🔎 Smart Job Hunting
How Your First Job in Japan Works — From Applying to Your First Day, What Happens?
Once you can see the whole picture, your worry is cut in half
📖 8 min read📅 2026-08-17
"I got the job offer. But from here until I actually start, no one tells me what I'm supposed to do."
Sunita (23), from Chitwan, Nepal, received a job offer from a food company in the winter of the year she was graduating from Japanese language school. She was happy, but her head was spinning.
"Do I have to change my residence status?" "When can I start working?" "How many months until I start?" — she had few senior peers who had found jobs in Japan, and when she searched on social media, the information was all over the place. From the job offer to her first day, it felt like walking through fog.
What worried Sunita most was that she "couldn't see the overall flow." She didn't know what would happen next or what she herself should do. So every single step of the process felt scarier than it needed to be.
But once you understand the flow, you'll be fine. Finding a job in Japan actually proceeds in a set order. It differs a little depending on whether you're coming from abroad or are already in Japan, but the big map is the same.
Once Sunita understood the flow, she was able to prepare calmly. Three months later, she started her job without a hitch. "When you can see what's ahead, it's this much easier," she told us.
For you, as you prepare to work in Japan, we've organized the flow from applying to your first day in FAQ form.
Finding a job in Japan proceeds in this flow: "① Apply & interview → ② Job offer → ③ Residence status procedures → ④ Start work." Because the procedures differ depending on whether you are "abroad" or "already in Japan," we explain both.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Q.Once I get a job offer, can I start working right away?
A.No — in many cases you can't start right away. To work in Japan, you need a "residence status" that matches the job content. People who already hold a work-eligible status (for example, changing jobs to the same occupation under Gijinkoku — Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services) can sometimes start right away, but people who are abroad, or who need to change their residence status, can only start after the procedures at immigration are complete. The procedures usually take 1–3 months.
Q.If I am abroad, what does the flow look like?
A.If you are coming from abroad, you need a document called a "Certificate of Eligibility (COE)." The flow is: ① the hiring company in Japan applies to immigration for the COE on your behalf (review takes 1–3 months), ② once the COE is issued, you apply for a visa (sasho) at the Japanese embassy or consulate in your home country, ③ once the visa is granted you travel to Japan, ④ you receive your residence card at the airport and start work. The company leads much of this, but you prepare the required documents (graduation certificate, passport, etc.).
Q.If I am already in Japan, what is different?
A.If you are already in Japan on a student or other residence status, a COE is often unnecessary, and you file an "Application for Change of Status of Residence" with immigration (for example, Student → Gijinkoku). The review usually takes about 2 weeks to 1 month. You can start work only after the permission is granted and you receive your new residence card. If an international student starts full-time work on their own as an extension of part-time work, it is a violation of permitted activities (shikakugai katsudo), so be sure to wait for the change of status permission.
Q.What do I need to prepare myself before starting?
A.Mainly: ① passport, ② ID photos, ③ graduation certificate and academic transcript (when your educational background is the basis for the residence status), ④ work history and résumé, ⑤ residence card (if you are in Japan). The company will provide an employment contract and a written notice of working conditions. Before you sign, always check that the salary, working hours, social insurance, and job content match what was explained (our article on how to read a job listing may also help).
Q.Are there procedures I should do right after I start?
A.Yes, several. ① Resident registration (within 14 days of moving, at your municipal office), ② submitting your My Number to the company, ③ opening a bank account (for salary transfer), ④ enrolling in health insurance and employees' pension (the company handles this), ⑤ the notification to immigration about your affiliated organization regarding your residence status (notify immigration within 14 days about your new workplace). The first two weeks involve a lot to do, but if you take it one step at a time, you'll be fine.
Q.I'm anxious about the procedures. How much will the company help?
A.In many cases the company — or a registered support organization or staffing company acting in between — will support the residence status application and the joining procedures. However, it's important not to "leave everything to the company" and to understand the flow yourself too. Delays in procedures or document errors directly affect your start date and your residence status. Don't hesitate to ask the company's HR staff about anything you don't understand. On GloJob, you can check whether a job offers residence status support and onboarding support.
🤝 Where to get help (free, multilingual, anonymous OK)
Comprehensive Information Center for Foreign Residents (Immigration Services Agency)
You can inquire in multiple languages about residence status, COE, and change procedures.
🌐 English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Portuguese, and other languages ⏰ Weekdays 8:30–17:15
📝 Contact via web →📞 0570-013904
