Job Discussion Forums

[jamo22]

What are the visa regulations regarding quitting a job in japan? Are you allowed to find new work on your one year visa, or do you have to get a new visa like korea?

Anything else that might complicate quitting one job in japan for another, such as letters of release, etc?

thanks

[Inflames]

The visa is yours, not the school's. Once it's in your passport it's good until it expires.

I've heard of people being asked for letters of release but I've had two different visa sponsors (in addition to self-sponsoring) and I've never had to provide one.

[fluffyhamster]

Although your employer sponsors the visa, it remains yours, so you are free to change employers. When it eventually comes time to renew your visa however, Immigration often likes to see those letters of release from the previous employer(s), so do try to ensure that you obtain them by working the required periods for giving notice, etc. (It shouldn't be too much of a problem however if the occasional employer declines to provide one for whatever reasons - reasons that are often no fault of the employee's! <EDIT: And like Inflames says, sometimes Immigration doesn't ask for any LORs.> I guess the main thing when renewing visas is that you can provide evidence of having been at least partly employed and paying some tax (and quite possibly, some health insurance too)).