There are a variety of Work Visas in Japan and it\u2019s helpful for you to understand what they are, and which one would apply in your situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This visa is based on individual industries and is probably the one you\u2019re most familiar with. You typically need to have at least a Bachelor\u2019s degree, or at least 10 years of work experience, in order to be eligible for this visa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are different visa lengths: 3 months, 4 months (only for Business Managers), 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years. It\u2019s most common to be offered this visa for 1 year or 3 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Work Visa is split into the following categories:<\/p>\n\n\n\n This visa is a lot more complex to obtain than other visas, requiring more background checks and a significant amount of working experience in a particular field. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It also is based on a points system, which requires you to have 70 points or more to potentially receive this visa. The Highly Skilled Professional Visa pertains to three areas of employment only:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The benefit of this visa category is that if you get it, you receive a 5-year visa right away. Moreover, it is a fast track to permanent residency depending on your amount of points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This category of visa is only available to those who are from countries that have a Working Holiday agreement<\/a> with Japan. It\u2019s available to those between 18 and 30 years old at the time of application, although some countries may have a lower age limit so make sure to check with your local embassy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Additionally, this visa\u2019s primary intention is for people outside of Japan to travel around Japan, rather than to work. It\u2019s best to keep that in mind when you\u2019re looking at how to change from a Student Visa to a Work Visa in Japan. We recommend consulting with an experienced immigration lawyer if you require more details about the Working Holiday Visa and how it might help you obtain a Work Visa in Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In April 2019, Japan established this new type of visa with the goal of overcoming Japan\u2019s labor shortage in certain fields. It is important to note that the Specified Skills visa has two different types: Specified Skilled Worker (i) and Specified Skilled Worker (ii).<\/p>\n\n\n\n For both of them, you do not need to have a degree or 10 years of working experience. However, they will make you take an exam to assess your skills and abilities in the field you\u2019re applying to. For Specified Skilled Worker (i) you will also have to have at least the equivalent of JLPT N4 in Japanese language skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are the fields covered by Specified Skilled Worker (i):<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Specified Skilled Worker (ii) covers the two following fields:<\/p>\n\n\n\n An important difference to note between the two types of Specified Skilled Visa is that the first type is only available for 5 years, after those 5 years you would have to go back to your home country. On the other hand, the second type allows you to stay longer and you can bring your family with you to Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For more information on this visa, we recommend checking the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Japan\u2019s website<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n To make your visit to the Immigration Office as smooth as possible, we\u2019ve made a list of the documents you will be required to provide in order to change from a Student Visa to a Work Visa in Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In order to successfully change residence status, you need an offer of employment<\/strong> from your employer. You will need this before starting the application process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Remember also: in order to even be considered for a Work Visa by the Immigration Office, you will need either at least a Bachelor\u2019s Degree<\/strong> or at least 10 years of working experience<\/strong> in a certain field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To switch to a Work Visa, you will need:<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are also documents you need that your employer will provide you with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many employers will help you with the application process and might even do it for you. But this isn\u2019t always the case, so it\u2019s best to always be prepared in case you have to handle it on your own. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Keep in mind that you should apply for a Work Visa as soon as possible<\/strong> after signing your contract with a Japanese employer in order to not be working under the wrong residence status. When in doubt as to what your options are or how to handle the application process, we recommend consulting an immigration lawyer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our 5-year plan<\/strong><\/a> gives you an overview of how to achieve your goals of living in Japan long-term, from learning the language to achieving permanent residency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Each application is unique and depends on the individual office that\u2019s processing your application. Therefore, it\u2019s difficult to say for certain how long you will need to wait for your application to be processed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The best guideline we can offer is that when you apply for a change in residence status, your current visa is automatically extended for 2 months while your application is being reviewed by the Immigration Office. You can assume you\u2019ll receive a response within that period of time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Unfortunately, your application to change your residence status could be rejected. In that case, you will be given a temporary status to allow you time to leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are various reasons that could explain a rejection. Some of them are as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can go to the Immigration Office to ask for explanations and it is possible for you to re-apply. In that case, you will need extra documents based on the reason behind your rejection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While we can\u2019t help you extend your Student Visa or change residence status, we can still advise you if you wish to extend your Student Visa<\/a>, or change to a Student Visa<\/a> in order to become a full-time student! <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Students](\"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/GGN-Blog-Watermark-Rebrand-16.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWork Visa<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Highly Skilled Professional Visa<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Working Holiday Visa<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Specified Skills Visa<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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![\"Image](\"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/GGN-Blog-Watermark-Rebrand-17.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWhat you need to change from a Student Visa to a Work Visa in Japan<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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How long does it take to process the application?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What happens if you get denied?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Go! Go! Nihon is always here to help!<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n