VISA Information
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What Should I do to Extend my Stay to Continue Job Hunting?
I graduated from a vocational college this March and obtained a specialist degree. However, with the recession I am still having difficulties finding a job and my visa will expire in about a month. Please advise me what I should do in order to extend my stay and continue job hunting. Furthermore, if I fail, is it possible for me to go back to my country once and then return to find a job in Japan?
If you have been job hunting before graduation and want to continue looking for a job after graduation, it is possible for you to stay in Japan on a Specific activity visa if you can provide a document to certify that you are looking for a job and a recommendation letter from the college you graduated from. In this case, the maximum visa length is 1 year from graduation.
You won’t have a problem if you have graduated from university; however, as for a specialist graduating from vocational college, if you leave Japan, you will be unable to obtain a certificate of residence status and enter Japan to work as a specialist. You need to change your visa status and get a job while you are staying in Japan.
Advisor: KANETO Mitsuru (Immigration Lawyer)
