Designated Activities visa in Japan: what it covers

What is Designated Activities?

Designated Activities (特定活動) is a catch-all status for activities the Minister of Justice specifies individually for each foreigner, with examples such as working holiday and EPA nurse or care-worker candidates.

The period of stay is 5 years, 3 years, 1 year, 6 months, 3 months, or an individually designated period of up to 5 years.

Working holiday: who can apply?

As of 2026-04, Japan runs working holiday programs with 32 countries and regions, starting with Australia in 1980. The general age range is 18 to 30 inclusive at the time of the visa application. For Australia, Canada, South Korea and Ireland it is 18 to 25, unless the authorities agree to extend the upper limit to 30.

Applicants must not bring dependents or children, must hold a valid passport and a return ticket or the funds to buy one, and must have reasonable funds for the first period of their stay and be in good health. Nationals of most partner countries must be residing in their country of nationality when applying.

As a rule, a person who has already been issued a Japanese working holiday visa cannot get another one, with exceptions for certain nationalities.

Working holiday: second stay, caps and banned work

Since 2024-12-01, nationals of Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Denmark and Austria can take part in the program twice in their lifetime. South Korean nationals have been able to since 2025-10-01, as two non-consecutive 1-year stays, and people of Taiwan since 2026-02-01.

As of 2026-04, annual visa caps differ by country: 10,000 for South Korea, 6,283 for Canada and 6,000 for the United Kingdom. Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Portugal and Sweden have no limit.

Participants may not work in bars, cabarets, nightclubs, gambling venues or similar premises. Doing so counts as an immigration violation and leads to deportation unless the person is a trafficking victim.

Staying on after graduation to look for a job

A graduate of a Japanese university or vocational school can switch from Student to a 6-month Designated Activities status for continued job hunting and have it extended once, giving 1 year of post-graduation job hunting. The graduate's residence record must be free of problems, and the school is expected to recommend continued job hunting.

A second year of job hunting is possible if the person joins a qualifying municipal job-support program, again as a 6-month status extended once. People in this status can apply for permission to work up to 28 hours a week, and job-hunting internships can be approved for more than 28 hours.

A graduate with a job offer can switch to Designated Activities to wait for the start date, if hired within 1 year of the offer and within 18 months of graduating, among other conditions. A graduate with a confirmed graduate-school place can also wait for enrolment if it starts within 1 year of graduating and after the current stay ends.

J-Find, Startup Visa and graduate startup

J-Find (Future Creation Individual), started in 2023-04, grants a Designated Activities status of up to 2 years to graduates of top overseas universities who want to job-hunt or prepare to start a business. The university must rank in the top 100 on at least 2 of 3 world rankings (QS, THE and ARWU).

The Startup Visa scheme lets a person prepare a business in Japan for up to 2 years under the support of a municipality or private operator certified by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry. The applicant needs at least 1 year of business operation or management experience, or a doctorate, master's or professional degree in business management or a field related to the planned business.

A Japanese university graduate recommended by the university can switch from Student to Designated Activities for up to 6 months after graduation to set up a company, then move to Business Manager status. This route requires raising at least 30,000,000 yen of start-up funds and being certain to employ a full-time staff member.

Digital nomad stays

The Digital Nomad status lets a remote worker stay in Japan for no more than 6 months while working remotely for a foreign employer or selling services or goods to people abroad using ICT. It cannot be renewed, and a person can use it again only after 6 months have passed since leaving Japan.

The applicant's personal annual income must be at least 10,000,000 yen at the time of application. The applicant must also hold private medical insurance with treatment-cost coverage of at least 10,000,000 yen for injury and illness.

Digital Nomads cannot work under an employment contract with any organization in Japan, and permission to engage in other activities is in principle not granted. People in this status are not issued a residence card.

What it is

• The Digital Nomad status is a Designated Activities category that lets a remote worker stay in Japan for no more than six months while working remotely for a foreign employer or selling services or goods to people abroad using ICT.
  在留資格「特定活動」（デジタルノマド（国際的なリモートワーク等を目的として本邦に滞在する者）及びその配偶者・子） 特定活動（告示５３号）の活動 · Checked on 2026-10-22
• The ISA explains the insurance requirement exists because people in this status are not mid-to-long-term residents and therefore cannot join Japan's public health insurance.
  デジタルノマド向けの在留資格「特定活動」Q&A（令和６年７月時点） Ｑ１０／Ａ１０ · Checked on 2026-10-22
• People staying under the Digital Nomad status are not issued a residence card.
  在留資格「特定活動」（デジタルノマド（国際的なリモートワーク等を目的として本邦に滞在する者）及びその配偶者・子） 在留期間 · Checked on 2026-10-22
• The Future Creation Individual system (J-Find), started in April 2023, grants a Designated Activities status of up to two years to graduates of top overseas universities who want to job-hunt or prepare to start a business in Japan.
  優秀な海外大学等を卒業した者が起業活動・就職活動を行う場合（J-Find） 制度の概要 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2023-04-01
• Besides job hunting and startup preparation, J-Find permits paid work to the extent needed to fund those activities.
  出入国管理及び難民認定法第七条第一項第二号の規定に基づき同法別表第一の五の表の下欄に掲げる活動を定める件（特定活動告示） 第五十一号 · Checked on 2026-10-22
• The Special Highly Skilled Professional system (J-Skip), launched in April 2023, grants Highly Skilled Professional status on the basis of academic or work history plus income, separate from the points-based system, with more generous benefits.
  特別高度人材制度（J-Skip） 制度の概要 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2023-04-01
• For the income test, annual income means the pay expected from the Highly Skilled Professional activity in Japan from the contracting and overseas organisations, not income earned in past stays.
  特別高度人材制度（J-Skip） 申請書類等について／年収について · Checked on 2026-10-22
• The Startup Visa scheme lets a person do business-preparation activities in Japan for up to two years under the management and support of a municipality or private operator certified by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry.
  外国人起業家（外国人起業活動促進事業） 制度概要 · Checked on 2026-10-22

Who qualifies

• Income is normally judged on the most recent annual income, but a post-promotion or new-hire contract salary that is expected to reach 10,000,000 yen going forward can also satisfy the test.
  デジタルノマド向けの在留資格「特定活動」Q&A（令和６年７月時点） Ｑ９／Ａ９ · Checked on 2026-10-22
• For a sole proprietor, income is assessed on profit after necessary expenses, not on the contract amount.
  デジタルノマド向けの在留資格「特定活動」Q&A（令和６年７月時点） Ｑ９／Ａ９ · Checked on 2026-10-22
• Several income streams, such as contracts with multiple companies, can be added together to reach 10,000,000 yen if they are regarded as stable income.
  デジタルノマド向けの在留資格「特定活動」Q&A（令和６年７月時点） Ｑ９／Ａ９ · Checked on 2026-10-22
• The applicant must hold private medical insurance, such as overseas travel accident insurance, that covers death, injury and illness for the whole planned stay in Japan.
  在留資格「特定活動」（デジタルノマド（国際的なリモートワーク等を目的として本邦に滞在する者）及びその配偶者・子） その他要件 · Checked on 2026-10-22
• Per the ISA Q&A, the policy must also cover death, by including either repatriation of remains or an insurance payout on death; no minimum amount is set for the death benefit.
  デジタルノマド向けの在留資格「特定活動」Q&A（令和６年７月時点） Ｑ１０／Ａ１０ · Checked on 2026-10-22
• To apply for the Digital Nomad status a person must hold the nationality of a country or region that is a short-stay visa-exemption country, is a tax-treaty partner (or a designated reciprocal tax-exemption country), and appears in Appendix 14 of the Designated Activities notice.
  出入国管理及び難民認定法第七条第一項第二号の規定に基づき同法別表第一の五の表の下欄に掲げる活動を定める件（特定活動告示） 本則第五十三号ロ・別表第十四 · Checked on 2026-10-22
• A spouse or child who is financially supported by a Digital Nomad permit holder can accompany them under a related Designated Activities status, for up to six months without renewal.
  在留資格「特定活動」（デジタルノマド（国際的なリモートワーク等を目的として本邦に滞在する者）及びその配偶者・子） デジタルノマドの配偶者・子（告示５４号） · Checked on 2026-10-22
• Accompanying spouses and children must be nationals of a short-stay visa-exempt country or region listed in Appendix 15 of the notice; that list is longer than the worker's Appendix 14 list, and there is no tax-treaty condition.
  出入国管理及び難民認定法第七条第一項第二号の規定に基づき同法別表第一の五の表の下欄に掲げる活動を定める件（特定活動告示） 第五十四号 · Checked on 2026-10-22

Numbers and tests

• The applicant's personal annual income must be at least 10,000,000 yen at the time of application.
  在留資格「特定活動」（デジタルノマド（国際的なリモートワーク等を目的として本邦に滞在する者）及びその配偶者・子） 必要年収 · Checked on 2026-10-22
• The Designated Activities notice itself (No. 53) sets the same income test: annual income of at least 10,000,000 yen as of the application date.
  出入国管理及び難民認定法第七条第一項第二号の規定に基づき同法別表第一の五の表の下欄に掲げる活動を定める件（特定活動告示） 第五十三号ハ · Checked on 2026-10-22
• The insurance must provide treatment-cost coverage of at least 10,000,000 yen for injury and illness.
  在留資格「特定活動」（デジタルノマド（国際的なリモートワーク等を目的として本邦に滞在する者）及びその配偶者・子） その他要件 · Checked on 2026-10-22
• At the time of application the applicant needs savings of at least 200,000 yen (or the equivalent) to cover initial living costs.
  優秀な海外大学等を卒業した者が起業活動・就職活動を行う場合（J-Find） ３ 生計維持費 · Checked on 2026-10-22
• For research or specialist/technical activities, a Special Highly Skilled Professional needs a master's degree or higher together with annual income of at least 20,000,000 yen.
  特別高度人材制度（J-Skip） 要件 · Checked on 2026-10-22
• Alternatively, for those same activity types (research and specialist/technical), ten or more years of practical experience in the relevant work with annual income of at least 20,000,000 yen qualifies.
  特別高度人材制度（J-Skip） 要件 · Checked on 2026-10-22
• For business management activities, a Special Highly Skilled Professional needs five or more years of experience running or managing a business and annual income of at least 40,000,000 yen.
  特別高度人材制度（J-Skip） 要件 · Checked on 2026-10-22
• The graduate-startup route requires raising at least 30,000,000 yen of start-up funds and being certain to employ a full-time staff member.
  本邦の大学等を卒業した留学生による起業活動（１ 本邦の大学等を卒業して起業活動を行うことを希望する方） 事業規模に係る要件 · Checked on 2026-10-22

Periods

• The permitted stay is six months and cannot be renewed; a person can use the status again only after six months have passed since leaving Japan.
  在留資格「特定活動」（デジタルノマド（国際的なリモートワーク等を目的として本邦に滞在する者）及びその配偶者・子） 在留期間 · Checked on 2026-10-22
• Under the Designated Activities notice, total time spent in this status must not exceed six months in any 12-month period that starts or ends on a day within the calendar year of landing.
  出入国管理及び難民認定法第七条第一項第二号の規定に基づき同法別表第一の五の表の下欄に掲げる活動を定める件（特定活動告示） 第五十三号イ · Checked on 2026-10-22
• Each grant is for one year or six months and must be extended; the maximum total stay is two years, and time already spent under similar schemes (continued job hunting, startup support schemes, post-graduation startup) counts toward the two years.
  未来創造人材制度（J-Find）の概要 活動内容 ・在留期間／※２ · Checked on 2026-10-22
• MOFA's English page says the period of stay is one year, six months, or a term individually designated by the Minister of Justice, and a total of two years is possible if the holder applies for extension before expiry.
  Specified visa: Designated activities (Future creation individual, Spouse or Child of future creation individual) Period of stay · Checked on 2026-10-22
• Special Highly Skilled Professionals get a five-year period of stay, and the ISA page states that the residence period needed for permanent residence is one year; it also describes Highly Skilled Professional No. 2 as open to those with at least one year of activity as No. 1.
  特別高度人材制度（J-Skip） 出入国在留管理上の優遇措置の内容 · Checked on 2026-10-22
• Under Designated Activities notice No. 44, the permitted activity covers up to two years of preparing to start a business in Japan, such as securing premises, or running the business after it has started.
  出入国管理及び難民認定法第七条第一項第二号の規定に基づき同法別表第一の五の表の下欄に掲げる活動を定める件（特定活動告示） 第四十四号 · Checked on 2026-10-22
• A graduate of a Japanese university or vocational school can switch from Student to a six-month Designated Activities status for continued job hunting and have it extended once, giving one year of post-graduation job hunting.
  大学等を卒業後就職活動のための滞在をご希望のみなさまへ １ 卒業後１年目の就職活動について · Checked on 2026-10-22
• A second year of job hunting after graduation is possible if the person joins a qualifying municipal job-support programme, again as a six-month status extended once.
  大学等を卒業後就職活動のための滞在をご希望のみなさまへ ２ 卒業後２年目の就職活動について · Checked on 2026-10-22

Deadlines

• The degree must have been conferred no more than five years before the application.
  優秀な海外大学等を卒業した者が起業活動・就職活動を行う場合（J-Find） ２ 卒業等後の年数 · Checked on 2026-10-22
• When extending, the applicant should file early enough that the total stay under this status does not exceed two years.
  外国人起業家（外国人起業活動促進事業） 在留期間更新許可申請 · Checked on 2026-10-22
• Participants must notify their place of residence to the municipal office within 14 days of settling down.
  The Working Holiday Programmes in Japan 5. Procedure at a municipal office · Checked on 2026-10-22

Fees

• The new window-filing fee for a status change or extension is 10,000 yen for a permit of three months or less, 18,000 yen for over three up to six months, 25,000 yen for over six months to under one year, and 33,000 yen for one year.
  在留期間更新許可申請（手数料） 手数料／１ 窓口申請の場合 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2026-10-01
• For longer permits the window fee is 48,000 yen for over one up to under three years, 64,000 yen for three up to under five years, and 75,000 yen for five years or more.
  在留期間更新許可申請（手数料） 手数料／１ 窓口申請の場合 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2026-10-01
• For online filings the permit fee is 10,000 yen up to three months, 15,000 yen up to six months, 21,000 yen under one year and 27,000 yen for one year, and a separate 330 yen settlement fee is added for permits shorter than three years (550 yen from three years); the totals shown by the ISA are 10,330, 15,330, 21,330 and 27,330 yen.
  オンライン申請における手数料額及び手数料納付方法について（２０２６年１０月１日以降の申請分のみに適用） オンライン申請の手数料額 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2026-10-01
• Applicants who qualify for a reduction because of financial hardship or similar reasons pay 10,000 yen regardless of the period granted.
  在留期間更新許可申請（手数料） 手数料（注２） · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2026-10-01

How it works

• Applicants must submit proof of the 10 million yen income, such as a tax certificate or income certificate issued in the country where they worked, plus evidence of their current work status.
  在留資格「特定活動」（デジタルノマド（国際的なリモートワーク等を目的として本邦に滞在する者）及びその配偶者・子） 提出書類 · Checked on 2026-10-22
• Because there is usually no sponsor in Japan to act as proxy for a certificate of eligibility, an applicant located outside Japan applies for the visa directly at the embassy or consulate in their place of residence.
  デジタルノマド向けの在留資格「特定活動」Q&A（令和６年７月時点） Ｑ１１／Ａ１１ · Checked on 2026-10-22
• A Digital Nomad who leaves Japan temporarily can use a re-entry permit or the deemed re-entry permit and keep the status as long as they return before the period of stay expires.
  デジタルノマド向けの在留資格「特定活動」Q&A（令和６年７月時点） Ｑ６／Ａ６ · Checked on 2026-10-22
• Applicants must show a current balance in a bank account in their own name, plus a degree certificate, a CV and a stay schedule.
  優秀な海外大学等を卒業した者が起業活動・就職活動を行う場合（J-Find） 在留資格認定証明書交付申請／提出書類 · Checked on 2026-10-22
• When extending J-Find status, the holder must submit materials showing they are actually carrying out job hunting or startup preparation.
  優秀な海外大学等を卒業した者が起業活動・就職活動を行う場合（J-Find） 在留期間更新許可申請／提出書類 · Checked on 2026-10-22
• Someone already holding Highly Skilled Professional No. 1 under the points system should declare special-HSP status at renewal if expiry is within about three months; otherwise they apply for a work-qualification certificate.
  特別高度人材制度（J-Skip） 申請手続の流れ · Checked on 2026-10-22
• The application requires a copy of the startup-preparation plan confirmation certificate issued by the certified implementing body, which must still be within its validity period.
  外国人起業家（外国人起業活動促進事業） 在留資格認定証明書交付申請／提出書類 · Checked on 2026-10-22
• People staying in Designated Activities to keep job hunting after graduation can apply for permission to work up to 28 hours a week part-time, and internships done as part of job hunting can be approved for more than 28 hours.
  大学等を卒業後就職活動のための滞在をご希望のみなさまへ ４ 資格外活動許可について · Checked on 2026-10-22

Penalties

• Working holiday participants may not work in bars, cabarets, nightclubs, gambling venues or similar premises affecting public morals; doing so counts as an immigration violation and leads to deportation unless the person is a trafficking victim.
  The Working Holiday Programmes in Japan 4. Work Conditions · Checked on 2026-10-22

Lists and tables

• South Korea (大韓民国) is among the countries and regions listed in Appendix 14 of the Designated Activities notice, so Korean nationals are eligible for the Digital Nomad status; the appendix lists 51 countries and regions in total.
  出入国管理及び難民認定法第七条第一項第二号の規定に基づき同法別表第一の五の表の下欄に掲げる活動を定める件（特定活動告示） 別表第十四 · Checked on 2026-10-22
• Seoul National University and Yonsei University (Seoul Campus) both appear on the ISA's list of universities eligible for J-Find as of January 2026; the list is built on rankings at that date, so applicants must re-check against the latest three rankings.
  未来創造人材制度の対象となる大学一覧（令和８年１月時点） 対象大学一覧 · Checked on 2026-10-22
• As of 1 April 2026 Japan runs working holiday programmes with 32 countries and regions, starting with Australia in 1980; Malta and Italy joined in 2026.
  The Working Holiday Programmes in Japan 1. Outline · Checked on 2026-10-22
• EPA nurse and care-worker candidates come from three countries, Indonesia (since FY2008), the Philippines (since FY2009) and Vietnam (since FY2014).
  インドネシア、フィリピン及びベトナムからの外国人看護師・介護福祉士候補者の受入れについて 冒頭 · Checked on 2026-10-22
• Cumulative EPA nurse and care-worker candidate arrivals from the three countries exceeded 10,000 as of the end of July 2026.
  インドネシア、フィリピン及びベトナムからの外国人看護師・介護福祉士候補者の受入れについて 冒頭 · Checked on 2026-10-22
• In the ISA's list of Designated Activities notice numbers, the EPA nurse and care-worker categories for Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam are notice numbers 16 to 24 and 27 to 31.
  特定活動告示の規定と略称一覧（2025年5月現在） 告示の規定 · Checked on 2026-10-22

Recent changes

• Since the January 2026 overhaul of the online residence application system, applications for J-Find (and its family status) and for the J-Skip household-worker status can be filed online, using a different input method from before.
  優秀な海外大学等を卒業した者が起業活動・就職活動を行う場合（J-Find） 申請に当たっての留意事項 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2026-01-01
• Where a local government gives startup support to a foreign national, the ISA applies a special treatment to the business-scale requirement of the Business Manager status.
  スタートアップ関連施策 その他 · Checked on 2026-10-22
• The Ministry of Justice notice for the Japanese-university-graduate status was amended with effect from 29 February 2024.
  在留資格「特定活動」（本邦大学等卒業者及びその配偶者等） お知らせ · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2024-02-29
• From applications filed on 15 April 2026, applicants for this status must additionally submit a declaration about the representative of the employing organisation, except when applying as a family member.
  在留資格「特定活動」（本邦大学等卒業者及びその配偶者等） お知らせ · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2026-04-15
• Since 1 December 2024, nationals of Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Denmark and Austria can take part in the Japanese working holiday programme twice in their lifetime.
  The Working Holiday Programmes in Japan 2. Eligibility [NB2] · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2024-12-01
• Since 1 January 2025, nationals of Germany, Ireland and Slovakia can also take part twice in their lifetime, as two separate one-year stays.
  The Working Holiday Programmes in Japan 2. Eligibility [NB2] · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2025-01-01
• South Korean nationals have been allowed since 1 October 2025 to take part in the programme twice in their lifetime, as two inconsecutive one-year stays.
  The Working Holiday Programmes in Japan 2. Eligibility [NB2] · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2025-10-01
• People of Taiwan have been allowed to take part twice in their lifetime since 1 February 2026.
  The Working Holiday Programmes in Japan 2. Eligibility [NB2] · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2026-02-01