Contract types

雇用形態 · Koyo Keitai

Seishain, keiyaku, gyomu-itaku, and haken: the four employment archetypes, what each protects, and what each costs you.

CODE: JOB-CONTRACT

DISMISSAL BAR VERY HIGH

KEIYAKU CONVERSION 5 YEARS

HAKEN POSTING CAP 3 YEARS

PAID LEAVE FLOOR 10 DAYS

BUREAUCRACY FRICTION

Documentation rigor 2 / 5 (LOW)

Processing wait 2 / 5 (LOW)

Interview demand 2 / 5 (LOW)

Cost burden 3 / 5 (MODERATE)

Paperwork is light; the real cost is choosing wrong. Itaku tax admin and haken tenure clocks surprise people mid-career.

Mandatory Submission Pack

Verify each asset before the immigration desk sees it.

0 OF 4 PACKED

Seishain 正社員 (indefinite) MAX SECURITY Permanent regular employee. Dismissal requires objective reasonable grounds (Labor Contract Act Art. 16) — among the strongest job security in the OECD. Trade-off: relocation orders (tenkin) anywhere in Japan.
Keiyakushain 契約社員 (fixed term) 5-YR CONVERSION Direct fixed-term contracts, usually one year. After five consecutive years you gain a unilateral right to convert to indefinite terms (Art. 18). Bonuses and allowances are often reduced.
Gyomu-itaku 業務委託 (freelance B2B) NO SAFETY NET Service outsourcing as a sole proprietor (kojin jigyo). Higher gross rates, full autonomy, self-managed tax filing — but zero labor-law cover: no overtime premiums, no paid leave, no dismissal shield.
Haken 派遣社員 (dispatch) AGENCY SPONSORED Employed by an agency, working at a client site. Strict three-year cap per client division, minute-by-minute overtime pay, and a possible direct-hire route (shokai-yotei-haken).

General information only — immigration rules change and cases vary. Confirm with the Immigration Services Agency or a registered specialist before acting.