Instructor visa in Japan: teaching English at schools

The Instructor visa in Japan (在留資格「教育」, kyōiku) is the residence status for teaching at schools. It covers language and other teaching at schools such as elementary, junior high, senior high, vocational and miscellaneous schools. For a miscellaneous school you need a degree or equivalent, 12 years of education in the language you teach, and pay equal to a Japanese teacher. This is the position as of October 2026, from the Immigration Services Agency (出入国在留管理庁, ISA).

What does the Instructor visa cover?

ISA defines the activity as language education and other education at these Japanese institutions:

• elementary, junior high, compulsory-education, senior high and secondary-education schools
• special-needs schools (特別支援学校)
• vocational schools (専修学校)
• miscellaneous schools (各種学校)
• institutions that are equivalent to these in facilities and organization

ISA’s own example is language teachers at junior and senior high schools and similar. Periods of stay are 5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 3 months.

What are the requirements?

The criteria depend on where you teach. For a miscellaneous school or equivalent institution, or a non-teacher post at another institution, you must meet all of these.

One exception: for miscellaneous schools set up to give elementary or secondary education in a foreign language to children of diplomats, officials or Dependent holders, only the education test applies.

Instructor or Specialist in Humanities?

This is where many English teachers get confused. Two statuses touch language teaching.

The Specialist in Humanities status states that it excludes activities listed under Instructor. So the two do not overlap on paper. ISA’s pages do not say exactly which status an English conversation school (eikaiwa) or a dispatched assistant language teacher (ALT) receives. That depends on the institution and contract, and ISA decides. Don’t assume it from a job ad. Ask your employer which status they will apply for, and see our Engineer/Specialist in Humanities guide for the other route.

How do you apply?

From abroad, your school or employer normally applies for a Certificate of Eligibility first. See the Certificate of Eligibility guide. If you are already in Japan on another status, such as Student, you apply for a change of status of residence.

Bring or ask your employer to prepare:

• your diploma, or proof of your teaching license or vocational course
• proof of 12 years of education in the language you will teach, if you teach a language
• proof of 5 years of teaching experience, if you teach another subject

How do you renew it, and what does it cost?

Apply on or before the day your period of stay ends. If your period is 6 months or longer, you can apply from 3 months before. Counter fees for applications from October 1, 2026 depend on the period granted.

Applications received by September 30, 2026 paid the old fee of ¥6,000. See visa fees in Japan for all fees and visa renewal in Japan for the steps.

What about family and side jobs?

For family, see the Dependent visa guide and ask the immigration bureau whether your status can sponsor dependents. For work outside your status, see freelance and side jobs on a work visa.

If you change schools or employers, see changing jobs on a work visa.