Being dismissed in Japan as a foreign worker: notice, pay and your visa

If you are fired in Japan as a foreigner (dismissed, 解雇), your employer must give you 30 days’ notice, or pay at least 30 days’ average wages (解雇予告手当) instead. A dismissal with no objectively reasonable ground is void under the Labour Contract Act. The same law protects foreign and Japanese workers. For your visa, the key clocks are 14 days to notify immigration (for listed statuses) and 3 months of not doing your status’s work. All as of October 2026.

This page covers being dismissed by your employer (解雇). If you are the one leaving, see quitting a job on a work visa.

What notice or pay must an employer give?

Article 20 of the Labor Standards Act (労働基準法) says an employer who wants to dismiss you must:

• give at least 30 days’ notice, or
• pay at least 30 days’ average wages (the “dismissal allowance”, 解雇予告手当), or
• a mix: each day of notice you are short can be covered by one day of average wages. Notice 10 days ahead means 20 days of average wages.

No notice or pay is required only if a natural disaster or other unavoidable reason makes continuing the business impossible, or the dismissal is for a reason that is the worker’s own fault. In both cases the labor standards authority must recognize it.

Article 21 lists workers outside the 30-day rule:

When is a dismissal invalid?

Paying the notice does not make a dismissal legal. Article 16 of the Labour Contract Act says a dismissal that lacks an objectively reasonable ground and is not appropriate by social standards is an abuse of the right to dismiss and is void.

The labor ministry also lists situations where dismissal is prohibited:

• during leave for a work injury or illness, and for 30 days after
• during maternity leave, and for 30 days after (the law has narrow exceptions)
• because of nationality, creed, union membership or whistleblowing

For redundancy dismissals (整理解雇), courts consider four factors together: the need to cut staff, efforts to avoid dismissal, whether the selection of who is dismissed is appropriate, and whether the procedure is appropriate.

Article 3 bans different treatment in wages and working conditions because of nationality. Being foreign, or having a visa that needs renewal, is not a reason that makes a dismissal valid.

What should I do if I’m dismissed?

On leaving, you can also request a certificate of your employment period, work, position, wages and reason for leaving (Article 22).

If your employer broke the law, you can report it to the labor standards authority (Article 104). The employer must not dismiss or disadvantage you for reporting.

What happens to my visa if I’m dismissed?

Losing your job does not cancel your residence card. But two rules start running.

1. Notify immigration within 14 days. ISA says the mid- to long-term resident must notify within 14 days of the contracting organization changing or the contract ending. It applies to statuses such as Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, Highly Skilled Professional, Researcher, Skilled Labor, Nursing Care and Specified Skilled Worker. You can file online at any time, with no documents. ISA’s page states no penalty. Questions go to the Immigration Information Center (0570-013904) or your regional bureau.

2. Don’t go 3 months without doing your work. If you hold a work status and have not carried out that status’s activity for 3 months or more in a row, ISA can revoke it unless you have a legitimate reason (正当な理由). Before revoking, an immigration inspector must hear your views. If revoked, a departure period of up to 30 days is set. The ISA page does not list examples of legitimate reasons, so ask your bureau how your job search will be treated.

For health insurance, pension and benefits after leaving a job, see quitting a job on a work visa and unemployment benefits for foreigners. If you were a salaried worker, see employment insurance for what you paid in. If your employer owes you severance, see severance pay in Japan.

Where can I get help in my language?

Both cover 13 languages including Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Myanmar, Nepali, Korean, Thai, Indonesian, Khmer and Mongolian, and are closed December 29 to January 3. For more rights, see labor rights for foreign workers.