TOKYO – People in the age bracket of 18 to 30 (25 in some cases for specific countries) can enter Japan on a special visa which allows them to stay there for up to a year. This visa is called working holiday visa and is amongst the most popular of the visa types.
As we speak, 25 countries have bilateral working holiday agreements with japan and so the citizens from these countries are allowed Working Holiday Visa. Citizens of other nations are ineligible to get a working holiday visa.
The working holiday visas are designed to enable young people from Japan and all its partner countries/regions to visit each country/region for travel as well as allowing them to work to fund their trip while enriching themselves with the Japanese culture.
Requirements for Japan working holiday visa
An applicant must meet certain conditions to be eligible for The Working Holiday Visa; depending on the applicant’s nationality, the requirements may vary.
- The applicant must be residing in his/her country of nationality
- The intention should be to visit Japan for a set period of time
- Individuals between the ages of 18 and 30 inclusive at the time of the visa application are eligible
- The applicant should have no dependents or children with them
- Have a return ticket together with a valid passport for their country or region
- Have sufficient finances to support their stay in Japan
- They should be medically fit and have not previously received a Japanese working holiday visa
- Hong Kong applicants must in addition hold a current HKSAR or British Nationals Overseas passport
A valid Taiwanese passport is also a requirement for Taiwanese applicants.
Things permitted with a Japan Working Holiday Visa
With this visa, you are permitted to stay no longer than a year in Japan and with a maximum of six months of work with a single employer. On a working holiday visa, you can take a class or participate in one.
The working holiday participants are strictly prohibited from working at bars, cabarets, nightclubs, gambling establishments and other premises affecting public morals in Japan. If a participant works at such a place, he or she is deemed to violate Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act and will face deportation except where he or she is deemed to be victims of human trafficking.
Moreover, it should be kept in mind that for the term of the visa, there are also no restrictions on entering or leaving Japan.
Who qualifies to apply for a Japan Working Holiday Visa
Japan started the working holiday programmes first with Australia in 1980. As of 2020, Japan has made agreements with the following 26 countries/regions.
Besides Estonia and Netherlands, the nations that qualify for working holidays in Japan are:
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Canada
- Republic of Korea
- France
- Germany
- UK
- Ireland
- Denamrk
- Taiwan
- Norway
- Hong Kong
- Norway
- Portugal
- Poland
- Slovakia
- Austria
- Hungary
- Spain
- Argentina
- Chile
- Iceland
- Czech
- Lithuania
- Sweden
The Japanese Embassy or Consulate in your nation is where you must apply for a Working Holiday Visa and the procedure depends on the country you are based in.
