Working in Japan
There are a few main industries which stand out when it comes to employing foreigners in Japan: English teaching, entertainment, hospitality, manufacturing and corporate functions. For the first of these listed you will not need to speak much, if any, Japanese. For many of the other jobs you will need at least some understanding of Japanese to make yourself employable.
Although the Japanese economic bubble burst in the 90s the economy has recovered sufficiently to make it possible to maintain a better than average lifestyle on a Japanese salary. Expats working in Japan might find employment more easily in one of the foreign companies active in Japan. Corporate culture in Japan is quite formal, with very long office hours and lifetime employment the norm. After-hours drinking with the boss is still an established practice.
While it might be easier to find work once already in Japan, visa-wise it is better to find work before you arrive. Most visitors will need a visitor visa for stays up to 90 days, although around 50 countries’ citizens are exempt from this. Once you have found employment your employer will arrange for a sponsored visa. They will first need to obtain a Certificate of Eligibility for you in Japan, which they will send to you. Having this certificate greatly speeds up the visa application process.
In order to apply for the certificate you will need to provide copies of your degree(s), a career summary or testimony and possibly also police clearance – the specific documentation needed depends on which category of employment you fall under. On the whole you will need at least a four-year degree in order to qualify for a Certificate of Eligibility. The employer will also have to provide fiscal information on their company and on your proposed salary.
If you should decide to change employers while in Japan there is no need to change your visa status, as long as you are still employed in the same visa category (English teachers fall under the “Specialist in Humanities” employment category, for example). Visas can be renewed from inside Japan on an annual basis at your local Immigration Office. Once you have been in Japan for a few years you might find you have been given a three-year visa.
Visa and Work Permits
While it might be easier to find work once already in Japan, visa-wise it is better to find work before you arrive. Most visitors will need a visitor visa for stays up to 90 days, although around 50 countries’ citizens are exempt from this. Once you have found employment your employer will arrange for a sponsored visa. They will first need to obtain a Certificate of Eligibility for you in Japan, which they will send to you. Having this certificate greatly speeds up the visa application process.In order to apply for the certificate you will need to provide copies of your degree(s), a career summary or testimony and possibly also police clearance – the specific documentation needed depends on which category of employment you fall under. On the whole you will need at least a four-year degree in order to qualify for a Certificate of Eligibility. The employer will also have to provide fiscal information on their company and on your proposed salary.
If you should decide to change employers while in Japan there is no need to change your visa status, as long as you are still employed in the same visa category (English teachers fall under the “Specialist in Humanities” employment category, for example). Visas can be renewed from inside Japan on an annual basis at your local Immigration Office. Once you have been in Japan for a few years you might find you have been given a three-year visa.
As soon as you arrive in Japan you must register yourself at your local municipal office to get an alien registration card (a “gaijin” card). All foreign nationals resident in Japan for more than 90 days are required by law to do this. You will find that having this “gaijin” card will make your official life much easier, as it contains all your pertinent identification information in Japanese. Without it you cannot open a bank account, get a mobile phone contract or register for the national health insurance benefits, so it is best to register as soon as possible. It will take up to a month for your card to arrive at your municipal office, where you must collect it.
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