How do you hire a Japan employee in 2026?
Japan gives employers 30 days minimum notice to dismiss, but dismissal protection under the Labor Contract Act applies from the employee's very first day. There is no qualifying period. Foreign hires need a Certificate of Eligibility issued before the visa is granted, making work-authorisation the critical path for international hires.
· Japan guide
Illustration · Tokyo, Japan
The Japan hire process has five steps. Offer letter, work-authorisation check, written employment contract, social insurance registration, first payday.
Dismissal protection applies from day one under the Labor Contract Act. There is no qualifying period before the employee is protected.
Employer notice for dismissal is 30 days minimum. Annual leave starts accruing after six months of continuous employment.
What does the end-to-end Japan hire process look like?
Five steps take you from accepted offer to first payslip. Offer letter, work-authorisation check, written employment contract, social insurance registration, first payday.
The critical path for foreign hires is work authorisation. A Certificate of Eligibility from the Immigration Services Agency must be in place before the visa is granted. Japanese nationals and permanent residents can be onboarded much faster.
| Step | What happens | Owner | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Offer letter | Written offer with role, salary, start date, and key terms | Client / Teamed drafts | Same day after verbal accept |
| 2. Work-authorisation check | Confirm residence status for Japanese nationals; secure Certificate of Eligibility and visa for foreign nationals | Teamed | Before the employee starts; COE process can take 1 to 3 months |
| 3. Written employment contract | Issue the written contract specifying employment terms per the Labor Standards Act | Teamed (legal employer) | On or before day one |
| 4. Social insurance registration | Register the employee for health insurance, welfare pension, employment insurance, and workers accident insurance | Teamed | Days 1 to 5 |
| 5. First payday | First payslip issued; withholding income tax remitted to tax office by the 10th of the following month | Teamed | End of first calendar month |
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Issue the offer letter
Send a written offer the same day as verbal acceptance. Include role, salary, start date, customary probation period up to 6 months, and any conditions such as work-authorisation or reference checks.
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Complete the work-authorisation check
Confirm residence status for Japanese nationals and permanent residents. For foreign nationals without a qualifying residence status, start the Certificate of Eligibility application with the Immigration Services Agency before the intended start date.
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Issue the written employment contract
The written disclosure of employment conditions under the Labor Standards Act must be given on or before day one. Teamed's standard Japan contract meets all current requirements. Clients choose commercial terms; Teamed signs as the legal employer.
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Complete social insurance registration
Register the employee for health insurance and welfare pension (Shakai Hoken), employment insurance (Hello Work), and workers accident insurance. Collect the My Number and bank details. This runs across days one to five.
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Issue the first payslip and remit withholding tax
Run the first payroll at the end of the first calendar month. Remit withheld income tax to the tax office by the 10th of the following month. The employee receives their payslip and is on the payroll record.
What must a Japan offer letter include?
The offer letter is not the binding contract. It is the document the candidate decides against.
Include role title, reporting line, proposed start date, gross monthly salary, working hours, location, customary probation period, and any conditions such as work-authorisation or reference checks.
Three traps to avoid in Japan offer letters:
- Quoting net salary. Employee social insurance contributions and withholding tax vary by income. Committing to a net figure creates problems when rates change. Quote gross only, and note that deductions will be itemised on each payslip.
- Committing to a bonus amount. Bonuses (summer and winter) are common in Japan and often expected. Stating a specific yen amount in the offer letter can make it contractually binding. Use discretionary language and describe the range only if supported by your employment rules.
- Misaligned probation terms. If the offer letter specifies a probation period, the written employment contract must match. A mismatch creates ambiguity about when dismissal protection applies in its full form. Align both documents before the employee starts.
Teamed's standard Japan offer letter template covers all required ground without overcommitting. Clients choose commercial elements. Teamed holds the legal-employer position and issues documents in both Japanese and English where requested.
Japan work-authorisation checks
Every employer must confirm that a worker has the right to work in Japan before employment begins.
Japanese nationals and permanent residents may start once their identity is confirmed. Foreign nationals who do not already hold a valid work-authorising residence status must secure a Certificate of Eligibility and the correct visa category before their start date.
Japanese nationals and permanent residents
Japanese nationals and holders of a Permanent Resident visa may work without restriction. The employer checks the My Number card, passport, or residence card and retains a copy. No separate work-permit application is needed.
Foreign nationals who hold a valid work-authorising residence status
Holders of a valid residence card (Zairyu Card) with a status of residence that permits the type of work they will be doing may begin employment once the employer verifies the card. Common statuses include Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, Intra-company Transferee, Highly Skilled Professional, and Specified Skilled Worker. The employer must check the card, note the status category, and record the expiry date for follow-up.
Foreign nationals who need a new Certificate of Eligibility
Foreign nationals outside Japan who do not yet hold a qualifying status require a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) issued by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan. The employer or a designated administrative scrivener applies for the COE on the worker's behalf. The Immigration Services Agency typically takes one to three months to process a standard application. Once issued, the worker presents the COE at the Japanese consulate in their home country to obtain the work visa. The worker may not begin employment until the visa is granted and they enter Japan.
A Certificate of Eligibility confirms that an applicant meets the landing conditions for a specific residence status under the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act. The employing entity in Japan files the application. The certificate is then used at the Japanese consulate overseas to obtain the visa. Foreign workers who do not hold a qualifying residence status may not begin employment before the COE and visa are in place.
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan: Certificate of Eligibility
Follow-up checks for time-limited residence statuses
For employees on residence cards with an expiry date, the employer must track the renewal and run a follow-up check before the card expires. Teamed calendars each renewal deadline and notifies the employee and client team ahead of time. Working past a residence card expiry is a breach of immigration law.
The Japan written employment contract: what must it contain?
Japan requires employers to issue a written document stating key employment conditions before or on the start date.
This is not optional. The Labor Standards Act requires disclosure of core terms in writing. Verbal agreements on working conditions are not enforceable against the employer.
What the written employment contract must disclose under the Labor Standards Act:
- Contract duration (indefinite or fixed-term, and if fixed-term, the end date and any renewal conditions)
- Place of work and the scope of any mobility requirement
- Start and end times of the working day, whether overtime is expected, and break-time arrangements
- Rest days and holidays, including public holidays and any company-designated days
- Annual paid leave entitlement (10 days after 6 months continuous employment with 80% attendance, scaling up with tenure)
- Wages: base amount, calculation method, pay period, and pay date
- Retirement age and retirement benefit terms if applicable
- Rules on dismissal, with reference to the company work rules (shugyo kisoku) where these exist
Companies with ten or more employees must file their work rules (shugyo kisoku) with the Labour Standards Inspection Office. These rules supplement the individual contract and govern matters including disciplinary procedures, overtime, leave policies, and health and safety. The individual contract cannot give employees less than the work rules provide.
Japan does not use a UK-style Section 1 statement or a German-style Nachweisgesetz document. The written disclosure obligation is set by Labor Standards Act, Article 15. Teamed's standard Japan employment contract satisfies all current disclosure requirements.
Onboarding admin in the first week
Days 1 to 5 cover social insurance registration, My Number collection, bank details, and benefits setup.
Teamed handles the payroll and compliance side. The client handles the operational and cultural side.
| Onboarding task | Who does it | Day |
|---|---|---|
| Written employment contract signed | Employee and Teamed | Day 0 or 1 |
| Work-authorisation check completed | Teamed | Day 0 (before start) |
| My Number (individual number) collected | Employee submits to Teamed | Day 1 |
| Health insurance and welfare pension enrolment (Shakai Hoken) | Teamed files with Japan Pension Service via e-Gov | Days 1 to 5 |
| Employment insurance registration (Hello Work) | Teamed | Days 1 to 5 |
| Workers accident insurance confirmed | Teamed | Days 1 to 5 |
| Bank account details (for salary transfer) collected | Teamed | Days 1 to 7 |
| Residence card details recorded (foreign nationals) | Teamed | Day 1 |
| Equipment and system access provisioned | Client | Days 0 to 1 |
| Manager introduction and first-week plan | Client | Days 0 to 7 |
| 30-60-90 day plan documented | Client (manager) | Days 1 to 14 |
How does Teamed handle Japan employment for you?
Teamed becomes your legal employer of record in Japan for from $599 per employee per month, with zero FX mark-up in any currency.
The written contract, social insurance registration, and the full Japan employment law stack run on one platform.
Real HR and legal experts handle your Japan hires, from the first offer letter through every monthly withholding tax remittance and social insurance payment. An actual person, not a chatbot or a pooled queue. There is no setup fee and no exit fee. Employer cost passes through at cost, itemised on every invoice.
EOR payroll, contractor onboarding, and entity setup all live on one platform. A Japan contractor who converts to full employment keeps their record. Run the Crossover Calculator to see the month your Japan hire is ready to graduate to your own entity. Start from the Japan hiring overview. Each guide takes one layer of Japan employment law.
Key sources: Labor Standards Act, Labor Contract Act, and Immigration Services Agency of Japan.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to hire someone in Japan through Teamed?
For a Japanese national or a foreign national already holding a valid work-authorising residence status, Teamed can complete onboarding within a few business days. The critical path is social insurance registration, which must be done within five days of the start date. For foreign nationals who need a Certificate of Eligibility, the Immigration Services Agency typically takes one to three months to process the application. That window must be factored into the hiring timeline before an offer is made.
What is a Certificate of Eligibility and when is it needed?
A Certificate of Eligibility (COE) is a document issued by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan confirming that a foreign national meets the entry conditions for a specific residence status. The employing entity in Japan applies for the COE on the worker's behalf. The worker then presents it at the Japanese consulate in their home country to obtain the work visa. Foreign nationals who do not already hold a qualifying residence status cannot begin employment in Japan until the COE and visa are in place.
What is the notice period and probation structure in Japan?
The employer must give 30 days notice to dismiss under the Labor Standards Act, Article 20. Alternatively, the employer can pay 30 days average wages in lieu. During the first 14 days of employment, the Article 20 notice requirement does not apply. After 14 consecutive days, the full notice obligation kicks in even if a longer probation period is in place. The customary probation period runs up to 6 months, though no statute sets a fixed cap. Employee resignation notice is 14 days under the Civil Code, Article 627.
When does dismissal protection apply in Japan?
Dismissal protection under the Labor Contract Act applies from day one. There is no qualifying period. Under Article 16, a dismissal that lacks objectively reasonable grounds and is not considered appropriate in general societal terms is treated as an abuse of rights and is invalid. This is a significantly higher bar than in many other countries. Japan has no UK-style two-year qualifying period or German KSchG threshold.
What is the minimum annual leave entitlement for a Japan employee?
The minimum paid annual leave under the Labor Standards Act, Article 39, is 10 days after six months of continuous employment with at least 80% attendance. Leave entitlement scales up with tenure: it reaches 20 days after six and a half years of service. From 2019, employers must ensure employees take at least 5 days of statutory leave per year. Japan has numerous national public holidays; the exact count varies by year.
Japan dismissal protection from day one is the fact that surprises most clients. There is no six-month or two-year qualifying period. If the first contract is not drafted carefully and the work rules are not in place, you can find yourself disputing a termination from week three. We build the compliance foundation before the offer goes out, not after.
In Japan, the employee is protected from dismissal on day one. The contract and the work rules have to be right from the start.
The Certificate of Eligibility is the long pole for any foreign hire. It cannot be rushed. Plan the timeline before you make the offer.
Teamed runs the compliance side so you can focus on the hire.
