If you have graduated from Japanese language school in Chiba city or Narita city and looking for a job,  you might be able to use the new support program called “the job hunting support program for international students graduating from universities overseas”.

 

In the case of a foreign student who graduated from a university or vocational school in Japan with the status of residence of “Student,” there are cases where the “Designated Activities” status of residence is granted so that the foreign student can continue job-hunting in Japan for up to one year after graduation.

On the other hand, if you are a foreign student who came to Japan after graduating from a university overseas or graduate school and became a student of a Japanese language educational institution (Japanese language school) and you are unable to find a job at a Japanese company before graduation, you will not be granted to stay in Japan for the purpose of continuing your job-hunting after graduation. Their only options were to return to their home country or to continue their studies after paying another tuition.

 

At the 46th National Strategic Area Advisory Council meeting held on September 14, 2020, the Prime Minister approved the Tokyo Metropolitan Area National Strategic Special Area Plan, which calls for “special exceptions to the status of residence for international students graduating from universities overseas to continue their job hunting” for some cities such as Chiba City and Narita City.

 

By making use of this special exception, foreign students who have graduated from an overseas university and met the requirements will be granted a status of residence to continue their job-hunting for up to one year after graduation.

 

 

What is the “Job Hunting Support Project for International Students Graduating from Universities overseas”?

 

The purpose of this support program is to promote the acceptance of excellent foreign graduates from universities overseas and other institutions into Japanese companies.

 

 

Requirements to use this exception

 

Requirements for eligible international students

 

 

1. A student must have graduated or completed a bachelor’s degree or higher from university overseas or other institution.

2. A student must have a good attendance record at his/her Japanese language institution.

3. A student must have the ability to pay for the expenses necessary to continue his/ her job-hunting.

4. A student must have been looking for a job at a Japanese company while he/she was a student in a Japanese language school.

5. A student must be based in the area of a special zone of local government (e.g., Chiba City and Narita City). He/She must meet regularly the person in change at Japanese language education institution in which he/she was enrolled and report on the progress of his/her job hunting as well as to receive information on the job hunting support programs for international students offered by the special zone of local government.

6. A student must have a letter of recommendation from the Japanese language institution from which he/she graduated, with regard to continuing to look for a job at Japanese companies.

 

 

Requirements for Japanese Language Institutions

 

 

1.A school must have appropriate track records of employment in Japanese companies by its international students. In order to support the employment of the international students who will take advantage of this program, the school must meet the foreign students on a regular basis after graduation to check the progress of their job hunting activities and to provide them with information concerning employment. It must report the results of these interviews to Chiba or Narita City accordingly.

2.A school must cooperate with Chiba or Narita City respectively to strengthen the international competitiveness of local industries.

3.If the foreign student is not employed within the period of continuous job hunting after graduation, a school must give an appropriate guidance to the student to return to his/her country.

And there are other requirements.

For more details https://www.city.chiba.jp/sogoseisaku/miraitoshi/tokku/kaigaidaigaku.html .

 

 

Application for a Certificate of Confirmation

 

Japanese language educational institutions whose students wish to take advantage of the special exceptions must submit an application for the Certificate of Confirmation to Chiba City or Narita City, respectively.

 

 

Summary

 

International students who wish to take advantage of this special exception must apply to the Immigration Bureau for permission to change their status of residence to “Designated Activities” with the Certificate of Confirmation from his/her Japanese language education institution.  It confirms that the student meets the above requirements.

Once he/she is hired, he/she will need to make an application to the Immigration Bureau again to change his/herstatus of residence to one that suits the job.

Amie Immigration Law Office handles the application for change of status of residence.

We can also provide services in English. Please contact us for more information.