This is my wife for context. She is my dependent. She was approved for a working visa (Max 28 hours) over the summer, and while it started off slow she’s really been picking up business as an artist in a shop. She’s been very good at keeping track of her hours, she’s paying her taxes, and everything is legit with her company support.
She ended up making about 2.5 million before the end of the year. So by our math she might do even better than that next year per month and might end around 6 million pre tax or better! Someone mentioned to us there is not a limit but could be issues. Some said “They just can’t make more than you” and another said “50% of your income” and another said 1.8 million.
I’m making decent money so even if she has a fantastic year, I still don’t think she will even be at the 50% mark of my salary. I don’t depend on her income at all, and lived here in the same house well before she was here and paid all my bills and taxes no issues. We can even prove I’ve never transferred money from her to me.
We are planning to try for PR year after next as that would resolve a lot of these issues.
EDIT: Working Permit on Dependent Visa
EDIT: Answered in the comments, I contacted a lawyer and City office to get a correct answer
4 comments
She did not get a working visa, she got a working permit, which is different.
She cannot make more than 1.3 million in a year without losing her dependent status.
That means, she cannot be under your health insurance, she should be paying her own insurance and pension, will have to of course pay her income tax, and resident tax as well.
She most likely will need to process her own visa as well (this I am not sure though). This is the reason why dependent visa holders work limited hours, and some refuse to work for more money or more hours, in order not to lose their status.
“They just can’t make more than you”
this is what you get from nyukan usually. I think you are fine right now
kind of tricky to figure out what is true
but consider this: in the past i was on a spousal visa, and my wife was my dependant in terms of health insurance and taxes (i.e. i was the only one who was working, and she was 専業主婦)
I just called the city office and they said pretty much
They are legally no longer a Dependent after 1.3 million, but that does NOT equal not a dependent on a visa. Many things are taken into consideration like salary of me the husband, cost of living and bills, and many other factors. They said they are unable to offer direct facts as they are not immigration office. Although they often see up to 30-40% of the salary depending how much the husband makes.
I contacted my companies lawyer and he got back to me super quickly, this is his quote
“I see. Since your income is relatively high, it seems even if she earns more than 300 man, she can be your dependent. But I don’t think she had better not earn so much. It may cause concerns, but Japan also likes tax money lol”
We chatted for a little bit after, he said it’s unlikely they would just kick you out as well. Unless it’s an egregious infraction, you were not an upstanding citizen, or your dependent is often staying alone or traveling alone you may only get a warning but could not make that level of money again.
He recommended them starting the process for their own visa as Artist do not require higher education and being in Japan already with proven income would increase the odds of this visa greatly. Also that if I was to apply for PR this situation would be examined a lot more closely than a visa renewal so to keep that in mind.