Ibaraki’s Illegal Employment Reporting Reward System: Key Points for Employers and Foreign Residents
Ibaraki’s Illegal Employment Reporting Reward System: Key Points for Employers and Foreign Residents
Ibaraki Prefecture’s system should not be understood simply as a general system for reporting foreign residents. Its main focus is information about businesses or related parties suspected of enabling illegal employment.
Introduction: Understand the target of the system accurately
Ibaraki Prefecture’s reporting reward system related to illegal employment began on May 11, 2026, according to media reports. It may be described casually as a system for reporting overstayers, but from a practical compliance perspective, it is more accurate to understand it as a system focusing on information about businesses, employers, or brokers suspected of enabling illegal employment.
A person’s appearance, nationality, language, or ethnic background cannot determine whether they are illegally working. Employers should rely on objective records, such as the residence card, residence status, job description, working hours, and employment contract.
Key points of Ibaraki Prefecture’s reporting reward system
According to media reports, the system is designed to strengthen enforcement against businesses that facilitate illegal employment. Information is submitted through the prefecture’s website, and if the information leads to enforcement action, a reward of 10,000 yen may be paid to the information provider.
- The main target is businesses, employers, brokers, or related parties suspected of enabling illegal employment.
- It is not a system for judging foreign workers by appearance or nationality.
- The prefecture reviews the information and may coordinate with the police or other authorities.
- A reward may be paid when the information is useful and leads to enforcement action.
Employers should not focus only on avoiding reports. They should establish a proper compliance system for foreign worker employment and reduce the risk of illegal employment facilitation.
How it differs from the Immigration Services Agency’s reporting channel
The Immigration Services Agency of Japan also accepts information regarding overstaying and disguised residence. That national channel broadly covers immigration control information. Ibaraki’s system is more closely connected to suspected illegal employment facilitation within the prefecture.
| Item | Ibaraki Prefecture’s system | Immigration Services Agency reporting channel |
|---|---|---|
| Main target | Businesses or related parties suspected of enabling illegal employment | Information about overstaying or disguised residence |
| Nature of system | Local government measure against illegal employment facilitation | National immigration control information channel |
| Important caution | Reports based only on appearance, nationality, or language are inappropriate. | Defamatory or abusive information against foreign nationals is not accepted. |
| Employer response | Residence status checks, job duty checks, and proper records are essential. | In individual cases, information may be provided to immigration authorities where appropriate. |
What is illegal employment in Japan?
Illegal employment does not only mean that an overstayer is working. In practice, several different situations can become an issue.
- A person works after their period of stay has expired.
- A person works under a status that does not permit work, such as Temporary Visitor.
- A Student or Dependent works without permission to engage in activity other than that permitted.
- A person works beyond the permitted scope, such as exceeding the weekly limit under permission for other activities.
- A person has a work-related status, but the actual job duties fall outside the permitted scope.
Even if a person has the status of Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, there may be a residence status problem if the actual duties are mainly simple manual labor. Employers should not judge by the status name alone. The actual job duties matter.
What employers should check
Employers cannot always rely on “I did not know” as a defense. A business operator that employs a person who is not permitted to work, or arranges illegal work, may be subject to penalties for facilitation of illegal employment.
Pre-employment and ongoing checklist
- Check the original residence card.
- Confirm that the period of stay has not expired.
- Check the residence status.
- Check whether there are work restrictions.
- Check permission to engage in activity other than that permitted, if relevant.
- Confirm that the planned job duties fall within the permitted scope.
- Use the residence card number validity inquiry system where appropriate.
- Use the residence card reader application where necessary.
- Submit the notification of foreign worker employment status after hiring.
- Manage residence card expiration dates internally.
Even when the card number validity inquiry does not show a problem, this alone does not fully prove that the card itself is genuine. Employers should combine card face checks, identity confirmation, job duty confirmation, and use of the reader application when appropriate.
Do not forget the foreign worker employment status notification
Employers in Japan must notify Hello Work when hiring or when a foreign worker leaves employment. This notification includes information such as the worker’s name, residence status, and period of stay. It is separate from, but closely related to, residence status compliance.
- For workers covered by employment insurance, the notification is often handled together with employment insurance procedures.
- For workers not covered by employment insurance, a separate notification may still be required.
- Failure to notify, or false notification, may be subject to penalties.
Avoid discriminatory assumptions
Preventing illegal employment is important. However, a person cannot be suspected of illegal employment simply because they look foreign, speak a foreign language, or have a particular nationality. Many foreign nationals work lawfully in Japan, and many people with foreign roots may be permanent residents, spouses of Japanese nationals, long-term residents, special permanent residents, or naturalized Japanese citizens.
- Refusing employment based only on nationality.
- Checking only people who “look foreign” in an excessive way.
- Making unsupported statements such as “this person may be overstaying.”
- Posting identifiable information about individuals on social media.
- Using a reporting system for harassment or business competition.
What employers need is not discriminatory suspicion, but a consistent employment management rule for all relevant employees. For foreign worker employment, companies should establish a clear internal workflow for residence status checks, record keeping, renewal deadline management, and review when job duties change.
When to consult an immigration specialist
Employers should consider consulting a specialist before hiring or assigning duties in the following situations.
- You are not sure how to read a residence card.
- You are unsure whether the job duties match the person’s residence status.
- You want to hire a Student or Dependent for part-time work.
- You are unsure about the scope of permission to engage in other activities.
- You plan to hire someone moving from Technical Intern Training to Specified Skilled Worker.
- You want to hire a person with Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services for a different type of role.
- You are concerned about residence status renewal after a job change.
- You want to create an internal compliance workflow for foreign worker employment.
Conclusion
Ibaraki Prefecture’s illegal employment reporting reward system is attracting significant attention. However, understanding it simply as a system for reporting foreign residents may lead to misunderstanding and unfair suspicion against lawful workers or compliant employers.
Employers should not focus on suspicion. They should focus on objective compliance: residence card checks, residence status, job duties, employment contracts, working hours, and required notifications. Proper foreign worker employment management protects both the company and the worker.
Reference links
- Ibaraki Prefecture｜Labor Policy Division
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan｜Information Reporting
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan｜Residence Card Reader Application and Validity Inquiry
- Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department｜Proper Employment of Foreign Nationals
- Kanto Federation of Bar Associations｜Statement on Ibaraki’s system
Need help with foreign worker employment or residence status checks?
Tommy’s Legal Service assists employers and foreign residents with residence status checks, work visa applications, Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, Specified Skilled Worker, permission to engage in other activities, and change or renewal of status of residence. Careful pre-employment checks and internal compliance workflows are essential to reduce illegal employment facilitation risks.
