Quick answer: Most foreigners in Japan can work part-time only if their residence status allows it. Students and dependents must first get a free work permit from immigration, called shikakugai katsudō kyoka (資格外活動許可), and can then work up to 28 hours a week. Popular jobs include convenience stores, restaurants, hotels, warehouses and English tutoring. Since October 2026, minimum wages range from ¥1,085 an hour in Miyazaki to ¥1,280 in Tokyo.
Finding a part-time job (arubaito or baito) is one of the first things many international students and newcomers do in Japan. It helps with rent, gets you speaking Japanese every day, and gives you real work experience in Japan. The rules, though, are stricter than in many countries, and breaking them by accident can put your visa at risk. This guide walks you through the whole process, from checking that you are allowed to work to getting your first payslip.
Quick facts: part-time work in Japan (2026)
| Topic | What you need to know |
|---|---|
| Work permit | Required for Student, Dependent and some other statuses. It is free and is stamped on your residence card. |
| Weekly hour limit | 28 hours a week, counting all jobs together. |
| During long school breaks | Students can work up to 8 hours a day during official breaks. |
| Minimum wage | Set by prefecture. ¥1,280 in Tokyo, ¥1,231 in Osaka, ¥1,085 in Miyazaki. The national average is ¥1,177 (FY2026). |
| Night work | At least 25% extra pay between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. |
| Jobs you can never do | Bars with hosts or hostesses, adult entertainment, and pachinko or mahjong parlors, even if you only clean or wash dishes. |
Step 1: Check whether your visa lets you work part-time
In Japan, your residence status decides what work you can do. Look at your residence card (zairyū kādo) and find your status below.
| Residence status | Can you work part-time? |
|---|---|
| Student (留学) | Yes, after you get the work permit. Up to 28 hours a week, or 8 hours a day during long breaks. |
| Dependent (家族滞在) | Yes, after you get the work permit. Up to 28 hours a week. |
| Working Holiday (Designated Activities) | Yes. Your permission is attached to your passport. No 28-hour limit, but adult entertainment jobs are banned. |
| Spouse or child of a Japanese national, Permanent Resident, Long-Term Resident | Yes, with no hour limit and no permit needed. |
| Work visas (Engineer/Specialist in Humanities, Specified Skilled Worker, etc.) | Only work that fits your status. A side job outside it needs separate permission, which is not always granted. |
| Temporary Visitor (tourist) | No. Working on a tourist entry is illegal. |
If you are still planning your move, our guides on applying for a student visa and moving to Japan explain the visa side in more detail.
Step 2: Get permission to work (資格外活動許可)
The official name is “Permission to Engage in Activity other than that Permitted under the Status of Residence Previously Granted.” It sounds complicated, but the process is simple, and there is no fee.
If you are arriving in Japan as a student
Apply at the airport when you land at Narita, Haneda, Kansai, Chubu and the other main airports. Fill in the application form, hand it in with your passport at immigration, and the permission is usually stamped on the back of your new residence card on the spot.
If you are already in Japan
Apply at your regional immigration bureau. Bring:
- The application form, downloadable from the Immigration Services Agency website
- Your residence card
- Your passport
- Your student ID or a document from your school, if you are a student
Processing usually takes from a few days to a few weeks. The permission ends when your current period of stay ends, so you need to apply again when you renew your visa. Official details are on the Immigration Services Agency website.
Step 3: Understand the 28-hour rule
The 28-hour limit is the rule that gets international students into the most trouble. Here is how it works in practice:
- It covers all jobs combined. If you work 20 hours at a convenience store and 10 hours at a restaurant, that is 30 hours, which is over the limit.
- It applies to any 7-day period, not just Monday to Sunday. Be careful with shift swaps that pile up in one week.
- Long breaks are different for students. During official school breaks (summer, winter and spring, as set by your school), students may work up to 8 hours a day. Dependents do not get this exception.
- You lose the right to work if you stop studying. Part-time work is not allowed during a leave of absence or after you have finished school or been expelled.
Going over the limit can lead to your visa not being renewed, a fine, or deportation. Immigration checks your income through your tax records when you renew, so keep a simple record of your hours for every job.
Jobs foreigners on a work permit cannot do
Even with permission, students and dependents cannot work at businesses covered by Japan’s adult entertainment law (風営法). This includes host and hostess clubs, snack bars where staff entertain customers, adult entertainment shops, and pachinko, pachislot and mahjong parlors. The ban covers every role at these places, including dishwashing, cleaning and reception. If a job advert is unclear, ask what kind of business it is before you accept.
The most common part-time jobs for foreigners
| Job | Japanese needed | Why people choose it |
|---|---|---|
| Convenience store (konbini) | Intermediate (around JLPT N3) | Lots of openings, shifts at any hour, and great Japanese practice |
| Restaurant, café or izakaya | Basic for kitchen work, conversational for serving | Free or cheap staff meals, flexible shifts |
| Factory or warehouse line work | Little to none | Simple tasks, often hired through staffing agencies |
| Hotel and hospitality | Conversational; English is a plus | Higher demand in tourist areas, and your other languages count |
| English or language tutoring | Little needed | Better pay per hour, but pupils can be harder to find |
| Translation and interpreting | Business level in both languages | Uses your language skills directly; great for your CV |
| Retail and duty-free stores | Conversational; Chinese, Korean or English valued | Busy tourist shops actively hire multilingual staff |
If you want to turn part-time work into a career, see our guides to the best jobs for foreigners in Japan and the highest-paying jobs for foreigners.
How much can you earn?
Japan’s minimum wage is set by each prefecture and goes up every autumn. After the FY2026 increases, Tokyo has the highest rate at ¥1,280 an hour and Miyazaki the lowest at ¥1,085.
| Prefecture | Minimum hourly wage (FY2026) |
|---|---|
| Tokyo | ¥1,280 |
| Kanagawa | ¥1,279 |
| Osaka | ¥1,231 |
| Aichi | ¥1,195 |
| Fukuoka | ¥1,114 |
| Miyazaki (lowest) | ¥1,085 |
Many employers pay more than the minimum, especially for night shifts, weekends or jobs that use English. By law, work between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. must be paid at least 25% extra. Most employers also cover your train fare to work, so ask about kōtsūhi (transport allowance) at your interview.
As a rough example, a student working 28 hours a week at ¥1,280 an hour in Tokyo earns about ¥143,000 a month before tax.
Where to find part-time jobs in Japan
- Japanese job sites: Townwork, Baitoru and Indeed Japan list the most jobs. Search in Japanese for the best results (アルバイト plus your area).
- Sites for foreigners: YOLO Japan, GaijinPot Jobs and Jobs in Japan list roles open to foreign applicants, often with English descriptions.
- Your school: Universities and language schools often have job boards, and on-campus jobs are usually more understanding about class schedules.
- Walk-in signs: Look for “スタッフ募集” (staff wanted) posters in shop windows. Ask in person; many small shops hire this way.
- Friends and community groups: Many jobs are filled through referrals from other international students.
Translation and job apps make the search much easier. See our picks of the best translation apps and 15 essential apps for living in Japan.
How to apply and pass the interview
- Prepare a Japanese résumé (履歴書, rirekisho). Many employers still expect the standard Japanese format, sold at convenience stores or available as a free template online. Attach a recent ID photo and write your available days and hours clearly.
- Call or apply online. When you call, say your name, that you saw the advert, and ask for an interview (面接, mensetsu).
- Bring your residence card to the interview. The employer must check that you are allowed to work and will look at the permission stamp on the back.
- Dress neatly and arrive 5–10 minutes early. Simple, clean clothes are fine for most part-time roles.
- Be clear about your hour limit. Tell the employer you can work up to 28 hours a week. A good employer will respect this; one who pushes you to go over it is a red flag.
Before your first day, you will usually need a Japanese bank account for your wages and your My Number (individual number) for tax purposes.
Tax and insurance basics for part-time workers
- Income tax: For 2026 and 2027, the income level at which income tax starts has been raised to ¥1.78 million a year for most people. Your employer may still withhold some tax each month; you can often get it back by filing a return or through year-end adjustment.
- Resident tax (住民税): This local tax can start at a lower income than income tax and is billed the year after you earn the money. Check the exact threshold with your city or ward office.
- Health insurance: Everyone living in Japan for more than three months must join a health insurance plan. Students usually join National Health Insurance through their city office.
- Social insurance through work: From October 2026, the old ¥1.06 million wage condition was removed, and working 20 or more scheduled hours a week is becoming the main test for joining your employer’s health and pension plans. Full-time daytime students are generally excluded, but ask your employer how this applies to you.
For more detail, read our guide to health insurance in Japan for foreigners.
Know your rights at work
Foreign part-time workers have the same rights under Japanese labor law as Japanese workers. That means:
- You should receive written working conditions (労働条件通知書) showing your pay, hours and duties
- You must be paid at least the minimum wage for every hour, including training
- Overtime beyond 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week, and late-night work, must be paid at a higher rate
- After six months of steady work, you are entitled to paid leave, even as a part-timer
- Your employer cannot keep your passport or residence card
If something goes wrong, contact the Foreign Residents Support Center (FRESC) or your local Labor Standards Inspection Office, both of which offer help in multiple languages.
Frequently asked questions
Can I work part-time in Japan on a student visa?
Yes, but only after you get permission from immigration. You can then work up to 28 hours a week, or up to 8 hours a day during official school breaks.
What happens if I work more than 28 hours a week?
Your visa renewal may be refused, and serious cases can lead to deportation. The limit counts all your jobs together, so track your hours carefully.
Do I need to speak Japanese to get a part-time job?
Not always. Factory, warehouse and kitchen jobs need little Japanese, and some hotels, tourist shops and language schools hire English speakers. Basic Japanese, though, opens up far more choices and usually better pay.
Can I do Uber Eats or freelance work as a student?
Delivery work as an independent contractor is treated differently from regular employment and may need a separate, individual permission. Check with your immigration bureau before you start.
Can I keep my part-time job after I graduate?
Only until your student status ends or changes. To keep working full time, you need to change to a work visa. Our student-to-work visa guide explains the timeline.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Immigration rules and wages change; always confirm with the Immigration Services Agency of Japan or your school’s international office before making decisions.