Using a visa elsewhere instead of signing

I was offered a job by an eikaiwa and accepted. I'm going to receive a work visa through them before coming to Japan, and I'm supposed to sign a contract with them when I arrive. But it's looking like I may be getting a non-teaching job offer before I arrive in Japan. If I arrive in Japan and use the visa for the non-teaching job instead of signing the eikaiwa's contract, can/will action be taken against me?

You mean you have been offered a position, you said yes to it, they took the trouble to sponsor a COE/visa for you so that you can come to Japan to work for them, and you are going to drop them upon arrival?

So you want to enter Japan on false employment situation? The thing is, the "eikaiwa" would have a contract with your name in it (not signed apparently) in order for them to apply for a visa for you. If you arrive and don't sign it, they could go immediately to Immigration and tell them that you've defaulted on the agreement.

The proper thing would to say sorry but no to the "eikaiwa," get them to withdraw their visa application for you, and start from scratch with the new employer offering you a non-teaching position.


If it is an "eikaiwa" company, probably the status you are going to get will be "specialist in humanities/international services." As the visa is tied to the employer, you'd have to report the change of employer UPON arrival, which would raise some eyebrows at immigration, more eyebrows if you need to apply for change of resident status upon arrival (unless the newer potential offer involves work that falls within that same visa category).

But it's looking like I may be getting a non-teaching job offer before I arrive in Japan.

Visas are specific to the type of work to be done. If you are coming on a teaching job and changing to a non-teaching job, odds are the residency status will no longer fit and you'll have to apply for a change of residency status at immigration. At the very least, if your original residency status covers your new job you'll still have to update immigration of the change of employer within 14 days. It will probably raise flags that you will not be entering with the employer that originally sponsored you.

If I arrive in Japan and use the visa for the non-teaching job instead of signing the eikaiwa's contract, can/will action be taken against me?

The original employer will be required to report the change to immigration. Potentially they could deny your application when you try to update your residency status.

Like ... said, the best course of action is to contact the eikawa and have them withdraw the application. Then reapply using the new employer as your sponsor.