Leaving a job in Japan
What to do, and by when
This page lists what foreign residents need to do when they leave a job in Japan, based on official information from the Immigration Services Agency, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the Japan Pension Service, and city offices. HR staff can share it with employees who are leaving.
Checked against official pages in October 2026.
Key points
- Within 14 days: notify the Immigration Services Agency, and switch to National Health Insurance and National Pension (or continue your employer's health insurance within 20 days)
- Your status of residence may be revoked after 3 months without doing your status activities, unless you have a justifiable reason such as actively looking for a job
- If you leave Japan, return your residence card at the airport and claim the lump-sum withdrawal payment within 2 years
This site is mainly in Japanese. English pages: Leaving a job in Japan (checklist) ・ Unemployment benefits calculator ・ How to quit a job ・ Immigration notification ・ Resident tax ・ Health insurance and pension ・ Lump-sum withdrawal calculator
Deadlines at a glance
| What to do | Deadline | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Notify the Immigration Services Agency that your contract ended | Within 14 days | Online, at a regional immigration office, or by mail |
| Join National Health Insurance and National Pension | Within 14 days | Your city or ward office |
| Or: continue your employer's health insurance (voluntary continuation) | Within 20 days from the day after you leave | Kyokai Kenpo or your health insurance society |
| Apply for unemployment benefits | As soon as possible (benefits end 1 year after you leave) | Hello Work for the area where you live |
| If you leave Japan: claim the lump-sum withdrawal payment | Within 2 years after you stop living in Japan | Japan Pension Service (by mail or e-Gov) |
Before your last day
- Ask your employer for the documents you will need: the withholding tax slip (源泉徴収票), your Employment Insurance card (雇用保険被保険者証), and, if you will apply for unemployment benefits, the separation notice (離職票)
- If you ask, your employer must pay your remaining wages within 7 days after you leave (Tokyo Labour Bureau)
- Return your health insurance card (or eligibility certificate) to your employer after your last day
Immigration: notify within 14 days
- If you have a work-related status of residence (such as Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services), notify the Immigration Services Agency within 14 days after your contract with your employer ends. You can file online (24 hours a day), at a regional immigration office, or by mail (Immigration Services Agency, in Japanese)
- Not filing can be punished by a fine
- Your status of residence may be revoked if you do not engage in the activities of your status for 3 months or more without a justifiable reason. Actively looking for a new job can be a justifiable reason. When you find a new job, notify the agency again within 14 days
Health insurance and pension: switch within 14 days
Unless you join a new employer's insurance right away, join National Health Insurance and National Pension at your city or ward office within 14 days (Japan Pension Service). You can instead continue your employer's health insurance for up to 2 years. If you have no income, you can apply for a National Pension premium exemption. Details: Health insurance and pension after leaving a job.
Unemployment benefits
- You can receive the basic allowance if you were covered by employment insurance, generally for 12 months or more in the 2 years before leaving, and you are able and willing to work. Hello Work checks your residence card: your status of residence must allow you to work (MHLW checklist for foreign nationals (PDF))
- If you quit for your own reasons, payment starts after a waiting period plus a 1-month restriction (for people who left on or after April 1, 2025)
- You must report to Hello Work every 4 weeks and show job-search activity. Benefits can only be received within 1 year from the day after you left
- Help in English: Tokyo Employment Service Center for Foreigners. Japanese calculator: 失業保険の計算
Taxes
- Resident tax (住民税) for the year is charged by the city where you lived on January 1, even if you leave Japan later in the year
- If you leave a job during the year and do not start a new one by December, file a final tax return the next year. You often get a refund (Japanese calculator: 確定申告)
If you leave Japan
- File a moving-out notification (転出届) at your city office before you leave
- Return your residence card to an immigration officer at the airport or seaport when you leave Japan without a re-entry permit
- If you cannot pay your resident tax before leaving, appoint a tax agent who lives in Japan and notify the city office (Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (PDF))
- Claim the lump-sum withdrawal payment within 2 years: Lump-sum withdrawal payment calculator
Where to get help
- Foreign Residents Support Center (FRESC): government desks in one place in Tokyo
- Telephone consultation for foreign workers: in 13 languages, for problems with working conditions or unpaid wages
FAQ
I left my job. Do I have to leave Japan?
Not immediately. Notify the Immigration Services Agency within 14 days. Your status of residence may be revoked if you do not engage in the activities of your status for 3 months or more without a justifiable reason. According to the agency, actively looking for a new job after leaving can be a justifiable reason.
Can foreign nationals receive unemployment benefits?
Yes, if you were covered by employment insurance, meet the conditions, and your status of residence allows you to work. Apply at Hello Work for the area where you live.
My employer has not paid my last salary.
If you ask, the employer must pay your wages within 7 days after you leave (Labor Standards Act, Article 23). If they do not, consult a Labour Standards Inspection Office or the telephone consultation for foreign workers.
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