17/08/2026
【Notification Concerning Changes to the Contracting Organization Must Be Submitted Within 14 Days】
For foreign residents whose workplace or marital status has changed: Please remember to check whether you are required to submit a notification within 14 days.
Foreign residents living in Japan may, depending on their status of residence, be legally required to notify the Immigration Services Agency of Japan when they leave or change their workplace, or when they divorce or become bereaved due to the death of their spouse.
For example, mid- to long-term residents holding a status of residence such as “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services,” “Researcher,” “Skilled Labor,” or “Nursing Care” are generally required to submit a Notification of the Contracting Organization within 14 days from the date on which the relevant event occurs, such as the termination of a contract with an employer or the conclusion of a contract with a new employer.
In fact, the official notification forms of the Immigration Services Agency separately identify “Termination of the contract with the organization” and “Conclusion of a contract with a new organization” as events that must be notified.
One particularly important point is that you should not assume that your employer will take care of this procedure for you.
As a general rule, this notification is a legal obligation imposed on the mid- to long-term resident personally.
In addition, the “termination of a contract” when you leave your previous employer and the “conclusion of a new contract” with your new employer are each events that may require notification. You also cannot submit the notification in advance using a future date for an event that has not yet occurred.
Even if more than 14 days have already passed, this does not mean that you are no longer required to file the notification. The Immigration Services Agency of Japan advises that, if you discover that you have failed to submit the required notification, you should submit it promptly.
The notification can also be submitted online. When changing jobs, you may be busy with your new work, moving, social insurance procedures, and many other matters, but please remember to check your immigration-related notification obligations as well.
It is also important to understand that “having submitted the notification” and “whether the duties at your new workplace are permitted under your current status of residence” are separate issues.
You should also confirm, before or after changing jobs, whether the actual duties at your new workplace fall within the scope of activities permitted under your current status of residence.
So, how does the law provide for this 14-day notification obligation?
Article 71-5, paragraph 1 of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act provides that:
“Any person who falls under any of the following items shall be punished by a fine of not more than 200,000 yen.”
Item 3 further provides:
“A person who has violated the provisions of Article 19-10, paragraph 1, Article 19-15 (excluding paragraph 4), or Article 19-16.”
What, then, does it mean to be a person who has “violated the provisions of Article 19-16”?
(The statutory wording below has been partially abbreviated for the purpose of providing a simpler explanation.)
Article 19-16 provides:
A mid- to long-term resident residing in Japan under any of the statuses of residence listed in the following items must, when an event specified in the relevant item according to the category of status of residence occurs, notify the Commissioner of the Immigration Services Agency of that fact and of the matters prescribed by Ministry of Justice Order, in accordance with the procedures prescribed by Ministry of Justice Order, within fourteen days from the date on which the event occurred.
1. For persons engaging in activities under the status of residence of Professor, Highly Skilled Professional (activities relating to Business Manager), Business Manager, Legal/Accounting Services, Medical Services, Instructor, Intra-company Transferee, Technical Intern Training, Student, or Trainee: a change in the name or location of the public or private organization in Japan at which the person engages in activities corresponding to the relevant status of residence, the disappearance of that organization, or the person’s withdrawal from or transfer from that organization.
2. For persons engaging in activities under the status of residence of Highly Skilled Professional (activities relating to research/professorial activities or Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services), Researcher, Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, Nursing Care, Entertainer, Skilled Labor, or Specified Skilled Worker: a change in the name or location of the public or private organization in Japan designated by the Minister of Justice, the disappearance of that organization, the termination of the contract with that organization, or the conclusion of a new contract.
3. For a person holding the status of residence of Dependent, Spouse or Child of Japanese National, or Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident, who is residing in Japan on the basis of their status as a spouse and engaging in activities as a spouse: divorce from or death of that person’s spouse.
In other words, for persons engaging in activities under an applicable work-related status of residence, situations such as the following will generally require notification:
1. When the contract with your employer has ended; or
2. When you have concluded a contract with a new employer.
In such cases, you are generally legally required to submit the prescribed notification to the Immigration Services Agency of Japan within 14 days from the date on which the relevant event occurred.
The Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act also provides for a criminal fine of up to JPY 200,000 for violations of this notification obligation.
However, this does not mean that every person who files even one day after the 14-day period will automatically be fined JPY 200,000.
The Immigration Services Agency of Japan also explains that, even if you have inadvertently failed to submit the notification within 14 days, this does not mean that you should simply leave the matter unresolved. If you discover that the required notification has not been submitted, you should submit it promptly.
On the other hand, failure to submit a required notification may be taken into consideration as an unfavorable factor during the examination of a subsequent application, such as an application for change of status of residence or an application for extension of period of stay.
In particular, when applying for Permanent Residence, compliance with Japanese laws and the proper fulfillment of public and legal obligations are important factors in the examination. Therefore, failure to submit a legally required notification may constitute a significant negative factor and could result in the denial of a Permanent Residence application.
Please do not assume that everything will be fine simply because you “forgot by accident.” If you discover that you have failed to submit a required notification, it is important not to leave the matter unresolved and to take appropriate action promptly.
In addition, persons residing in Japan as a spouse under the status of residence of “Dependent,” “Spouse or Child of Japanese National,” or “Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident” are also generally required to submit a notification within 14 days if they divorce their spouse or if their spouse passes away.
If there is a change concerning your workplace or spouse that is subject to a notification requirement, please remember to submit the required notification within 14 days.
Please also be assured that submitting a required notification does not, by itself, cause your current status of residence to disappear immediately. However, whether you may continue to engage lawfully in activities under your current status of residence thereafter depends on your individual circumstances.
The applicable rules, the type of notification required, and whether the duties at your new workplace are compatible with your current status of residence will differ depending on your individual circumstances. If you are uncertain, it is important to confirm the appropriate procedure in advance with a qualified professional or the competent immigration authority.
If you have any concerns or questions, please feel free to contact the Shinichi Narita Visa & Naturalization Legal Office.
Shinichi Narita
Certified Administrative Procedures Legal Specialist
Immigration Lawyer
