When You are Working in the Agreement Country

If you are temporarily sent to work in an agreement country by your employer in Japan, you need to have a Certificate of Coverage.
The Certificate proves that you are currently covered by the Japanese social security system. It establishes your exemption from coverage under the system of the agreement country. Your employer in Japan is responsible for applying for the Certificate of Coverage for you to JPS.

How to apply:

1. Your employer needs to file an “Application for Certificate of Coverage” to JPS.
2. Upon approval after examination, JPS issues the Certificate of Coverage to you.
3. You need to submit your Certificate to your workplace in the agreement country. Your Certificate needs to be presented when the social security institution / authority in the country asks for it or asks why you are not covered by the social security system of the country.
4. In the process of 2. above, if your application for the Certificate is not approved, you will be covered only by the social security system of the agreement country.

If you need to continue to work in the country over the expected period of detachment, your employer in Japan needs to file an “Application for Extension of the Certified Period” to JPS. If your application for the extension is approved upon examination, JPS issues a renewed Certificate to you.
When your Certificate of Coverage is lost or damaged, or you have any change in the information on the Certificate, submit an “Application to reissue Certificate of Coverage.”

If you temporarily work in an agreement country as a self-employed person, you need to have a Certificate of Coverage.
The Certificate proves that you are currently covered by the Japanese social security system. It establishes your exemption from coverage under the social security system in the country. You are responsible for applying for the Certificate of Coverage at JPS branch office.

How to apply:

1. You need to file an “Application for Certificate of Coverage” at JPS branch office.
2. Upon approval after examination, JPS issues the Certificate of Coverage to you.
3. Your Certificate needs to be presented when the social security institution / authority in the country asks for it or asks why you are not covered by the social security system of the country.
4. In the process of 2. above, if your application for Certificate is not approved, you will be covered only by the social security system of the agreement country.

If you need to continue to work in the country over the expected period of self-employment, you need to file an “Application for Extension of the Certified Period” at JPS branch office. If your application for the extension is approved upon examination, JPS issues a renewed Certificate to you.
When your Certificate of Coverage is lost or damaged, or you have any change on the Certificate, submit an “Application to reissue Certificate of Coverage.”

When you are sent to an agreement country by your employer in Japan for a long period of time (generally over 5 years,) you do not continue to be covered by Employees’ Pension Insurance system (and Employees’ Health Insurance system) of Japan.
In this case, your employer needs to submit an report to end coverage of each Japanese system. Supporting document to prove your coverage under the other country's system must be attached to the application.
When you work as a self-employed person for a long period of time (generally over 5 years,) or are locally hired by an employer in an agreement country, you do not continue to be covered by National Pension system (and the National Health Insurance system) of Japan.
In this case, you need to submit an report to end coverage of each Japanese system to the municipal office of your place of residence. Supporting document to prove your coverage under the other country's system must be attached to the application.

You can enroll in Employees’ Pension Insurance system on a voluntary basis.
To do that, your employer needs to submit for you “Application to Enroll in EPI: Voluntary Coverage” to JPS branch office which covers your workplace.
To end the voluntary coverage, your employer needs to submit for you “EPI: Voluntary Coverage-end Report” to JPS branch office which covers your workplace.

When you have already been sent or transferred your self-employed activity to the agreement country before an agreement entered into force, the date when an agreement started is considered to be the date when your detachment or self-employment in the country begins. How to apply for in such case is the same as it is mentioned above.