What procedures do I need when I change jobs on 「技術・人文知識・国際業務」?

Foreigners Employment Support Organization (FESO)　／　Published 4 September 2025　／　Last updated 21 August 2026

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）

Answer

The 「届出」 (notification) when you leave a company and when you join one, and the 「在留期間更新許可申請」 when the expiration date of your period of stay approaches, are compulsory. In addition, obtaining a 「就労資格証明書」 is optional, but it is a very useful step for making a job change go smoothly. Please make the notification within 14 days of the event that gives rise to it.

What is this guide about?

A guide to the procedures and the points to watch, for people who hold 在留資格「技術・人文知識・国際業務」 and are thinking of changing jobs within Japan.

Subject: changing jobs while keeping 在留資格「技術・人文知識・国際業務」
Who this is for: people who hold 「技術・人文知識・国際業務」 and are considering a job change within Japan
Main concerns: the notification needed when you change jobs, whether to obtain a 就労資格証明書, and what is looked at when you extend your period of stay after a job change
Types of procedure: ①【compulsory】the notification　②【optional】obtaining a 就労資格証明書　③【compulsory】在留期間更新許可申請

What do I have to notify when I leave a company or join one?

When you leave a company, or join a new one, you have a duty to notify the 地方出入国在留管理局 (Regional Immigration Services Bureau) within 14 days.

When you leave a company, or when you join a new one, you must notify the 地方出入国在留管理局 (Regional Immigration Services Bureau) within 14 days.

When you leave a company　「契約機関との契約が終了した場合の届出」 (notification that the contract with the contracting organisation has ended)
When you join a new company　「新たな契約機関と契約を締結した場合の届出」 (notification that a contract has been concluded with a new contracting organisation)

This notification is a duty of the foreign national holding the 在留カード (Residence Card). If you fail to make it, a fine of up to 200,000 yen (20万円) may be imposed under 入管法 (Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act) 第71条の5第3号, and it may also count against you at your next extension of the period of stay. This is a criminal penalty (刑事罰), not an administrative fine (過料), so please do not take it lightly.

Also, if you notify something that is not true, you are liable under 入管法第71条の2第1号 to imprisonment for up to 1 year, or a fine of up to 200,000 yen (20万円).

Should I obtain a 就労資格証明書?

It is not compulsory, but it is a procedure we strongly recommend to anyone thinking of changing jobs.

A 就労資格証明書 is a document in which the 地方出入国在留管理局 certifies that the work at your new employer falls within the activities permitted under the status of residence you currently hold.

The benefits of obtaining one

Peace of mind
Before you start work at the new employer, you can confirm that the work falls within the scope of your status of residence.
The next extension goes more smoothly
Because the matter has already been examined once, the examination is simplified and permission is more likely to be granted smoothly.
Avoiding risk
Even if the result is that the work is found to fall outside the scope of your status of residence, you can take steps — such as reconsidering the new job — while there is still time before the expiration date of your period of stay.

What is looked at when I extend my period of stay after a job change?

An extension after a job change tends to be examined more strictly than an application made before a job change.

When the expiration date of your period of stay approaches, you make an 在留期間更新許可申請. If you have only recently changed jobs, this application is where the real examination takes place.

The 地方出入国在留管理局 pays particular attention to the following points.

How the work relates to your background　Whether the work at the new company is related to the subjects you studied and to the work experience you have
The stability of the new company　Whether the company's business and finances are stable
The level of pay　Whether you are paid at least the same as a Japanese national

What should I watch out for so that the job change goes smoothly?

4 points: choosing the new employer, leaving time before the expiration date, the company's documents, and your past residence history.

Choose the new employer carefully
Check in advance that the company's business, and the work you will be doing, fall within the scope of 「技術・人文知識・国際業務」.
Leave time before the expiration date
Once the new job is decided, start the procedures while there is as much time as possible before the expiration date of your period of stay.
Prepare the company's documents properly
Prepare carefully the documents that show the new company's business situation and the contents of the work (the company's certificate of registered matters, material showing what the business does, the employment contract and so on).
Your past residence history matters too
Whether there are any problems with your past applications or with your residence record is also a point in the examination.

If you are unsure whether your new job falls within the scope of your status of residence, or you do not know how to go about the procedures, please consult a 行政書士 (certified administrative procedures legal specialist (gyoseishoshi)), who is a specialist in this area.

Further reading: What procedures are needed when you change jobs on a work visa?

Frequently Asked Questions

By when do I have to make the notification when I change jobs?

Within 14 days of leaving a company, or of joining a new one, you have to notify the 地方出入国在留管理局. It is a duty of the foreign national holding the 在留カード. If you fail to make it, a fine of up to 200,000 yen (20万円) may be imposed under 入管法第71条の5第3号, and a false notification is liable under 第71条の2第1号 to imprisonment for up to 1 year, or a fine of up to 200,000 yen.

Do I have to obtain a 就労資格証明書?

It is not compulsory. However, it lets you confirm in advance that the new work falls within the scope of your status of residence, and it simplifies your next extension, so it is a procedure we strongly recommend to anyone thinking of changing jobs.

Is the examination stricter when I extend my period of stay after a job change?

An extension after a job change tends to be examined more strictly than an application made before a job change. 3 points are looked at with particular care: how the work relates to your background, the stability of the new company, and the level of pay.

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This article provides general information. Immigration rules change, and outcomes depend on individual circumstances. Please check the Immigration Services Agency website or consult a qualified specialist.
This page is a translation of the Japanese original. Where the two differ, the Japanese version prevails.