What Is a Certificate of Authorized Employment? An Immigration Lawyer Explains Its Necessity When Changing Jobs and the Application Method

2. Cases Where a Certificate of Authorized Employment Is Required / Not Required

2-1. Typical Cases Where a Certificate of Authorized Employment Is Required

• Changing jobs while maintaining the same status of residence (e.g., Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services)
• Significant changes in job duties due to internal transfers or reassignment
• When a company hiring a foreign national wishes to confirm work eligibility in advance

Under the law, a Certificate of Authorized Employment is not always mandatory when changing jobs. However, in practice, it is often requested by immigration authorities, companies, and financial institutions as objective documentation proving lawful employment.

2-2. Cases Where It Is Not Required

When changing the status of residence itself (e.g., Student → Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services), an application for Change of Status of Residence Permission is required instead of a Certificate of Authorized Employment. Therefore, this system cannot be used in such cases.

3. Importance of a Certificate of Authorized Employment When Changing Jobs [Case Examples]

3-1. Case ①: Changing Jobs from an IT Engineer to an In-House SE

When a foreign national holding the status of residence Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services changes jobs from an SIer to an in-house system engineer at a general company, the key issue is whether the job duties qualify as “technical work.”

If the duties involve system design and operation management, there is generally no issue. However, if the position mainly consists of help desk tasks or a large amount of routine work, there is a possibility that the work may not be deemed to fall under authorized employment. In such gray-area cases, obtaining a Certificate of Authorized Employment in advance can help prevent future problems.

3-2. Case ②: Changing Jobs to a Sales Position (International Services)

When changing jobs to a sales position involving overseas business, it is essential to clearly explain that the work “utilizes foreign language skills and cross-cultural understanding.”

When applying for a Certificate of Authorized Employment, it is necessary to organize and document details such as the sales activities, business partners, languages used, and the ratio of duties, and to demonstrate in writing that the position is not merely domestic sales.

3-3. Case ③: When the Employer Requires Submission of the Certificate

In recent years, as corporate compliance standards have become stricter, an increasing number of companies require “submission of a Certificate of Authorized Employment” as a condition for hiring foreign nationals.

This reflects a trend in which employers voluntarily confirm work eligibility in order to avoid the risk of being charged with encouraging illegal employment. In this sense, a Certificate of Authorized Employment can be regarded as a document that protects both the company and the foreign employee.

4. How to Apply for a Certificate of Authorized Employment

4-1. Where to Apply and Who May Apply

In principle, the applicant themselves or their representative (an immigration lawyer) submits the application to the Immigration Services Bureau that has jurisdiction over the applicant’s place of residence.

4-2. About Online Applications

If certain conditions are met, it is also possible to use the online application system provided by the Immigration Services Agency. However, if the attached documents are not properly organized or if there are deficiencies in the information provided, the examination process may be prolonged, so careful attention is required.

5. Application Form and Required Documents for a Certificate of Authorized Employment

• Application for Issuance of a Certificate of Authorized Employment
• Residence Card and Passport
• Employment Contract or Job Offer Letter
• Job Description Statement
• Company Profile, Certificate of Registered Matters, etc.

In particular, the job description statement is a key element of the examination. It is important to describe the actual job duties in concrete terms, rather than using vague or abstract expressions.

6. Relationship Between a Certificate of Authorized Employment and Visas (Status of Residence)

A Certificate of Authorized Employment does not guarantee the status of residence itself. It is merely a determination regarding “the job duties at the current point in time,” and a new examination will be conducted at the time of future renewals or changes.

7. Frequently Asked Questions (Q&A)

It is not legally mandatory. However, if there is uncertainty as to whether the job duties are compatible with the status of residence, or if the employer requests submission of the certificate, obtaining one can significantly reduce risk.

Approval is not guaranteed. However, during renewal examinations, it is often positively evaluated as strong supporting evidence demonstrating job compatibility.

Yes, it is possible. However, to avoid any misunderstanding of unauthorized employment, it is advisable to apply before starting work or as early as possible thereafter.

Normally, it takes several weeks to about one month. However, if the job duties are complex or additional documents are requested, the process may take longer.

Major advantages include the ability to assess compatibility with the status of residence, organize job duties appropriately, and design application documents with a view toward future renewals and permanent residence applications.

8. Overview of Our Certificate of Authorized Employment Application Support Service

1. Service Overview

This service is an application support service to obtain the issuance of a “Certificate of Authorized Employment” from the Immigration Services Bureau regarding whether a foreign national, under their current status of residence, may lawfully engage in specific job duties.

A Certificate of Authorized Employment is not a procedure to change one’s status of residence. Rather, it officially certifies that the relevant job duties are compatible with the current status of residence in situations such as job changes, internal transfers/reassignments, or new hiring.

We provide professional support from organizing the job duties to designing the application documents, and we prepare a highly secure application with an eye toward future renewals of status of residence and permanent residence applications.

We can assist with cases such as the following:

We can also provide practical, case-oriented support in situations where it is difficult to determine whether a Change of Status of Residence is required, or where the employer has requested submission of a Certificate of Authorized Employment.

2. Services Included

1. Preliminary review and organization regarding compatibility between the status of residence and job duties
2. Preparation of the Application for Issuance of a Certificate of Authorized Employment and supplementary explanatory materials
3. Review of the contents of documents such as the employment contract and job description statement
4. Submission to the Immigration Services Bureau and handling additional document requests during examination
5. Risk explanation with a view toward future renewals, changes, and permanent residence applications

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. Fees for the Certificate of Authorized Employment Application (Tax Excluded)

・There are absolutely no additional charges depending on the client’s circumstances.

・ACROSEED Immigration Lawyer's Office provides services nationwide. Clients outside our area may also request our services at the fees listed below.

・Payment by Visa and Mastercard is also available.