From student to Specified Skilled Worker

If you study in Japan on a Student visa (留学), you can change to Specified Skilled Worker (i) (特定技能1号) without leaving Japan. You need to pass two tests, get a job offer, and apply to Immigration.

What you need

• A skills test for the field you want to work in. Each field has its own test.
• A Japanese test. The basic level is N4 of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test, enough for daily conversation. Some jobs need N3: taxi and bus drivers, and railway station staff.
• A job offer from an employer in that field, with an employment contract (雇用契約).
• A health check. A check at a hospital in Japan within the last year is accepted.

You can take the tests in Japan while you have a status of residence. Passing the tests does not guarantee the visa. Test dates and places are on the official Specified Skilled Worker website (13 languages).

Things Immigration checks

• Your school attendance. If you did not attend school well, the change is not allowed, as a rule, unless you had a valid reason.
• Taxes, pension and health insurance. If you have not paid them, the review takes longer or the change is refused. Check your payments before you apply.
• Your part-time work. As a student, you can only work with permission (資格外活動許可), up to 28 hours a week.

If your student visa ends before you are ready

If you cannot prepare the documents before your Student visa expires, you can apply for Designated Activities (6 months, work allowed) (特定活動（6月・就労可）). You work at the employer that will hire you while you prepare.

• This time counts toward the 5-year limit of Type (i).
• You cannot change to another employer and apply again, as a rule.
• Immigration asks people to apply for Type (i) directly when they can, because many applications make the review slow.

Your family

With Type (i), you cannot bring your family, as a rule. But if your spouse or children already live in Japan on a Dependent visa (家族滞在) when you change from Student to Type (i), they may be allowed to stay. Ask Immigration about your case.

After you start working

Your employer must give you 10 kinds of support, free of charge, in a language you understand. You can check them yourself.