or diploma and a connection between study and eligible work. A foreign-degree holder graduating from a qualifying Japanese-language institution has a separate branch with school, attendance and ongoing-support conditions. The ordinary permission is six months with one renewal, normally up to one year. A second year is limited to a qualifying local-government job-support programme with its required certificate and another status-change procedure; it is not available to every graduate automatically.

Additional sources

Eligibility

Typical criteria

  • ✓Have the actual qualifying graduation and continuous job-search basis from the Student route. University special-course, auditing, non-degree course and research-student categories are excluded from the ordinary university branch. The specified vocational branches require the relevant advanced course or diploma and study related to eligible work.Japan Immigration Services Agency ↗
  • ✓Have an acceptable residence history, the graduating institution's recommendation, evidence of ongoing job search and sufficient resources. An application before graduation can use expected-graduation and recommendation evidence, but graduation must be established when permission is granted.Japan Immigration Services Agency ↗
  • ✓The Japanese-language-school branch requires a prior overseas bachelor's-or-higher degree, the qualifying school, generally at least about 90% attendance, school recommendation and regular post-graduation meetings/information support. The school's recognition, appropriate management, placement arrangements and actual employment record must meet the current conditions.Japan Immigration Services Agency ↗

Common blockers

  • !Not every language-school graduate or non-degree student qualifies. Missing prior job-search activity, recommendation, funds or qualifying course evidence can prevent permission. A research graduate who could not adequately job-hunt during studies should consult the bureau under the stated individual handling.Japan Immigration Services Agency ↗
  • !The old blanket Student work permission cannot be used after graduation without enrolment. Paid part-time work during graduate job search requires the appropriate new outside-activity permission. A job-search designation does not itself grant unrestricted work.Japan Immigration Services Agency ↗

Typical evidence

  • ·Use the current application form, passport, specified photograph and actual activity checklist; an in-country applicant also provides the current residence card. Supply Japanese translations where the checklist requires them and respond to additional evidence requests. A COE or appointment alone is not the granted residence status.Japan Immigration Services Agency ↗
  • ·Prepare graduation or expected-graduation evidence, the institution's recommendation and actual job-search records, resources and supporter evidence. Vocational applicants provide the relevant diploma/course, transcript and study-content evidence. The language-school branch additionally provides overseas degree, attendance and school-qualification/ongoing-meeting confirmations.Japan Immigration Services Agency ↗
  • ·Renewal needs the current recommendation, continuing job-search and funding evidence; the language-school branch also documents its ongoing school support. For the exceptional second year, establish participation in the qualifying local-government programme and the authority-issued certificate rather than merely a private job-service registration.Japan Immigration Services Agency ↗

Application pathway

  1. Confirm the eligible graduate branch before finishing study

    Check the course, qualification, prior job-search activity and school recommendation. If using the Japanese-language-school branch, establish the overseas degree and actual school/attendance/support conditions.

  2. Request the in-country Designated Activities change

    Apply with identity, recommendation, graduation and search/funding evidence before current permission expires. A pre-graduation filing still needs actual graduation evidence at the decision. This is not a general first-entry job-seeker visa.

  3. Continue the approved search and obtain any work permission

    Follow the issued designation and school-support arrangements. Request outside-activity permission where eligible before ordinary paid part-time work, normally within 28 hours per week. Particular internships can have separate permission conditions.

  4. Renew, enter a qualifying support branch or change to the job basis

    Ordinary continuation allows one further six-month renewal with current evidence. A second year needs the specific local-government programme and new approval. If offered qualifying employment, use the actual professional work change or accepted-job waiting procedure; do not assume the job-search title authorises the full job.

After approval: prepare for your next step

For Graduate continued job search: Designated Activities, use the actual decision and the issuing authority’s instructions to establish what has been granted. A successful application, permission to enter, permission to work and a residence document are not interchangeable.

  1. 1. Check the decision. Confirm the name, passport, status granted, start date and any next action. Resolve an error with the authority before relying on the document for travel or employment.
  2. 2. Establish the travel step. Read any entry window, activation, collection or in-country registration instruction. For an extension or change of status, do not assume leaving the country is required or safe while a further step remains pending.
  3. 3. Confirm what you may do. Check whether employment, self-employment, remote work or study is permitted under the status granted. Do not infer unrestricted work rights from the absence of an employer sponsor.
  4. 4. Organise the household. Check each accompanying person’s permission separately, then arrange healthcare, accommodation, access to money and the relevant local registrations. A tax number or bank account does not by itself prove a right to work.
  5. 5. Keep the ongoing conditions visible. Record the actual expiry, renewal process, permitted absences and any duty to report changes. An initial grant does not automatically establish permanent residence or citizenship.
Official Graduate continued job search: Designated Activities instructionsBuild my moving plan for this routeMoving to Japan

Official application links

Where to actually go next

Government links only

These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.

  1. Official guidanceApplicant
    Prepare the continued graduate job-search application ↗

    Select the actual university, vocational or foreign-degree/language-school branch and its documents.

    Japan Immigration Services Agency · verified

  2. Official guidanceApplicant
    Check duration, school and local-programme conditions ↗

    Distinguish the ordinary first year from the special second-year programme and verify any outside-activity conditions.

    Japan Immigration Services Agency · verified

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Frequently asked questions

Can every graduate stay for two years?+

No. Ordinary continued job-search permission is six months with one renewal. The second year requires the specified qualifying local-government support programme, its certificate and separate approval.

Can a language-school graduate qualify?+

Only under the specific branch, including a prior overseas bachelor's-or-higher degree, qualifying school and support arrangements, required attendance, recommendation and continuing search. Language-school completion alone is insufficient.

Can I continue my old student part-time job?+

The old blanket Student permission only applies while enrolled. After graduation, obtain the appropriate new outside-activity permission under the new status before doing ordinary paid part-time work.

Can I apply from abroad just to look for a job?+

This guide concerns the in-country continuation for eligible former students with the required Japanese study and job-search history. A separate first-entry programme such as J-Find has different eligibility and documents.

Need tailored advice?

We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.

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How we verified this

We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.

Primary source: Japan Immigration Services Agency

Last checked: 15 November 2026

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