Has anyone applied for the Designated Activities Visa (特定活動）?

Hi everyone,

I wanted to ask if anyone who plans on living and continuing to work in Japan but hasn’t been able to find a job by the time their contract expires has applied for this visa.

I’m curious to know if switching to this visa from an instructor visa will limit you in certain ways, such as keeping your Japanese bank account, etc. Additionally, will you still be able to travel back to your home country (for like 1-2 weeks) and return to Japan to continue job hunting without losing your residence status?

I know that the visa can be extended for up to 6 months, but I’m wondering if there are cases where it can be extended for up to a year.

Thank you!