International students who want to work part-time must obtain a government permit to engage in activities other than those permitted by a "College Student" (ryuugaku) status visa. Once your request is approved, you may work part-time up to 28 hours per week. To apply for such a permit, you must go to the Immigration Bureau in person. Spouses of international students, whose status is "Dependent", are also required to obtain a "Permission for Activities not Permitted by Status of Residence" when working in Japan.
*It is illegal to work part-time while you take a leave of absence from the university even with the permi
How to apply
Apply in person at the Immigration Bureau in Shinagawa, Tokyo. Once your application is approved, the permit will be issued in two weeks to two months.
Application Documents
- Application form
- Residence card or alien registration card
- Student ID
- Passport
When you receive a permit, please submit a copy of the page with the permission stamp on your passport to the GSFS Student Affairs Team.
As of July 1, 2010, if international students engage in any of jobs on-campus in accordance with the system provided by the University, then he/she may be exempted from applying for "Permission for Activities not Permitted by Status of Residence". Jobs that qualify as work under the University system are as follows:
- Research assistant (RA) in The University of Tokyo
- Teaching assistant (TA) in The University of Tokyo
- Junior teaching assistant (Junior TA) in The University of Tokyo
- Grant for the Promotion of Doctorate Researchers in the GSFS
- Tutor
- Any activities equivalent to TA or RA organized by each department
Without this permit, you cannot be compensated for part-time work on-campus that does not fall under the above categories. If you are unsure whether your work falls into any of these categories, consult the Administrative Office - Compensation Section ( kyuyo.kj@gs.mail.u-tokyo.ac.jp).
Since July 9, 2012, a foreign national for whom the status of residence of "Student" has been decided and who has obtained a landing permit (excluding the case where the period of stay has been decided to be three months) may file, in succession, an application for permission to engage in an activity other than that permitted under the status of residence previously granted after obtaining a landing permit. Therefore, it becomes possible to obtain permission to engage in an activity other than that permitted under the status of residence previously granted at the port of entry or departure where the person has obtained a landing permit.
If you are landing with status of "student" first time, we would recommend that you apply for 'permission to engage in an activity other than that permitted by the status of residence previously granted' at the immigration section in the airport where you landed. Fill out the required form (you can download and fill out this form before coming to Japan) and give it to the immigration officer when you arrive at the airport.
Reference
(Immigration Office)
http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/english/tetuduki/kanri/shyorui/09.html