This article is a translation of the Japanese original. Where the two differ, the Japanese version prevails. Read the Japanese original（日本語版を読む）
Changing to 「家族滞在」 removes the restriction on the type of work and frees you from being tied to one employer. On the other hand, even with 資格外活動許可, you may in principle work only up to 28 hours per week. Please also think about the fact that the record of employment that is looked at in an application for permanent residence stops building up.
One partner in a couple where both work wants to switch from a status of residence for employment to 「家族滞在」, supported by their spouse.
The restriction on the type of work disappears, you are not tied to one employer, and being supported by your spouse may reduce what the household spends.
「技術・人文知識・国際業務」 requires that what you studied at university or a similar institution matches the work you do. By contrast, if you change to 「家族滞在」 and obtain 資格外活動許可 (Permission to Engage in Activity Other Than That Permitted), the restriction on the type of work disappears. You can take the work you choose, including office work outside your field, customer service, or light manual work.
A status of residence for employment assumes that you work at that company. 家族滞在 assumes that you live together with your spouse or parent. Even if you leave the company, you can continue to stay in Japan as long as your spouse or parent is working. You also do not have to worry about your expiration date while looking for a new job.
By becoming a dependant through your spouse's employer, you pay less health insurance and pension contributions directly yourself, and the household as a whole may spend less.
Your working hours are limited to up to 28 hours per week, permanent residence may move further away, and your spouse's ability to support you is examined.
This is the biggest drawback. 家族滞在 is a status of residence for being supported by someone else, so even with 資格外活動許可, you may not work beyond the ceiling of 28 hours per week, including overtime. For the scope of part-time work and how to obtain the permission, please also see Can I do part-time work on 家族滞在?
To apply for permanent residence, you are in principle required to have lived in Japan continuously for at least 10 years, and to have at least 5 years of recent work experience (資格外活動 does not count). Once you switch to 家族滞在, that count of work experience stops. If you want to obtain permanent residence in future, this may cost you time.
At the time of the change application, you will no longer have your own income, so the check is on whether your spouse (the person supporting you) has enough income to support 2 people. If your spouse's annual income is low, or if there are unpaid or late tax or pension payments, there is a risk that the change application itself will be denied.
2 points: apply promptly after leaving your job, and avoid working too much after the change.
In a change application, it is important to show in concrete terms, with an employment contract and tax assessment and tax payment certificates, that your spouse's income can support the household.
It works well if you want to focus on raising children or on study for a few years. If permanent residence or your career matters to you, keeping a status of residence for employment suits you better.
Changing to 「家族滞在」 gives you freedom with your time, but it comes at the cost of a full-time career and of how quickly you can reach permanent residence.
If instead you are thinking of moving back from 家族滞在 to a status of residence for employment, please also see Can I move from 家族滞在 to a work visa as a full-time employee?
With 資格外活動許可, in principle up to 28 hours per week, including overtime. You may not work beyond this ceiling.
It may. Permanent residence in principle requires living in Japan continuously for at least 10 years and at least 5 years of recent work experience, and 資格外活動 does not count towards that work experience.
Where your spouse (the person supporting you) has a low annual income and is judged unable to support 2 people, or where there are unpaid or late tax or pension payments, there is a risk of denial.
Yes. If you apply after leaving it for several months (a period of more than 3 months), this invites questions about your situation during that time, so start preparing early once you have decided to leave.
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This page is a translation of the Japanese original. Where the two differ, the Japanese version prevails.