I’ve been offered a chance to do some remote temp work for a company I used to do some work for back home. It’s a short contract, about three weeks with 20-40 hours per week at my own discretion, but I don’t want to accept it before making sure it’s legal for me to do so. I still have a US bank account and was planning to have the pay go there if it’s relevant. Are the any Japanese laws I need to be aware of or anyone I need to report that income to or anything? Or any permissions I need to get? The total pay assuming I work the maximum possible number of hours in that time would be about $1800/¥243000 if that’s relevant either. I’ve also lived in Japan for more than one year already. It seems like that’s relevant to add as well based on some of what I’ve been able to determine from google.
3 comments
What kind of visa you have is relevant, and the kind of work your visa allows (which may mean how closely related your present permitted work is to the job you’re proposing to add) is relevant, too.
If the job scope is related to your working visa category – you’re good. Otherwise, you need to get permission from immigration to work on things outside of the scope.
Report income to Japan = yes.
Make sure the US company doesn’t take anything out for US taxes / etc from your pay, if you’re W2, but I suspect you aren’t based on the description.
The laws you need to focus on are:
1) immigration control and refugee act: if you’re on a work visa you will need immigration’s permission to work for this non domiciled to Japan employer/client (https://www.isa.go.jp/en/applications/guide/nyuukokukanri07_00045.html) however, if you’re on a table 2 visa (spouse, LTR, PR) then you’re all good immigration wise.
2) Income tax act: you will need to declare this income to Japan because the asset yielding it (you) are a tax resident of Japan. So this is defined “domestic sourced income” regardless of where it’s paid and regardless if remitted to Japan or not