“I want to quit my current company and change jobs, but what happens to my visa procedures?”
“My visa is still valid for a few years, so is it okay if I do nothing after changing jobs?”
When foreigners holding an “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services (Gijinkoku)” visa change jobs, failing to understand immigration rules conceals a fatal trap that could force you to leave Japan in the worst-case scenario.
In this article, to prevent you from unknowingly falling into “illegal work,” we thoroughly explain the actions you must take before and after a job change, focusing on your ultimate protection: the “Certificate of Authorized Employment.”
1. [Before Job Change] Ironclad Rule: Use the “Certificate of Authorized Employment” at the offer stage
As a major premise, your current Gijinkoku visa was approved based on the job duties at your “previous company.” When you change companies, your job duties naturally change.
Therefore, when you receive a job offer, before quitting your current job, you must confirm: “Does the new job truly meet the Gijinkoku visa standards?” The most certain way to ensure this is to apply for a “Certificate of Authorized Employment” (Shuro Shikaku Shomeisho) from Immigration.
By using this system, you can get an official pre-approval before changing jobs, stating, “My new job is legally permitted under my current visa.” Even in the unlikely event that Immigration determines your new job doesn’t fall under the visa, as long as you haven’t quit your current company yet, you can simply cancel the job change and stay at your current job. In this way, it has the tremendous advantage of avoiding the risk of becoming unemployed (it is zero-risk).
2. Doing nothing [After Job Change] without checking is a time bomb for “Illegal Work”
So, what if you have already changed jobs without confirming the match between your new job and your existing visa using the Certificate of Authorized Employment? What happens if you have already changed jobs and do nothing because “you still have 2 years left on your visa”? Three terrifying traps await you here.
① “Valid period remaining” does NOT equal “Legal”
Having time left on your residence card is premised on engaging in permitted activities for the Gijinkoku visa. If the new company’s duties do not qualify, you are engaging in unauthorized activities prohibited by the Immigration Control Act, meaning you are practically in a state of illegal work.
② “Earnest work” flips into “Evidence of illegal work”
If you apply for a visa renewal years later without doing any procedures during your job change, Immigration will examine your new company’s duties for the first time. The moment they decide your new job doesn’t meet the visa requirements, the years you spent working earnestly instantly become “evidence of long-term illegal work,” resulting in immediate rejection and deportation.
③ The Company also risks ruin under the “Crime of Promoting Illegal Employment”
Furthermore, a company that naively hires you thinking “it’s fine because the residence card is valid” and assigns you unqualified duties faces a severe risk of being charged with the “Crime of Promoting Illegal Employment” (up to 3 years in prison or a fine of up to 3 million yen). Ignorance of the law is not an excuse.
3. If you’ve already changed jobs, it’s not too late! Get the certificate now
Even if you have already completed your job change, it is not too late. Before the “time bomb” of your next visa renewal explodes, apply for the Certificate of Authorized Employment immediately.
By obtaining this certificate, your visa renewal years later will be a “renewal at an already-examined company,” reducing the rejection risk to almost zero.
(*Detailed requirements and necessary documents are explained in a separate article.)
4. Do Not Forget the “Notification Concerning the Accepting Organization”
When you change jobs, there is another absolute duty: the “Notification Concerning the Accepting Organization.”
By law, you must notify Immigration within 14 days of leaving your old company and within 14 days of joining the new one. Failing to do so may negatively affect your next visa renewal or subject you to penalties.
(*How to write and submit this notification is also explained in a separate article.)
5. A Safe Job Change Starts with Understanding Immigration Rules
The rules of Japanese immigration practice are extremely strict. You must not lose your precious career or damage your employer’s credibility simply because you “didn’t know.” Do not ignore the risks before or after a job change, and take careful actions based on objective facts.