Useful Columns

An increasing number of people are staying in Japan by obtaining a Designated Activities visa to search for jobs after graduating from a university or vocational school. However, for reasons such as marrying and living with a spouse (someone holding a spouse or working visa, etc.) during their job search, some stop looking for work and change to a Dependent visa...

On August 4, the Immigration Services Agency released a new draft guideline that includes stricter requirements for granting permanent residence to foreign nationals. Background of the revision and the legal status of "Permanent Residents" The residence status of "Permanent Resident" is the most stable legal status in Japan, with no restrictions on residency activities or the period of stay. ...

In the Specified Skilled Worker system, making the evaluation criteria for contract renewals transparent is essential for companies to build a stable acceptance structure and have foreign workers succeed as long-term assets. The core tool for this is the "performance evaluation sheet." In the contract renewal of Specified Skilled Workers, why...

For foreign nationals living in Japan, the status of "permanent resident" is a major milestone in their careers and lives, as it frees them from the hassle of visa renewal procedures and allows them to gain social credibility and easier access to housing loans. However, a turning point in policy is now approaching, significantly raising the requirements for "permanent residency" permission...

One of the unavoidable challenges for companies accepting Specified Skilled Workers and registered support organizations that provide daily life and work support is "consultations from foreign nationals about resignation." In the Specified Skilled Worker system, an expatriate's resignation is not merely the "departure of an employee." Their residence status (visa)...

With retirement, a major milestone in life, on the horizon, an increasing number of foreigners are wishing to "deeply study traditional Japanese culture in Japan, a country they admire, during their second act." Traditional Japanese arts and skills—such as the tea ceremony, ikebana, judo, nihonga (Japanese painting), nihon buyo (Japanese dance), and Japanese cuisine—continue to fascinate people around the world.

For someone who has traveled the world, Japan has always been a special country. The energy of its modern cities, its breathtakingly beautiful nature, and its old towns where history breathes. However, after each "short stay (tourist visa)" of a few weeks, I always returned home with a lingering feeling...

As I walk through the streets of Kyoto, I increasingly encounter wonderful businesses related to Japanese culture run by foreign entrepreneurs. Guesthouses renovated from traditional machiya townhouses, Japanese tea cafes offering unique perspectives, e-commerce sites delivering traditional crafts overseas—their "deep love and respect for Japanese culture"...

On April 15, 2026, the Immigration Services Agency (ISA) significantly revised the operational guidelines for the status of residence "Technical Intern Training" (hereinafter referred to as "Technical Intern Training"). This revision can be described as a major shift towards a "focus on actual conditions" in recent years. Rather than being based on formal criteria such as "being a university graduate" or "working as an interpreter,"...

"After my five-year term ends, do I have to return to my home country?" During a quarterly meeting with a foreign national on a Specified Skilled Worker visa (Class 1) in the food service industry. Mixed in with feedback on their work and daily life concerns, it's becoming more common for earnest and capable individuals to voice these "anxieties about the future"...

In recent years, an increasing number of companies are hiring foreign nationals as regular or contract employees. However, when hiring foreign employees, it is important not to forget about "visa (status of residence) renewal. If the employee does not renew his/her status of residence before it expires, he/she will be in Japan illegally, and the company will be...

For foreign nationals living in Japan, the status of "permanent resident" is a major milestone in their careers and lives, as it frees them from the hassle of visa renewal procedures and allows them to gain social credibility and easier access to housing loans. However, a turning point in policy is now approaching, significantly raising the requirements for "permanent residency" permission...

As of November 2025, the Immigration Bureau is in the midst of a full-scale transition to IC cards for residence cards, and it has finally become clear that the transition will be complete by the end of 2026. The plastic card will be replaced by a new residence card with an IC chip equivalent to a My Number card. ...

Residence Management to be Digitally Accelerated on June 14, 2026The "Specified Residence Card" is finally set to begin operation on June 14, 2026 (counter acceptance from June 15). This card will combine the functions of the existing "Residence Card" and "My Number Card" into a single card. Voluntary acquisition: Not mandatory for all, but for those who wish...

In the midst of a labor shortage due to the declining birthrate and aging population, foreign students are a valuable asset to the workforce. However, when hiring them, it is necessary to properly understand the rules specific to the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act), which are not applicable to Japanese part-time workers. In particular, the "28-hour-per-week limit" is lenient...

Good news for foreign residents living in Japan and companies that employ foreigners! The "Residence Card" and the "My Number Card," which have previously been bulky and separate in your wallets, can now be combined into a single card. It's called the "Tokutei Zairyu Card." Starting June 2026...

When renewing "Spouse or Child of Japanese National" status (Spouse Visa), the screening process tends to become stricter year by year, and particular attention should be paid to the following points. 1. stability and continuity of marital life Continuity of cohabitation: In principle, it is most important that the couple lives together and is substantially married....

⏳ 1. Introduction: Why is my visa application so slow? Many people spend anxious days wondering when they will be granted a visa (status of residence) after applying for one. The examination period at the Immigration Bureau (Immigration Bureau) is usually from one to three months, but some applicants may wait as long as six months...

Nishijin brocade, Kyoto dolls, and Kyoto fans live and breathe in the city of Kyoto. These traditional industries, which have been nurtured in the capital for millennia, are now facing an unprecedented shortage of successors. Parents are faced with such difficult decisions: "We want to pass on our skills, but we can't attract young people" or "Do we have no choice but to close our workshops?.

We receive many inquiries from hotel and inn owners and cleaning companies about hiring foreign nationals with specified skills for guest room cleaning. In fact, when hiring foreign nationals with specific skills for room cleaning, there are two ways of hiring: one is to hire them in the "lodging field" and the other is to hire them in the "building cleaning field.