Work and unemployment
Japan's Basic Unemployment Allowance: Eligibility for Foreign Workers
Japan's basic unemployment allowance (kihon teate) is an employment-insurance benefit paid to people who had a qualifying insured period before leaving their job and who are actively looking for work but have not yet found it. Simply resigning does not automatically qualify you; you must be in an actual state of unemployment as defined by the program. Exact eligibility and amounts depend on individual circumstances, so the final confirmation always happens at Hello Work.
雇用保険の基本手当
- Region
- Nationwide (the Hello Work office with jurisdiction over your place of residence)
- Responsible body
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) / Hello Work
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-28
- About this article
- Independent private site
The basic allowance (基本手当) is one of the benefits paid under Japan's employment insurance (雇用保険) as part of its unemployment benefits. As a general rule, it applies to people who were enrolled as employment-insurance policyholders for a total of at least 12 months during the two years before leaving their job. However, people classified as specified qualifying recipients (for example, those who left due to company bankruptcy or dismissal) and some specified reason leavers may qualify with only 6 months of insured status during the year before leaving. To actually receive payments, you must have the will and ability to work and be actively job-hunting, yet still remain without a job — a state the program defines as unemployment. Simply resigning, not being ready to work immediately, or not actively job-hunting means you will not automatically receive the allowance even if you technically meet the insured-period rule.
Who it is for
- As a general rule, at least 12 months of employment-insurance coverage in total during the two years before leaving your job
- People who left due to company bankruptcy, dismissal, or similar reasons (specified qualifying recipients), and some specified reason leavers, may qualify with 6 months of coverage in the year before leaving
- You must have the will and ability to work and be actively job-hunting
- You must actually be in a state of unemployment — job-hunting but not yet employed
- Simply resigning, not being ready to work, or not job-hunting means the allowance is not paid automatically
Points to note
- “Resigning automatically means I'll get paid.” In reality, payment only starts once Hello Work confirms you are actively job-hunting and in a state of unemployment
- “The insured-period requirement is the same for everyone.” Specified qualifying recipients (for example, people who were dismissed or laid off) and some specified reason leavers may qualify with a shorter insured period than the standard rule
- “I can apply any time within one year.” As a rule, the benefit period runs for one year from the day after you leave your job; payments for days you were unemployed during that period are made up to your allotted number of benefit days, and unused days after the one-year period are not paid
The exact payment amount cannot be fixed here because it depends on your pre-separation wages, age, and reason for leaving, and the daily-allowance cap is revised every August. The official page lists the daily-allowance ceiling as of August 1, 2026, so check the official MHLW/Hello Work page for the current figure if you want an estimate. The benefit period generally runs for one year starting the day after you leave your job; within that period, you are paid for days you were unemployed, up to a set number of allotted benefit days (which varies — for example, 330 or 360 days depending on your circumstances). This one-year period is the window during which you can receive payments, not an application deadline in itself, but once it ends, any remaining unused benefit days are no longer paid. Separate conditions apply for extensions due to illness or childbirth, or special provisions for people starting a business, so confirm with Hello Work if any of these situations may apply to you.
How it works
- Confirm your insured period and the classification of your reason for leaving at your local Hello Work office
- Review the eligibility and job-hunting requirements for the basic allowance on the official MHLW/Hello Work page
- Ask the Hello Work counter whether you qualify as a specified qualifying recipient or a specified reason leaver
Frequently asked questions
Does my nationality affect whether I can receive the basic allowance?
According to the official source reviewed for this article, foreign workers who meet the employment-insurance coverage requirements are, in principle, covered as policyholders regardless of nationality. However, people dispatched to Japan from abroad who are covered by their home country's unemployment compensation system, among others, may be excluded. Being an insured policyholder is not the same as actually qualifying for the Basic Allowance: you also need to meet the insured-period, unemployment-status, and job-search requirements. Nationality alone does not determine benefit eligibility or whether your residence status permits the work in question, so confirm your individual case with the Hello Work office with jurisdiction over your place of residence.
Are the requirements the same whether I resigned voluntarily or was laid off?
No, they can differ. If you left due to company bankruptcy, dismissal, or a similar reason (making you a specified qualifying recipient), or if you fall under certain specified reason leaver categories, you may qualify with only 6 months of insured coverage in the year before leaving. Otherwise, the standard rule requires 12 months of coverage over the two years before leaving. Ask Hello Work to confirm which category applies to you.