Baito, as it is usually shortened, is the job a student does in a convenience store, restaurant, cram school or warehouse. Employers use the label for casual, hourly, often short-term work. The Labour Force Survey counts arubaito separately from paato, finding about 4.8 million in 2025, but the law does not. An arubaito worker is an employee under the Labour Standards Act and, if their hours are shorter than a full-timer's, a part-time worker under the Part-time and Fixed-term Employment Act. They are owed the minimum wage, overtime premiums, paid leave once they qualify, and a written statement of terms.
Students are treated differently in some schemes. Full-time daytime students are generally outside employment insurance and outside the social insurance extension for part-timers. Students' earnings also interact with the parents' tax deduction for dependants, which shapes how many hours they want.
Foreign students hold a Student status that does not by itself allow work. With permission for activity outside their status, which is commonly granted, they may work up to 28 hours a week, and up to eight hours a day during long vacations. Employers must check the residence card and report the hire to Hello Work.
What it means for a foreign employer
- There is no "casual" exemption. Calling someone arubaito does not reduce their rights. Paid leave, overtime and dismissal rules apply.
- Check foreign students' hours across all jobs. The 28-hour limit counts every employer, and an employer who lets a student exceed it can be liable for facilitating illegal work.
- Student baito is a recruiting channel. Many graduate hires first meet a company through part-time work. A well-run student programme feeds your graduate intake.
Sources
- Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Labour Force Survey (Detailed Tabulation), 2025 annual average.
- Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, Article 19, and its enforcement regulations (permission for activity outside status).
- Act on Comprehensive Promotion of Labour Policies, Article 28 (reporting foreign employees).