📑 Visa & Law
What You Can and Can't Do on the Gijinkoku Visa
The real meaning of "no unskilled labor" — it's decided by the work itself, not the industry
📖 9 min read📅 2026-08-31
"With this visa, you can't do assembly-line work in a factory," I was told, and my head spun. A senior colleague at the same factory had the very same visa, and yet—.
Raj (27), from Bengaluru, India, studied mechanical engineering at university and was hired by a Japanese manufacturing company on the Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services (Gijinkoku) residence status. He was assigned to the design department. But during a short-staffed period, his boss told him, "For a while, help out with the work on the line too."
At that point, an acquaintance of his — an administrative scrivener (gyosei shoshi) — grew worried and said: "Gijinkoku is a visa where you can't do unskilled labor. If they keep making you do line work, it could become a problem at your next visa renewal."
Raj was confused. So why had a senior colleague on the same Gijinkoku visa done on-site training right after joining the company? Was it "no good because it's manufacturing," or was it a matter of "the content of the work"?
In fact, there's a big misunderstanding here. Gijinkoku does not draw the line by "industry." It is judged by "the content of the work the person actually performs." Even in the same manufacturing industry, design and programming are fine, but unskilled line work alone is not. However, temporary on-site experience as part of training right after joining is recognized, as long as Japanese employees go through the same thing.
Where exactly is the boundary between "what you can do" and "what you can't"? Based on the guidelines of the Immigration Services Agency, we've laid it out accurately in FAQ form.
Gijinkoku is a residence status for "work that uses specialized knowledge and skills." What matters is that it isn't decided uniformly by industry (manufacturing, food service, etc.), but by "what kind of work you actually do." Let's look at some common questions.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Q.What kinds of work can I do on the Gijinkoku visa?
A.You can do work in roughly three broad fields. ① "Engineer" = work that uses knowledge of natural sciences such as science and engineering (IT engineer, design, technical development, etc.); ② "Specialist in Humanities" = work that uses knowledge of the humanities such as law, economics, and business management (planning, sales, accounting, marketing, etc.); ③ "International Services" = work that uses thinking and sensibilities based on foreign cultures (interpretation, translation, language instruction, overseas trade, design, etc.). What they all share is that they are "work requiring specialized ability at or above a certain level."
Q.I often hear "you can't do unskilled labor." Is that true?
A.It's true. Gijinkoku presupposes "activities requiring specialized ability at or above a certain level, backed by an academic foundation." Work described in job listings as "no experience needed — you'll get used to it quickly," work that Japanese employees generally do without any special skills or knowledge, and tasks that can be learned through repetitive training (simple line work in manufacturing, cleaning only, customer service only, etc.) are in principle not eligible. But — the important point is that this is decided by "the content of the work," not by "industry."
Q.If it's "manufacturing" or "food service," can't I work on Gijinkoku?
A.No, it isn't decided uniformly by industry. What's judged is "the content of the work you actually do." For example, even in manufacturing, design, programming, or technical development are fine on Gijinkoku. Even in food service, head-office work involving store planning, public relations, or interpreting is fine. On the other hand, in the same industries, work consisting only of simple line work, or only cooking or customer service, is outside the scope of Gijinkoku. It's not a simple line of "no good because it's manufacturing" or "no good because it's food service" — they look at whether the work has specialized content.
Q.I was made to do on-site training right after joining. Is that a violation?
A.It can't be called a violation across the board. Under the Immigration Services Agency's guidelines, performing on-site work temporarily (customer service at a restaurant, in-store sales, factory line work, etc.) as part of training right after joining the company may be recognized. The conditions are: ① that Japanese new graduates and others receive the same training, and ② that the training isn't so long that it takes up the majority of your period of stay. Note that if on-site training continues beyond one year from hiring, you may be asked to submit a training plan. If only foreign nationals keep being made to do on-site work, it can become a problem, so if it drags on, check on it.
Q.Is it okay if my university major and my job content are different?
A.For "Engineer" and "Specialist in Humanities," relevance is required between the major you studied at university and your job content. However, in the case of a university graduate, relevance is judged relatively flexibly. On the other hand, for graduates of a Japanese vocational school (specialist / senmonshi), a "considerable degree of relevance" between the major and the work is required, and it's looked at more strictly. "International Services" (interpretation, translation, etc.) is judged by practical experience rather than major. Since a large gap between your major and your job makes denial more likely, be especially careful when your work changes due to a job change.
Q.Can I get Gijinkoku through practical experience even without academic credentials?
A.In some cases, yes. For "Engineer" and "Specialist in Humanities," even without academic credentials such as a university degree, you can be recognized if you have 10 or more years of practical experience related to that work (the period you studied related subjects at a university, etc., can be included in the calculation). For "International Services," 3 or more years of practical experience is required. However, when a university graduate takes up work in translation, interpretation, or language instruction, it can be recognized even without practical experience.
Q.When I change jobs and my work content changes, what should I watch out for?
A.If you're only changing to work within the range recognized under the same Gijinkoku, you don't need to change your residence status. However, when you're unsure whether the new job is truly work you can do under your current residence status, obtaining a "Certificate of Authorized Employment" gives peace of mind. This is "a document in which Immigration certifies that you can do that work." It isn't an obligation, but it serves as a means of confirmation for both you and your new employer. Note that from April 2026, when you take up work that "mainly uses language ability," such as interpretation, translation, or customer service, you're required to submit documents proving Japanese language ability and the like.
🤝 Where to get help (free, multilingual, anonymous OK)
Immigration Information Center (Immigration Services Agency)
You can get multilingual consultations about the range of work allowed under your residence status, job changes, and the Certificate of Authorized Employment.
🌐 Multiple languages including English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, and Portuguese ⏰ Weekdays 8:30–17:15
📝 Contact via web →📞 0570-013904
