Important Considerations When Changing Employers under the Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) Status of Residence
AKIRA YAMAMOTO.AKIRAMany foreign nationals residing in Japan under the Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) Status of Residence wish to change employers.
Unlike holders of most other work-related Statuses of Residence, even when changing to another employer within the same industrial field (work category), an Application for Change of Status of Residence is required.
Even if you have already secured a new employer, you may not begin working for that employer until your Application for Change of Status of Residence has been approved.
The examination of this application generally takes around two months. Therefore, we recommend that you do not resign from your current employer until you have secured a new employer and are ready to file the application.
For holders of other work-related Statuses of Residence, if they resign before finding a new employer, they can reduce the risk of future problems with renewing their Status of Residence by submitting a Notification of the Accepting Organization to the Immigration Services Agency of Japan and registering as a job seeker with Hello Work (Japan's Public Employment Security Office).
However, the situation is different for Specified Skilled Workers (SSW).
For SSW holders, the Immigration Services Agency's decision depends largely on the reason for leaving the previous employer. Under the SSW system, the individual is authorized to work for the specific employer designated in the Designation Letter, and changing employers is not the standard situation contemplated by the system.
Accordingly, if there is a significant gap between leaving the previous employer and starting work with the new employer, there is a greater possibility that a future application for a Change of Status of Residence or an Extension of Period of Stay may be denied.
On the other hand, if the employee leaves the company for reasons beyond his or her control, such as redundancy, business closure, or other employer-related circumstances, the Immigration Services Agency is more likely to take those circumstances into account when examining the application.
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