Osaka’s free November consultations: where to ask about work, visas and legal problems
by 
Babylon Radio
Listen nowA question about a work contract or residence paperwork can be difficult enough without having to explain it in another language. Foreign residents in Osaka can ask for free specialist advice this November through the Osaka Foundation of International Exchange, known as OFIX.
The foundation’s November programme, announced on 6 October, offers confidential appointments in person, by telephone or online. This is a timetable of existing support services, not a change to immigration or employment law.
Choose the session that fits your question
Legal consultations take place on Friday 6 November from 1.30pm to 4.30pm and Friday 27 November from 6pm to 8pm. The 6 November listing identifies topics including family matters, human rights, contract disputes and accident-related cases.
Friday 13 November has separate immigration and labour consultations, both from 1.30pm to 5.30pm. The immigration session covers residence-status applications, renewals and changes. The labour session covers matters such as wages, contracts and workplace disputes.
On Sunday 15 November, an administrative scrivener consultation runs from 1pm to 5pm, covering procedures including residence status, permanent residency and naturalisation. All these times are Japan Standard Time. Check the November calendar before arranging your visit.
Book ahead and request your language
Appointments are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given to Osaka Prefecture residents. A published session does not mean a place is still available: contact OFIX to confirm your slot before travelling.
Interpretation is offered in English, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai, Filipino, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Nepali and Burmese. Explain which language and consultation format you need when making the enquiry. Email support has a narrower language range than the interpreted appointments.
How to contact the service
The Osaka Information Service for Foreign Residents lists its consultation telephone number as 06-6941-2297. Email enquiries can go to jouhou-c@ofix.or.jp, but are handled only in Japanese and English.
For an in-person appointment, the service is on the fifth floor of Mydome Osaka, 2-5 Hommachibashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka. Confirm that your booking is in person rather than by telephone or online; the address alone is not a walk-in reservation.
The wider information service also handles everyday questions about subjects such as health care, welfare and education. Its regular opening hours are Monday to Friday, 9.30am–5.30pm, with additional hours on the fourth Friday and third Sunday of the month, excluding national holidays and the year-end closure. Specialist appointments follow their own timetable.
Make the conversation easier
Before contacting the service, it may help to write a short account of the issue, the dates involved and the question you most need answered. If there is a deadline, mention it at the start rather than assuming the next advertised session will fit.
Ask which documents, if any, would help the specialist understand your situation. You do not need to send a collection of sensitive documents with an initial enquiry simply because you have them ready. These are practical preparation suggestions, not additional OFIX booking requirements.
The aim is to find the right person to discuss your circumstances with. This article explains how to reach the service; it is not individual legal advice or a guarantee of an appointment or outcome.