A Designated Activities visa is a status of residence that permits a wide range of activities. For that reason, when hiring a foreign national staying on a Designated Activities visa, it is important to confirm the authorized activities and the job duties in advance. This article explains an overview of the Designated Activities visa and points to note when hiring foreign nationals who hold one.

What Is a Designated Activities Visa?

A “Designated Activities visa” is a visa that permits activities that do not fall under other statuses of residence. Like “work visas,” it is a visa that allows foreign nationals to work in Japan, but there are the following differences.

・Work visas

Applications and issuance are limited to occupations recognized by the Ministry of Justice. If the person changes jobs and the occupation changes, they must switch to a new work visa.

・Designated Activities visas

The Minister of Justice designates the activities permitted for each individual foreign national. Depending on the activities, work may not be permitted.

Designated Activities visas are applied for in cases such as amateur athletes, working holiday, and job hunting by international students who have graduated from universities or graduate schools. These activities are only examples, and permitted activities cover a wide range.

For details on Designated Activities, see the article “(In production) What Is a Designated Activities Visa? Differences from Work Visas and How to Apply.”

Period of stay is up to 5 years

The period of stay permitted under a Designated Activities visa is up to 5 years. Depending on the activities, the period is set as follows.

  • 5 years
  • 3 years
  • 1 year
  • 6 months
  • 3 months

There are also cases specially permitted for a period designated by the Ministry of Justice.

Types of Designated Activities Covered by the Visa

Activities permitted under Designated Activities fall into three categories: “those prescribed in the Immigration Control Act (statutory Designated Activities),” “those publicly notified by the Minister of Justice (notified Designated Activities),” and “other activities (non-notified activities).” We introduce each type below.

Statutory Designated Activities prescribed in the Immigration Control Act

The Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (Immigration Control Act) provides that the following three activities are covered by Designated Activities visas.

1. Specified research and related activities

Activities to conduct research, instruction, or education in a specified field under a contract with an organization designated by the Minister of Justice. They are also permitted when managing a business related to research, instruction, or education in the specified field. When applying for education purposes, the organization with which the foreign national has a contract is limited to a university or an institution equivalent to a university, or a college of technology.

Reference: Designated Activities 4｜Immigration Services Agency of Japan

2. Specified information processing activities

Includes activities to perform work related to information processing that requires skills or knowledge in the natural sciences or humanities under a contract with an organization designated by the Minister of Justice.

Reference: Designated Activities 5｜Immigration Services Agency of Japan

3. Family stay activities for specified research etc. / Family stay activities for specified information processing

Applied for by family members such as a spouse or child who is supported by a foreign national applying for status of residence for purposes 1 and 2 above.

Reference: Designated Activities 6｜Immigration Services Agency of Japan

Notified Designated Activities

Notified Designated Activities refer to activities recognized by the Minister of Justice separately from the three activities prescribed in the Immigration Control Act. As of 2022, there are 46 types of notified Designated Activities depending on the combination of activities, the applicant’s nationality, and spouse or children, covering a wide range including working holiday, internships, international cultural exchange, domestic workers for diplomats, and information processing engineers.

[Examples of notified Designated Activities]

・Domestic workers for diplomats and consulates
・Working holiday
・Amateur athletes
・Internships
・International cultural exchange
・Nursing trainees
・Nursing care trainees
・Information processing engineers

For internships, conditions are set by each notified Designated Activity, including that the internship period must be less than one year and must not exceed one-half of the period of study at the university.

Non-notified Designated Activities

When the activities do not fall under “activities prescribed in the Immigration Control Act” or “notified Designated Activities,” the Minister of Justice decides individually whether to refuse landing or residence. These are called non-notified Designated Activities.

A typical example of non-notified Designated Activities is job hunting by international students. International students who have graduated from a university, graduate school, or professional training college in Japan may obtain a Designated Activities visa for the purpose of job hunting.

・University students continuing job hunting

Staying in Japan for the purpose of continuing job hunting that began before graduation, after graduating from a university, junior college, graduate school, etc. in Japan under “Student” status of residence

・Professional training college students continuing job hunting

Staying in Japan for the purpose of continuing job hunting that began before graduation, after graduating from a professional training college in Japan under “Student” status of residence

・Japanese language education institution students continuing job hunting

Foreign nationals who graduated from a university or graduate school overseas and graduated from a Japanese language education institution in Japan under “Student” status of residence, staying in Japan for the purpose of continuing job hunting that began before graduation

Reference: Designated Activities 9｜Immigration Services Agency of Japan

Can You Hire a Foreign National Who Holds a Designated Activities Visa?

Companies can hire foreign nationals who hold a Designated Activities visa.

However, the activities permitted under a Designated Activities visa differ for each individual. Therefore, if you hire a foreign national staying on a Designated Activities visa, you first need to confirm the authorized activities.

How to confirm the authorized activities

Foreign nationals staying in Japan are required to carry a “residence card.” For those staying on a Designated Activities visa, the front of the residence card shows “Designated Activities” as the status of residence, and the lower part of the back states “Only employment activities designated in the written designation.”

The written designation is attached to the person’s passport, so by checking both the “residence card” and the “written designation,” you can confirm that the status of residence is Designated Activities and what activities are permitted.

Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan website
Reference: Immigration Services Agency of Japan website “Things You Should Know!! About the Residence Management System”

Employment is possible if it matches the authorized activities

Under Designated Activities status of residence, activities other than those authorized cannot be performed. Hiring a foreign national active under a Designated Activities visa as an “amateur athlete” as an IT engineer would be illegal.

For Designated Activities visas with fewer restrictions on job content or occupation when working, such as “working holiday” or “summer job,” employment is possible across a wide range of occupations. However, under systems that accept overseas university students for work experience, it is important to accept them as one form of practical social experience for the individual, not as a means of securing labor.

・Working holiday

A system foreign nationals can use when staying primarily for tourism for a period not exceeding one year. Work is permitted to supplement tourism expenses. Designated Activities visas for working holiday have certain conditions such as age limits and nationality.

・Summer job

A system that allows foreign nationals to work at Japanese companies for a period not exceeding three months during long vacations such as summer break. In addition to the company having a system in place to accept summer job participants, proof that studies are on vacation is required. Job content related to the person’s studies is permitted.

・Internship

A system under which overseas students stay in Japan for paid work experience at Japanese companies. The person must be an overseas university student aged 18 or older, and the internship content must be related to their university major.

Employment becomes possible through a visa change

If the activities permitted under the Designated Activities visa do not match the planned job duties, changing the visa allows the person to work within the newly permitted scope.

In particular, when hiring a foreign national who graduated from a university or graduate school in Japan and is job hunting on a Designated Activities visa, you must not forget to switch from the Designated Activities visa to a work visa. However, holding a Designated Activities visa for job hunting does not automatically mean a work visa can be obtained. The conditions for the visa being applied for must be met. When changing visas, file an “Application for Change of Status of Residence.”

When changing visas, keep the following points in mind.

・Whether the planned job duties meet the conditions of a status of residence that permits work
・Whether the foreign national’s educational background and skills are related to the planned job duties
・Whether employment conditions are equal to (or better than) those of Japanese employees engaged in the same work or occupation
・Whether, in addition to the Application for Change of Status of Residence, the required documents proving educational background at a university or graduate school and work history are properly prepared

Reference: Application for Change of Status of Residence｜Ministry of Justice

Points to Note for Designated Activities Visas

Although Designated Activities visas permit a wide range of activities, some activities require a separate application in order to work. Also, after an international student who is job hunting receives a job offer, the “activities” during their stay change, so they need to switch to a new Designated Activities visa.

After a job offer, a change to a new Designated Activities visa is required

Depending on the timing of graduation and employment, international students may have a gap between receiving a job offer and joining the company. For example, even if they job hunt on a Designated Activities visa after graduation, receive an offer, but join the following fiscal year, they can continue to stay on a Designated Activities visa. However, a change to a new Designated Activities status of residence for the purpose of staying until the start date is required.

Key points on Designated Activities visas when job offer recipients stay in Japan until employment

・The person holds “Student” status of residence, or “Designated Activities” status of residence while job hunting (continuing job hunting)
・Employment will begin within one year after the job offer and within one year and six months after graduation
・The work after joining falls under a work-related status of residence such as “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services”
・There are no issues with the situation of staying as a job offer recipient
・The company maintains contact with the job offer recipient at regular intervals
・If the job offer is cancelled, contact the regional immigration bureau immediately
・Part-time work and similar employment is in principle not permitted (there are also special measures that allow part-time work under certain conditions)

Reference: To those who wish to stay until employment after receiving a job offer while enrolled in or after graduating from a university, etc.｜Immigration Services Agency of Japan

Permission for activities outside status has time limits

Under Designated Activities visas for job hunting or for staying after a job offer, work such as part-time jobs is not permitted. When hiring such foreign nationals for part-time work, the person must file an “Application for Permission to Engage in Activity Other Than That Permitted under the Status of Residence Previously Granted.”

Key points when applying for permission to engage in activity other than that permitted

・The part-time work is not adult entertainment or an activity that violates laws and regulations
・The person’s conduct is not poor
・Permitted work is capped at 28 hours per week

Reference: Permission to Engage in Activity Other Than That Permitted under the Status of Residence Previously Granted｜Immigration Services Agency of Japan

Engaging foreign nationals whose working hours are limited, such as under permission for activities outside status, in full-time work, or having them perform work outside the activities permitted by the visa, may be deemed “the crime of encouraging illegal employment.” In that case, the employer may face penalties of imprisonment with or without work for up to three years or a fine of up to 3 million yen.

If you are considering hiring Specified Skilled Worker talent, consult YourBright—we have extensive experience!

The Designated Activities visa is a status of residence that permits a wide range of activities.

Currently, flexible measures are also in place for foreign nationals unable to return to their home countries due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. When employing a foreign national staying on a Designated Activities visa, first confirm that the permitted activities match the intended job duties. If they do not match, employment may still be possible through a change of visa. Work-authorized statuses of residence such as “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services” have strictly defined educational requirements and job scope, so if you are unsure whether a visa change is possible, we recommend consulting a specialist.

YourBright has supported many Specified Skilled Worker talent as a Registered Support Organization. If your company is considering hiring Specified Skilled Worker talent or selecting a Registered Support Organization, please feel free to contact us.

About the Author

Hayato Yamashita
Director, YourBright Inc. / Practical Operations Manager, Registered Support Organization
Specializing in Specified Skilled Worker programs, international talent hiring, registered support, and status of residence practice, he is involved in introducing international talent and supporting their acceptance.

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How to Confirm Whether Work Is Permitted under Designated Activities as of 2026

With the status of residence “Designated Activities,” you cannot determine whether work is permitted or what duties may be performed from the status name alone. Because the activities designated by the Minister of Justice for each individual foreign national are the standard, at the time of hiring you should confirm with the person both sides of the residence card and, usually, the designation document attached to the passport. If the activities, place of employment, period, remuneration, and other details on the designation document do not match the job duties in the employment contract, confirm before work begins whether a change of status of residence or permission to engage in activity other than that permitted under the status of residence is required.

The period of stay for Designated Activities is designated individually as 5 years, 3 years, 1 year, 6 months, 3 months, or a period not exceeding 5 years. Conditions differ for Working Holiday, continued job hunting, waiting after a job offer, internships, and other cases. Do not assume that “Designated Activities means you can work” or that “permission to engage in other activities is uniformly 28 hours per week.” Use the designation document and individual guidance as the standard, and confirm with the regional immigration services bureau, including for contract work or arrangements where working hours are not clearly defined.

  • Confirm both sides of the residence card and the designation document in the passport at the same time
  • Cross-check the designated activities, place of employment, and period against the job duties in the employment contract
  • Even if permission to engage in activity other than that permitted under the status of residence has been granted, confirm whether it is a comprehensive or individual permission
  • Manage the period of stay and start date, and do not assign duties outside the permitted scope before a change of status is approved

Related Reading

Related article: Complete Guide to Hiring Foreign Nationals 2026 Edition

Related article: Current State of Accepting Foreign Workers 2026 Edition

Official Information

Source: Status of Residence “Designated Activities” (Immigration Services Agency of Japan)