How to move to Japan: 13 ways you can get a visa
There is a belief that moving to Japan is very complicated, but is it really so? What types of visas are there? Is a 'sponsor' always necessary? Are you required to speak Japanese?
We have at our disposal dozens of types of visas through which we can spend a long time in Japanese lands. Today I'm bringing you some of the most common ones, but I encourage you to continue your research on your own after reading this guide if your dream is to live in Japan. Let's get started!
Introduction
First of all, I’m not a visa expert. Whenever you can, you should consult a professional specializing in immigration laws.
Having said that, from my point of view there are three variables when it comes to getting a visa: language, studies, and money. Knowing Japanese opens many doors for you, not only in terms of the visa but also when is job hunting time. If you have higher studies (bachelor’s degree) you will be able to apply for work visas easily, since it is an almost indispensable requirement. And, of course, if you have the money you won’t need much more than that.
So, if you want to know 13 ways to move to Japan, keep reading!
Note: Please DO NOT message me asking for a personal consultation on how to move to Japan. I cannot help you. If you still want to drop me a quick question I would only reply after receiving a donation on Ko-Fi https://ko-fi.com/breathingtokyo
1. Tourist visa
Many people dismiss this option when they think about coming to Japan for a long stay, but the reality is that with this visa, depending on the agreements with your country, you can stay in the country for several months (for example, EU citizens can stay in Japan 180 days a year in total). For a first contact with the country, it is an excellent option.
2. Exchange student
Some schools and universities have agreements with Japan to offer courses for a few weeks or months in a Japanese center. There are also many private companies that organize exchanges. Another good option would be to do a summer course, so you would not miss classes during the course in your country.
📌Here are some agencies:
From what I have seen, in these programs, there is the option of staying with a host family, which makes the experience much more interesting. It looks like a nice option to get to know the local life, learn the language and make friends. If you have money to pay for this type of course you can find schools without any problem, but what if we don't have enough money? This is where one of the best options to come to Japan comes into play: scholarships.
3. Scholarships in Japan
There are many scholarships available: from your country's government, from the European Union, from universities in Japan, etc. Here are some options:
3.1 MEXT Scholarships
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) accepts applications from foreign students to study in Japan. There are different types of scholarships: university, master, doctorate, research, teaching... You should look for the information on the page of the Japanese embassy in your country.
📌Spanish Embassy page: https://www.es.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_es/00_000016.html
📌MEXT website: https://www.mext.go.jp/en/
3.2 JASSO Scholarships
JASSO (Japan Student Services Organization) offers information on how to come to Japan as a student in different ways, including their own scholarships:
📌https://www.jasso.go.jp/en/index.html
3.3 Vulcanus Programme
This scholarship, called by the European Union, is focused on engineering students. Thanks to it, you will be able to learn Japanese and do an internship in a Japanese company:
📌https://www.eu-japan.eu/events/vulcanus-japan
3.4 Minerva Programme
These are 6-month research scholarships for any professional or researcher from a European country. You can choose from a list of desired topics of research or come up with your own. At the end of the stay, you’ll have to submit a report.
📌https://www.eu-japan.eu/minerva_programme
3.5 JSPS Scholarships
The JSPS (Japan Society for the Promotion of Science) has an extensive offer of research grants in Japan, both for the short and long term.
📌https://www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-inv_researchers/index.html
📌Compilation of scholarships available through the Japanese Embassy in Spain: https://www.es.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_es/00_000022.html
4. Japanese language student
If you want to live here for several years, joining a language school to study Japanese is a great option. The period of stay of a student visa is issued for 6 months up to a maximum of 2 years.
The key is that, as a student, you are allowed to work part-time (maximum 28 hours per week), which makes it much easier for you to get a work visa later on. I can assure you that it is much easier to get a job once you are here with permission to work than it is to find a company from your home country. In addition, during those months at school, you will learn the language, which is a great advantage. The only problem is that the cost of these schools is usually quite high, so I recommend that you come with a lot of money saved if you choose this option. Of course, you can also access these schools with a tourist visa, but if you want to stay longer you’ll need to find a school that gets you a student visa.
If you need help with the process, there are agencies that can help you with paperwork, accommodation, and so on.
📌 https://gogonihon.com/en/
If you wanna start studying Japanese before joining a language school in Japan, you could also try Japanese online courses:
📌 Go! Go! Nihon Japanese online courses
5. English teacher
If English is your native language you will be very familiar with the option of coming to Japan to teach English. In addition, it is one of the few options where you can easily look for a job from your home country. Unfortunately, other languages are not as in demand as English, but it's all a matter of researching if that's the path you want to take. Here are some options:
5.1 JET Programme
Through this program, you can come and teach languages in Japanese schools. The advantage is that it is a way to have a stable and secure job, supported by the government. The disadvantage is that the application process is quite long and tedious, and you can't choose the city where you’ll live. You might end up in some lost village in rural Japan, which doesn't sound bad either but maybe it's not what you're looking for. Anyway, think that you can always come with this program and then move on to the work visa later.
5.2 Private School Teacher
There are plenty of private schools looking for teachers for conversation classes where no teaching experience is required. You can search directly on Japan's job search sites and filter by schools that offer visas.
Another good option is the use of 'recruiters' or agencies that will help you get placed in a school. Keep in mind that these companies usually take advantage of the situation so the conditions and compensation they offer are usually not very good BUT at the same time you will also take advantage of getting a work visa, so everyone wins. I have several friends from the USA and UK who have used these companies to get a work visa easily and then move to a better job once they are in Japan (they call them 'foot-in-the-door companies').
📌These are some of the best-known agencies:
https://teach.berlitz.co.jp/apply/
5.3 Professor at Japanese universities
Japanese universities are another place where you can work by teaching. If you are interested in the subject, I recommend the podcast from ‘Mayi Chan in Japan’. She is a Spanish girl who has been living in Japan for more than six years giving Spanish classes, both in private academies and at universities (part-time). In her podcast, she comments that in order to be a full-time professor at a university, it is necessary to have a doctorate or several publications, so getting the visa through this way does not seem to be an easy task. I’m sorry I don’t have any extra info in English for now.
📌Mayi Chan’s podcast (Spanish): https://www.ivoox.com/podcast-mayi-chan-in-japan_sq_f1817777_1.html
6. Working Holiday Programme
This is the option that I always recommend to everyone, definitely the one that asks for fewer requirements and gives you more advantages. It allows you to stay one year in Japan with the right to work without a limit of hours, unlike the student or dependent visa. If your country has this program and you are under the age limit do not hesitate to ask for this visa. I used it to come to Japan and it was all quite fast and easy to get. I have a complete post talking about it :
📌My experience with the Working Holiday Visa: https://breathing.tokyo/blog-en/working-holiday-visa-easiest-way-move-japan
📌Working Holiday Programme website: https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/w_holiday/index.html
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7. Internships
There is a special visa for people who come to do internships in companies located in Japan (this one falls into the ‘Designated Activities’ group). If your university offers the possibility, you can do the internship here for a few months (even a year), which will be great for your resume and for your first contact with the Japanese business world. I know many people who have come this way and, although it seems like a temporary visa, if the company ends up hiring you after the internship you will have obtained a precious work visa.
📌Internships in Southeast Asia: https://kopra.org/
8. Working visa
Now, let's talk about the work visa as such. Before arriving at this point I have talked about several ways of coming as a student, scholarship holder, intern, etc. Why? Because I consider that it is much easier to get a work visa once you are already in Japan. Looking for a company that will bring you from your country is much more complicated.
Within the work visa group, there are many categories depending on your sector, but they all have something in common: you have to have higher education or demonstrate some experience. As a rule, a bachelor’s degree is a prerequisite for visa approval. Otherwise, you are usually required to have between 3 and 10 years of experience in your field. In these links you can consult all the categories and requirements:
📌Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan: https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/long/index.html
📌Immigration Services Agency of Japan: http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/english/tetuduki/kanri/shyorui/Table3-1.html
What I mean by this is that there is no possibility of entering Japan as a tourist, working in a 'konbini' part-time, and getting a work visa, it just doesn't work that way (I mention this because some people have asked me). Related to this issue, in 2019 the Japanese government created a visa focused on 'blue collar' jobs which I will tell you about later.
On the other hand, if you enter the 'Highly-Skilled Professional' group, you will have many more advantages and you will easily be able to apply for longer visas (and it will also be easier to get a visa from your country).
📌You can see the table of points here: https://www.lb.emb-japan.go.jp/Points-Based-Immigration-Treatment.PDF
The duration of a work visa is one, three or five years, which are easily renewable. Keep in mind that this visa is linked to your job, that is, if you lose it and do not find work again in a certain period of time you can lose it.
If you are interested in this subject let me know, I could extend a little more about the process of application and renewal of the Working Visa in Japan since it is the visa that I’m on.
9. Visa for artists, photographers, musicians, dancers, etc.
These visas fall under the category of 'working visa', but I wanted to talk a little more in detail since some people have asked me about it. For this type of visa, a university degree may not be necessary, but you have to certify in detail that you are a professional in the sector, accrediting the activities you are going to carry out in the country, the companies you are going to work with, the duration of your projects, your income, etc. These visas are not something you will be granted unless you have solid contracts or agreements with Japanese companies in advance. I have a photographer friend who is here with this visa and I know it's not easy to get (and keep)... but it's not impossible either.
10. Freelance visa (self-sponsored visa)
What options do we have if we are self-employed? Is there a visa for freelancers? Yes and no. When my Working Holiday visa was coming to an end, the first path I tried to take was to apply for a 'self-sponsored visa', as until then I was working remotely as a freelancer for different companies both in Japan and abroad. I went to the immigration office to see if anyone could shed some light on the matter and it was my surprise to see that they had ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA of what I was talking about. Bad news, the visa commonly known on the internet as ‘self-sponsored visa’ does not exist as such. This method of applying for a visa is simply a work visa where instead of proving your contract with one company, you must do the same with all your different clients. As it is not official, there are no specific data on the official pages, but from what I could understand during my research you must show in immigration all your contracts, payroll, etc. with Japanese companies (important if you work for outside companies it does not count) in which it is demonstrated that you will have a stable income of at least 3 million yen per year. In addition, just as with the work visa, one of those clients will have to act as a 'sponsor' company, filling out and signing with their “hanko” (stamp) the main application form. In short, it is similar to the process of the 'working visa', but with many more steps and a high risk of being denied. But hey, this doesn't mean it's impossible! I know someone who has renewed their visa in this way for several years, so there I have the proof that it can be done.
11. Business manager visa and startup visa
If you want to set up a business in Japan, you need a 'business manager visa'. Among the requirements, you must prove a capital of 5 million yen, the possession of a physical office in Japan, submit a business plan, demonstrate that your salary is high enough to live in the country and hire at least one employee.
The 'Startup Visa' program is a temporary permit created to help entrepreneurs who do not have the time or resources to apply directly for the 'business manager visa'. The requirements are much more flexible but it is not a long-term solution, as the idea is that after 6 months or a year (depending on the prefecture) your business will be eligible to apply for the business manager visa.
📌In this article by Sasha Kaverina you can find a lot of information about the steps to follow: https://medium.com/@sasha.kaverina/how-to-get-a-startup-visa-to-build-a-company-in-japan-a-complete-guide-99c890d58c02
12. Specified Skilled Worker
You may be wondering what happens to jobs that don't require higher education. Just a year ago the government issued a new visa focused on workers in the construction sector, agriculture, hospitality, elderly care, etc.
📌 Full list here: https://www.mofa.go.jp/files/000459527.pdf
But don't think that this visa is a bargain since they ask for quite a few requirements such as passing a test demonstrating your skills and having a basic Japanese level (N4). It also has quite a few disadvantages, such as your stay in the country may not exceed 5 years in total and not be compatible with the 'dependent visa' (i.e. you cannot bring your spouse or children into the country)
Of course, you will also need a contract with a company that will sponsor you in order to apply for this visa.
13. Dependent visa and spouse visa
If you are married to a non-Japanese who has been offered a job in Japan, you have the possibility of applying for a dependent visa. With this visa you will be able to live in the country, but the hours you are allowed to work are limited to 28 hours per week. This visa is also used to bring your children to the country. Please note that not all work visas are compatible with the dependent visa. For example, if you obtain the 'working holiday' or the 'specified skilled worker' visa, your family will not be eligible for the dependent visa.
If you marry a Japanese national, you will be able to apply to a spouse visa. This visa allows you to work full-time (among other benefits). Keep in mind that in this case you depend directly on your marriage, so in case of divorce (or death of a spouse) you would lose the visa, running the risk of having to leave the country if you do not get another visa to stay in Japan (as you can see they do not mess around regarding immigration issues)
(2024 edit)
14. Digital Nomad visa
Japan now offers a visa specifically for remote workers, allowing them to live and work in the country. A key benefit of this visa is that dependents, such as a spouse or child, can join the applicant. However, it only permits a six-month stay and requires proof of an annual income exceeding 10 million yen, which might make it less appealing for some.
📌 Status of Residence of “Designated Activities” (for Digital Nomad / Spouse or child of Digital Nomad) https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/designatedactivities53_00001.html
Bonus: Long Stay for sightseeing and recreation
Well, I’m adding this as a fun fact, to show you that there are many ways to move here that you have never heard of and that you can go anywhere as long as you have money. This visa allows you to live in Japan for 6 months (extendable to one year) and only requires you to be over 18 years old and have savings equivalent to 30 million yen (about 240,000 euros). If you come with your partner, it must be double that amount though. Easy, right?
📌 Long Stay for sightseeing and recreation visa: https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page22e_000738.html
And that’s all for today! Keep in mind that there are many more options to come and that each country has its own agreements with Japan. It is impossible to make a guide that applies to all cases, so take this information as a little help to start researching on your own. In any case, I recommend that you visit the website of the Japanese embassy in your country and the immigration page in Japan: http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/english/index.html
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I receive lots of messages asking further questions about moving to Japan, please avoid those unless you are willing to pay for my time 💗
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From Tokyo with love,
Marina
PS: English is not my mother tongue so If you find any mistakes in the post let me know and I’ll fix them!
