How to Change Jobs in Japan as a Foreigner: Step by Step (2026)
To change jobs in Japan as a foreigner, first check that the new job fits your status of residence, then get a written offer, resign with proper notice, and notify the Immigration Services Agency (ISA) within 14 days. If your status is Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, you usually do not need a new permission. If you hold Highly Skilled Professional, Researcher, Professor or Cultural Activities status, you usually need extra steps before you start the new job.
The order of these steps matters. Many problems happen because people resign first and check the visa later. This guide gives a safe order, the documents to collect, and the insurance and tax points.
All rules are described as of October 2026. This is general information, not legal advice. For your own case, ask ISA or a licensed immigration specialist (gyoseishoshi).
Key takeaways
Check the visa fit of the new job before you resign. Your status decides whether you need a notification only, or a permission first.
Engineer/Specialist in Humanities holders can usually change employer with a notification to ISA within 14 days.
Highly Skilled Professional (i)(b) holders must get a change of status permission before changing employer.
Do not leave a long gap. Not doing the activity of your status for three months or more can be a reason for revocation, unless you have a justifiable reason.
Collect your documents from the old employer and check that your new employer enrols you in social insurance from day one.
Step 1: Which visa steps apply to you?
Your current status of residence decides your path. The table below shows the most common cases for engineers.
Current status | Need permission before new job? | Main steps |
|---|---|---|
Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services | No, if the new job fits the status | Notify ISA within 14 days (contract end and new contract); Certificate of Authorized Employment is optional |
Highly Skilled Professional (i)(b) | Yes | Apply for a change of status (to HSP with the new employer, or another status) before starting |
Researcher | Yes, if the new job is not research | Change of status, for example to Engineer/Specialist in Humanities |
Professor | Yes, for a company job | Change of status |
Cultural Activities | Yes (this status cannot work) | Change of status before any work |
Permanent Resident / Spouse of Japanese national | No | No work restriction from the status; follow normal employment steps |
Why Highly Skilled Professional is different
Highly Skilled Professional (i) status is tied to a designated employer. If you change employer, you need a new permission. In Tokyo, this often takes about 1.5 months or more. Do not start the new job until the permission is granted. See our guide on changing jobs with a Highly Skilled Professional visa.
Researcher and Cultural Activities
"Researcher" covers research under a contract, including at private companies. If your new role is engineering or development rather than research, you usually need a change of status. "Cultural Activities" does not allow paid work at all, so the change must be approved before you start.
Step 2: How do you find and confirm the new job?
Get a written offer with full conditions before you resign. In Japan, employers and agencies must show key conditions in writing, such as the job content, contract period, renewal rules, work location, working hours, wages, social insurance and the employer's name. For dispatch jobs, the offer must say that you will be employed as a dispatched worker.
Check these points in the offer:
Employer name. In a dispatch job, the staffing company is your employer, not the client.
Contract type. Indefinite (no end date) or fixed-term. If fixed-term, ask about renewal rules and any upper limit on renewals.
Start date. Make sure it fits your resignation notice and any visa processing time.
Job content. Make sure it matches your status. For engineering work, the duties should be technical.
Social insurance. Health insurance, Employees' Pension, employment insurance and workers' accident insurance.
Our guide to job sites for foreigners in Japan, in this same series, can help you find roles.
Step 3: How much notice do you need to give when resigning?
It depends on your contract type. For an indefinite (no end date) contract, Japan's Civil Code lets an employee end the contract two weeks after giving notice. Many company rules ask for one month or more, and following your company rules is the polite and safer choice where possible.
For a fixed-term contract, leaving before the end date is more restricted. Read your contract and talk to your employer about an agreed end date. In practice, many people agree a last working day with their manager.
Contract type | Notice rule (general) | Practical advice |
|---|---|---|
Indefinite (no end date) | Civil Code: contract ends 2 weeks after notice | Follow company rules (often 1 month) if you can |
Fixed-term, at the end of the term | You can simply not renew | Tell your employer early that you will not renew |
Fixed-term, before the end of the term | More restricted; needs agreement or an unavoidable reason | Agree an end date in writing |
Before you hand in notice
Confirm the visa path (Step 1).
Have the written offer in hand.
Check your status expiry date. If it expires soon, plan the extension with the new employer.
Step 4: What do you need to tell immigration, and when?
If you hold Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services (or Researcher, Highly Skilled Professional and some others), you must notify ISA within 14 days when your contract ends, and again within 14 days when you sign a new contract. You can do this online, at an immigration office, or by post (ISA).
Important points:
Dispatch jobs. Your "contracting organization" is the staffing company that employs you, not the client site. If you move to a different client under the same staffing company, ISA says a new notification is not needed.
Penalties. Not notifying, or giving false information, can lead to penalties and can count against you in later applications.
Certificate of Authorized Employment (optional). You can ask ISA to confirm that your new job fits your status. After a job change, this usually takes one to three months and costs 2,000 yen (1,600 yen online) (ISA). By law, no one may treat you unfavourably just because you do not show this certificate.
See our guides on the 14-day notification and the Certificate of Authorized Employment.
If you need a change of status
ISA's standard processing period for a change of status is one to two months. Applications increase before April, so it can take longer then. Since 1 October 2026, fees depend on the period of stay granted.
Period of stay granted | Counter fee | Online fee |
|---|---|---|
3 months or less | 10,000 yen | 10,000 yen |
1 year | 33,000 yen | 27,000 yen |
3 years to under 5 years | 64,000 yen | 56,000 yen |
5 years or more | 75,000 yen | 65,000 yen |
Applications received by 30 September 2026 paid the old fee (6,000 yen, or 5,500 yen online). Other periods have their own fees; check ISA's fee page before you apply.
Step 5: How do you avoid a gap between jobs?
Plan for a short gap or none. Under the Immigration Control Act, staying in Japan for three months or more without doing the activity of your work status can be a reason for your status to be revoked, unless you have a justifiable reason. A short gap while job hunting is common, but a long gap is risky.
Tips:
Set the new start date before you resign.
If you need a change of status, keep your current job until the permission is granted, where possible.
Step 6: What happens to insurance, pension and tax?
Your new employer should enrol you in health insurance and Employees' Pension from your first day. Your pension record continues; a job change does not reset it. If there is a gap between jobs, you usually need to join National Health Insurance and National Pension at your city office for that period.
Item | What happens when you change jobs | What you should do |
|---|---|---|
Health insurance | Old coverage ends; new employer enrols you | Return the old card or certificate if asked; check new enrolment |
Employees' Pension | Record continues under the same pension number | Check your record online with Nenkin Net |
Employment insurance | Continues if you join a covered employer | Keep your insured person's number |
Income tax | Old employer gives you a withholding slip (gensen choshu-hyo) | Give it to the new employer for year-end adjustment |
Resident tax | May switch from salary deduction to paying yourself | Ask both employers how the remaining amount will be paid |
For resident tax details, see our guide on resident tax when changing jobs.
Documents to collect from your old employer
Withholding slip (gensen choshu-hyo)
Employment insurance insured person's card or number
Separation notice (rishokuhyo), if you may claim unemployment benefits
Pension number (it does not change)
A certificate of employment (zaishoku shomeisho)
What protections do fixed-term and dispatch workers have?
Japanese labour law gives fixed-term workers several protections. These matter if you move into a contract or dispatch job:
Written renewal rules. Since April 2024, employers must state any upper limit on the number of renewals or total contract period when you sign and at each renewal.
Advance notice of non-renewal. If your contract has been renewed three or more times, or you have worked for more than one year, the employer should give at least 30 days' notice if it will not renew (unless non-renewal was stated in advance).
Limits on non-renewal. Under the Labour Contract Act, non-renewal may not be allowed if it lacks an objectively reasonable reason in situations where you could reasonably expect renewal.
Conversion to indefinite contract. If fixed-term contracts with the same employer are renewed and the total exceeds five years, you can ask to convert to an indefinite contract.
These rules are explained by the Prefectural Labour Bureaus. Our guide on dispatch work in Japan, in this same series, covers how they apply to haken.
A word on changing jobs too often
If you joined a company recently, think carefully before moving again. Very short stays can make later employers and visa renewals harder to explain. Try to solve problems with your current employer or agency first, and change jobs when the new role is clearly better for your long-term career.
How can AGG help?
AGG Careers lists English-OK engineering jobs in Japan and helps engineers who are changing jobs or changing status. We explain the visa path for your status before you resign, and we support change-of-status paperwork. Many roles are dispatch positions: you are employed by AGG (Fukuyoshi Inc.), work at a client site, and have social insurance. Dispatch contracts are often renewed every few months, and renewal depends on the client project; we explain this openly. There are no agency fees for job seekers.
Frequently asked questions
Q. Do I need permission from immigration to change jobs in Japan?
It depends on your status of residence. If you hold Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services and the new job fits that status, you do not need a new permission. You must notify ISA within 14 days of your contract ending and within 14 days of signing the new contract. If you hold Highly Skilled Professional (i), you need a change of status permission before changing employer. Researcher, Professor and Cultural Activities holders usually need a change of status for an engineering job at a company.
Q. How do I notify immigration when I change jobs?
You submit a "notification regarding the contracting organization" to the Immigration Services Agency. You can do this online, at a regional immigration office, or by post. You need to do it within 14 days of the old contract ending, and again within 14 days of signing the new contract. Keep a copy or screenshot as proof. If you work through a dispatch agency, the agency is your contracting organization, so moving between client sites under the same agency does not need a new notification.
Q. Can I quit my job in Japan with two weeks' notice?
For an indefinite contract with no end date, Japan's Civil Code says the contract ends two weeks after you give notice. Many companies ask for one month in their rules, and following those rules is the safer and more polite choice where possible. Fixed-term contracts are different: leaving before the end date is more restricted, so agree an end date with your employer in writing. Always secure your new offer and check the visa path before you resign.
Q. What happens if I am unemployed for more than three months in Japan?
Under the Immigration Control Act, if you stay in Japan for three months or more without doing the activity of your work status, this can be a reason for ISA to revoke your status, unless you have a justifiable reason. Actively looking for a new job may be considered, but it is not automatic protection. Keep records of your job search, and try to set a new start date before you resign. If a gap becomes long, talk to ISA or an immigration specialist early.
Q. Do I need a Certificate of Authorized Employment when changing jobs?
No, it is optional. The certificate confirms that your new job fits your status of residence. It can give you and your employer peace of mind before your next extension. After a job change, it usually takes one to three months and costs 2,000 yen (1,600 yen online). By law, an employer may not treat you unfavourably just because you do not have it. Many people apply when the new job is quite different from the old one.
Q. Will changing jobs affect my visa renewal in Japan?
It can, which is why you should check fit before moving. At renewal, ISA looks at whether your work matches your status and whether you followed the rules, such as the 14-day notifications. A job that fits your status, proper notifications and stable employment usually support a smooth renewal. Frequent short jobs, long gaps or unrelated duties can raise questions. If you are unsure, consider a Certificate of Authorized Employment or ask an immigration specialist.
Q. What happens to my pension when I change jobs in Japan?
Your pension record continues. Your basic pension number stays the same, and your new employer enrols you in Employees' Pension from your first day. If there is a gap between jobs, you usually need to join National Pension at your city office for that period. You can check your record online through Nenkin Net. Changing jobs does not reset your contribution period, which matters for a future pension or a lump-sum withdrawal payment if you leave Japan.
Summary
Check whether the new job fits your status before you resign; your status decides the path.
Engineer/Specialist in Humanities holders notify ISA within 14 days; Highly Skilled Professional (i)(b) holders need permission first.
Give proper notice: two weeks under the Civil Code for indefinite contracts, but follow company rules where possible.
Avoid long gaps and collect your documents from the old employer.
Know your protections as a fixed-term or dispatch worker, and avoid changing jobs too often.
Thinking about your next move? See our open engineering jobs and apply to talk with us. A CV is optional, and there are no agency fees.
Reviewed by
Naoya Mitani — Head of Business Operations, Awaji Global Gateway (Fukuyoshi Inc.). Supports foreign engineers moving into jobs in Japan, including visa changes and onboarding.
