Residence status
In Japanese: 在留資格 (zairyu shikaku)
Definition
Residence status is the legal status that lets a foreign national stay and act in Japan; there are types such as "Student", each with a period of stay.
In more detail
Most international students stay with the “Student” status of residence, shown with its period of stay on the residence card. Students apply to extend it before the period ends.
Part-time work needs permission to engage in activity other than that permitted; for “Student” it is generally up to 28 hours a week (up to 8 hours a day during long vacations set in school rules).
A status of residence is permission for activities in Japan; it is different from a visa, which an embassy issues before entry.
Schools check and record attendance and enrolment, but the Immigration Services Agency decides status of residence.
In Classio
In Classio’s international-student screens, residence card expiry dates are tracked: students within 90 days of expiry show as expiring soon, and those who applied for renewal as renewal pending.
See also
Related terms
- Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
A Certificate of Eligibility (COE) is a document issued in advance for a foreign national to obtain residence status in Japan, used for visa applications.
- Residence card
A residence card (zairyu kado) is issued to mid- to long-term residents staying in Japan for more than three months and shows their status and period of stay.
- Permission for activity outside status
Permission for activity outside status (shikakugai katsudo kyoka) lets a foreign resident on a status such as Student earn income, for example from part-time work, outside their main activity.
Help articles that mention “Residence status”
- Create letters to international students, enrolment lists and reportsCreating period-of-stay, attendance and withdrawal letters (Japanese and English), the status report, expiry and monthly enrolment lists, the attendance report, and bulk document requests.
- Register students in bulk from Excel and complete provisional registrationsExplains the flow from filling in the template through checking, registering, and completing the information for provisional registrations.
- Roles and what each can doThe types of roles assigned at a school, and what each role can generally do.
Sources
- ISA: Residence status “Student” — Permitted activities and periods of stay; distinct from a visa
- ISA: Permission for activities outside Student residence status — Section 1, blanket permission: 28 hours/week; up to 8 hours/day during institutional long vacations; check individual permissions separately
Sources checked: October 18, 2026