After YOU join a Japanese Company

1) Guidelines your company will follow

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Guidelines for Employers to Improve the Management of Employment of Foreign Workers outlines the necessary measures that employers should take when employing YOU.

The Guidelines set out the basic direction that administrative agencies should follow in order to fulfill their responsibilities and other obligations to the public. As they are only guidelines, they are not legally binding but you must still have knowledge about them, as you will understand if you are receiving any abuses or are being exploited.

This page explains what you should expect from your employers after joining the company in accordance with these guidelines.

Please note that “foreigners” in these guidelines refer to persons who are not Japanese citizens and include holders of normal kinds of status of residence.

However, special permanent residents and those whose residence status is "Diplomatic" or "Official" are not included.

2) Ensuring decent working conditions

・Payment of wages (Guideline 4-2-3)

As a foreign worker, you are also subject to the Minimum Wage Act and must be paid above the minimum wave. Even if housing and other expenses are deducted in accordance with an employer/employee agreement, care must be taken to ensure that the amount is not unreasonable.

・Management of working time (Guideline 4-2-4)

The company employing you must respect legal limits on working hours and overtime, and ensure proper management of working time, including a weekly rest day.

In addition, the use of paid leave should be actively encouraged and the decision on the timing of the leave should be respected by your employers. Also, efforts should be made to keep records in an objectively recognisable manner, such as time cards, in order to determine the status of working hours and the payments.

・Handling of identity cards, etc. (Guideline 4-2-7)

Employers should not keep passports or residence cards of foreign workers.

If, in accordance with the Labour Standards Law, the return of money or goods belonging to the rights of a foreign worker is requested, it must be returned within seven days of the request.

・Accommodation (Guideline 4-2-8)

If you are accommodated in a boarding house attached to the project, take the necessary measures to maintain the health, public morals and life of the workers in accordance with the labor standards Law and other regulations 

Efforts should be made to ensure the following (Guideline 4-3).

The following should be implemented by your company in a way that you would understand every step accurately, even if it means using interpreters, audio-visual materials and simple manuals.

• Provision of health and safety training

• Training in the prevention of occupational accidents.

• Health screening.

• Health advice and counseling

• Accommodation for pregnant and breastfeeding women

4) Submission of the Notification of Employment Status of Foreign Nationals　　　　 

According to Article 28, Paragraph 1 of the Law on Comprehensive Promotion of Labour Policy and Stabilization of Employment and Improvement of Working Life of Workers, a "Notification on the Employment of Foreigners " must be submitted to you when you are newly employed (Guideline 5).

If you join your company insurance, the submission of the 'Notification of Acquisition of Employment Insurance Qualification' or the 'Notification for Loss of Employment Insurance Qualification' will replace the 'Notification of employment status of foreigners', but if you do not want to join the company insurance, then, a 'Notification of employment status of foreigners' must be completed and submitted to Hello Work.

〈Matters to be notified〉

・In the case of registration for employment insurance:

Name, residence status, length of stay, date of birth, gender, nationality and region as well as matters relating to the foreigner's employment status (job title, salary, address, etc.) are to be included in the notification.

・However, if the foreigner is not covered by employment insurance:

Name, residence status, duration of residence, date of birth, sex and nationality/region and residence card number.

In order to protect your privacy, no questions other than those listed above should be asked by your company.

〈Method of confirmation〉

When confirming the above, you will be asked to provide your residence card, a passeport or even a residence status certificate for those of you who do not have a residence card, and they will confirm the matters to be notified 

However, there are cases where it can be judged with ordinary care that you are a foreigner, when you are clear from the name, language… when for instance it is possible to judge that you are a foreigner without any special investigation being required. 

Also, there are time limits for registration for health insurances. 

In the case of registration for employment insurance, you must register by the 10th of the month following the month of employment.

If you are not registered for insurance, you must do it by the end of the month following the month of recruitment.

5) Compliance with social security procedures

Your employer must carry out the necessary insurance procedures in accordance with the laws and regulations on labor and social insurance (Guideline 4-4-1). You will be required to take out four types of insurance related to your employment. “Health insurance, industrial injury insurance, labor insurance and pension insurance”.

〈Health insurance〉

If you are hired by a company that is required by law to enroll in social security and health insurance, the company must submit a “Notification of Acquisition of Employment Insurance Qualification” to the Japan Pension Service within five days of employment, either electronically, by mail or by bringing the form to the office.

At that time, you will have to prepare a basic pension number notification, a pension book or “my number card” which your employer will need for the procedure.

See below for more information on health insurance.

⇒About health insurance

〈Workers' compensation insurance〉

When an employer hires you, they must submit a 'Notification of Relationship with an Insured Person and a 'Certificate of All Historical Matters' to the relevant Labour Standards Inspection Office within 10 days of the first day of employment.

In addition, a 'Declaration of Estimated Labour Insurance Premiums' must be submitted to the labor standards office within 50 days.

Once these documents have been submitted, there is no need to complete individual enrolment procedures each time a new employee joins the company.

〈Employment insurance〉

When you are hired, a ‘Notification of Acquisition of Employment Insurance Qualification’ will be submitted to the Hello Work office responsible for your employer’s place of business. When they do, Hello Work will be notified of your employment status.

Thereafter, each time a new employee is hired, a 'Notification of Acquisition of Employment Insurance Qualification' must be submitted to Hello Work. The employer must then give you the 'Employment Insurance Certificate' issued by Hello Work upon submission of this notification.

The deadline for submitting the declaration of employment is the 10th of the month following the month of employment.

When registering you, the following information must be provided on the “Employment Insurance Certificate form”:

(1) Name (2) Residence status (3) Period of residence (4) Date of birth (5) Sex (6) Nationality and region

(7) Name and place of business where the person is employed, etc.

Depending on whether you are covered by your job’s insurance or not, your company will have to send different Notifications of Employment to Hello Work.

From March 2020, a 'Notification of Residence Card Number' will be required. It is completely separated from the ‘Notification of Acquisition of Employment Insurance Qualification’

〈Pension insurance〉

As with enrolment in health insurance, if you are employed in a qualifying workplace and wish to enroll in the Employees' Pension Insurance Scheme, you must submit a ‘Notification of the Acquisition of the

Qualifications of an Insured Person' to the Japan Pension Service within five days of starting employment, either electronically, by mail or in person.

For more information on pension insurance, see

⇒About pension insurance

[Help with insurance claims, etc.]

Also, employers must endeavor to provide advice and, in some cases, necessary assistance to foreign workers and their family members when they are consulted about workers' compensation benefits and sickness benefits in the event of illness or injury of a foreign worker (Guideline 4-4-2).

6) Appointment of persons responsible for your work.　 

When employing 10 or more foreign workers on a regular basis, your employer must appoint the Head of the Human Resources Department. This person will be in charge of employment and labor management. (Guideline 6)

7) Assistance with renewal of residence status

A different type of assistance from that provided to Japanese workers is assistance in renewing the status of residence, etc. (Guideline 4-5-6). Whenever you feel like changing your residence status or renewing your period of residence, you must be given the necessary consideration or assistance in carrying out the necessary procedures.

When carrying out procedures related to residence status, you will have to visit an immigration office and your employer must give you a reasonable amount of time to visit it and make your appointments.

In addition, it should be clarified in advance whether the time required for the application procedure is to be treated as working time or as paid leave.

If your residence status’ period of stay expires and is not renewed, the employment relationship with your company must be terminated and the necessary assistance must be provided for the various procedures.

If you are not in a position to cover the travel costs necessary to return to your home country temporarily or to return home, consideration should be given to ensuring a smooth departure from the country by covering your travel costs.

8) Employment management, livelihood support, etc.

The following environment will be given in order to have you adapt smoothly to the workplace and to work while being satisfied with their evaluation and treatment in the workplace (Guidelines 4-5-1 and 4-5-4)

Some of the key elements of this system are: - Ensuring transparency and fairness in human resource management processes such as appraisals, salary setting and assignments.

Implementation of introductory training and education and training in the native language.

Your employers are required to provide Japanese language training and support to deepen your understanding of Japanese lifestyle, culture, customs and employment practices so you can adapt to Japanese society (Guideline 4-5-2)

In addition, to enable them to live their daily lives with peace of mind, they should be provided with various information on administrative, medical and financial institutions and accompanied as necessary.

Efforts will be made to establish a contact point of system for you to discuss your professional and daily life concerns and you should also be receiving counseling services provided by administrative bodies (Guideline 4-5-3)