It is estimated that 75 percent of 룸알바 overseas students in Japan have part-time jobs, while seven in ten Japanese college students are now working part-time. Some students even depend exclusively on part-time jobs to fund their studies and living expenses in Japan. With relatively high minimum wages offered in many part-time jobs, and a relatively low entry barrier, it is not surprising that many college students in Japan are working part-time jobs in order to supplement their income.
While availability and types of positions vary from school to school, nearly all universities in Japan provide at least some sort of job placement on campus to its students in order for them to learn and work in Japan. In Japan, international students are also allowed to work part-time and make money under specific conditions.
The initial goal is to study in Japan, and therefore, there are rules regarding working hours for international students who are working part-time. You may work four hours per day, but no more than 28 hours each week while you are studying. The primary activity listed on your Visa is studying, so you are allowed only a maximum of 28 hours a week.
You may work up to eight hours per day on holidays and during school breaks. If you are here on a student visa, you are limited to 28 hours of work a week, with holidays up to 40 hours. If you are a foreign student coming to Japan, as required by law, you are allowed to work 28 hours a week for normal school days, and 40 hours a week during extended school holidays, like spring or summer breaks.
Most Japanese college students work 2-3 times per week, with about 45 hours of each shift. Note that it is illegal to work some part-time jobs when in Japan with a temporary work permit. If you already have a Japanese residency card, but no work authorization, you may request a part-time work authorization inside Japan by filling out the most detailed form (you can download the form here) and going to an immigration office.
You will actually have to apply for work authorization from an immigration office before you are allowed to begin working in Japan. To apply, you will have to fill out a form that can be obtained from any immigration bureau, or from your universities International Student Center.
January through March is prime hiring time if you are looking for employment as a teacher in one of Japans smaller, and/or independent English schools (eikaiwa), so you will want to decide on the timing of your departure from the JET program soon. If you had no prior experience prior to the JET Programme, this would be a good time to arrange this placement while (hopefully) still having some money left over after living tax-free and rent-free in Japan.
Jobs teaching English are easily found in Japan, and you will not need any Japanese language skills to get one. If you are studying Japanese at your university, then part-time job experience can even boost your language skills.
Or, if you are less confident with your Japanese skills and would like to work with English, you can try working at a cafe or foreign restaurant, where your language skills would come in handy. You are probably going to work closely with Japanese employees who cannot speak Japanese, so you are better off applying for that work when you are confident in your levels.
Cafe/restaurant workers — Yes, working at restaurants will require you to speak conversational Japanese since you will be facing customers. Transport companies such as-sort will require just lower levels of Japanese since your job will not include talking with customers.
Go in, introduce yourself, talk to HR, see if you can get some working experience, or just talk. If you maintain your Japanese skills and gain more experience, then, and only then, will you possibly walk in for a job at Sumitomo, Mizuho, Mitsubishi, or Mitsui.
Keep focused on your studies, use your free time for looking for jobs. Do not distract yourself from what you are doing – studying in Japan – or work so much that it is hurting your health.
Working and studying simultaneously can be extremely exhausting, so remember this when taking that late-night shift on Sunday. For any student, finding time to work in-between classes, studying, and extracurricular activities is an epic endeavor, and requires some of the best time-management skills. By managing time efficiently between your job and studying abroad, you will excel in the classroom as well as the workforce.
Despite the challenges, working part-time while studying at university can provide additional income, which you can use to take weekend excursions, enjoy cultural activities, and enjoy exotic food experiences. By taking on a part-time job after getting a work permit, you can make some extra money as you study, practice Japanese, build up your resume, and also make some lifelong friends in the process. Working part-time in your spare time will provide you with a little extra money to travel and explore Japan, taste the delicious Japanese food, and attend different cultural events.
In addition to contributing towards college expenses, working a part-time job in Japan allows you to learn from the experience itself. As a PhD student, taking part-time jobs might not be recommended, since PhD studies themselves are a full-time job, occupying much of your time and energy.
While some may be fortunate enough to apply to a few graduate part-time jobs and land them immediately, others might have to wait weeks or months before landing one. Anybody living abroad can testify to the fact that finding work overseas is challenging, and this is no different for someone looking for a part time student job. Every year, we see international students forced to leave Japan as they cannot prolong their time allowed in the country because they are working part time and ignoring their studies.
School participation would decrease because of part-time jobs, and therefore, you would be unable to renew (new) your stay period (the time during which you are allowed to stay in Japan).