A flexible residency status tailored to your specific purpose in Japan.
“This activity is necessary in Japan, but it can’t be covered by a standard visa.”
That’s exactly the kind of exception the Specific Activities Visa is designed to handle.
▶️ A highly flexible visa system that grants residence for activities individually approved by the Minister of Justice.
▶️ It includes multiple categories tailored to specific purposes, with new frameworks being added in recent years.
Main Use Cases of the Specific Activities Visa
🔹 Post-graduation job hunting period for international students waiting to join a company
🔹Continued residence for child-rearing after divorce or the death of a Japanese spouse
🔹Short-term stays for foreign interns or professional athletes
🔹Bringing elderly parents to Japan, medical stays, academic research, and more
When international students who have graduated from a Japanese university or equivalent institution conduct job-seeking activities
Foreign students who have graduated from a university or other eligible educational institution in Japan may change their status of residence from “Student” to “Designated Activities (Continued Job Hunting)” if they wish to continue looking for employment in Japan after graduation and meet the applicable requirements.
【Requirements】
✅ Have graduated from a university, graduate school, junior college, college of technology, or other eligible institution in Japan
✅ Have started job hunting while enrolled and continue job hunting after graduation
✅ Be able to obtain a recommendation letter from the educational institution for continued job hunting
✅ Be able to cover living expenses during the stay in Japan
【Required Documents】
・Application for Change of Status of Residence
・Passport and Residence Card
・Certificate of Graduation from the university or other institution
・Recommendation letter issued by the university or other institution regarding continued job hunting
・Documents showing ongoing job-hunting activities, such as job application records and interview invitations
・Documents proving the ability to cover living expenses and other costs during the stay in Japan
・Other documents required depending on the circumstances of the application
🎓 A Recommendation Letter from the University or Other Institution Is Important
For this Designated Activities status, a recommendation letter from the university or other institution from which you graduated is an important required document.
The key point is that you must have started job hunting while still enrolled and continue your job-hunting activities after graduation, rather than beginning your job search only after graduation.
Therefore, it is advisable to consult your university’s career center or international student support office before graduation.
【Period of Stay】
In principle, a period of stay of 6 months under “Designated Activities” may be granted.
If you continue your job-hunting activities, you may be granted an additional 6-month extension, provided that you meet the applicable requirements, allowing you to continue job hunting in Japan for up to one year in total.
Student → Designated Activities (6 months) → 6-month extension → Up to 1 year
Once you find a job, you will need to change to an appropriate work-authorized status of residence, such as “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services,” depending on the nature of your work.
When international students who have graduated from university wish to stay in Japan until they enroll in graduate school.
If a foreign student has graduated from a university or other eligible educational institution in Japan and has already been accepted into a graduate school, but there is a certain period of time between graduation and enrollment in graduate school, the student may be permitted to change to “Designated Activities” status and remain in Japan until enrollment, provided that the applicable requirements are met.
【Requirements】
✅ Have graduated from a university or other eligible educational institution in Japan
✅ Have already been accepted into a graduate school
✅ Need to remain in Japan during the period between graduation and graduate school enrollment
✅ The graduate school must appropriately supervise the applicant until enrollment, such as by maintaining regular contact
✅ Be able to cover living expenses during the stay in Japan
【Required Documents】
・Application for Change of Status of Residence
・Passport and Residence Card
・Certificate of Graduation from the university or other institution
・Graduate school admission letter, acceptance notice, or other proof of admission
・Documents confirming the scheduled enrollment date
・Documents showing that the graduate school will maintain appropriate contact with and supervision of the applicant until enrollment
・Documents proving the ability to cover living expenses during the stay in Japan
・Other documents required depending on the circumstances of the application
🎓 Admission to Graduate School Must Already Be Confirmed
This Designated Activities status is not intended for those who simply wish to attend graduate school in the future. It applies when admission to a graduate school has already been confirmed.
It allows eligible graduates to remain legally in Japan during the period between graduation from university and enrollment in graduate school.
【Period of Stay】
A period of stay under “Designated Activities” may be granted for the necessary period between university graduation and enrollment in graduate school.
When enrolling in graduate school, the applicant must complete the necessary procedure to change their status of residence back to “Student.”
University Graduation → Designated Activities → Graduate School Enrollment → Student
[New in 2023] A New Future-Focused Specific Activities Visa Is Now Available
Within the Specific Activities visa category, these two are currently gaining the most attention👇
J-Find (Japan-Find) Visa [Specific Activities]
✅ [Eligibility] Foreign nationals who graduated from universities or graduate schools outside Japan
✅ [Purpose] To stay in Japan for job hunting or preparing to start a business
✅ [Duration] Up to 2 years of residence permitted
✅ [Activities Allowed] Job hunting, business startup preparation, and internships
✅ [Key Features]
- Work permitted during stay (up to 28 hours per week)
- Family members may accompany the applicant if certain conditions are met
- A visa that fully supports highly educated individuals seeking opportunities in Japan
Recommended for those with strong resumes who are eager to connect with Japanese companies.
J-Skip (Japan-Skip) Visa [Highly Skilled Professional]
✅ [Eligibility] Highly skilled foreign professionals who meet either educational or income criteria
✅ [Purpose] To facilitate the fast-track acceptance of top talent into Japan
✅ [Key Points]
- Educational requirement: Graduates from top overseas universities, etc.
- Income requirement: Minimum income thresholds set, with a focus on proven experience in designated fields
✅ [Benefits]
- Eligible to apply for permanent residency in as little as one year
- Family members can accompany the applicant; spouses can work; domestic helpers may also be brought to Japan
- A special fast-track route within the Highly Skilled Professional visa system that allows applicants to “skip” certain screenings
Perfect for companies looking to hire and activate top-tier global talent immediately.
Specified activities related to Specified Skills (for those wishing to transition to “Specified Skills No. 1”)
If you plan to change your status of residence to “Specified Skilled Worker (i)” but are unable to prepare all the documents required for the application before your current period of stay expires, you may be able to change to “Designated Activities” status and prepare for the transition to Specified Skilled Worker (i), provided that the applicable requirements are met.
【Requirements】
✅ Plan to change your status of residence to Specified Skilled Worker (i)
✅ Be expected to meet the requirements for Specified Skilled Worker (i)
✅ Have already secured a Specified Skilled Worker Accepting Organization
✅ Engage in the work you are expected to perform as a Specified Skilled Worker
✅ Receive remuneration equal to or greater than that paid to Japanese workers engaged in comparable work
【Required Documents】
・Application for Change of Status of Residence
・Passport and Residence Card
・Documents relating to the employment contract with the prospective accepting organization
・Documents explaining the planned transition to Specified Skilled Worker (i)
・Documents regarding the accepting organization and its business activities
・Documents confirming that the requirements for the skills test, Japanese language test, etc. have been met
・Other documents required depending on the circumstances of the application and the specified industry field
💼 A Status of Residence for Preparing to Transition to Specified Skilled Worker (i)
This Designated Activities status is not intended simply to allow foreign nationals who do not yet meet the requirements for Specified Skilled Worker (i) to remain in Japan until they become eligible.
It may be used when an applicant plans to change to Specified Skilled Worker (i) but is unable to prepare all the required application documents within their current period of stay.
Under this Designated Activities status, the applicant may also be permitted, subject to certain conditions, to work for the accepting organization where they are expected to work under Specified Skilled Worker (i).
【Period of Stay】
In principle, “Designated Activities – 6 months (work permitted)” is granted.
During this period, the applicant must complete the necessary preparations and submit an Application for Change of Status of Residence to Specified Skilled Worker (i).
Current Status of Residence → Designated Activities (6 months / Work Permitted) → Specified Skilled Worker (i)
Even in those moments when you think, “It’s all over…,” it’s not the end—there’s still hope.
The Specific Activities visa is a tool that turns “exceptions” into reality.
By becoming familiar with new programs like J-Find and J-Skip, living and working in Japan becomes a much more attainable goal.
First, tell us about your individual situation.
Our certified immigration specialists will recommend the best possible path for you.