Designated Activities (特定活動) is Japan's catch-all residence status — a legal framework the Minister of Justice uses to create specific immigration categories without amending the underlying law. As of 2026, more than 20 sub-types exist, each defined by a numbered Notice (告示). The total stay period, work rights, and family rules vary by sub-type, so "what can I do on 特定活動?" has no single answer — it depends entirely on which Notice number applies to you.
Work-related sub-types include Digital Nomad (#53), J-Find / Future Creation Talent (#51, family #52), Specified Research / Specified IT activities (#36, #37), Working Holiday (#5), EPA nurses and care workers from Indonesia/Philippines/Vietnam, amateur athletes, ski instructors, and several categories for domestic workers of HSP and diplomat households. Stay-related sub-types cover long-term medical patients (and their companions), long-term tourists for leisure/recreation, and fourth-generation descendants of Japanese emigrants (日系四世). Family and companion sub-types cover HSP spouses who want to work, parents of HSPs or HSP spouses, and interns/summer jobs/cultural exchange participants. Post-graduation job hunting is granted as a non-designated (告示外) Designated Activities status for 6–12 months — notification #9 itself is the internship category.
The most heavily used sub-types on japan-visa.com have dedicated pages: Digital Nomad, Working Holiday, J-Find, and Job-Seeker Activities. For all other sub-types, the official MOJ Designated Activities page (linked above) lists the full set of Notices with their requirements. Because 特定活動 is designed to be flexible, rules change frequently — always confirm the current Notice text before filing, and engage a licensed 行政書士 for edge cases.
Sub-types with dedicated pages on this site
Work-related (就労系):
- Digital Nomad (#53) — remote workers earning from overseas
- Working Holiday (#5) — ages 18-30 youth exchange
- J-Find / Future Creation (#51) — top-100 university graduates, 2 years
- Specified Research (#36) — researchers at designated institutions
- Specified IT Processing (#37) — IT engineers at designated institutions
- EPA Nurse / Caregiver — from Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam
- Amateur Athlete — non-professional sports training
- Ski Instructor — seasonal resort employment
- Domestic Helper — for diplomats / HSP / special talent
Stay-related (滞在系):
- Medical Stay (#25, #26) — foreign patients + companion
- Long-Term Tourism (#40) — wealthy leisure 6-12 months
- Nikkei 4th Generation (#42) — Japanese descendants
Family & companion (家族・同伴系):
- HSP Family — HSP spouse working + parents accompanying
Study & job-search (学業・就職系):
- Job-Seeker (non-designated) — Japan graduate continuing job search
- Internship & Cultural Exchange — university programs
Who Is This For
- ✓Digital nomads, working-holiday makers, and other remote/short-term workers
- ✓Top-university graduates pursuing job-hunting or startup preparation (J-Find,
- ✓Foreign graduates of Japanese universities continuing job-hunting after graduation (non-designated)
- ✓EPA nurses and care workers from Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam
- ✓Spouses and parents of Highly Skilled Professionals
- ✓Medical long-stay patients and their companions, amateur athletes, and other special cases
Requirements
- •Activity must match one of the 20+ sub-types defined by MOJ Notice (告示)
- •Each sub-type has its own eligibility criteria (income, university ranking, age, nationality, etc.)
- •Valid passport and documentation proving the specific designated activity
- •Proof of financial means sufficient for the designated stay
- •For most sub-types, a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) issued by a Regional Immigration Bureau
- •No overlap with activities permitted under other residence statuses
Full breakdown of Immigration fees, scrivener rates, and all other costs for this visa type.
Required Documents
- Valid passport
- Certificate of Eligibility (COE) for the specific sub-type (for most work-related types)
- Application for Certificate of Eligibility (form W)
- Supporting documents specific to the sub-type (employment contract, university diploma, etc.)
- Proof of financial means (bank statements, tax returns, employer guarantee)
- Photograph (4cm x 3cm, taken within 3 months)
- Reason/activity plan statement describing the designated activity
Application Process
- 1Identify the specific 特定活動 Notice number that matches your situation (#5 Working Holiday,
- 2Gather sub-type-specific documents (see each dedicated page for detail)
- 3Apply for a Certificate of Eligibility at the Regional Immigration Bureau (where required)
- 4Apply for the visa at the Japanese Embassy/Consulate in your home country
- 5Enter Japan and receive a residence card at the airport (in-scope sub-types)
- 6Engage only in the designated activity; switching sub-types normally requires a Change of Status
- 7Extend before expiry if the sub-type is renewable
Apply for the Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
Once you've chosen your visa, your Japan-side sponsor (employer / school / family) files the COE with Immigration — then you exchange it for a visa at the embassy.
Residence Status (COE) Review Time
Average processing days as of Jul 2026, based on official Ministry of Justice statistics.
Figures include waiting time for supplementary documents. Denied and withdrawn applications are excluded.
Renewal and change-of-status 'notice' figures include the wait between review completion and pickup at Immigration Bureau.