OOHAYOMonthly Stay
← All articles
Jobs in Japan

Job Hunting in Japan as an International Student: Timeline and Official Support (2027–2028 Graduates)

Job Hunting in Japan as an International Student: Timeline and Official Support (2027–2028 Graduates)

If you want to work in Japan after graduating, the key fact is this: most Japanese companies hire new graduates on a shared calendar that starts more than a year before graduation. Under the government's schedule rules, published by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), company PR activities start on or after March 1 just before your final academic year, selection such as interviews starts on or after June 1 of your final year, and formal job offers come on or after October 1. The rules are the same for students finishing in March 2027 and in March 2028, so if you graduate in March 2027, much of the main season is already behind you.

How new-graduate hiring works in Japan

Study in Japan, the official portal run by JASSO, explains that Japanese companies recruit each year's expected graduates as one group and run selection while students are still enrolled. Because most Japanese universities and vocational schools finish in March, new hires usually start work on April 1. International students go through the same hiring slots and the same selection methods as Japanese students, so you compete for the same positions. Foreign-affiliated companies in Japan often follow a similar process.

Study in Japan also warns that, because hiring effectively happens once a year, missing the season makes finding a job much harder.

The government rules include one exception. For students assessed through a specialist-type internship, one of the internship types defined by an industry and university council in April 2022, taken from the spring break just before the final year, companies may run selection after the internship without waiting for June.

A typical timeline

Study in Japan describes the main season as starting on March 1 of the year before your final year (the third year of a bachelor's degree, the first year of a master's, or the second year of a doctorate) and running for about four months, until around mid-June. It recommends starting preparation about five months before that.

Putting the official descriptions together, a typical cycle looks like this:

  • About five months before March: self-analysis, industry and company research, visits to alumni working at companies you like, and practice for entry sheets and interviews.
  • March to May: "entry" (registering your interest with companies through job sites or company websites) and company briefing sessions, including joint briefings with many companies.
  • March to June: submitting entry sheets, then aptitude tests and written tests.
  • From June: interviews, followed by informal job offers (naitei). Study in Japan notes that three or more interview rounds at one company are common.
  • October: formal job offers.
  • After an offer: applying to change your status of residence from Student to a work status before your start date.

Some companies keep recruiting after October, so students without an offer continue their search.

If you graduate in September

Study in Japan notes that students who graduate in September may still join their company in April of the following year. Check the start date while you are job hunting, because it decides how long you need to stay in Japan between graduation and your first day.

Where to get free help

Japan offers several official sources of support:

  • Your school's career center. It is usually the first place to ask about job postings, briefing sessions, and help with resumes and interviews.
  • Employment Service Centers for Foreigners and Hello Work. MHLW runs Employment Service Centers for Foreigners in Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka and Fukuoka. For international students, MHLW lists job information, guidance from an early stage of your studies, internship programs and job interview fairs. Some new-graduate Hello Work offices also have a corner for international students.
  • JASSO's job hunting guide. JASSO publishes the Job Hunting Guide for International Students 2027 as a free PDF in Japanese and English.
  • Study in Japan's employment pages, which walk through the schedule, recruitment tests and statuses of residence.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Waiting until your final year. For March graduates, the main selection season runs in the spring of the year before your final year.
  • Only using sites for international students. Study in Japan recommends also using job sites aimed at Japanese students, as well as company websites.
  • Forgetting the immigration step. A job offer alone does not let you start full-time work. The Immigration Services Agency asks people who want to start work in April to apply for the change of status between December 1 and the end of January.
  • Overlooking internships in your field. Because of the specialist internship exception, some selection can start before June, so look at internship programs during the year before your final year.

If you have no offer by graduation

Graduates of Japanese universities and qualifying vocational schools who have not found a job yet may be able to keep job hunting after graduation under the Designated Activities status, if they meet the conditions. Study in Japan describes this as one year (a six-month period of stay, renewable once in principle). We cover this route in a separate article in this series.

If you have to leave student housing around graduation while you are still job hunting or waiting for your start date, a furnished monthly rental is one practical way to bridge the gap.

Sources

This article was created by OHAYO Stay based on the sources above (edited, reorganized and translated). It is not an official publication. Facts are summarized in our own words; see the linked pages for the official details.

Rules and dates can change. Always confirm with the official source before you apply.