How to Change Jobs in Japan (2026): Steps, Deadlines and Fees
Changing employers in Japan? Report to immigration within 14 days, check 2026 change-of-status fees (from JPY 10,000), and get your tax slip and pension in order.
Information only, not legal advice. Verify with the DMW and the Embassy of Japan before you act.
Key Takeaways
- Changing employers in Japan means dealing with several offices in turn: an Employment Service Center for Foreigners or Hello Work for the job search, the Immigration Services Agency (ISA) for your status of residence, your municipal office for pension procedures, and your old and new employers for tax documents.
- If your status is Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, Nursing Care, Skilled Labor, Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) or one of the other statuses ISA lists, you must file a Notification of the Contracting Organization (a report to ISA about the company you have a work contract with). File it within 14 days of your old contract ending, and again within 14 days of signing with the new company.
- You can file that notification online (24 hours a day, 365 days a year), at a regional immigration office, or by mail.
- A change of status of residence is an application to ISA for permission to change your status of residence. If the new job needs one, the fee is JPY 10,000 to JPY 75,000 at the counter and JPY 10,330 to JPY 65,550 online, depending on the period of stay you are granted. The standard processing period is 1 to 2 months.
- ISA's online fees can be paid only at a convenience store or through bank payment. A fee request from any email address other than @service-dgft.com or @veritrans.jp is a scam.
- A Certificate of Authorized Employment (a document showing the paid work your status allows) is optional. It costs JPY 2,000 (JPY 1,600 online, plus a JPY 220 payment fee), and processing can take 1 to 3 months if you have changed employers.
- Your old employer must give you a withholding tax slip (a record of your pay and the income tax taken from it) within one month of your last day. Your new employer uses it for year-end adjustment, the end-of-year recalculation of your income tax.
- If there is a gap between jobs, register for National Pension at your municipal office within 14 days. You also need health insurance for the gap, usually National Health Insurance (report within 14 days).
This article covers the order of steps, offices, deadlines and fees when you leave one employer in Japan and join another. Visa rules for moving to a different field are covered only briefly here. For SSW, see Changing Jobs in Japan on SSW: What Your Visa Actually Requires.
What are the steps to change jobs in Japan?
Changing jobs in Japan involves more than a single application. It is a set of tasks with separate offices and separate deadlines, and most of the deadlines are short. The table below outlines the main tasks and their deadlines.
| Step | Where | Deadline or timing |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Look for your next job | Employment Service Center for Foreigners or Hello Work | Any time |
| 2. Check whether the new job fits your status of residence | Immigration Services Agency | Before you start the new work |
| 3. Get your withholding tax slip | Your old employer | Within 1 month of your last day |
| 4. Report that your old contract ended | Immigration Services Agency | Within 14 days |
| 5. Enroll in National Pension and arrange health insurance, if there is a gap | Municipal office where you live, or your old health insurer for voluntary continuation | Within 14 days; voluntary continuation within 20 days from the day after your last day |
| 6. Report your new contract | Immigration Services Agency | Within 14 days of signing |
| 7. Apply for a change of status, if needed | Regional immigration office for your address | Before your period of stay expires; 1 to 2 months to process |
| 8. Year-end adjustment | Your new employer | At the end of the year |
The sections below explain each step. Fees are in Japanese yen. For an approximate amount in Philippine pesos, check the remittance rates on the /money page.
Where can you look for your next job?
Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) runs Hello Work (Japan's public employment offices) and Employment Service Centers for Foreigners (外国人雇用サービスセンター), which serve foreign job seekers.
The Employment Service Center for Foreigners in Nagoya describes its services this way: besides job counseling and job placement, it gives advice on preparing a resume and a work history document and offers interview practice.
To register as a job seeker, go to an Employment Service Center for Foreigners or to a nearby Hello Work. The Nagoya center lists these items to bring: your residence card, your passport if your status is Designated Activities, and your Hello Work reception slip (ハローワーク受付票).
At the Nagoya center, interpreting is available in English, Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese, Ukrainian, Nepali, Thai, Indonesian and Burmese. Interpreters are not always on duty, so contact the center before you go. The Nagoya center is open on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. It is closed on Saturdays, Sundays, national holidays and from December 29 to January 3.
An MHLW document lists these centers:
| Center | Address |
|---|---|
| Tokyo Employment Service Center for Foreigners | Yotsuya Tower 13F, 1-6-1 Yotsuya, Shinjuku-ku |
| Nagoya Employment Service Center for Foreigners | Yamaichi Building 8F, 2-14-25 Nishiki, Naka-ku |
| Osaka Employment Service Center for Foreigners | Hankyu Grand Building 16F, 8-47 Kakudacho, Kita-ku |
| Fukuoka Employment Service Center for Foreigners | Elgala Office 12F, 1-4-2 Tenjin, Chuo-ku |
If you are on SSW and your contract is ending because of your employer's circumstances, read about the job-change support your support organization must give in Registered Support Organizations in Japan: What They Must Do for You (and Must Never Charge).
Do you need immigration permission before starting the new job?
It depends on your current status of residence and on the new work. Some job changes require an application for a change of status of residence (在留資格変更許可申請). If you are on SSW, ISA says you must apply for a change of status of residence whenever you change employers, even within the same field.
For SSW, Changing Jobs in Japan on SSW: What Your Visa Actually Requires explains the rules for staying in the same field or moving to another field, the documents to prepare, and why you should not start work before you get permission. This article does not repeat those rules. It covers the practical side: where to apply, when, and how much it costs.
What must you report to immigration within 14 days?
The Notification of the Contracting Organization (所属（契約）機関に関する届出) tells ISA about changes to your contracting organization, which means the company you have a work contract with. You file it yourself.
Who must file it. ISA's page covers these statuses: Highly Skilled Professional (i)(a), (i)(b) and (ii), Researcher, Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, Nursing Care, Entertainer (only if you work under a contract with an organization), Skilled Labor and Specified Skilled Worker.
When you must file it. The notification is required when the contracting organization changes its name or address, ceases to exist, your contract with it ends, or you sign a new contract. The deadline is within 14 days of the event, under Article 19-16, item 2 of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act.
In a job change, two events usually happen: your contract with the old company ends, and you sign a contract with the new company. Each event triggers a notification requirement.
How to file it. ISA offers three ways:
- Online: through the Electronic Notification System, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You do not need to submit paper documents.
- At a counter: at the nearest regional immigration services office. Show your residence card and submit the notification form.
- By mail: enclose the notification form and a copy of your residence card. Write "届出書在中" or "NOTIFICATION ENCLOSED" in red on the envelope. ISA recommends a mailing method that keeps a delivery record.
Your employer may have to file a separate report of its own. For example, a company that employs SSW workers must report a new, changed or ended employment contract within 14 days (Article 19-18, item 1 of the same act). That report does not replace yours.
How much does a change of status of residence cost in 2026?
The fee depends on the period of stay you are granted and on whether you apply at a counter or online. At the counter, you pay with revenue stamps (収入印紙), which are government stamps used to pay official fees.
| Period of stay granted | At the counter | Online |
|---|---|---|
| 3 months or less | JPY 10,000 | JPY 10,330 |
| More than 3 months, up to 6 months | JPY 18,000 | JPY 15,330 |
| More than 6 months, less than 1 year | JPY 25,000 | JPY 21,330 |
| 1 year | JPY 33,000 | JPY 27,330 |
| More than 1 year, less than 3 years | JPY 48,000 | JPY 42,330 |
| 3 years or more, less than 5 years | JPY 64,000 | JPY 56,550 |
| 5 years or more | JPY 75,000 | JPY 65,550 |
The online amounts apply to applications accepted on or after October 1, 2026. They include a payment fee of JPY 330, or JPY 550 for a period of stay of 3 years or more. Applications accepted by September 30, 2026 are charged the old fee, even if permission is granted on or after October 1: JPY 6,000 at the counter and JPY 5,500 online, both paid with revenue stamps.
Paying online. ISA accepts convenience store payment or bank payment only. Credit cards and QR code payments are not accepted.
Watch out for fake payment emails. ISA warns that any email asking for the fee from an address other than its official ones is a scam. The email with the payment link comes from @service-dgft.com, and the emails sent when you choose a payment method and when payment is complete come from @veritrans.jp.
Where, when, who and how long:
- Where: the regional immigration services office that covers the place where you live.
- When: from the time the reason for the change arises until your current period of stay expires.
- Who: you, your legal representative, or an agent who submits the application at your request. Staff of your employer can act as an agent only if the Director of the Regional Immigration Services Bureau has approved them as an application agent (申請等取次者). Lawyers and gyoseishoshi can act as an agent if they have notified the Director. A gyoseishoshi (行政書士) is a licensed specialist in official paperwork. When an agent submits the application, you usually do not need to go to the office, although ISA may ask you to come in, and you must be in Japan.
- How long: the standard processing period, which is the usual time ISA aims to take, is 1 to 2 months.
What is a Certificate of Authorized Employment?
A Certificate of Authorized Employment (就労資格証明書) is a document that certifies the paid work you are allowed to do under your status of residence.
Applying is optional. It is mainly relevant when you hold a status such as Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services and move to another company.
- Fee: JPY 2,000 in revenue stamps when the certificate is issued, or JPY 1,600 if you apply online. For online applications from October 1, 2026, a payment fee of JPY 220 is added, so you pay JPY 1,820 in total.
- Processing: the same day as a rule, but 1 to 3 months when you have changed employers.
- When to apply: whenever you want the certificate issued.
What should you get from your old employer?
Get your withholding tax slip (源泉徴収票, gensen choshu-hyo). This document shows the salary your employer paid you in the year and the income tax it withheld.
Japan's National Tax Agency (NTA) says an employer must give this slip to every employee by January 31 of the following year. For someone who leaves partway through the year, the deadline is within one month of the last day of work. If it has not arrived after a month, ask your old employer for it.
Keep the slip in a safe place. Your new employer will need it at the end of the year.
What if there is a gap between jobs?
If you do not start the new job right away, you fall under Category I of the National Pension system. Category I is the group for self-employed people, students, people without a job and others.
The Japan Pension Service says you need to register at the municipal office where you live within 14 days. The form is the "Application to Enroll in National Pension as Category I Insured Person."
Health insurance. If you join your new employer's health insurance with no gap, you usually do not need to switch to National Health Insurance. If there is a gap, you need to arrange health insurance for that period. In principle, you report to your municipal office within 14 days to join National Health Insurance. Instead, you may be able to keep your old employer's health insurance through voluntary continuation (任意継続), but only if you meet its conditions, such as having been insured for at least two months in a row, and you must apply within 20 days from the day after your last day. Rules and documents differ by municipality and insurer, so check with your municipal office, your health insurance provider or the pension office.
How does year-end adjustment work at your new company?
Year-end adjustment (年末調整) is the end-of-year process in which your employer recalculates your income tax for the year and settles the difference with you.
The NTA states that a person who joins a company partway through the year and works there until the end of the year is also covered by year-end adjustment. If you received salary from another company where you had submitted the form for dependents' deductions (給与所得者の扶養控除等（異動）申告書), that salary must be included in the calculation. The new employer confirms it with the withholding tax slip issued by your old employer.
If the new employer cannot confirm your earlier salary, it cannot do year-end adjustment for you. In that case you settle your tax through a final tax return (確定申告, kakutei shinkoku), which you file yourself. Hand the slip from step 3 to your new employer before the year ends.
How to judge a new job offer before you move
I have never gone through an SSW procedure myself, so the steps above follow the official pages, not my own experience. What I can share is how I look at a job offer.
When an offer says "no experience needed" and also promises high pay, my first reaction is suspicion. By "high pay," I mean pay far above the average for the same kind of work. This caution matters even more when you are already in Japan and thinking of leaving your current job for a better-looking offer.
Before you sign with a new employer, I suggest these checks:
- Compare the pay with the average for the same work. A figure far above it is a reason to look more closely, not a reason to hurry.
- Be careful with "no experience needed" combined with high pay. See Jobs in Japan for Filipinos Without Experience: Legal Routes for why this combination calls for caution.
- Ask whether the work uses what you can already do. A job that builds on your own experience and strengths is easier to stay in than one you chose for the salary alone.
- Talk it over before you decide. Friends, fellow Filipinos who have changed jobs in Japan, and professionals such as a gyoseishoshi can all see things you might miss.
Leaving a job is hard to undo. Do not move just because the pay is higher.
FAQ
Q: Do I have to tell immigration when I change jobs in Japan?
Yes, if your status is one of those ISA lists, such as Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, Nursing Care, Skilled Labor or SSW. File the Notification of the Contracting Organization within 14 days of your old contract ending, and again within 14 days of signing the new contract. You can file online at any time, at a regional immigration office, or by mail.
Q: How much does it cost to change jobs in Japan?
These are the fees for the immigration applications covered in this article. A change of status of residence costs JPY 10,000 to JPY 75,000 at the counter, or JPY 10,330 to JPY 65,550 online, depending on the period of stay granted. A Certificate of Authorized Employment costs JPY 2,000, or JPY 1,600 online plus a JPY 220 payment fee. Whether you need a change of status depends on your status and the new work.
Q: Can I get help finding a new job in Japan in English?
Yes. Employment Service Centers for Foreigners offer job counseling, job placement, resume advice and interview practice, and the Nagoya center lists English among its interpreting languages. Interpreters are not always on duty, so contact the center in advance.
Q: Do I need to file a tax return after changing jobs?
Usually your new employer handles it through year-end adjustment if you work there until the end of the year and give it the withholding tax slip from your old employer. If the new employer cannot confirm your earlier salary, you settle your tax through a final tax return.
Summary
Changing jobs in Japan involves several procedures at different offices, each with its own deadline. Look for your next job through an Employment Service Center for Foreigners or Hello Work. Check whether the new work fits your status, and for SSW read the SSW job change article before you sign. File the Notification of the Contracting Organization within 14 days of your old contract ending, and again within 14 days of signing the new contract. If there is a gap, enroll in National Pension within 14 days and arrange health insurance for the gap, usually by joining National Health Insurance within 14 days. If you need a change of status, apply before your period of stay ends, at the regional immigration office that covers your address. The fee is JPY 10,000 to JPY 75,000 at the counter or JPY 10,330 to JPY 65,550 online, and you should pay online fees only by following ISA's official payment emails. Get your withholding tax slip within a month of leaving and give it to your new employer for year-end adjustment.
Before you resign, write down the date your contract will end and count 14 days from it. Then check each official page in the list below, and discuss the new offer with people you trust.
Sources
- Immigration Services Agency, Notification of the Contracting Organization (所属（契約）機関に関する届出): https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/nyuukokukanri10_00015.html
- Immigration Services Agency, notifications by organizations that employ Specified Skilled Workers: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/nyuukokukanri07_00187.html
- Immigration Services Agency, Application for Change of Status of Residence (在留資格変更許可申請): https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/16-2.html
- Immigration Services Agency, fees and payment for online applications, from October 1, 2026 (オンライン申請における手数料額及び手数料納付方法について): https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/11_00107.html
- Immigration Services Agency, Status of Residence "Specified Skilled Worker": https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/specifiedskilledworker.html
- Immigration Services Agency, Q&A on the Specified Skilled Worker system: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/policies/ssw/faq.html
- Immigration Services Agency, Application for Certificate of Authorized Employment (就労資格証明書交付申請): https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/16-9.html
- MHLW Aichi Labour Bureau, Nagoya Employment Service Center for Foreigners: https://jsite.mhlw.go.jp/aichi-foreigner
- MHLW, list of Employment Service Centers for Foreigners (外国人雇用サービスセンター): https://jsite.mhlw.go.jp/chiba-roudoukyoku/content/contents/001590288.pdf
- National Tax Agency, Tax Answer No.7411, withholding tax slips (給与所得の源泉徴収票): https://www.nta.go.jp/taxes/shiraberu/taxanswer/hotei/7411.htm
- National Tax Agency, Tax Answer No.2674, year-end adjustment for mid-year hires (中途就職者の年末調整): https://www.nta.go.jp/taxes/shiraberu/taxanswer/gensen/2674.htm
- Japan Pension Service, Enrollment in National Pension: https://www.nenkin.go.jp/international/english/japanese-system/nationalpension/np_enroll.html
- Japan Health Insurance Association (Kyokai Kenpo), conditions for voluntary continuation (任意継続の加入条件について): https://www.kyoukaikenpo.or.jp/faq/voluntary_continuation/002/index.html
- Osaka City, National Health Insurance procedures when you start or leave a job (就職・退職に伴う国民健康保険の手続き): https://www.city.osaka.lg.jp/fukushi/page/0000369739.html
About this guide
Free, honest guide to working and studying in Japan
- ●Every rule is checked against DMW and Immigration Services Agency sources
- ●Written in plain English, with Tagalog where it matters
- ●No job ads, no referrals, no fees from agencies
- ●Corrections welcome through the contact form
Hanapon is run from Manila by a Japanese engineer who reads the Japanese-language rules directly and checks them against what agencies tell applicants here. If something on this page is out of date, tell us and we will fix it.
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