Note: This article is based on Japanese laws and materials published by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA) as of October 9, 2026.
Gijinkoku (技人国, the common short name for the status of residence "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services", 技術・人文知識・国際業務) is a status of residence for foreign nationals who, based on a contract with a company or other organization in Japan, engage in work that requires specialized skills or knowledge. Examples include engineers in fields such as mechanical engineering, interpreters, designers and people in charge of marketing work.
A company that hires such a person needs to check the content of the work, the person's academic background and practical experience, the remuneration, and the documents to be submitted according to the company's Category. For the staff of companies that hire foreign nationals, this article explains the requirements and procedures as a whole, in line with the laws and the materials published by the ISA.
Contents
- What is Gijinkoku?
- Work that is permitted and work that is not
- How far is practical training at the start of employment permitted?
- Requirements for academic background and practical experience
- Relevance between the major and the work
- Remuneration requirement
- Categories 1 to 4
- Documents to submit for COE and change-of-status applications
- Documents to submit for an extension application
- Documents to be submitted that changed in 2026
- Hiring an international student as a new graduate
- Types of application and the number of days the examination takes
- How the period of stay is decided
- Notifications after hiring and at the time of a job change
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Summary
- References
What is Gijinkoku?
Gijinkoku is a status of residence for engaging, based on a contract with a public or private organization in Japan, in one of the following three types of work. The legal basis is Appended Table I(2) of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (出入国管理及び難民認定法; the "Immigration Control Act"). The criteria that the person must meet are set by the Ministerial Order on Criteria (上陸基準省令; officially, the Ministerial Order to Provide for Criteria Pursuant to Article 7, Paragraph (1), Item (ii) of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act).
| Type of work | Fields and work listed in the laws and the ISA's materials |
|---|---|
| Work that requires skills or knowledge in the field of natural science | Science, engineering, agriculture, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, etc. |
| Work that requires skills or knowledge in the field of humanities | Law, economics, sociology, literature, philosophy, education, psychology, history, politics, commercial science, business administration, etc. |
| Work that requires ways of thinking or sensitivity founded on a foreign culture | Translation, interpretation, language instruction, public relations, advertising, overseas transactions, fashion or interior design, product development, and other similar work |
As examples of people who fall under this status, the ISA lists an engineer of mechanical engineering, etc., an interpreter, a designer, a language teacher at a private company, and a marketing specialist. The period of stay is 5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 3 months.
Activities that fall under the statuses of residence Professor, Artist, Journalist, Business Manager, Legal/Accounting Services, Medical Services, Researcher, Instructor, Intra-company Transferee, Nursing Care and Entertainer are excluded from Gijinkoku.
The scope of "contract" and "public or private organization"
A "contract" includes, in addition to employment, entrustment (委任), outsourcing (委託), commissioned engagement (嘱託), etc. However, it must be a continuing contract with a specific organization. A "public or private organization" also includes a foreign corporation or individual that has an office or place of business in Japan.
Some organizations have received a finding of grounds for disqualification (欠格事由), etc. under the Specified Skilled Worker (特定技能) or Technical Intern Training (技能実習) system, for reasons such as assaulting foreign nationals or failing to pay remuneration. During the period in which acceptance is suspended, such organizations (including the companies receiving dispatched workers, etc.) cannot, in principle, newly accept foreign nationals under Gijinkoku.
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Status of Residence "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services"" (in Japanese), "Clarification of the Status of Residence "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services"" (in Japanese; last revised April 2026; hereinafter "the Clarification", 明確化等について), Section 1; e-Gov Laws and Regulations Search, "Ministerial Order on Criteria" (in Japanese)
Work that is permitted and work that is not
What is permitted under Gijinkoku is work that requires specialized ability of at least a certain level, grounded in an academic background. The ISA explains that cases in which general service work, manufacturing work or the like is the main activity are not permitted.
- Job content for which the hiring criteria in a job advertisement state something like "No experience required. You will get used to it quickly." (未経験可、すぐに慣れます。)
- Job content that Japanese employees who do not meet the academic background or practical experience requirements generally engage in
Whether the activities fall under Gijinkoku is judged by looking at the activities during the period of stay as a whole. If the activities that fall under Gijinkoku are only a very small part, and the rest is work that requires no particular skills or knowledge or work that can be performed after repetitive training, the activities are judged not to fall under Gijinkoku.
- Packing boxed meals at a boxed-meal processing factory
- At a hotel, the main duties are carrying guests' luggage and cleaning guest rooms
- At a factory, processing, assembling, inspecting and packing parts, with almost all of the work being the same as that of technical intern trainees
- The application was filed for translation and interpretation work, but the person engages in in-store sales and customer service at a retail store that is the client receiving the dispatched worker
The approach and cases for work at hotels, ryokan (Japanese-style inns), etc. are in Attachment 5, and those for fields such as anime, fashion and design, and food are in Attachment 6.
How a case is handled when the work stated in the application and the actual work differ is explained in Gijinkoku: What If You Assign Work Different from the Application?. If you are hiring for a job in which on-site work is the main part, please also check the overall picture of Specified Skilled Worker. Whether a person can change to Specified Skilled Worker in order to do work that does not fall under Gijinkoku is covered in Changing from Gijinkoku to Specified Skilled Worker.
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Clarification" (in Japanese), Section 1(2), "Attachment 3 (Cases of Permission and Denial)" (in Japanese), "Attachment 5 (Hotels, Ryokan, etc.)" (in Japanese), "Attachment 6 (Cool Japan Fields)" (in Japanese), "Frequently Asked Questions on Applications concerning Work-related Statuses of Residence (Q&A)" (in Japanese; July 2026; hereinafter the "Work Status Q&A", 就労資格Q&A), Q39
How far is practical training at the start of employment permitted?
Even activities that, viewed on their own, do not fall under Gijinkoku may be permitted as practical training (on-the-job training) at the start of employment. The examples the ISA gives include customer service at a restaurant, sales work on the floor of a retail store, and work on a factory line.
This is permitted when the following two points apply and the immigration office finds it to be appropriate.
- It is part of practical training that is also given in the same way to Japanese employees who are university graduates, etc.
- Looking at the activities during the period of stay as a whole, it does not account for the greater part of the period of stay
The main text of the Clarification also lists that this training be something that is "absolutely necessary" (必ず必要となるもの) for performing work that falls under Gijinkoku in the future.
The "period of stay" here does not mean the period decided in a single permission, but the entire period during which the person is expected to reside under Gijinkoku.
For an application in which the person will engage in practical training for more than one year from hiring, the immigration office requests submission of a training plan and examines whether the length of the training is reasonable. When there is a period of practical training, the period of stay granted, for example when the status of residence is decided, is one year in principle.
If you are unsure whether the work or training you plan to assign falls under Gijinkoku, we can review the job content and the training plan with you through our consultation on applications for Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services.
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Attachment 1 (Permitted Practical Training)" (in Japanese)
Requirements for academic background and practical experience
The academic background and practical experience required of the person differ according to the type of work to be performed. The legal basis is the "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services" section of the Ministerial Order on Criteria.
- Has graduated from a university having majored in a subject related to the skills or knowledge necessary for the work (including cases where the person has received an education equivalent to or higher than that)
- Has completed a specialized course of study or an advanced course (専攻科) at an advanced vocational school (専修学校) in Japan, having majored in a related subject (limited to cases that meet the requirements specified by the Minister of Justice in a public notice)
- Has 10 years or more of practical experience (including the period spent majoring in a related subject at a university, a technical college (高等専門学校), a senior high school, the upper secondary course of a secondary education school (中等教育学校の後期課程), or a specialized course of study or advanced course at an advanced vocational school)
- Engages in translation, interpretation, language instruction, public relations, advertising, overseas transactions, fashion or interior design, product development, or other similar work
- Has 3 years or more of practical experience in related work (not required when a person who has graduated from a university engages in translation, interpretation or language instruction)
There is an exception for people who engage in information processing work. If the person has passed an examination related to information processing technology specified by the Minister of Justice in a public notice, or holds a qualification specified in the public notice, the academic background and practical experience in the first box are not required.
The 10 years of practical experience does not go so far as to require that the person engaged for 10 years in the very work that falls under Gijinkoku. Periods engaged in related work are also included.
Those who meet the criteria through completion of an advanced vocational school are people who hold the title of "Senmonshi" (Diploma) (専門士) or "Kodo Senmonshi" (Advanced Diploma) (高度専門士), and people who were admitted to an advanced course after being recognized as having academic ability equivalent to or higher than that of a person who completed a specified specialized course (特定専門課程), and who completed that advanced course. Graduation from a foreign educational institution equivalent to a Japanese vocational school (専門学校) does not conform to these criteria.
A person who has graduated from a junior college (短期大学) in Japan falls under a person who "has graduated from a university" in the criteria.
Source: e-Gov Laws and Regulations Search, "Ministerial Order on Criteria" (in Japanese); Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Clarification" (in Japanese), Section 2, "Work Status Q&A" (in Japanese), Q34 and Q35
Relevance between the major and the work
When the requirement is met through academic background, the subject majored in at school and the work to be performed must be related. How much relevance is required differs according to the school from which the person graduated or which the person completed.
| School graduated from or completed | How the relevance between the major and the work is viewed |
|---|---|
| University (overseas universities are treated in the same manner) | Judged flexibly |
| Technical college (高等専門学校) | Judged in the same manner as for universities |
| Advanced vocational school (専修学校) | In principle, a considerable degree of relevance is required |
| Department of a specialized course of study or advanced course at an advanced vocational school certified under the Career Development Promotion Program for International Students (外国人留学生キャリア形成促進プログラム) | Judged flexibly |
For a person who completed an advanced vocational school, even when the person cannot be found to have directly "majored" in a related subject, the judgment is made comprehensively from the content of the courses taken as a whole. For a person who has engaged for about three years in work for which relevance was recognized, the relevance to the work the person takes up afterward is judged flexibly.
The judgment for each type of school and the cases are covered in Gijinkoku: "Relevance Between the Major and the Work".
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Clarification" (in Japanese), Section 2(1) ア (note)
Remuneration requirement
The remuneration must be equivalent to or greater than that a Japanese national receives for the same work. The legal basis is item 3 of the "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services" section of the Ministerial Order on Criteria.
- Remuneration means "consideration given in return for the provision of certain services" (一定の役務の給付の対価として与えられる反対給付)
- Payments in the nature of reimbursement of actual expenses, such as commuting allowance, dependent allowance and housing allowance, are not included in remuneration
- Of the above allowances, those subject to taxation are excluded from "what is not included"
The ISA has published cases in which applications from international students were denied because of the remuneration. Attachment 3 contains two such cases, with monthly amounts of 135,000 yen and 170,000 yen. The remuneration of Japanese new graduates who were hired at the same time and engage in the same type of work was 180,000 yen and 200,000 yen per month, respectively.
How to calculate the monthly amount of remuneration and how to fill in the wages section of the contract are explained in How to Write an Employment Contract and Notice of Employment for Gijinkoku.
Source: e-Gov Laws and Regulations Search, "Ministerial Order on Criteria" (in Japanese); Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Clarification" (in Japanese), Section 2(3), "Attachment 3 (Cases of Permission and Denial)" (in Japanese)
Categories 1 to 4
The documents submitted with an application vary according to the Category of the organization the applicant belongs to (the company or organization where the foreign national works). The Category is a classification of the organization, and organizations are divided into Categories 1 to 4 according to whether they are listed, the amount of withholding tax for the previous year, and so on.
| Category | Organizations that fall under it | Document certifying the category |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Companies listed on a stock exchange in Japan, mutual companies engaged in the insurance business, the national or local governments of Japan or a foreign country, incorporated administrative agencies, special corporations and authorized corporations, public interest corporations authorized by the national or a local government of Japan, public corporations listed in Appended Table 1 of the Corporation Tax Act (法人税法), companies creating innovation (イノベーション創出企業), companies, etc. that meet certain conditions | Copy of the Kaisha Shikiho (会社四季報, a quarterly handbook of listed companies), copy of a document certifying that the competent authority has permitted the establishment, copy of a certificate of certification or the like, etc. |
| 2 | Organizations and individuals whose amount of withholding tax is 10 million yen or more in the Total Table of Statutory Reports such as Withholding Records of Employment Income (法定調書合計表) for the previous year. Organizations whose request to use the Online Residence Application System has been approved (the conditions are below the table) | Copy of the Total Table of Statutory Reports for the previous year. Or a document certifying the approval of the request to use the system |
| 3 | Organizations and individuals that have submitted the Total Table of Statutory Reports such as Withholding Records of Employment Income of their staff for the previous year (excluding Category 2) | Copy of the Total Table of Statutory Reports for the previous year |
| 4 | Organizations and individuals that do not fall under any of 1 to 3 | None |
If a document certifying the category cannot be submitted, the organization is treated as Category 4.
Within Category 2, the classification based on a request to use the online system has conditions. It covers organizations that wish to apply with the same attached documents as Category 2 and have submitted documents for the category examination.
The "companies, etc. that meet certain conditions" in Category 1 include Kurumin-certified companies (くるみん), Eruboshi-certified companies (えるぼし), Certified Health and Productivity Management Outstanding Organizations (健康経営優良法人) and others.
If the Total Table of Statutory Reports for the previous year has not been completed at the time of application, the one for the year before the previous year is submitted.
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Status of Residence "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services"" (in Japanese), "Category (of the organization)"; "Companies, etc. That Meet Certain Conditions" (in Japanese; January 2020), "Work Status Q&A" (in Japanese), Q12
Documents to submit for COE and change-of-status applications
For Categories 1 and 2, in principle, the application form, the document certifying the category and the like are sufficient. For Categories 3 and 4, documents on the company and on the person are added. The table shows the documents for an Application for Certificate of Eligibility (在留資格認定証明書交付申請; "COE application" below) and an Application for Change of Status of Residence (在留資格変更許可申請; "change of status" below).
| Documents to be submitted | Categories 1 and 2 | Category 3 | Category 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application form, photograph | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Self-addressed return envelope (COE application) / presentation of the passport and residence card (change of status) | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Document certifying the category | ○ | ○ | － |
| Document certifying the title of "Senmonshi" (Diploma) or "Kodo Senmonshi" (Advanced Diploma) | △ | △ | △ |
| Documents for cases of working under a worker dispatch contract | △ | △ | △ |
| Documents clarifying the content of the activities, etc. (such as a document clearly indicating the working conditions) | － | ○ | ○ |
| Documents certifying the academic background, work experience and other career background (résumé (履歴書), certificate of graduation, etc.) | － | ○ | ○ |
| Certificate of registered matters (登記事項証明書) | － | ○ | ○ |
| Documents clarifying the business activities (such as a company brochure) | － | ○ | ○ |
| Copy of the financial statements for the most recent fiscal year (a business plan in the case of a new business) | － | ○ | ○ |
| Declaration concerning the Representative of the Organization (reference form) (所属機関の代表者に関する申告書) | － | ○ | ○ |
| Documents proving language ability equivalent to CEFR B2 | － | △ | △ |
| Documents clarifying the reason why the Total Table of Statutory Reports cannot be submitted | － | － | ○ |
○ means a document that is submitted, △ means a document that is submitted when applicable, and － means a document that is not requested in the ISA's list.
For the last row, an organization that is exempt from withholding submits a certificate of exemption from withholding or the like. Other organizations submit the following two items.
- Copy of the Notification of Establishment of a Salary-Paying Office, etc. (給与支払事務所等の開設届出書)
- Statement of Income Tax Collected on Employment Income, Retirement Income, etc. (所得税徴収高計算書) for the most recent three months (copies bearing a dated receipt stamp). If the special provision on the payment deadline (納期の特例) applies, documents clarifying that approval
For an application for permission to acquire status of residence (在留資格取得許可申請), the documents for each Category are the same. The ISA states that, in the course of the examination, it may request documents that are not on the list.
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Status of Residence "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services"" (in Japanese), checklists of documents to be submitted (COE application, common, COE application, Categories 3 and 4, change of status, common, change of status, Categories 3 and 4) (in Japanese)
Documents to submit for an extension application
For an Application for Extension of Period of Stay (在留期間更新許可申請), a declaration and resident tax certificates are added in the case of Categories 3 and 4.
| Documents to be submitted | Categories 1 and 2 | Category 3 | Category 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application form, photograph, presentation of the passport and residence card | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Document certifying the category | ○ | ○ | － |
| Documents for cases of working under a worker dispatch contract | △ | △ | △ |
| Declaration concerning the Representative of the Organization (reference form) | － | ○ | ○ |
| Resident tax certificate (taxation or tax-exemption certificate) and tax payment certificate | － | ○ | ○ |
The resident tax certificates are those that show the total income for one year and the tax payment status. If they cannot be submitted, a statement of reasons (理由書; in any format) and a withholding record (源泉徴収票), pay slips or the like are submitted.
- Documents clarifying the content of the activities, etc. (such as a document clearly indicating the working conditions)
- Certificate of registered matters
- Documents clarifying the business activities
- Copy of the financial statements for the most recent fiscal year (a business plan in the case of a new business)
- Documents proving language ability equivalent to CEFR B2 (when the applicant mainly engages in work dealing directly with people, etc. using language ability)
- Documents clarifying the reason why the Total Table of Statutory Reports cannot be submitted (Category 4 only)
Even without a job change, if, at an organization in Category 3 or 4, the job content has changed from the content originally stated in the application to work dealing directly with people, etc. using language ability, the documents on language ability are submitted.
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Status of Residence "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services"" (in Japanese), "Checklist of Documents to be Submitted (Extension)" (in Japanese), "Work Status Q&A" (in Japanese), Q23
Documents to be submitted that changed in 2026
In March and April 2026, the documents for working as a dispatched worker and the documents for Categories 3 and 4 changed. The two tables above reflect these changes.
| From which applications | Who is covered | Documents to submit |
|---|---|---|
| Applications filed on or after March 9, 2026 | Cases of working under a worker dispatch contract (all Categories) | Written Pledge concerning the Applicant's Dispatched Work (申請人の派遣労働に関する誓約書; one for the dispatching company and one for the client receiving the dispatched worker), and copies of the Notice of Employment (労働条件通知書) (employment contract) and the individual worker dispatch contract (労働者派遣個別契約書). For an extension, also copies of the management record of the dispatching business (派遣元管理台帳), the client's management record (派遣先管理台帳) and the work status report (就業状況報告書) (the documents for the most recent period of stay are also submitted) |
| Applications filed on or after April 15, 2026 | Categories 3 and 4 | Declaration concerning the Representative of the Organization (reference form) |
| Applications filed on or after April 15, 2026 | Categories 3 and 4, when the applicant mainly engages in work dealing directly with people, etc. using language ability | Documents proving language ability equivalent to CEFR B2 in the language used in the work |
If the client (the company receiving the dispatched worker) has not been determined at the time of application, permission cannot be obtained. However, if the client cannot be decided until after a newly hired person has finished the training given right after hiring, the application is examined taking that circumstance into account. The full set of documents for working as a dispatched worker is explained in How Gijinkoku Is Handled for Dispatched Workers.
The documents on language ability are submitted for COE applications, change-of-status applications and applications to acquire status of residence, and for an extension after the person has come to engage mainly in work using language ability because of a change in job content, a job change or the like. For the extension of a person who has been continuing the same kind of work from before, submission is not required.
Even where submission is not required, and even for an organization in Category 1 or 2, the immigration office may request submission during the examination. The work that is covered and the conditions for being evaluated as equivalent to CEFR B2 are covered in Documents Proving Language Ability for Gijinkoku.
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Status of Residence "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services"" (in Japanese), "Notices" (お知らせ); "Handling of Cases Where a Person Works as a Dispatched Worker under the Status of Residence "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services"" (in Japanese; July 2026), "Attachment 4 (Work Dealing Directly with People Using Language Ability)" (in Japanese)
Hiring an international student as a new graduate
In an Application for Change of Status of Residence from "Student" (留学), the organization is treated as Category 2 depending on the applicant's conditions. This applies to a person who falls under any of the following.
- A person who has graduated from a graduate school, university or junior college in Japan (including a person who is expected to graduate)
- A person who has graduated from a top-ranked overseas university (a foreign university ranked in the top 300 in two or more of three world university rankings)
- A person who will work at an organization that is currently accepting a person who changed from "Student" to a work-related status of residence, worked there, and afterward extended the period of stay at that organization
When applying under this treatment, the Explanation concerning Omission of Documents to be Submitted (提出書類省略に関する説明書) is submitted as the document certifying the category.
Even before graduation, the application is received if there is a certificate of expected graduation. Every year, the ISA receives, starting in December, applications from international students who will graduate from universities, etc. in March. The result is handed over after the certificate of graduation is submitted.
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Status of Residence "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services"" (in Japanese), "Application for Change of Status of Residence"; "Work Status Q&A" (in Japanese), Q13
Types of application and the number of days the examination takes
The ISA's standard processing time is 1 to 3 months for a COE application, 1 to 2 months for a change of status, and 2 weeks to 1 month for an extension. Separately from this, the ISA publishes every month, for each status of residence, the national average of the number of days actually taken.
| Type of application | When it is used | Standard processing time | Average number of days for Gijinkoku (COEs issued and permissions granted in July 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application for Certificate of Eligibility | Bringing a person from abroad | 1 to 3 months | 49.8 days (until issuance) |
| Application for Change of Status of Residence | Switching from Student, etc. | 1 to 2 months | 72.9 days (until the notice of permission) |
| Application for Extension of Period of Stay | Extending the period of stay | 2 weeks to 1 month | 40.8 days (until the notice of permission) |
The average number of days is the number of days from acceptance of the application to permission. It includes the days from when additional documents are requested until they are submitted, and does not include denials or withdrawals.
The ISA states that, every year, applications increase toward the hiring season in April and the processing time for work-related statuses of residence tends to become longer.
An extension application can be filed from three months before the period of stay expires (for a person whose period of stay is six months or more). For those who wish to receive permission within the period of stay, the ISA asks applicants to make efforts to apply between three months and 45 days before the expiration date.
A COE application is filed by the foreign national or by a staff member of the organization that will accept the person (as the representative). Change-of-status and extension applications are, in principle, filed by the foreign national.
There is no fee for a COE application. The fees for a change of status and an extension are summarized in the table of residence permission fees.
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Processing Time for Residence Examinations" (in Japanese) (COEs issued and permissions granted in July 2026), "Application for Certificate of Eligibility" (in Japanese), "Application for Change of Status of Residence" (in Japanese), "Application for Extension of Period of Stay" (in Japanese), "For Those Who Wish to Receive Permission for Change or Extension within the Period of Stay" (in Japanese), "Work Status Q&A" (in Japanese), Q5
How the period of stay is decided
The period of stay is 5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 3 months, and the immigration office decides it based on a comprehensive judgment. The ISA lists the following three factors for the judgment in its Q&A.
- The planned period of work
- The foreign national's record of activities and status of fulfillment of public obligations
- The business scale, business record, etc. of the contracting organization
When working as a dispatched worker, a period of stay corresponding to the period of the dispatch contract is decided.
In the Immigration and Residence Examination Guidelines (入国・在留審査要領), the contracting organization being in Category 1 or 2 is listed as one of the conditions for a five-year period (other conditions are also set for cases where this does not apply). The case where the contracting organization is in Category 4 is listed among the conditions for a one-year period.
The period of stay is not decided by the Category alone. The relationship between the period of stay and the planned period of work is summarized in a table in the article on employment contracts mentioned in the section on remuneration.
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Work Status Q&A" (in Japanese), Q8, "Handling of Cases Where a Person Works as a Dispatched Worker" (in Japanese; July 2026), Immigration and Residence Examination Guidelines, Part 12, Chapter 2, Section 15, No. 1, 6
Notifications after hiring and at the time of a job change
When a person residing under Gijinkoku changes jobs, the person files the Notification of the Contracting Organization (所属（契約）機関に関する届出) within 14 days. The notification is addressed to the Commissioner of the Immigration Services Agency, and the legal basis is Article 19-16, item 2 of the Immigration Control Act.
| Situation | Procedure | Who does it |
|---|---|---|
| The contract with the contracting organization has ended, or a new contract has been concluded | Notification of the Contracting Organization (within 14 days) | The foreign national |
| A foreign national has been hired, or the employment has ended | Notification concerning the acceptance of mid-to-long-term residents (an obligation to make efforts, not mandatory; business owners that file the Notification of the Employment Status of Foreign Nationals (外国人雇用状況の届出) with Hello Work are not covered) | The business owner (employer) |
| You want to confirm whether the work after hiring is an activity that can be carried out under the person's status of residence | Application for issuance of a Certificate of Authorized Employment (就労資格証明書) | The foreign national |
If you hire a person who already holds Gijinkoku and the person continues activities that fall under Gijinkoku after being hired, an Application for Change of Status of Residence is not required.
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Notification of the Contracting Organization" (in Japanese), "Work Status Q&A" (in Japanese), Q2 to Q4
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a statement of reasons for employment (雇用理由書) required?
It is not a document whose submission is required by laws and regulations. However, the ISA states that, for COE and change-of-status applications, when it finds it necessary to confirm the content of the work more specifically, it may request additional submission of items such as a detailed written explanation of the reasons for employment and the job duties. How to write one is explained in How to Write a Statement of Reasons for Employment for Gijinkoku.
Does experience under Technical Intern Training or Specified Skilled Worker count as practical experience?
Merely having gained practical experience under Technical Intern Training or Specified Skilled Worker is not, on that basis alone, treated as satisfying the "practical experience" in the Ministerial Order on Criteria. The ISA explains that it does not envisage a person changing from Specified Skilled Worker (i) to Gijinkoku as a way of advancing his or her career.
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Work Status Q&A" (in Japanese), Q22 and Q41
Summary
Gijinkoku is a status of residence for work that requires skills or knowledge in the field of natural science or humanities and for work that requires ways of thinking or sensitivity founded on a foreign culture. The person is required to have the academic background or practical experience, and the remuneration is required to be equivalent to or greater than that of a Japanese national.
The documents to be submitted vary according to Categories 1 to 4 of the organization. For Categories 3 and 4, the Declaration concerning the Representative of the Organization and other documents have been added for applications filed on or after April 15, 2026.
Before deciding to hire, please check three things: the content of the work to be assigned, the relevance between the person's major and the work, and your company's Category. If the date of joining the company is fixed, it is safer to count back from the standard processing time and the most recent average number of days to work out when to apply.
References
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Status of Residence "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services"" (in Japanese) and the checklists of documents to be submitted (accessed October 9, 2026)
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Clarification of the Status of Residence "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services"" (in Japanese; last revised April 2026), main text and Attachments 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Companies, etc. That Meet Certain Conditions" (in Japanese; January 2020)
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Handling of Cases Where a Person Works as a Dispatched Worker under the Status of Residence "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services"" (in Japanese; July 2026)
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Frequently Asked Questions on Applications concerning Work-related Statuses of Residence (Q&A)" (in Japanese; July 2026)
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Processing Time for Residence Examinations" (in Japanese; COEs issued and permissions granted in July 2026)
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Application for Certificate of Eligibility" (in Japanese), "Application for Change of Status of Residence" (in Japanese), "Application for Extension of Period of Stay" (in Japanese)
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "For Those Who Wish to Receive Permission for Change or Extension within the Period of Stay" (in Japanese)
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Notification of the Contracting Organization" (in Japanese)
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, Immigration and Residence Examination Guidelines (入国・在留審査要領), Part 12, Chapter 2, Section 15
- Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, Appended Table I(2) and Article 19-16
- Ministerial Order to Provide for Criteria Pursuant to Article 7, Paragraph (1), Item (ii) of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (the "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services" section)
