This information is for orientation only. Always confirm with ISA and your school’s international office before starting any paid work.

Student work roadmap

  1. Special ISA permission
  2. Written contract
  3. Payslip
  4. Status renewal / post-graduation

Student checklist — before accepting a baito job

  • ISA stamp on the back of your Zairyu card (Permission to Engage…) — free application.
  • Hours: max 28 hours/week during the academic term; up to 40 hours in long holidays (verify with ISA + school).
  • Written contract (roudou keiyaku) with schedule and hourly pay ≥ prefectural minimum wage.
  • Prohibited sectors — adult nightlife entertainment (ISA list); also follow university rules.
  • Red flags: «cash only», no payslip, working before the ISA stamp.

Part-time work permission

  1. Apply at the immigration office (or online if available) with passport, card, and school document.
  2. Wait for approval (often same day or a few days).
  3. Check that the back of your Zairyu card shows the permission and any restrictions.
  4. Only then search for work and sign a contract.

Last updated: May 2026 — ISA — Permission to engage

Hour limits (College Student)

PeriodIndicative limit
Academic termMax 28 hours/week
Official long holidays (summer, winter)Often up to 40 hours/week — confirm current ISA circular and school policy
Prohibited sectorsAdult nightlife entertainment (e.g. certain bars, pachinko, adult entertainment) — ISA list
Unauthorized workCriminal/administrative penalties, deportation

Last updated: May 2026 — ISA

Part-time pay (indicative)

City / sectorGross hourly pay (2026)
Tokyo (minimum wage)¥1,163/h (from Oct 2024; verify annual increases)
Osaka / other prefecturesAbout ¥950–¥1,100/h (varies by prefecture)
Convenience store, 飲食, logisticsOften ¥1,100–¥1,400/h + transport
Private tutoring (eikaiwa)¥2,000–¥3,500/h if qualified

Last updated: May 2026 — prefectural minimum wage: MHLW

Finding work (baito バイト)

  1. Portals: TownWork, Baitoru, Indeed Japan, LinkedIn.
  2. University: Part-time job board, career center (check school rules — some limit hours or sectors).
  3. Accessible sectors: Konbini, restaurants, hotels, cleaning, translation if you speak Japanese.
  4. Japanese CV (rirekisho) — Standard template in katakana/kanji.

Internships

  • Curricular internship — University-company agreement; may be unpaid if provided by the programme — verify ISA permission.
  • Do not disguise paid work as «volunteering» in practice.
  • Injury coverage: Industrial Accident Compensation if legally employed work.

Taxes on salary

  1. Sign a contract with clear hours and pay (roudou keiyaku).
  2. Employer withholds income tax and any social contributions.
  3. Receive monthly payslip; keep for permit renewal and tax filings.
  4. The following year: pay resident tax (juminzei) in ward instalments.
  1. Before your student permit expires, consider switching to Designated Activities for job hunting (qualified employment search) — indicative duration up to 1 year if approved.
  2. Alternative: direct switch to a work status (e.g. Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services) with a sponsoring employer offer.
  3. Attend campus job fairs and follow the Japanese shukatsu (就活) calendar.
  4. Do not remain in Japan beyond your permit validity without an application in progress.

Last updated: May 2026 — ISA

Irregular work: risks
  • Status revocation, fines, re-entry ban.
  • No workers’ compensation protection.
  • Report exploitation to the prefectural labour standards office (roudou kijun kantokusho).

Last updated: May 2026 — ISA

Next step: permit renewal and CoE — see the Bureaucracy guide.

Typhoon

Close windows and follow university notices - transport stops.

Quick reference

Urban security among the best in the world; risks: earthquakes, typhoons, and administrative compliance. Bike theft is rare but forgotten phones on trains happen.

  • 110 police
  • 119 fire/ambulance
  • Recommended earthquake emergency kit
  • Obedience to dorm/share house rules

Day-to-day safety

Newspaper

  • Yurekuru app for earthquake alert
  • Don't leave an umbrella — you'll find them often
  • Respect queues and train silence

Common scams

Less common; watch out for “model agencies” and bar scams in Roppongi for tourists, fewer sleeping students.

  • Fake guarantor contracts online

Emergencies

  • 119
  • Passport Embassy
  • Disaster manual ward office

If something goes wrong

Rights

National rule

Work without extra permit = possible deportation. Contract: Consult campus before signing in Japanese only.

Deep dive (optional)

Go deeper

Operational detail and official links—amounts and deadlines change; always confirm on the competent portal before filing or paying.

Work permission (summary)

PatternNote
College Student statusTypically up to 28 hours/week during term; during official long vacations many students may work up to 40 hours/week—confirm the latest ISA notice
Out-of-status workAdministrative penalties, deportation risk, and visa impact—never work outside your permission
Other statusesPart-time only if printed on your residence card
Full-time employmentEmployees’ health & pension (shakai hoken) and Labour Standards Act protections

Rights & advice desks

Written contracts

Hours, wages, overtime, and paid leave—keep copies.

Free labour consultation

Prefectural labour bureaus and public consultation windows—search your prefecture’s “labour standards” site.

Internships

School–company agreements; avoid unpaid “volunteer” work that is really disguised employment.

Note

This block complements the guide with institutional entry points—not legal or tax advice.

Sources · Last verified: 2026-05

  • Immigration Services Agency — Japan (official link being updated)
Trusted sources we used for this content

Japanese government sources (many offer English pages) plus Eurostat for comparison: MOFA, the Immigration Services Agency, the National Tax Agency, MHLW, and e-Gov. Procedures change—confirm on the official site.