Working in Japan on a Working Holiday Visa

A working holiday can be taken by people between the ages of 18 and 30 (with some exceptions) for the main purpose of vacation. In Japan, about 15,000 foreigners come to Japan each year on a working holiday. The unique feature of this visa is that it allows you to work during your stay, not just vacation.

This article will explain about working holidays to Japan.

■ What is a working holiday visa?

First, let's look at some basic information about the working holiday system and conditions.

Working holiday visa allows both sightseeing and working

The Working Holiday Program allows people from certain countries that have concluded agreements with Japan to stay in Japan for a certain period of time, mainly for sightseeing and vacations. Currently, 23 countries and regions are covered by this program. The number of such visitors is increasing every year, and recently about 15,000 foreigners visit Japan on a working holiday visa each year.

【Working Holiday Overview】

・Mainly for 18-30 year olds. (35 in Australia and Canada)

・Can stay in Japan for vacation purposes for a certain period of time, such as one year.

・No accompanying children or spouses.

・May work for the purpose of covering funds during your stay.

・Never been issued a working holiday visa before.

【Working Holiday Countries】

Asia: South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong

Oceania: Australia, New Zealand

North and South America: Canada, Argentina, Chile

Europe: France, Germany, England, Ireland, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Poland, Slovakia, Australia, Hungary, Spain, Iceland, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Sweden, Estonia, Netherlands

*The number of people accepted, conditions, and length of stay vary depending on the country.

A unique feature of a working holiday is that you can work while sightseeing. Foreigners on a working holiday are allowed to work while traveling throughout Japan or staying in a specific location. It is not possible to use the Working Holiday Program more than once in the same country.

■ Working holiday status name is “Designated Activities”.

The status of residence for foreigners staying in Japan on a working holiday is called “Designated Activities”.

Specially Designated Activities: A status of residence for which the purpose of stay is individually appointed by the Minister of Justice. In addition to working holidays, internships, job hunting activities for foreign students after graduation from universities, amateur athletes, etc. fall under this category.

Normally, it is the “Residence Card” that confirms the type of status of residence of a foreigner. However, the residence card of a foreigner on a working holiday states only “Designated Activities” as the type of status of residence, and it is not possible to confirm whether the foreigner is staying on a working holiday or not. Some of the “Designated Activities” statuses do not allow working.

■ Working Holiday is a lower hurdle to employment than other residency statuses

The type of status of residence that a foreigner obtains when working varies depending on the type of occupation and the nature of the work. Since the scope of work is determined to some extent in advance, for example, a foreigner hired as a cook is not allowed to work in a restaurant as an accountant, which is not in accordance with the conditions of the status of residence.

On the other hand, working holidays have no restrictions on the type of work you can do, and you can work in any type of job, except for jobs related to the sex industry. Another feature is that there are no restrictions such as a 28-hour workweek limit, as is the case with foreign students.

■ Recommended part-time jobs

We will introduce examples of recommended part-time jobs for foreigners and popular part-time jobs for foreigners. When looking for a part-time job in Japan, please refer to the examples of job descriptions to find a part-time job that suits you.

Service industry (hotels, supermarkets, restaurants, convenience stores, etc.)

This is one of the most popular part-time jobs among foreigners. It is a job where you can meet and interact with many people, and since many of the staff are students or in their 20s, it is easy to make friends. However, since this job involves interacting with customers, there are situations where you will have to use the Japanese honorific language. If you cannot use keigo well, a part-time job as a salesperson for foreign tourists at an electronics retail store is a good option.

In the case of restaurants, you will have to learn the menu. You will also have to pay attention to other Japanese staff members, as there are not many opportunities to work together with them. In the case of supermarkets and convenience stores, there is comparatively little to learn, and some stores allow you to take home the lunch boxes you dispose of, so you can save on food costs. (*There are some stores that do not allow you to take your lunch home. Please check.)

Food delivery

Food delivery part-time jobs are popular for their simple way of working, in which you get paid for delivering restaurant food ordered by customers to a designated location. It is one of the most popular and often chosen part-time jobs among foreigners. In many cases, food delivery part-time jobs are available even if you have no experience. If you are a foreigner who can drive a bicycle or motorcycle, you have a good chance of being hired even if you do not have any professional skills. In addition, there is no shift system, and you can work when you are available. The greatest advantage is that you can adjust your schedule according to your own schedule. Foreigners looking for part-time food delivery jobs can start working without an interview by registering for free with a delivery partner of the food delivery platform (*Foreigners may be required to attend a registration meeting or a briefing session).

Language teacher

Many Japanese people study foreign languages. English and Chinese are particularly popular among foreign languages, and teaching English or Chinese part-time is a good option. Teaching in a language class requires specialized knowledge of the foreign language and teaching experience, but the hurdles are not so high for private tutors. Once you register with a foreign language tutoring site, you will be contacted by the site's administrator and students. Most sites offer free registration. You can decide the hourly rate, location, and other details yourself. One of the requirements for language tutors is to be able to explain foreign language grammar in Japanese, but for classes that focus on conversation and listening, the ability to pronounce a foreign language beautifully is more important than advanced Japanese language skills.

Language teacher salaries tend to be high, but the job is not as easy as one might imagine, as it requires preparation time in addition to class time.

Part-time job utilizing language skills

Due to the rapid increase in the number of foreign visitors to Japan, partly because of the depreciation of the yen, there has been an increase in the hiring of part-time workers who are fluent in foreign languages. Foreign students and foreigners with working holiday visas in Japan are also being actively recruited. For example, staff fluent in Chinese are actively employed at electronics retail stores, restaurants, drugstores, and convenience stores. There is an increase in the number of jobs for staff fluent in English, English teachers, and in hotels with many tourist attractions and foreign customers.

Light work

Part-time jobs working in warehouses and factories. Since there are many simple tasks, people think it is an easy job, but in fact, there are many jobs that require physical strength, such as carrying work. Many of the jobs are done in silence, so even those who are not good at Japanese conversation can do them.

One-time/short-term part time job

A one-shot or short-term job is a part-time job for a short period of time, from one day to three months. The feature of this type of work is that you can earn money intensively in a short period of time. Compared to long-term part time jobs, it tends to be easier to be hired. You can work only when you are in need of money or when you have time, so you can work according to your own convenience. This is recommended for international students who do not want to be tied down too much with part-time work. The work content varies, and you can experience a variety of jobs such as handing out tissues, staff for concerts, baseball games, festivals, and other events.

■ Work while sightseeing in Japan!

Working holiday is a system that permits working as well as sightseeing. Tourist areas in need of manpower and restaurants that attract many tourists from overseas and require serving customers in languages other than Japanese are places where foreigners on working holiday can be active. Depending on the person working and the nature of the work, there is also a path to working as a full-time employee with a new status of residence.

If you want to work in Japan, why not try using the working holiday system first?