The 28-Hour Work Rule in Japan (2026): Part-Time Work for Student and Dependent Visa Holders

Quick answer (30 seconds): If you're in Japan on a Student (留学) or Dependent / Family Stay (家族滞在) status, you can do part-time work only after you have the right permission — the 資格外活動許可 (permission to engage in activity other than that permitted) — and you're then capped at 28 hours per week. Students get one important bonus: during your school's official long vacations (summer, winter, spring breaks), the limit rises to up to 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week. Dependent (家族滞在) holders do NOT get that vacation bump — it stays 28 hours a week all year. The 28 hours is counted across all your jobs combined, and certain work (the adult-entertainment industry) is prohibited even within your allowed hours. From 2026, enforcement is tighter: schools check your hours quarterly, employers report, and exceeding the cap can block your visa renewal or your future switch to a work visa.

ℹ️ The exact conditions depend on the permission stamped on your residence card and your status. Confirm yours with the Immigration Services Agency (ISA) and your school's international office.

First: the permission itself (資格外活動許可)

Your Student or Dependent status is, on paper, for studying or living with family — not for working. To work part-time legally, you need the permission to engage in activity other than that permitted under your status (資格外活動許可).

• Many students receive this permission automatically at the airport when their residence card is issued (look for the part-time-work permission stamp), or apply for it at a regional Immigration office.
• Dependent (家族滞在) holders generally apply for it at Immigration after arriving.
• Once granted, the permission stays valid even if you change jobs, and it can be renewed together with your status of residence.

Working without this permission is a violation regardless of how many hours you work. So step one is always: do I actually have the permission?

Students: 28 hours/week, and the vacation exception

For Student (留学) status holders with the permission:

• During term: up to 28 hours per week.
• During the school's official long vacations (summer, winter, spring breaks set by your institution): up to 8 hours per day, 40 hours per week.

Two things matter here:

1. "Official school vacation" means your school's calendar, not a period you decide is convenient. If your school is technically in session, the 28-hour cap applies even if you personally have no classes that week.
2. The vacation rule is a daily and weekly limit (8h/day and 40h/week) — both apply.

Dependent (家族滞在) holders: 28 hours, no bump

For Dependent / Family Stay (家族滞在) holders with the permission:

• 28 hours per week, all year.
• There is no long-vacation exception. Even during Golden Week, holidays, or when your spouse is off work, you cannot exceed 28 hours a week.

This is a common and costly misunderstanding — dependents sometimes assume the student vacation rule applies to them. It does not.

	Student (留学)	Dependent (家族滞在)
Permission required	資格外活動許可 (often auto-issued at entry)	資格外活動許可 (apply at Immigration)
During term	28 hours/week	28 hours/week
Official long vacation	Up to 8h/day, 40 hours/week	No increase — still 28h/week
Prohibited work	Adult-entertainment industry	Adult-entertainment industry

How the 28 hours are counted

A few rules that catch people out:

• It's per week (a calendar week, not averaged over a month). You can't work 56 hours one week and zero the next to "balance."
• It's all jobs combined. If you have two or three part-time jobs, the hours add up toward the same 28-hour limit. One job at 20 hours plus another at 12 hours is 32 hours — over the limit, even though neither job alone exceeds 28.
• Keep your own record of hours across every employer. With 2026's stricter checks, you may be asked to account for them.

Prohibited work

Even within your permitted hours, some work is off-limits:

• Work in the adult-entertainment industry (風俗営業) and related businesses is prohibited for those on this permission — including non-customer-facing roles at such establishments.

Taking prohibited work, or exceeding the hour cap, can seriously damage your ability to renew your status or later switch to a work visa.

2026 enforcement is tighter

The rules above aren't new, but enforcement in 2026 is stricter, especially around students:

• Quarterly checks by schools: institutions are expected to verify students' part-time work roughly every three months, including employer names and hours.
• Reporting to Immigration: schools are expected to report violations (over-hours work) to Immigration.
• Record cross-checks: authorities can cross-reference tax and other records to detect over-limit work, including for dependents.

In practice: the days of quietly working extra hours are ending. Staying inside the cap — and being able to show it — is the safe path.

Why exceeding the cap is risky

Going over 28 hours (or working without permission, or in prohibited work) isn't just a paperwork issue. It can:

• Block your visa renewal when you next extend your status.
• Block your switch to a work visa after graduation — a common goal that over-hours work can quietly sabotage.
• In serious cases, lead to other immigration consequences.

The protective move is simple and boring: get the permission, stay within the hours, avoid prohibited work, and keep records.

Compliance checklist

• Confirm you have the 資格外活動許可 (check your residence card / apply at Immigration if not).
• Know your status's limit: 28h/week (Student term-time and Dependent), or 40h/week only during your school's official vacation (Students).
• Add up hours across all jobs every week, and keep your own log.
• Avoid prohibited (adult-entertainment) work entirely.
• If you're a dependent, remember there is no vacation increase.
• When in doubt, ask your school's international office or the Immigration Services Agency.

FAQ

1. Can I work before I get the permission? No. Working without the 資格外活動許可 is a violation no matter how few hours. Get the permission first.

2. I'm a student — can I work 40 hours during summer break? Up to 8h/day and 40h/week, but only during your school's official long vacation. If the school calendar says you're in session, it's back to 28h/week.

3. I'm on a Dependent visa — do I get the 40-hour vacation rule too? No. Dependent (家族滞在) holders are capped at 28 hours a week year-round, with no vacation exception.

4. I have two part-time jobs. Is each one allowed 28 hours? No. The 28 hours is the combined total across every job. Two jobs adding up to more than 28 hours a week is over the limit.

5. What happens if I go over? It can block your visa renewal and your future switch to a work visa, and with 2026's checks it's more likely to be noticed. Stay within the cap and keep records.

Sources

• Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA / 出入国在留管理庁) — official authority on the permission to engage in activity other than that permitted and the work-hour cap: https://www.isa.go.jp/en/index.html
• Study in Japan (JPSS) — Part-time jobs: permission application and conditions for international students (28h/week, 40h/week in long vacations): https://www.jpss.jp/en/life/5/1/
• JP-MIRAI — Part-time Job and Immigration Control Act (28-hour cap, vacation exception, prohibited work): https://portal.jp-mirai.org/en/study/s/study-abroad/part-time-and-immigration-law
• GaijinPot — New Rules for Language Students in Japan From 2026 (quarterly school checks, employer reporting): https://blog.gaijinpot.com/new-rules-for-language-students-in-japan-from-2026/

Related guides

• Side hustle & visa rules in Japan — what extra income is allowed on each status
• Japan job sites comparison — where to find compliant part-time work
• Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) guide — a route to a full work status
• Visa renewal, PR and fees — what renewal reviewers look at
• JLPT study plan & resources — language progress that supports a work-visa switch

Last updated: 2026-06-20