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A working holiday in Japan, also known as a ‘working holiday visa’, is a special visa that allows people aged 18 to 30 to travel and stay in Japan for up to a year. A working holiday in Japan is like a working holiday in Canada in that it allows you to work part-time or full time during your visit.
With an emphasis on the part-time aspect, it is made clearly apparent that a working holiday visa should be used to enjoy a holiday in Japan rather than just to work. While staying in Japan, you are required to work part-time or full-time to support yourself financially.
Unlike a student visa or a normal Japanese citizenship visa, a working holiday visa in Japan does not limit the number of hours you may work or the profession you can pursue. The sole exception to this regulation is that you are not permitted to work in “businesses which may impact public morals”.
What Are the Eligibility Requirements?
Whether you’re applying for a working holiday visa in Canada, Japan, or Hong Kong, there are always certain restrictions that must be taken into account. The age requirement is one of the most important eligibility criteria; please see the other requirements below:
- Working holiday visas are only available to those aged 18 to 30 (35 in certain countries) since they are designed for “young travellers.”
- Usually, there is a time restriction on how long you may stay (this is usually around a year)
- You should have enough money in your bank account to stay in Japan, which is typically about 200,000 in your origin country’s currency (provide bank statements)
- During your stay in Japan, you must have health or travel insurance. This includes being in ‘good health,’ which may require the submission of your medical records.
- You must travel without dependents (i.e., no tagalongs). The only exemption is if you are a married couple who both meet the requirements.
- You have no criminal record.
If you meet all of these requirements, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be granted a working holiday visa in Japan. Congratulations!
How To Get a Working Holiday Visa for Japan
Now that you know the fundamentals of working holidays and whether you’re eligible, how can you get a working holiday visa in Japan? Fortunately, working holiday visas are considerably easier to get than other types of visas if you work through middle-man agencies like Alliance Visas, be it a Canada working holiday visa, a Japanese working holiday visa, or a New Zealand working holiday visa.
There are two ways to get started: contact an agency that will help you throughout the whole application process or bring the required documents to your nearest consulate (typically a Japanese embassy).
You must provide the following:
- Passport
- CV or Résumé (preferably Japanese and English)
- Passport photo
- A completed application form, which may be found on the website of the Japanese embassy
- Fill an A4 page with your heartfelt reasons for wanting to visit Japan in the “Written Reason for Applying” section.
- An itinerary, or “Outline of Intended Activities,” is essentially a list of what you plan to do during your visit.
- Bank statements over the last three months to prove that you have the necessary funds.
- Return ticket (not required, but may help decrease the funds you have to prove)