Visa-related matter in a summer internship

[thepie]

Hi all,

I'm about to participate in a two-month summer internship. The internship will be just like working full time, i.e. 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week. At the moment, I am a college student visa holder and have permission to engage in activities outside the status (i.e. part-time jobs).
My concern is, do I have to do any other paper work to participate in the internship? I've asked my friends but they have no experience in this so I hope someone here can help me.

Edit: I've found my answer. No need of any other documents besides the part-time permission. Source: http://www.studyjapan.go.jp/en/inj/inj03e.html

Thank you

 

[Mike Cash]

The limit on working hours doesn't apply?

 

[thepie]

The limit on working hours doesn't apply?

During summer and winter vacations, students are allowed to work up to 8 hours a day instead of 28 hours a week.

 

[Mike Cash]

That's good to know. Glad things worked out well for you.

 

[Davey]

I don't think it really matters on how many hours you work, as long as you are not getting paid for it.

 

[thepie]

I don't think it really matters on how many hours you work, as long as you are not getting paid for it.

I forgot to mention that this is a paid internship

 

[Davey]

Wow, that's pretty nice!

Although you shouldn't get paid for it in my opinion lol

 

[Mike Cash]

Wow, that's pretty nice!

Although you shouldn't get paid for it in my opinion lol

That has an unfortunate tendency to cause some employers to take on "interns" as unpaid labor instead of helping them to learn about the industry. Pay helps prevent abuse of the system.

You should see the people brought here as "trainees" and used as little more than slave labor. Abuse happens.

 

[Davey]

Well he better buys them coffee, because they will put a lot of effort in him while they might have other things to do as well..

(BTW I am doing an unpaid internship at the moment..)

 

[Glenski]

Where does it say that people on student visas can work full-time in summer? Please quote a source. I'd be very careful about that if you have not confirmed with immigration.

As for "getting paid" for the internship, what are they paying you? If it's a real salary, beware the stipulation above. If it's just room and board money, it probably doesn't apply.

 

[Half-n-Half]

You have to get a special permit （資格外活動許可） and the allowed hours is listed under "Limit to Work Hours" in the OP's link:

"During long-term school break: Up to 8 hours per day"

I would still double check with the immigration office, however.

 

[Glenski]

Looking at that site, it appears to come from MOFA, so I guess it's pretty reliable. I might ask foreign students at my uni, or the uni office itself to confirm, too. Very helpful.

 

[MichaelHey]

Hi, sorry this is a year later but I was just wondering how things went with doing an internship with just the part time work permission?

I am on a student visa until next February and have been accepted to do a short paid internship over my summer break. The only advice I have found is to change to a working visa but since I will be going back to uni after the internship this is not such a desirable option! I did notice the condition of being able to work 8 hours a day in long breaks but it doesn't seem to mention that the 28 hour weekly limit no longer applies?
Thanks!

 

[Glenski]

If you finished studying, you cannot use the student visa anymore. If you are going to do an internship, get an internship visa (or stay as a tourist, but don't overstay).

Where does it say you can work longer during breaks? Link please.

 

[MichaelHey]

If you finished studying, you cannot use the student visa anymore. If you are going to do an internship, get an internship visa (or stay as a tourist, but don't overstay).

Where does it say you can work longer during breaks? Link please.

I haven't finished studying. After the internship I am going back to do the next half of my exchange so I have to stay on my student visa. Read the above posts about the 8 hour limit in the summer break. I have it on a piece of paper given to me by the immigration office when I applied for part time work permission. But as I said before, it is unclear as to whether the 28 hour limit still applies.

 

[Mike Cash]

Personally, I'd seek information from Immigration rather than from strangers on the Internet.

 

[Glenski]

Agree with Mike, especially on this complicated topic and the situation as I now understand it.