The Japanese Visa Series, Chapter 1 - Visas in Japan: Why so many, why so different
Wednesday, July 4, 2018
27. And there are more coming.
You did your research (and read our articles, right?), thought in depth about the pros and cons and now all you can hear is Japan calling. We can’t blame you since we have been in your shoes - this country is too amazing to fully experience it in only 90 days, the maximum stay permitted by the Immigration laws for those who are visiting Japan. It is so easy to fall in love with the breathtaking nature, the kindness of the people and the wonderful food. If you dream of living in the Land of the Rising Sun for medium or long term, there is a word that you need to know even better than your own name, because it is going to be essential for your life in Japan: ビザ (visa).
In a relationship with my visa
Ah, the visa - the Golden Ticket for all those who wish to work in the country. Your visa is going to determine your legal status in Japan, which means the purpose and the period of your stay, the activities you can (or cannot) perform, how many hours you are allowed to work and basically what does the government expect of you to do in the country. To work in Japan you will need a valid visa that allows you to engage in remunerative activities and depending on the type of visa you are applying for, the requirements and the permitted activities will vary. In case you are eligible for more than one type of visa, you have to choose which one you want to apply for. There are a total of 27 (yep, you read correctly, 27!) different possible visas - all of them with their own peculiarities and requirements. We already talked a bit about the highly skilled professional visa, but today we want to take a closer look on three other relevant visa types:
- Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services visa: Are you an engineer or an IT specialist that heard about the huge shortage in technical professionals? Is translation or interpretation your major? Do you have experience in design or copywriting? Did you graduate as a language teacher? Then this is the suitable visa for you! The Japanese government is focusing on attracting foreign talents to Japan due to the lack of workers, so maybe it is the perfect opportunity to try your luck.
- Student visa: If you want to learn Japanese or have a closer approach to the culture in an educational institution, maybe this visa is the right option for you. Students can work up to 28 hours per week (40 hours per week during holiday season) in part-time jobs. This visa allows you to attend classes while making some money to afford the tuition fees. It is the perfect plan for those who want to study abroad a semester or two and enjoy the Japanese way of life at the same time, but get a glimpse at Japanese working environment as well. It is also a nice way to set a first foot in Japan and look for a full-time job when you graduate... and maybe register on IZANAU while you are looking for that perfect job!
- Working Holiday visa: the concept of “working holiday” has been a success all around the world and it is not so difficult to understand why - this visa is popular among young people because it allows them to spend a whole year working abroad, so they can truly experience the culture of the host country and find a full-time job to cover their expenses. Japan has agreements with 20 countries (Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Republic of Korea, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Norway, Portugal, Poland, Slovakia, Austria, Hungary, Spain, Argentina and Chile), so if you are from one of those countries… what are you waiting for?
About the Author
Half writer, half reader. Tokyo based and deeply in love with - you can easily find me meandering around Shibuya or Shin-Okubo. Communication and marketing assistant by day, video game localizer by night.
