What Is Permission to Engage in Activity Outside Status? Eligible Applicants, How to Apply, and Key Cautions Explained by an Administrative Scrivener

1. What Is Permission to Engage in Activity Outside Status (Basic System Overview)

Permission to Engage in Activity Outside Status is a permission required when you conduct, in addition to the activities permitted under your current status of residence, activities to operate a business that generates income or activities for which you receive remuneration (such as part-time work). For example, since the statuses of residence “Student” and “Dependent” are generally not permitted to work, international students and dependents need this permission to take part-time jobs.

An important point is that Permission to Engage in Activity Outside Status is not a procedure to obtain a new status of residence, but rather a permission that allows limited additional activities while maintaining your current status of residence. If you work beyond the scope of what is permitted, it may be considered unauthorized work, and risks may arise not only for the applicant but also for the employer.

2. Cases Where Permission Is Required / Not Required

1. Typical Cases Where Permission Is Required

• Working part-time at convenience stores, restaurants, as a cram school tutor, etc. under a Student visa
• Earning remuneration through part-time work, temporary work, or outsourced work under a Dependent visa
• Engaging in income-generating activities under Cultural Activities or a Designated Activities status where work is not permitted
• Side jobs by work-visa holders that fall outside the permitted scope of duties

There are two types of Permission to Engage in Activity Outside Status: Comprehensive Permission, which broadly permits part-time work, and Individual Permission, under which the specific activity is examined and approved. Which one is required depends on your status of residence and the details of the activity.

2. Cases That May Appear “Not Required” but Need Caution

Outsourced work, performance-based remuneration, influencer income, and advertising revenue may be evaluated as “activities for which remuneration is received,” even without an employment contract. Please note that the decision is based not on the form of the contract but on the actual substance of the activity.

Even if an activity is described as unpaid volunteer work, if honoraria or transportation expenses are considered in substance to be compensation, it may fall under activities outside status. If you are unsure, advance confirmation is essential.

3. Types of Permission to Engage in Activity Outside Status (Comprehensive Permission / Individual Permission)

1. What Is Comprehensive Permission?

Comprehensive Permission is a type of permission to engage in activities outside status that, under certain conditions, broadly (comprehensively) allows general part-time work. It mainly applies to those with the statuses of residence “Student” or “Dependent,” and once granted, the reverse side of the residence card will be annotated with “Permission to Engage in Activity Outside Status (Comprehensive).”

In this way, Comprehensive Permission allows you to work on the premise of “general part-time work” without specifying each individual employer or job content one by one.

However, even with Comprehensive Permission, it does not mean you can work freely without restrictions. Specifically, the following limitations apply.

• In principle, up to 28 hours per week (total hours combined if you have multiple jobs)
• Work is not permitted in prohibited industries, such as the adult entertainment industry
• It is assumed that you prioritize the primary activities of your status of residence, such as studies or being supported as a dependent

For example, if an international student focuses too much on part-time work and their attendance rate decreases or poor academic performance continues, it may be considered that “the primary activity is being neglected,” which could disadvantage the applicant in renewal or change-of-status applications.

2. What Is Individual Permission?

Individual Permission is a type of permission to engage in activities outside status that is examined after specifying the employer, job details, remuneration, and other elements on an individual basis. For activities that do not fall under Comprehensive Permission, it is generally necessary to consider Individual Permission.

In these cases, after clarifying “where,” “what kind of work,” and “for how many hours and how much remuneration,” the activity is individually examined to determine whether it can be carried out in parallel with the current status of residence.

For example, in the case of outsourced work, it is often mistakenly assumed to be acceptable because it is not an employment contract. In reality, if it is determined that you are “providing labor continuously in exchange for remuneration,” it falls under activities outside status. In such cases, if you do not obtain Individual Permission in advance, there is a risk that it will be regarded as unauthorized work.

Since Individual Permission is examined on a per-activity basis, please note that if you later change the job content or employer, you may need to obtain permission again.

4. Main Restrictions on Activities Outside Status

1. The 28-Hours-Per-Week Rule

When international students and others engage in part-time work under Permission to Engage in Activity Outside Status, there is, in principle, a time limit of “up to 28 hours per week”. This limitation is established to ensure that primary activities such as studies take priority.

Particular caution is required when you have multiple part-time jobs. In such cases, it does not mean you can work up to 28 hours at each workplace. Rather, it is judged based on the total number of hours combined across all workplaces. For example, if you work 15 hours per week at Store A and 14 hours per week at Store B, the total becomes 29 hours, and it may be deemed an excess of the allowed hours.

Also, even if you personally consider it “a slight overage” or “only during a busy season,” if objective materials such as timecards or payslips show a continuing pattern of exceeding the limit, there is a risk that it will be treated as a violation of activities outside status.

During long school holidays (such as summer or spring break), working-hour restrictions may be exceptionally relaxed only if certain conditions are met. However, because materials showing that the school is officially in a long holiday period may be required, it is important not to rely on self-judgment and to confirm and prepare in advance.

2. Prohibited Industries

Even if you have obtained Permission to Engage in Activity Outside Status, you cannot work in all industries. In immigration practice, there are industries—such as those related to the adult entertainment business—where foreign nationals are not permitted to work.

A key point to note is that the determination is not made solely based on the “shop name” or “company name.” In practice, the focus is on the actual substance of what kind of work you will be engaged in. For example, even at a restaurant, certain job duties may be problematic depending on the circumstances.

Reasons such as “the workplace said it is fine” or “other international students are working there” do not exempt you if a violation is discovered. If you have any concerns, it is safer to consult a professional in advance.

3. Prioritizing the Primary Activity

Activities outside status are, by nature, supplementary activities permitted only as an exception, and it is a fundamental prerequisite that the primary activities permitted under the status of residence are properly carried out.

For example, for international students, studies should be the top priority; for dependents, it is necessary to maintain the reality of living while being financially supported. Poor grades, declining attendance, or unclear student status may be considered as “the primary activity is not being properly conducted.”

As a result, there may be adverse effects on the continuation of the permission, as well as on future applications for extension of period of stay or change of status. Therefore, it is important to maintain a daily life centered on your primary activity.

5. Risks of Unauthorized Work and Violations

1. Impact on the Applicant

If you engage in remunerated activities without obtaining Permission to Engage in Activity Outside Status, or if you have permission but work beyond the time limit or outside the permitted scope of duties, it may be treated as a violation under Japan’s immigration laws and regulations.

If a violation is discovered, it may be evaluated negatively during screening for extension of period of stay or change of status, and in some cases, a strict decision may be made. Reasons such as “I did not know the rules” or “my employer told me to do it” are generally not taken into consideration.

2. Risks for Employers

If an employer hires a foreign national who does not have Permission to Engage in Activity Outside Status, or hires a foreign national who works beyond the permitted conditions, the employer may be held liable for the offense of promoting illegal work.

In recent years, compliance in employing foreign nationals has been increasingly emphasized, and companies are expected to implement stricter management systems beyond simply checking the residence card, including confirming whether permission exists, managing working hours, and verifying job duties.

6. How to Apply for Permission to Engage in Activity Outside Status

1. Where to Apply and Who Applies

In principle, the application for Permission to Engage in Activity Outside Status is submitted by the foreign national themselves to the Immigration Services Bureau that has jurisdiction over their place of residence.

In the application process, the key points checked during screening differ depending on the type of status of residence and the planned activities. Therefore, it is important to organize in advance whether your case falls under Comprehensive Permission or whether Individual Permission is required.

2. Main Required Documents

Required documents vary depending on the case, but generally the following documents are requested. Especially for international students, materials showing that the work can be balanced with studies are regarded as important.

• Application form for Permission to Engage in Activity Outside Status
• Residence card and passport (to be presented)
• Documents showing working conditions and job duties (e.g., employment contract, offer letter)
• Certificate of enrollment, copy of student ID, etc. (for international students)

If the documents contain deficiencies or inconsistencies, the screening may take longer, or you may be requested to submit additional materials. It is important to organize the information in advance and prepare so that you can provide explanations consistent with the actual circumstances.

7. Common Trouble Cases

1. Cases Where Studies or Dependent Status Is Considered Insufficient

One of the most common problems related to activities outside status is when it is judged that, “even though the number of part-time working hours is small, the primary activity is not being properly carried out.”

For example, in the case of international students, even if they comply with the 28-hours-per-week limit, circumstances such as low attendance, slow progress in earning credits, or continued poor academic performance may lead to an assessment that “they may be prioritizing work over studies.”

The same applies to dependents: if it is determined that there is little reality of living while being financially supported, or that employment income has become the core of one’s livelihood, it may be regarded that the underlying requirements of the status of residence are not met.

In such cases, not only the permission itself, but also future screening for extension of period of stay or change of status may be negatively affected. Therefore, it is important to maintain a daily life that prioritizes the primary activity.

2. Exceeding the Hour Limit Due to Multiple Part-Time Jobs

Another very common trouble case is when, as a result of holding multiple part-time jobs, the total working time exceeds 28 hours per week.

Even if each workplace manages your schedule as “within X hours per week,” immigration authorities confirm it by adding up all working hours. Therefore, even if you believe there is no problem, you may in fact end up exceeding the permitted hours.

In particular, increased shifts during busy seasons, or being asked to cover for someone else, may remain as a clear excess in the records even if you intended it to be temporary. Since timecards and payslips are objective evidence, it is essential for you to keep track of the total hours on a regular basis and maintain an awareness of adjusting them when necessary.

8. Impact on Extension and Change Applications

If you lawfully obtain Permission to Engage in Activity Outside Status and carry out the activities while complying with the conditions, you will not normally be treated unfavorably immediately in an application for extension of period of stay or change of status of residence.

However, if you have any history of violations—such as unauthorized work, exceeding the permitted hours, or working in prohibited industries—then, during extension or change applications, you may be required to provide a detailed explanation of the circumstances.

Depending on the case, you may need to explain in writing matters such as “why the violation occurred” and “how the situation has been improved,” which may raise the overall hurdle of the application.

In particular, if you are changing from Student status to a work visa, or if you are considering applying for permanent residence in the future, your work situation during your student days or in the past may be reviewed retrospectively. For this reason, it is important to manage activities outside status carefully from the very beginning.

9. Summary: For Those Who Are Concerned About Activities Outside Status

Activities outside status are not simply a matter of “whether you can do part-time work.” They are an important point that can affect the underlying requirements of your status of residence and may also impact future immigration procedures.

If you are unsure whether your way of working falls under activities outside status, if you are worried about managing hours across multiple part-time jobs, or if you are an employer wondering how far you should confirm and manage compliance, we recommend consulting a professional before any problems arise.

By organizing your situation at an early stage and obtaining and operating the appropriate permission properly, you can connect it to stable residence in Japan, including future extension and change applications.

10. Overview of Our Application Support Service for Permission to Engage in Activity Outside Status

1. Service Overview

This service is a support service in which a professional handles, on your behalf, the application for Permission to Engage in Activity Outside Status submitted to the Immigration Services Agency, aiming to obtain permission lawfully and smoothly.

While avoiding risks such as unauthorized work or exceeding the permitted scope, we support you in obtaining the permission in the way best suited to your circumstances.

We can handle cases such as the following.

If you want to change your status of residence for the primary purpose of working, please also review the following page.

Certificate of Authorized Employment and Employment-Related Procedures

This page explains procedures for changing to a status of residence that allows work, and procedures when confirmation of your work details is required.

2. What the Service Includes

1. Preliminary assessment of whether permission is required and the permission type (comprehensive/individual)
2. Support for organizing and preparing submission documents to increase approval likelihood
3. Representation for application procedures at the Immigration Services Bureau
4. Progress follow-up during the screening period and handling requests for additional documents
5. Consultation on re-application in the event of non-approval

3. Advantages of Choosing ACROSEED Immigration Lawyer's Office

▼See the 9 Reasons ACROSEED Is Chosen for More Details

4. Ratings on Google Reviews

ACROSEED Immigration Lawyer's Office has received high evaluations for service quality from many clients, regardless of nationality or application category.

5. Service Fees for Application Support for Permission to Engage in Activity Outside Status (Excl. Tax)

・There are absolutely no additional fees based on the customer’s conditions.

・ACROSEED Immigration Lawyer's Office provides nationwide support. Customers living far away can request our services at the fees listed below.

・Payment by Visa and MasterCard is also available.