Japan tightens visa conditions for students
The new regulation aims to prevent foreign students from using the excuse of studying Japanese at language schools to come to Japan to work full-time.
Sora News24The number of Japanese language schools in Japan has increased significantly over the past decade, according to the Ministry of Justice on August 31. According to the Ministry of Justice, the country now has 711 specialized language schools (as opposed to universities or vocational schools that provide some Japanese language content), 1.8 times more than in 2008.
Obviously, all Japanese language schools cannot survive without increasing student numbers. However, the government is concerned about whether these students will actually come to Japan to study.
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The Japanese government will apply stricter regulations on student visas from October. Photo:The Japan Times |
Foreigners on a student visa are allowed to work up to 28 hours per week, which increases to 8 hours per day during school holidays. To maintain their visalong-term, students need to meet certain requirements regarding study time. Under current law, each person must complete at least 760 lessons in a year (each lesson is defined as 45 minutes of classroom instruction).
However, some schools offer short-term intensive courses with exceptionally high hours per week. By enrolling in these programs, some students can meet the annual 760-hour requirement in just six months. With their visas secured, they do not enroll in any other courses during the year and instead work 8 hours a day until the new school year. This means that many international students work full-time jobs while studying Japanese, blurring the line between studying and working in Japan.
From October this year, the Japanese government is determined to address that loophole. When the new regulation comes into effect, students at Japanese language schools will be required to enroll in classes for at least 35 weeks a year.
“We are adjusting to return language schools to their original purpose, which is where students enroll to learn a language,” a Justice Ministry spokesman said.
The Justice Ministry, however, did not place all the blame on the international students. It criticized Japanese language schools for openly or indirectly promoting their intensive training programs as a way for foreigners to find full-time jobs in Japan without needing a work visa.The ministry also mentioned the possibility that some language schools acted as visa providers and did not provide proper guidance to students.
As a result, the new regulations also include stricter requirements for school management, such as the proposal to hire one person to act as director of multiple schools to oversee operations.
