Job hunting in Japan.You do not have to do it alone.

1. PreparationSpring to summer, 3rd year / 1st year of master’s

   Organise yourself, learn the industries

   Put your major, your experience and your strengths into order. Find out what industries and roles exist, and narrow down what interests you. You do not need a target company at this stage.

2. InternshipSummer to winter, 3rd year / 1st year of master’s

   Experience the actual work

   You work inside a company for a period. More and more students move straight from an internship into an early selection process, so this has become an important entrance to the real thing.

   If you are an international student

   For a paid internship you may need permission to engage in activity outside your status. Check with your school office or the company before you start.

3. EntryFrom March, 3rd year / 1st year of master’s

   Start applying

   Applications open properly. You attend company information sessions and submit résumés and entry sheets. These documents follow a format specific to Japan, and this is where many people get stuck.

   If you are an international student

   Before you apply, check whether the work relates to what you studied. A work-related residence status looks at the connection between your field of study and the job.

4. SelectionFrom June, final year

   Interviews

   Interviews begin. The government guideline says June, but in practice many companies run their selection earlier. You go through several rounds before a result.

5. Informal offerJune to October, final year

   Receiving an offer

   Companies issue informal offers. Many hold an offer ceremony on 1 October, and that is when the path is settled. For Japanese students, this is more or less the finish line.

   If you are an international student

   An offer is not the finish line. From here, the procedure to change your residence status begins. You and the company prepare the documents between you.

6. Changing residence statusDecember to January, final year

   From “Student” to a work status

   To keep working in Japan after you graduate, you apply to change your residence status from “Student” to a work status such as “Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services”. For an April start, the Immigration Services Agency recommends applying between 1 December and the end of January. Screening usually takes one to three months, so applying in February or later risks missing your start date.

   Where people get stuck

   Applying late, not being able to explain the link between your major and the work, missing documents. Those are the three main causes. Work backwards from your start date as soon as you have an offer.

7. Graduation and joiningMarch to April

   Starting work

   You graduate and join the company. This is where it really starts. How the work is done, how people communicate, how daily life works — all of it can be confusing at first. Having someone to ask after you join changes how the first year goes.

* The timing above is a general guide. It shifts by company and by year. If you graduate at a different time, for example in September, the flow changes, so please ask us about your own case.
* Where a formal immigration application or specialist procedure is needed, we will point you to a qualified professional such as an administrative scrivener. H-bridge does not file applications on your behalf.