Research

Based on a survey conducted by JASSO, about 74% of international students having the “College Students”
status of residence are working part-time, a large portion works in the food service industry, followed by sales
and marketing, teaching / research assistant, hotel receptionist, hall staff at a restaurant and others. The hourly
wage varies according to type of work and location but those working in food services are getting about JPY
800 to JPY 1,200 an hour. Assuming that the maximum of 28 hours a week is fully used up to work; their
earning will be around JPY 22,400 to JPY 33,600. To work part-time, you must first obtain the permission to
engage in activity other than that permitted under the status of residence previously granted from the nearest
Regional Immigration Bureau. Upon obtaining this approval you may work part-time under the conditions that

１ the part-time work does not affect your studies.

２ the earned income is meant to supplement your academic cost and necessary expenses and not for
saving or for remittance overseas.
３ the part-time work engaged in is not in adult entertainment businesses.
４ Within 28 hours a week (up to 8 hours a day during long school holidays).
５ The part-time work is done while you retain student status in an educational institution.

※A persons entering Japan for the first time who are granted “College Student” status with the permitted period of more
than 3 months may apply for the “Permission to Engage in Activities other than that Permitted under the Status of
Residence Previously Granted” at the port of entry during the issuance of permission of landing.
※Working part-time without having necessary permission, exceeding the permitted number of hours or working outside of
the permissible scope of status of residence will get you penalized and/or deported.

Types of part-time works (multiple answers allowed)

# Category Ratio

1 Food and beverage 48.8%

2 Sales and marketing 25.3%

3 Language instructor 7.5%

4 Hotel receptionist / Service staff 5.7%

5 Teaching / Research assistant 5.5%

6 Cleaning 4.5%

7 Clerical job 4.3%

8 Translation / Interpretation 4.2%

9 Factory / Assembly operator 3.7%

10 Private tutor 3.2%

Source : Lifestyle Survey of Privately Financed International Students 2011 (JASSO)
 Research
How to find part-time work
The following resources are available for foreign students who are looking for a part-time job:
■ Student affairs office at universities and schools
■ Employment magazines and newspaper ads
(Examples)
 Job magazines: "TOWNWORK," "an," "DOMO!"
 Community papers for foreigners:
 "Metropolis" (distributed in Tokyo, Chiba, Kanagawa, Saitama),
"Tokyo Notice Board" (distributed in Tokyo and Kanagawa)
 "Kansai Flea Market" (distributed in Kansai area)
■ Public employment offices (Hello Work)
■ Circles of friends, classmates, acquaintances, etc.
■ Bulletin boards at schools
■ Job information websites
 TOWNWORK net： http://townwork.net
 From A navi： http://froma.yahoo.co.jp
 DOMO! NET： http://domonet.jp
 an： http://weban.jp/
 B-cause.inc： http://www.b-cause.co.jp/english/
 Part-time job@CHIKYUJIN： http://job.chikyujin.jp/en/
 Metropolis： http://metropolis.co.jp
 Tokyo Notice Board (Tokyo and Kanagawa)： http://www.tokyonoticeboard.co.jp/
 Kansai Flea Market (Kansai area)： http://www.kfm.to/

If you're considering

Limit to Work Hours

Foreign students are allowed to work part-time for limited work hours only and are required to observe the conditions as shown
in the table below.

Permitted work hours

(Status of residence) Type of Permit During

Weekly long-term
school break

University students (undergraduate/graduate)

and students of similar educational institutes
Up to 8
Exchange Auditing university students and research
hours per
Student students
day
Permitted on equal
Students of technical colleges and other similar Up to 28 hours
conditions
educational institutes

Dependent

Designated activities
(those who aim to reside in Japan for continued job search
Research
activities or for a waiting period until the beginning of the
employment, and their dependents)

Permitted on
individual conditions
Cultural activities Determined individually
(Location and type of
work will be specified)
*An additional permission is required on an individual basis for a period in which hours of paid activities exceed 28 hours per
week.
*No limitation of work hours is set for activities as educational/research assistants who are paid and work based on a contract
with a university or a technical college given that they should not interfere with the students' own schoolwork.