My girlfriend just went back to Japan. We really want to be together, so I figured that the easiest way to go there would be to get a working holiday visa.
I know I can only get this one time, and one time only, but I think this is a good time to use it.
She will finish her last year of university, and then start job hunting. In the mean time, she will be working somewhere as a part time job, and I will try to work somewhere with my working holiday visa.
Now, I have a few questions:
1. I am not the smartest when it comes to travel, and stuff related to travelling, so, is the visa free? If not, how much will it cost? I heard one of the requirements is to bring proof of $2500. Also, it says "Applicants residing in the city of Ottawa must submit all of the following IN PERSON at the Embassy of Japan". OK, well I don't live in Ottawa, so can I apply from my city and get it sent in the mail? Will I have to mail my picture ID, passport, whatever to the embassy? What about the proof of money?
2. The visa is only good for 12 months. So if I want to stay another year for whatever reason, how easy is it to get another visa? (ie. student visa)
3. How hard would it be to get a part time job as an English "tutor"? (Be it under the table or not) I suppose it would depend on the area, right?
I will be living in an apartment in Fukuoka with my girlfriend in case anyone wants to know the location.
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2011-12-30, 03:32 AM #1Member
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Living in Japan on a Working Holiday visa
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2011-12-30, 08:06 AM #2GPG
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To apply for a WHV my understanding is that its free, there may be some stamp duty when you go to pick up your visa though.
Originally Posted by TheGreenBastard
You need to attend in person at an embassy or a consulate for WHV.
Proof of money must be cash or travelers checks. Credit cards wont cut it. You will probably need to show bank statements. Some people borrow money from relatives and put it in the bank and take it out but at any rate you will need it for the first two months while you look for work.
Its not actually a visa (which allows you to enter the country initially) but a Valid Status of Period of Stay. Once WHV is up its easier to change your "visa" status as long as you qualify for your visa status. A student visa you will need to show proof of funds to pay school tuition and living costs for up to six months. You can work part time on a student visa with permission.2. The visa is only good for 12 months. So if I want to stay another year for whatever reason, how easy is it to get another visa? (ie. student visa)
Lots of threads on this topic. It is very hard if not impossible to find enough students in place of a full time job. You need a place to teach them (usually coffee shops or at home), teaching materials and they must want to study when you are available, usually weekends and evenings. There are plenty of websites about that introduce students (they pay a sign up fee to the company and monthly fees but they pay you directly when you have a lesson). If you don't speak Japanese its often hard to find them on your own and if they spoke English well enough they probably wouldn't need you anyway. Students have to live close enough to you and be comfortable with you as their teacher. For more info go here:3. How hard would it be to get a part time job as an English "tutor"? (Be it under the table or not) I suppose it would depend on the area, right?
http://www.findateacher.netLast edited by KansaiBen; 2011-12-30 at 08:10 AM.
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2011-12-30, 08:22 AM #3Member
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>You need to attend in person at an embassy or a consulate for WHV.
Well that is really inconvenient to have to go all the way to Ottawa to pick it up. They won't mail something like that? I live really far from there, and it would cost almost the same as flying to Japan to get there. (domestic flights in Canada are sooooo expensive)
>Lots of threads on this topic. It is very hard if not impossible to find enough students in place of a full time job. You need a place to teach them (usually coffee shops or at home), teaching materials and they must want to study when you are available, usually weekends and evenings. There are plenty of websites about that introduce students (they pay a sign up fee to the company and monthly fees but they pay you directly when you have a lesson). If you don't speak Japanese its often hard to find them on your own and if they spoke English well enough they probably wouldn't need you anyway. Students have to live close enough to you and be comfortable with you as their teacher. For more info go here:
http://www.findateacher.net[/QUOTE]
Thanks for the link. Even one or two students would be fine, just to make enough money for extra expenses, as I'll already have rent and other living expenses covered.
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2011-12-30, 08:40 AM #4Sensei
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I do not know the specifics for your country so I'll just toss whatever knowledge I do have that I think might sound helpful and you can double-check it with your nearby consulate by calling them.
x It's not hard to switch status of residence once inside Japan. However, your financial situation needs to be really good. The thing is, even if most of your expenses are taken care of, immigration doesn't really care/believe you, and you still have to prove the minimum required amounts of money in the bank to have the visas issued to you. Someone else told you how much you need to show for the Working Holiday visa- I'm not sure on that. However, if you want to get a student visa after that, you will need to show approximately 3 million yen in the bank for universities (2 million yen if going to language schools). There can be a small amount of flexibility on the amount but it will have to be AROUND that amount to get the visa issued to you. So, the ease of getting a student visa really depends on the ease you would have in proving you have that sum of money available to you (even if you do not use it).
x It's been several years now that people go to Japan on Working Holiday visas and have to come home very early due to lack of work. Because your living expenses etc are taken care of you might be fine with the very small amount of work available, and you will have an easier time than if you came looking for work AND a visa sponsor, but there's just not that much work. You would have an easier time finding a regular part-time job at a restaurant or something but for that you'd oviously need to speak Japanese. If you do, I suggest applying online for any store you can....such as Starbucks, etc. They'll give you about 2-3 shifts per week for about 1,000 yen per hour. Otherwise, yes, you can look for private students, there are websites that match students with teachers, but I'm not familiar with them. The problem is that there are lots and lots of foreigners looking to pick up a little extra cash so there are just way more tutors out there than students who can afford them. Another option is the typical language school such as Berlitz...you could try places like that for part time work, as well.
Lastly, *as far as I know* you must go in person *both* to apply *and* to pick it up, keeping in mind that the whole process might take a week or more. You need to call them to be sure. I know you could hire a legal proxy, but obviously that is expensive. They might want to interview you, too (unlikely but you never know) so as far as I know you need to do so in person, no ways around that.
I hope I helped somewhat. Good luck!
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2012-01-06, 02:24 AM #5Junior Member
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Im doing pretty much the same thing.
here's the lowdown.
im leaving in 4 days.
im going to live with my girlfriend in Aichi
me and her are opening our own school at her mom's cafe that we will teach a couple days a week. we already have a couple students.
they way we got our students was through my GF's sister. her sister runs a dancing school so the dancing students will be our english students =)
let me just say that we've tried other means of getting students, but its really tough. i thought it would be easy but it's not.
we are planning on placing an add in the local newspaper to attract students, so ill let you know how that goes.
as far as the WHV goes - i live in toronto, and you MUST apply in person at the Japanese consulate. you must also PICK UP in person.
when you go to apply, they'll give you a package that you have to fill out and bring back (although i think you can download the package online and print it out)
aside from the package you also have to write a letter explaining why you are going. they also wanna see an itinerary. MAKE SURE IT IS EXTENSIVE! they said mine wasnt thorough enough, but they let it slide *thank god*
everything that they need will be listed in the package.... and yes, you need to show that you have at least $2500.
good luck on your application!
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2012-03-15, 11:24 PM #6Junior Member
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^ I am also from Toronto and will be applying for the working holiday visa very soon. When you say "extensive" itinerary can it be in point form? Do you have any examples?
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2012-03-16, 02:22 PM #7
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I applied for my working holiday visa in Toronto. Originally Posted by msk25
http://www.ca.emb-japan.go.jp/canada...g_holiday.html
Go there, download the pdf package and make sure you fill everything out. I did slightly more then point form, but didn't do completely extensive. I explained where I would be going (my fiancee's parents city) and that we would be living there so that I could meet them for a couple months. Then after that I said the city I would be going to for finding a job and working there. I included where I would travel and when. I didn't exactly know, but for example I knew various festivals I wanted to attend and when they were and where they were so could include those.
Make sure you fill everything out, you need to have a doctor's note which will cost money saying you are in good health, you need to write a letter why you want to come, and you can only give a 6 month itinerary as you have to apply for a second 6 month visa while in Japan.
It was pretty easy to do, I just made sure all paperwork was done completely, have extra photos ready for the visa.
I was surprised the visa didn't cost anything, when i did working holiday visa in Australia it cost me money.
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2012-03-16, 02:25 PM #8
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[QUOTE=TheGreenBastard;1206762]>You need to attend in person at an embassy or a consulate for WHV.
Well that is really inconvenient to have to go all the way to Ottawa to pick it up. They won't mail something like that? I live really far from there, and it would cost almost the same as flying to Japan to get there. (domestic flights in Canada are sooooo expensive)
You can apply in Toronto as well, and various other cities, wherever there is an embassy
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2012-03-16, 02:31 PM #9
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http://www.ca.emb-japan.go.jp/canada...g_holiday.html Originally Posted by TheGreenBastard
Go there, it will explain everything.
You can apply wherever there is a consulate, I applied in Toronto, right at king and bay.
You must download the pdf and fill out everything. You will need a passport, that costs money. You need photos for the visa, these cost money. You need a doctor's note to indicate good health, this costs money.
Fill out the itinerary, why you want to go to Japan, make sure its all done and head down to the consulate.
The visa is only good for 6 months, when you are in Japan you apply for the second 6 months of the 1 year visa. After that I am not sure how you can stay longer. I am getting married to my fiancee so I will be looking to switch to spouse visa after my whv.
I have been here 2 months and I have not got a job yet. I expected this so its not a big problem for me, but I finally only now have a couple leads on jobs. You can tutor yourself fine, but it will be difficult to get clients without working for a school.
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2012-03-23, 12:17 AM #10Junior Member
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For any Canadians applying for the WHV, a great guide can be found here:
http://www.sakurabranch.com/2010/03/...ay-visa-guide/
I used that as a guideline for mine last year.
Finding work will be difficult if you're not in Tokyo. One place that will hire you is Berlitz. I applied through their website on a whim without any indication they were hiring and got offered an interview the next day. I'm now working there and making a comfortable living (200,000/mo for part time, which will increase starting April as it gets much busier). Berlitz may have a school in Fukuoka for the guy who wants to go there, but I'm not sure.
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