Restaurant work in Japan 

1) Residence status of employment 

The residence status allowing employment varies between part-time and full-time employment.

We will start with the residence status that allows part-time employment.

In the case of part-time employment

Student

Originally, a person with the residence status of “International student” alone is not allowed to work. However, if you have “permission to engage in activities other than those permitted under your residence status”, you may work part-time up to 28 hours per week. (up to 8 hours per day during long holidays (summer for instance). However, it excludes the adult entertainment industry. The permission to engage in an another activity will be checked at the back of your Residence Card in the attributed column

For more information on International Student status of residence, click here.

Dependent Visa

Similarly, only those with “Permission to Engage in Activity other than that permitted under the status of residence” are allowed to work up to 28 hours per week. There are no restrictions on the type of work you can do.

For more information on the Dependent residence status, please click here.

      b)   In the case of regular employment 

Skilled Labor 

“Skilled Labor" is a residence status that allows you, a foreigner, to come to Japan to work in industries that do not exist in Japan or that require a higher level of skill than those in Japan. Only food preparation is permitted. As this is a highly specialized visa requiring a high level of skill, it is not possible to employ a foreigner as a Japanese chef. In addition, you must have at least 10 years of work experience as a chef to obtain a permit. 

Designated Activities 46.

In 2019, for the purpose of supporting the employment of foreign students who have graduated from or completed a Japanese university or graduate school, they will be allowed to engage in a wide range of activities, with the requirement that they make use of their high level of Japanese language proficiency. These are "Designated Activities No. 46".

High proficiency in Japanese means not only the ability to understand instructions and carry out tasks, but also the ability to carry out tasks involving elements of "translation and interpretation" and the ability to communicate smoothly with others. Under this system, restaurant operators are allowed to hire workers to perform store management and customer service work that includes interpreting (it is also possible to provide customer service to Japanese people). Therefore, you will not be allowed to work only as a dishwasher or cleaner in the kitchen.

The applicant must have completed a course at a Japanese university or graduate school and have a score of 480 or higher on the Japanese Language Proficiency Test N1 or the BJT Business Japanese Proficiency Test (if the applicant has graduated from a university with a major in "Japanese", they are considered qualified).

Reference: Immigration Bureau

Specified Skilled Workers 

 The "Specified Skilled Workers" system is a system designed to admit foreigners with a certain level of expertise and skills in industrial fields where it is difficult to find domestic human resources. To obtain this visa, you must pass the Japanese Language Proficiency Test and the Food Service Industry Skills Test, which requires knowledge of hygiene management, food and beverage preparation, and customer service in general.

After receiving employment, your company must provide living support such as accommodation. The maximum period of stay is five years, so if you wish to continue, you must change your residence status to another at some point in time.

For more information on "Specified Skilled Workers", please visit this page.

Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services

It is said that it is difficult to receive employment as a  foreigner with a "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services" residency status in the restaurant industry. However, it may be possible to receive employment as a staff member at the head office of a company that operates several restaurants or as a company manager.

If you would like to know more about "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services", please click here.

-Residence status allowing part-time and full-time employment

Permanent resident, spouse or child of a Japanese national, spouse or child of a permanent resident.

These statuses have no restrictions on activities, so employment for the purpose of simple labor is possible.

2) Points to consider when joining a restaurant

The following points should be considered when joining a restaurant.

Confirmation of residence status 

Before joining a restaurant, make sure to ask your employers if you have the right residence of status in order to work. If you enter a restaurant, you might have legal issues and your employer and you might be charged with “Encouraging illegal employment”

Problems due to cultural differences and language barriers

Once employed, you may not be able to speak Japanese as well as you thought you could. In addition to Japanese language skills, there are other aspects of customer service that are required, such as common manners. By asking your company for a manual throughout the restaurant, you can reduce the number of problems. Many Japanese expressions are ambiguous and often difficult for foreigners to understand. To ensure proper understanding, it is important to give precise instructions without abbreviating the content. It is also important to explain to Japanese employees the differences in culture and values when welcoming foreign employees so make sure with your employer that everything is done for you to receive a warm welcome.

3) Procedure for welcoming foreigners

The following steps must be taken in order to effectively accept foreigners in the construction industry.

〈Recruitment〉

There are a variety of ways to join restaurants and get hired, you might want to try using social networking websites or try to talk with your Japanese language school if they have any partnerships.

　①Selection - Hiring

During the selection, you will have to go through document checks and interviews just as a Japanese person. 

Be sure to have everything in order and not to forget your Residence Card when you are going to a formal interview.

The employment contract should both be written in plain Japanese and in your native language so that both parties understand the terms of it.

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　③Application for Residence Status　

 When hiring a foreigner residing in Japan

In most cases, an "application for permission to change residence status" or "application for permission to extend the period of stay" is submitted to the Immigration and Residence Management Agency.

Please refer to the website of the Immigration Control of Japanese and Foreign Nationals for the documents to be submitted for each application.

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　④If you are coming from outside Japan　

An "Application for Certificate of Eligibility" must be submitted. After the Certificate of Eligibility is issued, apply for a visa at a Japanese embassy or consulate abroad and then receive your admission letter to come work in Japan !