Note: This article is based on Japanese laws and materials published by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA) as of October 9, 2026.
The documents to be submitted when a person with "Gijinkoku" (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) works as a dispatched worker changed starting with applications filed on or after March 9, 2026. Written pledges (誓約書) from both the dispatching company and the client (the company receiving the dispatched worker), together with copies of the individual worker dispatch contract (労働者派遣個別契約書) and other documents, are submitted. If the client has not been determined at the time of application, permission cannot be obtained.
However, where the client cannot be decided until after the training given to a newly hired employee immediately after hiring, substitute documents are submitted and the application is examined in light of those circumstances. This article explains who submits what, and what the client pledges, following the wording of the ISA's document and forms.
Contents
- From which applications, and what has changed?
- Who submits what?
- What is pledged in the written pledges?
- What if the client has not been decided?
- The period of stay, and checks by the immigration office with the client
- What happens if the pledge is not kept?
- Procedures when the client changes
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Summary
- References
From which applications, and what has changed?
The documents to be submitted when working as a dispatched worker changed starting with applications filed on or after Monday, March 9, 2026. The ISA's document "Handling of Cases Where a Person Works as a Dispatched Worker under the Status of Residence 'Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services'" sets out the following four points.
| Item | Content of the ISA's document |
|---|---|
| Documents to be submitted | Changed as shown in the checklist, starting with applications filed on or after Monday, March 9, 2026 |
| Determination of the client | If the client has not been determined at the time of application, permission, etc. cannot be received. However, where the client is not decided until after training has been given to a newly hired employee immediately after hiring, the application is examined in light of those circumstances |
| Period of stay | A period of stay corresponding to the period of the dispatch contract is decided |
| Checking with the client | In a residence examination, the immigration office may directly check the applicant's job duties and the state of the applicant's activities not only with the dispatching company but also with the client |
The applications covered are the Application for Certificate of Eligibility (在留資格認定証明書交付申請), the Application for Change of Status of Residence (在留資格変更許可申請), the Application for Extension of Period of Stay (在留期間更新許可申請) and the application for permission to acquire status of residence (在留資格取得許可申請). People who are already working as dispatched workers also submit the new documents, starting with extension applications filed on or after March 9, 2026.
This document was issued with the date February 2026 and was revised into a version dated July 2026. What was added in the July version is the part from "However" onward under the determination of the client, and the documents to be submitted in that case. On the ISA's Gijinkoku page, the link to this document is shown as "updated July 13, 2026."
Source: 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), "Status of Residence "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services"" (in Japanese)
Who submits what?
The dispatching company and the client each prepare a written pledge, and these are submitted as application documents together with copies of materials showing the content of the contracts. They are required regardless of the Category (1–4) of the organization the applicant belongs to (所属機関), whenever the applicant is the person being dispatched (the dispatched worker, 被派遣者).
| Document | Prepared by (our office's summary) | COE, change, acquisition | Extension |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written Pledge concerning the Applicant's Dispatched Work (for the organization (dispatching company)) (申請人の派遣労働に関する誓約書（所属機関（派遣元）用）) | Dispatching company | Required | Required |
| Written Pledge concerning the Applicant's Dispatched Work (for the client receiving the dispatched worker) (申請人の派遣労働に関する誓約書（派遣先用）) | Client | Required | Required |
| Copy of the Notice of Employment (employment contract) (労働条件通知書（雇用契約書）) | Dispatching company | Required | Required |
| Copy of the individual worker dispatch contract | Dispatching company and client | Required | Required |
| Copy of the management record of the dispatching business (派遣元管理台帳) | Dispatching company | — | Required |
| Copy of the client's management record (派遣先管理台帳) | Client | — | Required |
| Copy of the work status report (就業状況報告書) | Not stated in the ISA's materials | — | Required |
"COE, change, acquisition" means the Application for Certificate of Eligibility, the Application for Change of Status of Residence and the application for permission to acquire status of residence. One copy of each document is submitted. For extension applications, the materials showing the content of the contracts (the third row of the table onward) are also submitted for the most recent period of stay.
The "Prepared by" column is not in the ISA's list. Our office put it together: for the written pledges, from the name fields of the forms; for the Notice of Employment (a written notice of working conditions), from the wording in the ISA's document, "Notice of Employment (employment contract) with the dispatching company."
Source: 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), attached checklist, "Status of Residence "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services"" (in Japanese)
The management records and the work status report
The management record of the dispatching business and the client's management record are documents that the Worker Dispatching Act (労働者派遣法) requires to be prepared and retained for three years. The management record of the dispatching business is prepared by the dispatching business operator (派遣元事業主), and the client's management record by the client (Worker Dispatching Act, Articles 37 and 42).
A worker dispatch contract (労働者派遣契約) is a contract concluded between the dispatching company and the client. The Act requires that, when the contract is concluded, particulars such as the content of the work the dispatched worker is to engage in, the place of work and the period of dispatch be specified (Article 26, paragraph 1 of the Act).
No document named "work status report" appears in the provisions of the Worker Dispatching Act or its Ordinance for Enforcement. Nor is there any explanation of a form or of the items to be entered in the ISA's document or on its Gijinkoku page (as of October 2026). What to submit is something we check in our consultation on applications for Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, looking at the work records kept by the dispatching company and the client.
What is pledged in the written pledges?
The dispatching company pledges four items, and the client three. The ISA has published reference forms, and the matters pledged are as follows. In the blank, the name of the desired status of residence is written.
| For the organization (dispatching company) | For the client | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | That the matters stated in the application form (for organization) and the content of the other documents submitted are not false | That the content of the documents submitted is not false |
| 2 | That it has explained to the applicant and the applicant's client the scope of activities of the status of residence of (the desired status of residence) and the content of the "Details of activities" stated in the application form, and has made them understand these | That it understands the scope of activities of the status of residence of (the desired status of residence) and the content of the "Details of activities" stated in the application form, and will have the applicant engage in those activities |
| 3 | That it will comply with investigations conducted by the regional immigration services bureau, such as instructions to submit related documents, interviews (hearing of the circumstances) and on-site inspections. Also, that it has confirmed that the client will likewise comply with such investigations | That it will comply with investigations conducted by the regional immigration services bureau, such as instructions to submit related documents, interviews (hearing of the circumstances) and on-site inspections |
| 4 | With regard to 2 and 3 above, that it will take the same measures each time there is a change in the applicant's client | (None) |
The core of the client's pledge is item 2. The client pledges that it understands the scope of activities of the status of residence and the "Details of activities" in the application form, and that it will have the applicant engage in those activities. "Details of activities" (活動内容詳細) is the field in the residence application form where the content of the activities is written.
The "documents submitted" in item 1 means the documents that the dispatching company and the client each prepared on their own responsibility. The ISA's Q&A states that the client does not need to pledge as far as the documents prepared by the dispatching company or the applicant.
Before signing, the person in charge at the client should receive from the dispatching company what is written under "Details of activities" in the application form and check it. Item 2 of the pledge presupposes that the client understands that content. The scope of work permitted under Gijinkoku is explained in our Complete Guide to the Gijinkoku Visa.
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Written Pledge concerning the Applicant's Dispatched Work (reference form, for the organization (dispatching company))" (in Japanese), "Same form (for the client receiving the dispatched worker)" (in Japanese), "Frequently Asked Questions on Applications concerning Work-related Statuses of Residence (Q&A)" (in Japanese; July 2026), Q26
What if the client has not been decided?
If the client has not been determined at the time of application, permission cannot be obtained. The exception is where the client cannot be decided until after the training given to a newly hired employee immediately after hiring.
In this case, what the immigration office examines is whether it has been specifically proven that, after the training, the person will engage in work that falls under the status of residence. The ISA's document states that, only where the client cannot be determined at the time of application because training is to be given to a newly hired employee, the documents are replaced as follows.
| Documents that cannot be submitted (2) | Documents submitted instead (4) |
|---|---|
| Written Pledge concerning the Applicant's Dispatched Work (for the client receiving the dispatched worker) | Materials specifically showing the content of the training |
| Individual worker dispatch contract | Notice of Employment (employment contract) with the dispatching company that specifically states the scope of the job duties the person is planned to engage in at the client |
| Written Pledge concerning the Applicant's Dispatched Work (for the organization (dispatching company)) | |
| Written Pledge concerning the Determination of the Applicant's Client (for the organization (dispatching company)) (申請人の派遣先の決定に関する誓約書（所属機関（派遣元）用）) |
The matters pledged in this written pledge are the following two.
- That, after the training given to the newly hired employee, it will have the person engage, at the client, in work within the scope of activities of the status of residence of (the desired status of residence) and within the scope stated in the application form
- That, when the client is decided after the training, it will promptly obtain the "Written Pledge concerning the Applicant's Dispatched Work (for the client receiving the dispatched worker)" from the client, keep it properly at the organization (dispatching company), and submit it at the time of the next Application for Extension of Period of Stay
What to do after the client is decided
- Once the client is decided, promptly prepare the written pledge for the client
- Keep it, on the dispatching company's responsibility, until the time of the next Application for Extension of Period of Stay
- At the time of the next application, submit the client's written pledge and the individual worker dispatch contract that could not be submitted at first
The document also sets out the handling where a breach of the pledge is found, such as where the documents cannot be submitted without reasonable grounds. That dispatching company is excluded from this exception. In addition, the matter is treated as a negative factor (消極事由) in future examinations.
Source: 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), Section 2 and the Note, "Written Pledge concerning the Determination of the Applicant's Client (reference form, for the organization (dispatching company))" (in Japanese), "Frequently Asked Questions on Applications concerning Work-related Statuses of Residence (Q&A)" (in Japanese; July 2026), Q27
The period of stay, and checks by the immigration office with the client
The period of stay is decided according to the period of the dispatch contract, and the immigration office may also directly check the job duties and the state of the activities with the client. Both points are written in the same ISA document as the change in the documents to be submitted.
On the period of stay, what the document sets out is the single sentence "A period of stay corresponding to the period of the dispatch contract is decided." It does not say how many months of contract correspond to how many years of period of stay (as of October 2026).
The check with the client is connected to the content of the written pledges. The client pledges that it will comply with investigations conducted by the regional immigration services bureau, such as instructions to submit related documents, interviews and on-site inspections. The dispatching company, too, pledges that it has confirmed that the client will comply with the investigations.
The ISA has published the following case of denial. An application was filed on the basis that the person would engage in translation and interpretation work at the client, but the job description in the written worker dispatch contract was "store staff." When the immigration office checked the job duties with the client, the explanation was that the person would be made to engage in in-store sales and customer service at a retail shop, and the application was denied.
The ISA's Q&A asks the client, too, to check carefully for itself the scope of the activities permitted under the status of residence. Before accepting the worker, the client should make sure that three things have the same content: the "Details of activities" in the application form, the job duties in the individual worker dispatch contract, and the actual work on site.
Source: 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), Sections 3 and 4, "Clarification of the Status of Residence "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services": Attachment 3 (Cases of Permission and Denial)" (in Japanese), "Frequently Asked Questions on Applications concerning Work-related Statuses of Residence (Q&A)" (in Japanese; July 2026), Q43
What happens if the pledge is not kept?
The written pledge states that, if the pledge is false or is breached, the organization may not be able to receive permission, etc. for applications concerning residence (在留諸申請). The same sentence appears in both the form for the dispatching company and the form for the client.
- We also understand that, if this pledge is false or if we act contrary to this pledge, we may not be able to receive permission, etc. for applications concerning residence by foreign nationals for whom our organization is the organization they belong to, including this application.
It is not only "this application" that is covered. The form also includes applications concerning residence by the foreign nationals for whom that organization is the organization they belong to. The wording is "may," and the form does not say that the applications will always be denied.
Where the person is made to engage in work that does not fall under Gijinkoku
Separately from the written pledges, the ISA's Q&A sets out the handling where a person is made to engage, at the client, in work that does not fall under the Gijinkoku activities. It says that both the temporary staff company (the dispatching company) and the client may fall under the offense of facilitating illegal work (不法就労助長罪; Article 73-2, paragraph 1, item 1 of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (入管法)), as having had a foreign national engage in illegal work in relation to their business activities.
The wording is "may fall under," and the Q&A does not say that there is always an offense whenever there is work that does not fall under Gijinkoku. The content of the penalties and the acts subject to punishment are explained in our article on the offense of facilitating illegal work.
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Written Pledge concerning the Applicant's Dispatched Work (reference form, for the organization (dispatching company))" (in Japanese), "Same form (for the client receiving the dispatched worker)" (in Japanese), "Frequently Asked Questions on Applications concerning Work-related Statuses of Residence (Q&A)" (in Japanese; July 2026), Q42 and Q43
Procedures when the client changes
Where the temporary staff company stays the same and only the client changes, a person with Gijinkoku does not need to file a "notification regarding the affiliated institution" (所属機関に関する届出) with the immigration office. A notification becomes necessary when the contract with the temporary staff company ends or when a contract is newly concluded with a temporary staff company. If only the content of the contract has changed, no notification is needed.
Depending on the status of residence, the "notification regarding the affiliated institution" falls into one of two groups: the group that notifies of the accepting organization (活動機関) and the group that notifies of the contracting organization (契約機関). Gijinkoku is in the group that notifies of the other party to the contract (the contracting organization) (Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, Article 19-16, item 2). For a person working as a dispatched worker, the contracting organization is the temporary staff company with which the person has concluded an employment contract.
| Situation (for Gijinkoku) | Notification regarding the affiliated institution |
|---|---|
| The temporary staff company is the same and only the client has changed | Not required |
| The contract with the temporary staff company has ended, or an employment contract has been newly concluded with a temporary staff company | Required. The person files the notification himself or herself within 14 days from the date on which the event occurred |
For statuses of residence in the group that notifies of the accepting organization, such as Intra-company Transferee (企業内転勤) and Business Manager (経営・管理), the handling is different. If the client changes, notifications of leaving the previous client and of transfer to the new client are required.
Even where no notification is required, the dispatching company's pledge continues. In item 4 of the written pledge, the dispatching company pledges that, where there is a change in the client, it will each time take the same measures as in items 2 and 3 of the matters pledged. That is, it explains the scope of activities and the "Details of activities" to the new client and makes the new client understand them, and it confirms that the new client will comply with investigations.
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Q&A on Notifications regarding Affiliated Institutions, etc. and Notifications by Affiliated Institutions" (in Japanese), Q4 and Q17 under the Notification of the Contracting Organization (所属（契約）機関に関する届出) and Q17 under the Notification of the Accepting Organization (所属（活動）機関に関する届出), "Written Pledge concerning the Applicant's Dispatched Work (reference form, for the organization (dispatching company))" (in Japanese); Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, Article 19-16
Frequently Asked Questions
Whose names are written on the written pledge?
The names are written as shown in the name fields of the form. The form for the dispatching company has "name of the organization" (所属機関名), "name of the representative of the organization" (所属機関の代表者氏名) and "name of the person responsible at the organization (dispatching company)" (所属機関（派遣元）責任者氏名); the form for the client has "name of the client organization" (派遣先機関名) and "name of the person responsible at the client" (派遣先責任者氏名). The form does not say which position the "person responsible" refers to (as of October 2026).
What happens when there are multiple clients?
The job duties must fall under the Gijinkoku activities at every client. The ISA's Q&A sets this out as the handling where there are multiple clients.
For an extension application, is the contract currently in force acceptable?
The contract in force at the time of application is acceptable. However, where the outlook for the next period of stay is not established, for example where only one month remains in the contract period, the employment after that point needs to be explained separately from the contract.
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Frequently Asked Questions on Applications concerning Work-related Statuses of Residence (Q&A)" (in Japanese; July 2026), Q25 and Q42
Summary
The documents to be submitted when a person with Gijinkoku works as a dispatched worker changed starting with applications filed on or after March 9, 2026. Written pledges from both the dispatching company and the client, a copy of the Notice of Employment (employment contract) and a copy of the individual worker dispatch contract are submitted. For extension applications, copies of the management record of the dispatching business, the client's management record and the work status report are added.
If the client has not been determined at the time of application, permission cannot be obtained. Only where the client cannot be decided until after the training given to a newly hired employee immediately after hiring is the application examined on the basis of substitute documents.
The dispatching company should hand the "Details of activities" in the application form to the client and explain it. The client should sign the written pledge only after making sure that this content, the individual worker dispatch contract and the work on site have the same content.
References
- 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, "Status of Residence "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services"" (in Japanese)
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Written Pledge concerning the Applicant's Dispatched Work (reference form, for the organization (dispatching company))" (in Japanese)
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Written Pledge concerning the Applicant's Dispatched Work (reference form, for the client receiving the dispatched worker)" (in Japanese)
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Written Pledge concerning the Determination of the Applicant's Client (reference form, for the organization (dispatching company))" (in Japanese)
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Clarification of the Status of Residence "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services": Attachment 3 (Cases of Permission and Denial)" (in Japanese)
- 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, "Q&A on Notifications regarding Affiliated Institutions, etc. and Notifications by Affiliated Institutions" (in Japanese)
- Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, Articles 19-16 and 73-2
- Worker Dispatching Act (Act on Securing the Proper Operation of Worker Dispatching Businesses and Protecting Dispatched Workers), Articles 26, 37 and 42
