# Unemployment benefits in Japan for foreigners (and your visa)

URL: https://japanhow.com/money/benefits/unemployment-benefits-japan-foreigners/
Author: japanhow editors
Updated: Oct 21, 2026

## Summary

Foreigners can get unemployment benefits in Japan on the same terms as Japanese workers. You need 12 insured months in the 2 years before leaving, or 6 months in 1 year if you were laid off. As of October 2026, people who quit wait 7 days plus 1 month, and the daily maximum is ¥7,450 to ¥9,110 depending on age. On a work visa, tell immigration within 14 days, and know that 3 months without working can lead to revocation.

## Key facts

- Insured months needed: 12 in 2 years (6 in 1 year if laid off)
- Wait if you quit: 7 days + 1 month (since April 2025)
- Daily maximum, age 30-44: ¥8,270 (from August 2026)
- Tell immigration: Within 14 days of leaving

Yes, foreigners can claim **unemployment benefits** in Japan through employment insurance (雇用保険), on the same terms as Japanese workers. You need **12 insured months in the 2 years** before you left, or 6 months in the last year if the employer ended your job. As of October 2026, if you quit, you wait **7 days plus 1 month** before payments start. On a work visa, you must also tell immigration within **14 days**.

## Can foreigners get unemployment benefits in Japan?

Yes. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (厚生労働省) says labor and social insurance laws apply to foreigners **regardless of nationality**. You are insured if your contract has:

- **20 hours or more** of scheduled work a week, and
- an expected job of **31 days or more**.

Your employer enrolls you and reports your name and status of residence to Hello Work, the public employment office. If your employer never enrolled you but should have, you can be enrolled retroactively. Ask Hello Work to check.

### Do I qualify for the basic allowance?

The main benefit is the basic allowance (基本手当). According to Hello Work, you need:

- **Insured months:** 12 or more in the 2 years before leaving. If you are a specified eligible recipient (特定受給資格者, for example after dismissal or bankruptcy) or a specified reason leaver (特定理由離職者), 6 months in the last year is enough. A month counts if you were paid for 11 or more days or 80 or more hours.
- **Unemployed and job hunting:** you are willing and able to work, actively looking, and registered as a job seeker at Hello Work.

## How much are unemployment benefits in Japan?

Hello Work takes your wages for the **last 6 months** (bonuses excluded) and divides by 180 to get your daily wage. The daily allowance is about **50% to 80%** of that (45% to 80% at ages 60 to 64). Lower earners get the higher percentage.

The daily maximum from **1 August 2026**:

| Age when you left | Daily maximum |
|---|---|
| Under 30 | ¥7,450 |
| 30 to 44 | ¥8,270 |
| 45 to 59 | ¥9,110 |
| 60 to 64 | ¥7,830 |

### How many days are paid?

It depends on why you left, your age and how long you were insured.

**If you quit or your contract ended normally:**

| Insured for | Days paid |
|---|---|
| 1 to under 10 years | 90 |
| 10 to under 20 years | 120 |
| 20 years or more | 150 |

**If you were laid off or the company closed** (specified eligible recipient):

| Age | Under 1 year | 1 to 5 years | 5 to 10 years | 10 to 20 years | 20+ years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 30 | 90 | 90 | 120 | 180 | n/a |
| 30 to 34 | 90 | 120 | 180 | 210 | 240 |
| 35 to 44 | 90 | 150 | 180 | 240 | 270 |
| 45 to 59 | 90 | 180 | 240 | 270 | 330 |
| 60 to 64 | 90 | 150 | 180 | 210 | 240 |

You must use the days within **1 year** of the day after you left. Illness, pregnancy, childbirth or childcare that stops you working for 30 days or more can extend this by up to 3 years.

## How long do I wait if I quit?

Everyone waits **7 days** of unemployment after filing (待期). If you left at your own convenience (自己都合), a benefit restriction (給付制限) follows:

- **1 month** if you left on or after **1 April 2025** (it was 2 months before).
- **3 months** if you quit without good reason twice or more in the past 5 years, or were dismissed for serious misconduct.
- **No restriction** if you take education and training for reskilling, from April 2025. Ask Hello Work which courses count.

Hello Work's procedure page still says 2 months. The ministry's page on the April 2025 change says 1 month, and we follow the ministry.

## How do I claim at Hello Work?

Japan Post Bank (ゆうちょ銀行) accounts are accepted for payment. Because you must attend in person every 4 weeks, you can't keep claiming once you leave Japan.

## What happens to my visa when I lose my job?

This is where foreigners differ from Japanese workers. Two rules matter, as of October 2026.

**1. Tell immigration within 14 days.** If you hold Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, Skilled Labor, Specified Skilled Worker, Nursing Care, Researcher, Highly Skilled Professional or contract-based Entertainer, file the **notification on your contracting organization** (契約機関に関する届出) within 14 days of the contract ending. File it again within 14 days of signing with a new employer. Other statuses, such as Intra-company Transferee or Business Manager, file a similar notification on the activity organization. File online at any time, at a regional immigration bureau with your residence card (在留カード), or by mail.

**2. Three months without work can cost you your status.** Under Article 22-4 of the Immigration Act, the Immigration Services Agency (出入国在留管理庁) can revoke a work, study or other activity-based status if you don't do its activities for **3 months or more in a row**, unless you have a **legitimate reason** (正当な理由). The agency's page doesn't list what counts. Keep records of your job search and ask your regional bureau. A licensed immigration specialist (行政書士) can advise on your own case.

**Spouse, permanent resident or long-term resident?:** The 3-month rule covers the statuses in Appended Table I of the Immigration Act: work and study statuses, plus Dependent (家族滞在) and Designated Activities. Spouses of Japanese nationals or permanent residents fall under a different ground instead: not living as a spouse for 6 months or more. Permanent Resident and Long-Term Resident (定住者) are not in Appended Table I, so the 3-month rule doesn't apply to them. See the [spouse visa guide](/visa/visas/spouse-visa-japan/) and [long-term resident visa](/visa/visas/long-term-resident-visa-japan/).

If your next job is a different kind of work, read about [changing your status of residence](/visa/visas/change-of-status-of-residence-japan/). Specified Skilled Worker holders, see the [SSW guide](/visa/visas/specified-skilled-worker-japan/).

## What about health insurance and pension after I leave?

The Japan Pension Service says your workplace pension and health insurance end when you leave. If you aren't re-employed straight away and are 20 to 59, you enroll in the National Pension (国民年金). You also join [National Health Insurance](/money/insurance/national-health-insurance-japan-foreigners/) at your city office within 14 days.

If you were laid off, many cities cut your health insurance premium. In Shinjuku, a specified eligible recipient or specified reason leaver under 65 has their previous salary counted at 30% until the end of the next fiscal year. For the pension, the Japan Pension Service offers a special exemption after job loss, regardless of last year's income, if you show your separation notice. See [the Japanese pension for foreigners](/money/pension/japan-pension-foreigners/).

## More guides

- [Visa renewal in Japan](/visa/visas/visa-renewal-japan/)
- [Resident tax for foreigners](/money/tax/resident-tax-japan-foreigners/)
- [Send money from Japan](/money/remittance/send-money-from-japan/)

## Questions people ask

### Can foreigners get unemployment benefits in Japan?

Yes. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare says employment insurance applies to foreigners the same as Japanese workers. You qualify with 12 insured months in the 2 years before leaving, or 6 months in the last year if the employer ended the job.

### How much are unemployment benefits in Japan?

About 50% to 80% of your average daily wage over your last 6 months, with lower earners getting the higher percentage. From August 2026 the daily maximum is ¥7,450 under 30, ¥8,270 at 30 to 44 and ¥9,110 at 45 to 59.

### How long can I stay in Japan without a job on a work visa?

If you hold a work status and don't do its activities for 3 months or more in a row, immigration can revoke it unless you have a legitimate reason. Ask your regional immigration bureau whether your job search counts.

### Do I need to notify immigration when I lose my job?

Yes, for most work statuses. File the notification on your contracting organization within 14 days of the contract ending, online, in person or by mail, and again within 14 days of signing with a new employer.

### Can I get unemployment benefits if I leave Japan?

In practice, no. You must be able to work, look for work and visit Hello Work in person every 4 weeks for certification.

## Sources

- [外国人労働者の雇用保険手続きをお忘れなく！](https://www.mhlw.go.jp/seisakunitsuite/bunya/koyou_roudou/koyou/gaikokujin/dl/250318.pdf), Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (厚生労働省) (accessed Oct 21, 2026)
- [基本手当について](https://www.hellowork.mhlw.go.jp/insurance/insurance_basicbenefit.html), Hello Work (MHLW) (accessed Oct 21, 2026)
- [基本手当の所定給付日数](https://www.hellowork.mhlw.go.jp/insurance/insurance_benefitdays.html), Hello Work (MHLW) (accessed Oct 21, 2026)
- [雇用保険の具体的な手続き](https://www.hellowork.mhlw.go.jp/insurance/insurance_procedure.html), Hello Work (MHLW) (accessed Oct 21, 2026)
- [自己都合離職者の給付制限の見直し](https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/0000160564_00045.html), Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (厚生労働省) (accessed Oct 21, 2026)
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