Is it possible to work and permanently reside in Japan as a international MEXT student?

Hi,

I plan to get approved by the MEXT program and graduate in Japan, but I also want to build a future there. You're supposed to go back once you graduate. My question is: is it possible to graduate and stay in japan, reside and build a career? If yes, then how? I know that you are allowed to work in a part-time job but not allowed to send money overseas, but what about being a freelancer? Can you work as a freelancer and send money overseas?

Many thanks!

Welcome to the forum! I don't know about the ins and outs of the law, but it seems sensible to network as much as you can once you come over and express your desire to stay in Japan, so that you get offered a job by an employer in Japan before you leave the MEXT program.

From what little I know, the rule is on how many hours you work. If you can freelance 20 hours a week and call that a living, as long as you keep up with classes, it's theoretically fine. However, as soon as you graduate, you'll have to leave. You can just take a quick hop to Korea and back (I've heard that there's a lot of same-day round-trips to Korea for visa renewals) but you'd have to come back on a tourist visa and then you couldn't work at all, probably (some countries can do a working vacation, but the hours allowed are very limited.)
Of course, if you have a sponsor for a full time job, you can finish your studies, do the korea hop, and come back in on a work visa. In that case your employer would help you through the details.

You're asking about post-graduation, right? If so then yes, no problem. All you have to do is find a company or organization who will sponsor your work visa and hire you. Hopefully you are studying a subject that companies are interested to hire for. If your major is "Japanese studies" or something like that it could be more difficult.