Losing your job in Japan while holding a work visa can be stressful, but it does not mean that you must leave the country immediately.
Your legal status depends on:

the reason your employment ended,
how actively you continue job hunting, and
whether you complete the required notifications and procedures.

This guide explains, in a legally accurate and practical way, how your work visa is affected after job loss, what procedures you must follow, and how to protect your ability to stay in Japan.

Banner image linking to Tanabe Immigration Office

Table of Contents

First Steps After Losing Your Job
What happens to your Work Visa? Dismissal vs Resignation
Visa Options After Losing Your Job
Part-Time Work During Job Hunting
Job-Hunting Obligations and How to Protect Your Visa
Health Insurance (健康保険) After Losing Your Job
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Job-Loss Survival Checklist
Need Help Navigating Job Loss and Visa Issues?

First Steps After Losing Your Job

1. File the mandatory notification to Immigration (within 14 days)

You must report that your employment has ended.

Notification of Contracting Organization (契約機関に関する届出)
Submit within 14 days of losing your job.

Failing to submit this notification may negatively affect future visa renewals.

2. Receive documents from your former employer

Your employer should issue:

Separation Notice / 離職票（for Hello Work unemployment procedures）
Separation Certificate / 退職証明書（if needed）

This is not directly immigration-related, but will matter for unemployment insurance and job-hunting records.

3. Register at Hello Work for job seeking

Hello Work (ハローワーク) registration is strongly recommended—even if you do not plan to claim unemployment benefits.

Reasons:

Immigration views Hello Work registration as proof of legitimate job-hunting activity.
Monthly consultations generate documented evidence you can later submit during visa renewal or a change of status application.

4. Start collecting and saving “job-hunting evidence”

Start saving all job-hunting records immediately – such as application emails, interview invitations, and Hello Work consultation slips.
For a full explanation of what counts as proof and how to organize it, see Job-Hunting Obligations section.

What happens to your Work Visa? Dismissal vs Resignation

Your visa situation changes significantly depending on why your employment ended.

Japanese immigration clearly distinguishes between:

Company-side dismissal
- Dismissal (解雇）
- Non-renewal of contract (雇止め）
- Contract termination due to employer’s reasons (会社都合の契約終了）
Voluntary resignation
- Resignation due to your own reason (自己都合退職）
- Contract ended because the employee chose not to renew

These two scenarios lead to very different risk levels for your work visa.

Case A: Company-Side Dismissal (Not your fault)

Examples:

Layoff due to downsizing
Non-renewal of a fixed-term contract decided by the employer
Company bankruptcy
Sudden termination not caused by your actions

✔ You may stay in Japan until the expiration date shown on your residence card,

as long as you continue legitimate job-hunting activities.

This is one of the most important practical rules.

✔ You do not need to change your status immediately

You can remain under the same work visa (e.g., Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services) while searching for a new job.

✔ Applying for “Designated Activities (Job Seeking)”

You only need to consider it when:

your visa expiration date is approaching, and
you need more time to find a new job.
Typically 6 months of stay, with a possible extension in limited cases.

✔ Immigration expects continuous job hunting

To show this, you should:

Stay registered at Hello Work (ハローワーク)
Attend the monthly job-seeking consultation (職業相談)
Keep job application records
Maintain stable living arrangements in Japan

If you follow these steps, most applicants can safely bridge the gap until the next employment is secured.

Case B: Voluntary Resignation (You quit your job)

This is treated much more strictly.

Examples:

You chose to resign for personal reasons
You declined to renew your own fixed-term contract
You left the job because you didn’t like the work conditions
You left before securing a new employer

✔ Immigration expects you to find a new job within “around 3 months“

This is not a formal deadline written in law,
but in practice:

Unemployment longer than 3 months after leaving voluntarily
with no clear evidence of active job hunting

may be considered a violation of your work-visa activity obligations.

✔ This does not mean immediate deportation

However, risks increase:

Risk 1: Visa renewal may be refused

Immigration may judge that you are “not engaging in activities corresponding to your status”
（＝在留資格に該当する活動を行っていない）.

Risk 2: Future applications may become more difficult

Especially if:

you have long unemployment periods, or
your job-hunting records are weak.

Key Comparison

Topic	Company-side dismissal	Voluntary resignation
Can you stay until visa expiration?	✔ Yes, if job hunting	△ Possible, but long unemployment is risky
Must you find a job quickly?	No strict deadline, but continued job hunting is required	⚠ Expected within around 3 months
Job-seeking Designated Activities	✔ Possible	❌ Usually not approved
Main risk	Low, if job hunting continues	High: renewal refusal, “not engaging in activities” judgment
Immigration view	More sympathetic	More strict

Simple Rule of Thumb

If you were fired (company-side): you can stay until your visa expires, as long as you keep job hunting.
If you quit voluntarily: you must find a job as soon as possible—ideally within 3 months.

Visa Options After Losing Your Job

After losing your job, your options depend on:

How much time remains on your current work visa, and
Whether the job ended due to company-side reasons or voluntary resignation.

Below is a detailed but practical guide to understanding what you can and should do.

Staying in Japan with Your Current Work Visa

You can remain on your existing work visa until the expiration date shown on your residence card, if you meet the following conditions:

✔ Condition 1: You continue legitimate job-hunting activities

Immigration requires that you are genuinely trying to find new employment in a field consistent with your visa category.

Evidence includes:

Hello Work registration (ハローワーク登録)
Monthly consultation records (職業相談記録)
Job application emails
Interview invitations
Recruiter communication logs

✔ Condition 2: You continue living in Japan with stability

Immigration sometimes checks:

Whether you remain in Japan consistently
Whether your address remains valid
Whether you can support yourself while job hunting

✔ Condition 3: You submit the required “Notification of Contract End”

契約機関に関する届出 must be submitted within 14 days.

When Staying on Your Current Work Visa May Become Risky

Even if your visa remains valid, certain situations may cause issues during renewal or status change later:

Risk 1: Long unemployment periods

Company-side dismissal → less risky
Voluntary resignation → very risky if 3 months pass without employment

Risk 2: Insufficient job-hunting evidence

If you cannot show proof that you were actively looking for work, Immigration may consider that:

“You were not engaging in activities corresponding to your status.”
（＝在留資格に該当する活動を行っていない）

This is a common reason for renewal refusal.

Risk 3: No reasonable prospects of employment

If your job field is too different from your work visa category, maintaining the same visa may be difficult.

Changing to “Designated Activities: Job Seeking” (特定活動・就職活動)

This is a special visa that allows you to stay in Japan solely for job hunting.

✔ Eligibility (practical, not guaranteed)

Immigration tends to approve this category mainly for:

Company-side dismissal
(解雇・雇止め・会社都合終了)
Graduates from Japanese universities (not covered here)

✔ What the status allows:

Typically 6 months of stay
Renewable once in rare cases
Ability to apply for Permission to Engage in Activity Other Than That Permitted (資格外活動許可)
→ allows up to 28 hours per week of part-time work

✔ Requirements for application:

You will likely need to submit:

Explanation letter (理由書)
Proof of dismissal (解雇通知 or 契約終了通知)
Job-hunting records
Proof of financial ability to stay in Japan during the period
Latest residence card, passport, photos, application forms

✔ Important: Approval is never guaranteed

Even with company-side dismissal, Immigration considers:

Your employment history
Job-matching feasibility
Past visa compliance
Strength of job-hunting efforts

Why “Designated Activities (Job Seeking)” is NOT usually approved after voluntary resignation

If you left your job voluntarily, Immigration often interprets the situation as:

“You chose to stop engaging in authorized activities.”

Because of this, the 求職型の特定活動 is often not approved.

In practice:

Reason for job loss	Likelihood of approval
Company-side dismissal	✔ Sometimes approved
Bankruptcy	✔ Often approved
Contract non-renewal (company decision)	✔ Possible
Voluntary resignation	❌ Very unlikely

Summary of Options After Job Loss

Situation	Best Option	Notes
Company-side dismissal & visa still valid	Stay on current visa	Continue job hunting + evidence collection
Company-side dismissal & visa expiring soon	Apply for “Designated Activities (Job Seeking)”	Not guaranteed but possible
Voluntary resignation	Find new job ASAP	3+ months unemployment is risky
Visa expiring soon but new employer found	Apply for Change of Status / Extension	Submit job offer + contracts
Cannot find job + no eligible categories	Consider leaving temporarily	Do not overstay

Part-Time Work During Job Hunting

Rules for “Permission to Engage in Activity Other Than That Permitted” (資格外活動許可)

When you lose your job in Japan, you may want to work part-time to support yourself while job hunting.
This is possible, but only under strict conditions and only with permission from Immigration.

When part-time work is allowed

Part-time work is allowed if:

You apply for and receive the permission, and
Your part-time work does not interfere with your primary responsibility: job hunting.

Typical outcome:

Immigration may allow up to
28 hours per week (週28時間まで).

This is not automatic; approval depends on your situation.

Differences depending on your status

✔ If you still hold a work visa

(e.g., Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services)

You may receive permission for part-time work
But Immigration will consider:
- Whether you are actively job hunting
- Whether your financial situation requires part-time income
- Whether the proposed part-time work is appropriate
- Whether the work distracts from seeking full-time employment

Important: The part-time job does not need to match your visa field,
but it must be lawful and appropriate.

✔ If you changed to “Designated Activities (Job Seeking)”

You can also apply for the same permission.

Immigration generally allows up to 28 hours per week
They will verify that you still attend Hello Work consultations
and continue job-hunting activities

Activities that are NOT allowed

Even with permission:

Full-time employment
Contract work that resembles full-time
Freelance activities without proper visa category
Night entertainment industry work
Work that violates labor laws

Immigration evaluates whether the activity is “appropriate and stable,”
and whether it fits the purpose of your current status.

What documents you may need for the application

Although required documents vary, Immigration commonly requests:

Application form for 資格外活動許可
Residence card
Passport
Explanation letter (理由書) showing why part-time work is needed
Description of job-hunting activities
Information about the part-time employer

Providing clear evidence of job-hunting activity improves the likelihood of approval.

Key Principles

1. Part-time work is a supplement, not the main activity.

The purpose of your stay must remain job hunting.

2. Immigration may check your job-hunting progress later.

At renewal or when changing status, they may ask:

“How many jobs did you apply to?”
“Why were you working many hours part-time?”
“Do you have evidence of job seeking?”

3. Excessive part-time work may harm future visa renewals.

Even if technically legal, too much focus on part-time work can suggest:

“You were not seriously looking for a new employer.”

Job-Hunting Obligations and How to Protect Your Visa

Immigration requires continuous, documented job-hunting activity.

After losing your job, one of the most important factors affecting your ability to stay in Japan is how clearly you can prove that you are actively looking for work.

Even if your current visa remains valid, a long period without job-hunting activity may be treated as:

“Not engaging in activities corresponding to your status.”
（＝在留資格に該当する活動を行っていない）

This is a common reason for visa renewal refusals.

Below are the job-hunting obligations and the types of evidence you should collect.

Register at Hello Work (ハローワーク)

This is the strongest and most reliable way to prove legitimate job-hunting activity.

✔ What to do:

Go to your local Hello Work office
Complete 求職申込 (Job Seeker Registration)
Receive your 求職者番号 (Job Seeker ID Number)

✔ Why this matters:

Hello Work automatically creates a record of your visits
Immigration accepts these records as credible government-issued proof
Monthly consultations generate written evidence (職業相談記録)

Even if you do not apply for unemployment benefits, you should still register.

Attend monthly consultations at Hello Work

Immigration sometimes asks for:

職業相談票（Job consultation slips）
訪問日・相談内容・担当者名
Online job search history (for Hello Work Net)

These documents become strong proof that you were actively searching for employment.

Apply for jobs regularly and keep detailed records

Immigration does not specify an exact number, but as a practical rule:

Submit applications consistently
Save all related evidence

✔ What to save:

Application emails
Screenshots of online application submissions
Recruiter messages
Interview invitations
Notices of rejection
Job descriptions (PDF or screenshot)

✔ Tip: Create a simple folder

Example folder names:

“Applications – January”
“Applications – February”

When renewal time comes, you will be grateful you did this.

Keep a job-hunting activity log

A simple spreadsheet works well.

Recommended columns:

Application date
Company name
Job title
Method of application (email, website, recruiter)
Result (interview scheduled, rejected, pending)

Immigration sometimes appreciates seeing a clear, chronological record.

What Immigration looks for

Immigration generally checks:

✔ Whether you have been continuously job hunting

(not just one or two applications)

✔ Whether your job search matches your visa category

(e.g., IT engineer applying mainly to IT roles)

✔ Whether your unemployment period is reasonable

Especially important for voluntary resignation

✔ Whether your efforts show a genuine intention to resume permitted activities

If you can show serious job-hunting efforts, Immigration is more likely to approve:

Renewal of your current work visa
Change of status to a new employer’s sponsorship
In some cases, Designated Activities (Job Seeking)

Activities that do NOT count as job hunting

The following are not accepted as valid job-hunting efforts:

Watching YouTube “how to get a job in Japan” videos
Attending unrelated meetups without applications
Studying Japanese (helpful, but not “job hunting”)
Casual conversations with friends about work
Taking extended vacations abroad

Immigration focuses on formal, verifiable activities.

What happens if you cannot prove job hunting?

Lack of evidence may lead to:

❌ Work visa renewal refusal
❌ Inability to change status to a new employer
❌ Not meeting the conditions for Designated Activities
❌ Negative evaluation of your future immigration applications

This is especially serious for those who resigned voluntarily.

Social Insurance, Health Insurance, and Unemployment Benefits

These systems are separate from immigration, but you must handle them correctly.

Losing your job affects not only your visa situation, but also your insurance status in Japan.
However, it is important to understand that:

Social insurance procedures do not directly affect your visa status.
But failing to complete required procedures can create indirect problems.

Below is a practical overview of what you must do.

Health Insurance (健康保険) After Losing Your Job

When you leave a company in Japan:

✔ Your Employee Health Insurance (社会保険 / 会社の健康保険) ends

This typically ends at the end of the month in which you leave your job.

After that, you must choose one of the following:

Option A: National Health Insurance (国民健康保険 / NHI)

Procedure:

国民健康保険加入手続き
Bring: MyNumber card, residence card, proof of leaving employer, etc.

Option B: Continuation of Employee Health Insurance (任意継続)

You may continue your former company’s insurance for up to 2 years.

Procedure name:

任意継続被保険者制度

This requires applying within 20 days of leaving the company.

✔ Immigration perspective

Changing or maintaining health insurance does not change your visa status,
but failing to enroll in insurance may appear as “not maintaining stable living conditions,”
which could be a negative factor in rare cases.

Pension (年金) After Losing Your Job

Your Employee Pension (厚生年金) also ends when your employment ends.

You must switch to:

✔ National Pension (国民年金 / Kokumin Nenkin)

Procedure:

国民年金第1号被保険者資格取得手続き

Again, this does not directly impact your visa,
but Japan requires all residents to be enrolled in a pension system.

Unemployment Benefits (雇用保険・失業給付)

If you were enrolled in 雇用保険 (Employment Insurance) while working,
you may be eligible to claim unemployment benefits.

✔ Procedure at Hello Work:

Separation Certificate（離職票）提出
Apply for Unemployment Benefit (失業給付)
Monthly check up of your job hunting status (求職活動の確認)

✔ Immigration perspective

Receiving unemployment benefits does NOT negatively affect your visa.

Reasons:

Unemployment insurance is a legal right of workers
It is not treated as welfare assistance
Using this system is considered normal and lawful

But: It does not “protect” your visa by itself

Even if you are receiving benefits, Immigration will still evaluate:

Your job-hunting activity
Your unemployment duration
Your compliance with visa obligations

Financial Stability Requirements for Visa Renewal

While social insurance does not directly affect your status,
Immigration may check:

Whether you maintained insurance coverage
Whether you can support yourself during job hunting
Whether you have a realistic plan for future employment

Failing to show financial stability can hurt future visa applications.

However, proper insurance procedures generally create a positive impression of compliance.

Summary of Social Insurance, Unemployment Benefit

Topic	Required Action	Effect on Visa
Health insurance	Switch to NHI (国民健康保険) or Continuation	Does not directly affect status
Pension	Switch to 国民年金	Does not directly affect status
Unemployment benefits	Apply at Hello Work	Safe; not considered welfare
Immigration focus	Job hunting, evidence, stability	Critical for renewal

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Common questions about losing your job in Japan while holding a work visa

Q1. Do I have to leave Japan immediately after losing my job?

No.
If you still have time remaining on your residence card and you continue active, documented job hunting,
you may stay in Japan legally.

However:

Long unemployment (especially after voluntary resignation)
Lack of job-hunting evidence

can cause problems during renewal.

Q2. How long can I stay in Japan after losing my job?

You may stay until the expiration date on your residence card, provided that:

You continue job hunting
You submit the Notification of Contract End (契約機関に関する届出)
You maintain stable living conditions

If your visa is expiring soon, you may consider:

Changing to “Designated Activities (Job Seeking)”
（特定活動・就職活動）

Company-side dismissal increases the chances; voluntary resignation usually does not.

Q3. Can I work part-time while job hunting?

Yes, but only if you obtain:

Permission to Engage in Activity Other Than That Permitted　（資格外活動許可）

With this permission:

Up to 28 hours per week is typically allowed
The work must not interfere with job hunting

Working without permission is a violation that can harm your visa status.

Q4. Does receiving unemployment benefits (失業給付) affect my visa?

No.
Unemployment benefits are part of Japan’s social insurance system.
Receiving them:

is legal
will not be considered welfare
does not negatively impact your visa

However, they also do not replace the need for job-hunting evidence.

Q5. Can I apply for a new work visa when I get a job offer?

Yes.

When you receive an offer from a new employer, you can apply for:

Change of Status of Residence (在留資格変更許可申請)

Renewal of Status (在留期間更新許可申請)

You will need:

Employment Contract
Job description
Company documents
Proof of your career background
Job-hunting records (sometimes requested)

Q6. Is it true that I must find a job within “3 months”?

This is not written in law, but in practice:

After voluntary resignation,
Unemployment lasting more than around 3 months,
Without strong job-hunting evidence,

is often treated as not engaging in your status activities,
resulting in a high risk of renewal refusal.

For company-side dismissal, Immigration is more flexible.

Q7. What if I want to change to a completely different job field?

You may apply for a new visa category if:

The job qualifies under immigration standards, and
Your background supports the new role.

However:

Large jumps in job field may require stronger justification.
You must still show continuous job hunting.

Q8. Can I stay in Japan if I cannot find a job at all?

Your options become limited:

If your visa expires soon:
- You may apply for “Designated Activities (Job Seeking)”
  → only likely if job loss was company-side
If no categories apply and you cannot secure employment:
- You may need to leave Japan and re-enter later via a different visa route.

Staying without job-hunting activities or without a valid status is not allowed.

Q9. Will traveling outside Japan during job hunting cause problems?

Short trips are usually fine, but:

Long or repeated travel
Combined with weak job-hunting evidence

may cause Immigration to doubt your intention to work in Japan.

If you must travel, keep detailed records of:

Reason
Duration
Job hunting before/after the trip

Q10. My company said “we will not renew your contract.” Is this considered dismissal?

Often yes.

This is generally considered company-side non-renewal (雇止め),
as long as you did not voluntarily decline renewal.

This can strengthen your case if applying for:

Job-seeking Designated Activities
Renewal after job loss

Job-Loss Survival Checklist

A practical checklist to protect your visa after losing your job in Japan

Use this checklist to ensure you don’t miss any important steps.

🔷 Step 1: Within the first 14 days

✔ Submit the Notification of Contract End
（契約機関に関する届出）
→ Required by law

✔ Receive documents from your employer:

離職票 (for Hello Work)
退職証明書

✔ Confirm when your health insurance and pension will change
→ Company insurance usually ends at the end of the month

🔷 Step 2: Register for job hunting

✔ Register at Hello Work (ハローワーク)
✔ Attend an initial consultation
✔ Obtain your job seeker number (求職者番号)

🔷 Step 3: Start creating job-hunting evidence

✔ Apply for jobs regularly
✔ Save application emails/screenshots
✔ Log all applications in a spreadsheet
✔ Keep all consultation slips from Hello Work
✔ Save recruiter messages and interviews

🔷 Step 4: Consider whether you need “Designated Activities (Job Seeking)”

✔ Check your visa expiration date
✔ If expiring soon → consider 特定活動（就職活動）
✔ If company-side dismissal → more likely to be approved
✔ If voluntary resignation → less likely to be approved

🔷 Step 5: If needed, apply for part-time work permission

✔ Apply for 資格外活動許可
✔ Confirm you can work up to 28 hours/week
✔ Ensure part-time work does not interfere with job hunting

🔷 Step 6: Prepare for future visa renewal

✔ Keep all job-hunting evidence organized
✔ Maintain stable living conditions
✔ Apply for work visa renewal once new job is secured
✔ Prepare for Change of Status (在留資格変更) when needed

🔷 Step 7: Optional social insurance steps

✔ Join National Health Insurance (国民健康保険)
✔ Switch to National Pension (国民年金)
✔ Apply for unemployment benefits (失業給付) if eligible

Need Help Navigating Job Loss and Visa Issues?

Losing your job while holding a work visa in Japan can be stressful. If you’re unsure about your options or need assistance with a visa change, we can help.

Tanabe Immigration Office offers expert support in English and Japanese, from visa extensions to status changes. Contact us for a free consultation!