Working While Studying in Japan 2026

International students in Japan can work up to 28 hours per week during the semester and 40 hours per week during official university breaks. You need a special work permit called "Permission to Engage in Activity Other Than That Permitted Under the Status of Residence Previously Granted" (資格外活動許可, shikakugai katsudou kyoka). Without this permit, working is illegal and can lead to deportation. The permit is free and takes about two weeks to process at your local immigration office.

About 75% of international students in Japan work part-time. The average monthly income from part-time work is ¥80,000–¥120,000. Combined with scholarship money or family support, this covers most living expenses in Japan. This guide explains how to get your work permit, which jobs are available, how much you can earn by prefecture, and how taxes work. For a broader look at student life, see our guide to studying in Japan.

Getting Your Work Permit

Your student visa alone does not allow you to work. You must apply for the activity permission separately. Here is the process:

Step 1: Apply at the Airport (Fastest)

The easiest time to apply is at immigration when you first arrive in Japan. At Narita, Haneda, Kansai, and most major airports, you can submit the application at the immigration counter. Tick the box on your landing card that says you want to engage in activities outside your visa status. The officer stamps your residence card with the permission right there. Total time: 5 minutes.

Step 2: Apply at the Regional Immigration Office (If You Missed the Airport)

If you did not apply at the airport, visit your regional immigration bureau. Bring:

• Residence card (在留カード, zairyuu kaado)
• Passport
• Application form (available at the office or online from the Immigration Services Agency)
• Student ID or enrollment certificate from your university

Processing takes 2–4 weeks. The permit is free. Once approved, the immigration office updates your residence card. In Tokyo, the Shinagawa immigration office is notoriously crowded. Arrive before 8:30 AM or expect a 3–4 hour wait.

What the Permit Allows and Prohibits

The permit allows part-time work in most industries. It explicitly prohibits:

• Work in bars, nightclubs, pachinko parlors, and adult entertainment (風俗営業, fuuzoku eigyou)
• Gambling-related businesses
• Work exceeding 28 hours per week during term time

Immigration authorities do check. They cross-reference your employer's business category with your work permit. Getting caught working at a prohibited establishment means immediate visa revocation. Working over 28 hours is the most common violation. Immigration tracks this through your My Number-linked tax records.

The 28-Hour Rule: How It Works

The 28-hour limit is calculated as a rolling weekly total, not per employer. If you work 15 hours at a convenience store and 15 hours teaching English, you are at 30 hours—already over the limit. Japan takes this seriously. In 2024, over 800 students lost their visa status for exceeding working hours.

During Semester Breaks

During official university holidays (summer break, winter break, spring break), you can work up to 40 hours per week. Your university issues a certificate confirming the break dates. Keep this certificate—your employer may ask for it. The exact dates vary by university, but summer break runs roughly late July to mid-September, winter break from late December to early January, and spring break from early February to late March.

Tracking Your Hours

Keep a personal log of every hour worked at every job. Japanese employers must also track your hours, but they do not always coordinate with each other. If you work multiple jobs, the responsibility for staying under 28 hours is yours. Use a spreadsheet or the TimeTree app (popular in Japan) to track weekly totals.

Minimum Wage by Prefecture

Japan sets minimum wages at the prefectural level. Wages increased across all prefectures in October 2025. Here are key student cities:

Prefecture	Major City	Minimum Wage (2025–2026)	Monthly at 28 hrs/week
Tokyo	Tokyo	¥1,113/hr	¥134,876
Kanagawa	Yokohama	¥1,112/hr	¥134,755
Osaka	Osaka	¥1,064/hr	¥128,940
Aichi	Nagoya	¥1,077/hr	¥130,515
Kyoto	Kyoto	¥1,058/hr	¥128,213
Fukuoka	Fukuoka	¥992/hr	¥120,211
Hokkaido	Sapporo	¥1,010/hr	¥122,392

These are legal minimums. Many part-time jobs pay ¥50–¥200 above minimum wage. Late-night shifts (10 PM–5 AM) pay a 25% premium by law. A konbini night shift in Tokyo pays about ¥1,390/hour. English teaching pays ¥1,500–¥3,000/hour depending on the school and your qualifications.

Popular Student Jobs

Convenience Store (Konbini)

Working at a konbini (コンビニ)—7-Eleven, Lawson, or FamilyMart—is the most common student job in Japan. About 30% of working international students hold konbini jobs. Pay starts at minimum wage. You stock shelves, operate the register, prepare food items, and handle deliveries. Japanese ability needed: basic (N4–N3). Many konbini in areas with large foreign populations hire students with minimal Japanese.

A student working 28 hours per week at a Tokyo konbini earns about ¥135,000/month. Night shifts boost that to ¥160,000+. In Osaka, expect ¥128,000–¥150,000.

Restaurant and Izakaya Work

Restaurants and izakaya (居酒屋, Japanese pubs) hire students as servers, kitchen assistants, and dishwashers. Pay: ¥1,050–¥1,300/hour. The work is physical and fast-paced. Japanese ability needed: N3 or better for front-of-house, N4 for kitchen work. You learn practical conversational Japanese quickly. Chain restaurants like Sukiya, Yoshinoya, and Matsuya have standardized training and accept lower Japanese levels.

English Teaching

If English is your first language or you have strong English skills, private tutoring and eikaiwa (英会話, English conversation school) work pays ¥1,500–¥3,000/hour. Private tutoring through platforms like Hello Sensei or Preply pays the most. Eikaiwa chains like AEON and NOVA hire part-time teachers at ¥1,500–¥2,000/hour. You do not need teaching qualifications for most part-time positions, but a TEFL certificate helps.

A student teaching English 15 hours per week at ¥2,000/hour earns ¥120,000/month—nearly matching a full 28-hour konbini schedule at much better hourly rates.

Factory and Warehouse Work (Haken)

Dispatch agencies (派遣会社, haken gaisha) place students in factory and warehouse roles. Pay: ¥1,100–¥1,400/hour. The work involves sorting, packing, and assembly line tasks. Japanese ability needed: minimal (N5 or none). Agencies like Full Cast, Baitoru, and Townwork list these jobs. They are flexible—you can pick shifts daily or weekly. The downside: locations are often far from city centres, so factor in commute time and cost.

IT and Translation Work

Students with programming or multilingual skills find higher-paying work. Web development and data entry pay ¥1,500–¥2,500/hour. Translation work pays ¥2,000–¥4,000/hour for language pairs in demand (Chinese-Japanese, Korean-Japanese, English-Japanese). Check CrowdWorks and Lancers (Japan's freelance platforms) for remote work that fits around your schedule.

Finding Jobs: Platforms and Methods

• Baitoru (バイトル) — Japan's largest part-time job platform. Available in English, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese.
• Townwork — another major job board, especially strong for retail and food service
• Hello Work (ハローワーク) — government employment offices in every city. Free job matching. Staff speak limited English but can help with basic searches.
• University career centre — your university's career office maintains job boards specifically for students. They often have relationships with local employers.
• WeXpats Jobs — job platform specifically for foreigners in Japan. Listings include Japanese level requirements.
• Word of mouth — ask senpai (senior students) in your programme. Many jobs circulate within student networks before appearing on platforms.

Your My Number Card

Every resident of Japan receives a My Number (マイナンバー)—a 12-digit identification number. You receive your notification letter within 2–3 weeks of registering your address at city hall. The My Number card itself requires a separate application at your ward office. Processing takes 1–2 months.

You need your My Number for:

• Starting any job (employers must report your My Number)
• Filing tax returns
• Opening a bank account (some banks require it)
• Enrolling in National Health Insurance

Apply for the card as soon as you register your address. Many students delay this and then cannot start working when they find a job. In Tokyo's Shinjuku ward, the wait for an appointment at the My Number counter averages 2–3 weeks.

Taxes for Working Students

Japan has two types of income tax that affect students:

Income Tax (所得税, shotokuzei)

Your employer withholds income tax from each paycheck. The rate starts at 5% on income above ¥480,000/year (the basic exemption). At typical student earnings of ¥100,000/month, your effective tax rate is about 2–3% after the basic exemption. Your employer handles the withholding automatically.

If you earn under ¥1,030,000/year (about ¥85,800/month), you owe zero income tax. This is the threshold that matters for most students. Stay under it and tax becomes irrelevant.

Residence Tax (住民税, juuminzei)

Residence tax kicks in the year after you earn income. It is 10% of your previous year's taxable income above ¥450,000. So if you earn ¥1,200,000 in 2026, you owe about ¥75,000 in residence tax in 2027. Many students are surprised by this bill because it arrives after they have already budgeted. If you leave Japan before the bill arrives, it remains unpaid—but it can cause problems if you return.

Tax Treaty Exemptions

Japan has tax treaties with over 70 countries. Students from treaty countries (including Germany, France, South Korea, China, and Australia) may be exempt from Japanese income tax on student earnings. Check your country's tax treaty with Japan. File the exemption form (様式7, youshiki 7) with your employer before starting work.

Bank Account for Your Earnings

Most employers pay via bank transfer. You need a Japanese bank account. The easiest options for students:

• Japan Post Bank (ゆうちょ銀行) — the most foreigner-friendly. No maintenance fees. Branches in every post office. You can open an account immediately after getting your residence card.
• Shinsei Bank (新生銀行) — English online banking. Free ATM withdrawals at many convenience stores.
• MUFG or SMBC — major banks, but some branches require 6 months of residence before opening an account.

Bring your residence card, passport, My Number notification, student ID, and your seal (印鑑, inkan) or signature. Japan Post Bank accepts signatures instead of seals. Open your account within the first week of arrival.

Workplace Culture and Expectations

Japanese workplaces run on punctuality, politeness, and protocol. Even at a konbini part-time job:

• Arrive 10 minutes early — arriving exactly on time is considered late in Japan
• Use keigo (敬語, polite Japanese) — with customers and supervisors. Even basic phrases like "irasshaimase" (welcome) and "arigatou gozaimashita" (thank you very much) matter.
• Uniform and grooming standards — many employers restrict hair colour, piercings, and nail art. Ask before starting.
• Report absences early — call at least 3 days before if you cannot make a shift. Last-minute cancellations damage your reputation.
• Quit properly — give at least 2 weeks' notice. One month is standard. Ghosting an employer is considered deeply disrespectful and can affect references.

Balancing Work and Study

Working 28 hours per week is essentially a half-time job. That is 4 hours per day. Add commute time and you lose 5–6 hours daily. With a full course load of 15–20 hours of classes per week, the math gets tight.

Strategies that work:

• Front-load your schedule — pack classes into Monday through Thursday. Work Friday through Sunday.
• Choose jobs near campus — a 10-minute commute saves you 6+ hours per week compared to a 40-minute commute.
• Work during breaks aggressively — the 40-hour limit during breaks lets you earn ¥160,000–¥200,000/month. Save this for the semester.
• Pick high-paying jobs over many hours — 15 hours of English teaching at ¥2,000/hr earns more than 28 hours at konbini at ¥1,113/hr.

Social Insurance and Health Coverage

Working students in Japan must enrol in the National Health Insurance (国民健康保険, kokumin kenkou hoken) system. You register at your local ward office. Monthly premiums for students earning under ¥1,000,000/year run about ¥1,500–¥3,000. This covers 70% of medical costs. You pay 30% out of pocket.

If your employer schedules you for more than 20 hours per week consistently, they may need to enrol you in their company health insurance (社会保険, shakai hoken) instead. This is rare for part-time student workers but worth knowing. Company insurance splits premiums 50/50 between you and your employer and generally offers better coverage.

Your work permit does not affect your health insurance status. You need health insurance regardless of whether you work. Register within 14 days of moving to a new address. In Tokyo's Shibuya ward, the NHI office processes student applications in about 30 minutes.

Earning While on Scholarship

MEXT scholarship recipients can work part-time with the standard 28-hour permission. The scholarship stipend (¥143,000–¥148,000/month) is not considered employment income. You can earn additional money from part-time work on top of the scholarship without losing eligibility. JASSO scholarship recipients face the same rules. Private scholarship terms vary—check your specific scholarship agreement.

Working experience in Japan actually strengthens scholarship renewal applications. Many scholarship committees look favourably on students who demonstrate self-sufficiency and cultural integration through part-time employment. A student on a ¥48,000/month JASSO scholarship who works 20 hours weekly at a konbini in Osaka earns about ¥91,000 additional. That brings the total to ¥139,000—enough to cover living costs in Osaka without family support.

Seasonal and Short-Term Opportunities

Beyond regular part-time jobs, Japan offers seasonal work that pays well for short commitments:

• Event staff — concerts, sports events, and trade shows pay ¥1,200–¥1,500/hour for single-day shifts. Register with event staffing agencies like Shotworks.
• Moving assistants — moving season (March–April) pays ¥1,300–¥1,800/hour through agencies like Sakai Moving or Art Moving.
• Resort work (リゾートバイト) — ski resorts (December–March) and beach resorts (July–August) hire for accommodation + ¥1,000–¥1,200/hour. Room and meals included at many resort locations.
• Year-end post office (年末年始) — Japan Post hires thousands of temporary workers in December for New Year's card sorting. Pay: ¥1,100–¥1,300/hour. Minimal Japanese required.

What Happens If You Break the Rules

Working without a permit, exceeding 28 hours, or working at prohibited establishments carries severe consequences:

• First offence (minor overhours) — warning from immigration. Noted in your file.
• Repeated violations — visa not renewed at next extension. You must leave Japan.
• Serious violations (no permit, prohibited work) — detention and deportation. 5-year ban from re-entering Japan.
• Employer penalties — employers who knowingly hire students without permits face fines up to ¥3,000,000.

Immigration has gotten stricter since 2023. They now cross-reference tax records, My Number data, and employer reports. Do not assume you will not get caught.

Sending Money Home

If you need to transfer earnings back to your home country, several options exist:

• Wise (TransferWise) — lowest fees for most corridors. Transfer ¥100,000 to a US dollar account costs about ¥700–¥1,200 in fees. Processing: 1–2 business days. App available in English.
• PayPay Bank — popular domestic service with international transfer via partner banks. Higher fees than Wise but convenient if you already use PayPay for daily purchases.
• Japan Post Bank (ゆうちょ銀行) — international transfers available at post office counters. Fixed fee of ¥2,500 per transfer. Slower processing (3–5 business days).
• SBI Remit — competitive for transfers to Southeast Asia (Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia). Lower minimums and fees than banks.

Avoid using major banks (MUFG, SMBC) for small international transfers. Their fees start at ¥4,000–¥7,500 per transaction. Wise or SBI Remit save you ¥3,000+ per transfer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work from my first day in Japan?

Only if you obtained the activity permission at the airport when you arrived. If you apply later at the immigration office, you must wait 2–4 weeks for approval. Working before receiving permission is illegal, even if your application is pending.

Do the 28 hours include commute time?

No. The 28-hour limit counts only actual working hours. Commute time, breaks, and preparation time are not included. But be realistic about your total time commitment when planning your schedule.

Can I work at two different jobs simultaneously?

Yes. There is no limit on the number of employers. The 28-hour weekly cap applies to your combined total across all jobs. Keep careful records. If two employers each schedule you for 20 hours, you are at 40 hours and in violation.

What counts as "official university breaks"?

Your university defines the official break periods. Get a certificate from your student affairs office confirming the dates. The 40-hour allowance only applies during these certified breaks. Skipping classes to work more during the semester does not count as a break.

Can I freelance or start a business?

Freelance work falls under the activity permission and counts toward your 28 hours. Starting a full business requires a separate Business Manager visa. You cannot run a business on a student visa. Small-scale freelancing (tutoring, translation, design) is fine within the hour limit.

How does immigration know if I work over 28 hours?

Through My Number-linked tax records. Every employer reports your earnings to the tax office using your My Number. Immigration can access this data. If your annual earnings exceed what is possible at 28 hours per week, immigration flags your file at visa renewal time.

Do I need to file a tax return?

If you work for only one employer and they handle withholding, you do not need to file. If you work multiple jobs, you should file a tax return (確定申告, kakutei shinkoku) at your local tax office between February 16 and March 15 each year. This ensures correct tax calculation across all income sources. Overpaid tax gets refunded.

What is the best-paying student job in Japan?

English teaching and IT freelancing pay the highest rates at ¥1,500–¥4,000/hour. Translation work (especially Chinese-Japanese or Korean-Japanese) pays ¥2,000–¥4,000/hour. Compare this to konbini work at ¥1,113/hour. Higher-paying jobs require specific skills but dramatically improve your earnings-to-hours ratio.

Can I work during language school?

Yes. Language school students with a student visa get the same 28-hour work permission as university students. Apply at the airport or immigration office using the same process. The rules are identical.

What should I do if my employer asks me to work more than 28 hours?

Decline clearly and politely. Explain that your visa restricts you to 28 hours per week and that exceeding this limit puts both you and the employer at legal risk. Employers face fines up to ¥3,000,000 for knowingly scheduling students beyond the limit. If the employer pressures you, contact your university's international student office for support. They can intervene or help you find a different employer.