Career Support for International Students: Residence Status “Designated Activities No. 46”
Introduction
The ‘Designated Activities No. 46’ residence status is available to international students who have graduated from Japanese universities, graduate schools, junior colleges, or vocational schools, and possess high proficiency in the Japanese language.
By obtaining this visa, students can take advantage of their Japanese skills and access employment opportunities that allow them to engage in a broad range of activities.
This article will introduce the details of this visa, its target audience, and the specific types of work allowed under this status.
Overview
The “Designated Activities No. 46” visa applies to international students who have completed their studies at Japanese educational institutions, including universities, graduate schools, junior colleges, colleges of technology, specialized courses at junior colleges, and accredited specialized training college programs.
This visa allows graduates to make use of the advanced Japanese language skills they have developed through their experience as international students and engage in a wide range of jobs, including those that do not qualify for the “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services” visa, such as so-called simple or routine work.
However, the following types of work are not eligible:
・Work that requires a legal qualification (e.g., jobs requiring exclusive qualifications such as those for lawyers)
・Work related to adult entertainment business
Eligibility Criteria
The “Designated Activities No. 46” visa is intended for international students with a high level of Japanese language proficiency who meet the following requirements.
Those who have returned to their home countries after graduating from a Japanese university or who have worked under another work visa may also be eligible.
– Educational Requirements
Graduates from recognized Japanese institutions, including universities, graduate schools, junior colleges, colleges of technology, or accredited specialized training colleges.
(Graduates from foreign universities or non-recognized vocational programs are not eligible.)
-Japanese Language Proficiency Requirements
Applicants must meet one of the following Japanese proficiency requirements:
- JLPT N1 (Japanese-Language Proficiency Test)
- A score of 480 or higher on the BJT (Business Japanese Proficiency Test)
（Graduates who majored in Japanese at a university or graduate school are also eligible.）
Types of Work Allowed
The work under this visa is not limited to passive tasks where employees simply follow instructions from employers or supervisors. Instead,
it includes work that requires the use of Japanese language skills for tasks such as translation, interpretation, and active communication with others.
Some specific examples of allowed work include:
- Restaurants: In addition to store management duties, customer service involving interpretation is allowed as an incidental task.
- Factories: Conveying and guiding work instructions from Japanese staff to foreign workers on the production line, while also performing work tasks.
- Retail: In addition to purchasing, product planning, sales involving interpretation services are also allowed.
- Hotels & Ryokan: In addition to public relations duties, such as establishing and updating foreign-language websites with translation tasks, incidental duties such as customer service involving interpretation are also allowed.
- Taxi Companies: Developing customer attraction strategies and offering tour guide services while driving (requires a second-class driver’s license).
- Nursing Care Facilities: Providing guidance to foreign employees and technical interns while engaging in caregiving tasks using Japanese.
- Food Manufacturing: Communicating with other employees in Japanese while contributing to product planning and development and working on the production line.
Contracts and Employment Conditions
It’s important to pay attention to certain conditions regarding contracts and employment:
- Full-time Employment: Part-time or casual employment is not allowed.
- No Temporary Staffing: Employment through staffing agencies or as contract workers via staffing agencies is prohibited.
- Change of Employer: If changing jobs, a visa status change application must be submitted. Since the specific activities and employer are listed on the designated certificate attached to the passport, even if the work remains the same, the new employer must be specified after a job change.
Conclusion
The “Designated Activities No. 46” visa offers international students the opportunity to apply the knowledge and language skills they have acquired in Japan across various fields, thereby expanding their career options within Japanese society.
While obtaining this visa requires meeting specific educational and Japanese language proficiency criteria, those who fulfill these requirements will have the chance to engage in a broad range of professional activities.
Feel Free To Contact Us
We offer support for the “Designated Activities No. 46” visa.
If you are a company looking to actively employ international students, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
Through our assistance, we will help facilitate a smooth process and ensure stable employment.
Feel free to contact us!
Please Note
Immigration-related information is subject to change, so please always refer to the latest updates provided by the Immigration Services Agency.