From student to a job in Japan

The overall flow

1. Start more than a year before graduating. Japanese job hunting starts early. Prepare your self-introduction and practice interviews.
2. Find jobs and apply. Your school's career center, the Employment Service Centers for Foreigners and job sites for international students.
3. Get an offer. Check the work is connected to what you studied.
4. Change your residence status to one that fits the job, such as "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services" (Immigration Services Agency).

If you haven't found a job by graduation

Graduates of universities and vocational schools (with the senmonshi title) can, with a recommendation from their school, change to "Designated Activities" for job hunting (6 months) and renew once, staying a year after graduation. Joining a local government support program may allow a second year (Immigration Services Agency).

People who only graduated from a Japanese language school are generally not covered, though some cities have special programs (Cabinet Office, Kitakyushu City).

Free advice

Employment Service Centers for Foreigners (Tokyo, Aichi, Osaka, Fukuoka) and the international student corners at New Graduate Hello Work offices offer job advice and help with residence status questions (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Immigration Services Agency).