[Japanese University Graduates + N1 Only] What Is the “Designated Activities No. 46” Visa That Allows Work in Restaurants and Customer Service? A Thorough Explanation of Its Benefits and Requirements

[Only for graduates of Japanese universities + N1 holders] What is the “Designated Activities No. 46” visa that allows you to work even in restaurants and customer service jobs? A thorough explanation of the benefits and requirements

Hello! This is the Oita VISA Support Center.

We often receive inquiries from companies wishing to hire international students, such as: **”We found an excellent international student, and we’d first like to have them gain experience on site (customer service at our store, the factory line, etc.) — can they get a visa?”**

Under the general work visa “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services” (gijinkoku), “manual/on-site work (simple labor)” — such as customer service only or production-line work only — is in principle not permitted.

However, if an international student clears certain strict conditions, by obtaining the special visa **”Designated Activities No. 46 (Graduate of a University in Japan)”**, they can take on a wide range of duties that were previously not permitted!

This time, we will provide an easy-to-understand explanation of “Designated Activities No. 46,” which offers major benefits to both international students and companies.

What is Designated Activities No. 46 (Graduate of a University in Japan)?

This visa was newly established in 2019 so that international students who have graduated from a Japanese university and possess a high level of Japanese language ability can play a broader role at Japanese companies.

Its greatest feature is that, as long as the work involves **”duties requiring smooth communication in Japanese,”** the holder is permitted to also perform the accompanying on-site work (customer service, manufacturing work, taxi driver, etc.).

[Absolute Conditions] Requirements for the foreign national

Only foreign nationals who satisfy both of the following two conditions can apply for this visa.

1. Having graduated from a “four-year university” in Japan, or having completed a “graduate school” program in Japan (*Graduates of Japanese vocational schools, junior colleges, or overseas universities are not eligible)

2. Having passed the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test “N1” or scored 480 points or more on the “BJT Business Japanese Proficiency Test” (*This is waived if you majored in “Japanese language” at university and graduated)

🙋‍♂️ Benefits for the foreign national

1. The range of employment options expands dramatically

Employment becomes possible even in job types that are often denied under the gijinkoku visa, such as “floor service at restaurants,” “sales and customer service at retail stores,” “hotel front desk combined with bell staff duties,” and “candidate for a leader position at a manufacturing site.” The chances of getting the job you want expand greatly.

2. You can bring your family to Japan (accompaniment is possible)

With visas such as Specified Skilled Worker (Tokutei Ginou) No. 1, you cannot in principle bring family members (spouse or children) from your home country, but holders of Designated Activities No. 46 can have their family stay in Japan under the visa “Designated Activities No. 47”. You can build a stable foundation for living in Japan with an eye to the future.

3. It counts toward the “years of employment” required for a permanent residence application

The period worked under Designated Activities No. 46 is fully counted as the years of employment required when applying for “permanent residence permission” in the future.

🏢 Benefits for the accepting company

1. Flexible reassignment and “career advancement from the front line” become possible

It becomes easier to apply to foreign employees the kind of general-track career path common at Japanese companies: “First, so that they learn the front line, they start with customer service at a store or work at a factory for the first few years, and in the future are promoted to store manager or a management position at head office.”

2. You can secure excellent personnel whose Japanese level “N1” is guaranteed

Because N1 is a mandatory requirement, you can employ extremely capable bilingual personnel who can communicate in Japanese with Japanese staff and customers without any problems.

3. No “complex support system” like that for Specified Skilled Worker is required

Complex and costly support duties such as fees for outsourcing to a Registered Support Organization, periodic reports to the Immigration Bureau, and pre-arrival guidance — as required for the Specified Skilled Worker visa — are unnecessary. You can accept them in much the same way as hiring a Japanese employee.

⚠️ [Important Notes] “Mere simple labor” will be denied!

This is the most easily misunderstood point: Designated Activities No. 46 is not “a visa that lets you do any kind of simple labor.”

It is premised on there being situations in which **the “knowledge gained at university” and “N1-level Japanese ability”** are utilized.

• Example of OK: At a restaurant, serving Japanese customers (communication in Japanese) while also carrying out food service and cleaning. Also acting as an interpreter for foreign customers.

• Example of NG: Working behind the scenes at a factory, doing nothing but packing boxes without speaking to anyone. Doing nothing but washing dishes in a restaurant kitchen.

You cannot have them perform only duties that involve no two-way communication in Japanese whatsoever, so it is necessary to clearly explain the “job duties” in the letter of reasons for employment.

Main documents required for the application

The basic documents to be submitted to the Immigration Bureau are as follows.

1. Application for Certificate of Eligibility (COE) (or Application for Permission to Change Status of Residence)

2. Photograph (4cm×3cm)

3. Passport and residence card (to be presented)

4. Diploma (copy) or certificate of graduation from a Japanese university

5. Copy of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test N1 certificate, etc.

6. Curriculum vitae

7. Employment contract or notice of working conditions (*Remuneration must be equal to or greater than that of a Japanese national)

8. Company brochure, certificate of registered matters, and most recent financial statements

9. Materials showing the details of the job duties (*e.g., a letter of reasons for employment describing the specific flow of a typical day)

🔗 [Official Information] Immigration Services Agency website For more detailed guidelines and designated formats, please check the official Immigration Services Agency website below. ▶ About Designated Activities No. 46 (Graduate of a University in Japan) | Immigration Services Agency

For international students’ visa applications, come to the “Oita VISA Support Center”!

“Could the international student coming for an interview qualify for Designated Activities No. 46?” “They meet the requirements, but I’m worried whether our job duties will pass the Immigration Bureau’s examination.”

Once you have decided to hire an excellent international student, please first consult our office. We will carefully interview you about the company’s job duties and the student’s background, and propose the safest and most reliable route to obtaining a visa — whether “gijinkoku,” “Designated Activities No. 46,” or “Specified Skilled Worker.” Now that acceptance under Specified Skilled Worker in the food service industry has been suspended, Designated Activities No. 46 is the shortcut for foreign nationals to work as full-time employees at restaurants.

We handle visa applications in Oita Prefecture, Miyazaki Prefecture, Kumamoto Prefecture, Fukuoka Prefecture and elsewhere in Kyushu, as well as throughout Japan.

The first consultation is free. Please feel free to contact us via the inquiry form or LINE!