1. What does the Core Japan do?
Our main job is to provide help to working holiday clients and promote the Working Holiday Scheme. We help people visiting Japan on Working Holiday Visas, and we also provide a variety of services to Japanese people who are planning to go on working holidays especially in Australia, Canada and New zealand and to people who have returned to Japan from working holidays.
2. What services does your company do for working holidays people?
We have a free job referral service. We will provide you information and advice about everyday life in Japan, and how to make the most of your stay. We also endeavor to answer any questions you might have during your stay in Japan.
3. Can you help me find accommodation?
We can provide you with information and necessary arrangement of what kinds of accommodation are available, but we will arrange accommodation for you for dorm.
4. What kind of job referral service do you have?
People looking to employ working holiday makers post job on JobBoard. You could find job on this page.
5. Where are your office located?
Our office is located in Tokyo.
6. What is the Working Holiday Program?
The Working Holiday Program has the aim of promoting common mutual understanding and friendship between partner countries, and fostering social understanding of other cultures in the youths who participate. Working Holiday Visas are issued according to conditions agreed upon bilaterally by the governments involved.
7. What countries have Working Holiday Agreements with Japan?
Japan initiated its first Working Holiday Scheme with Australia, then with New Zealand, Canada , South Korea, France, Germany , the U.K., Ireland, Denmark , and Taiwan .
8. How can I apply for a Working Holiday Visa?
You can apply for a Working Holiday Visa at your nearest Japanese embassy or consulate. Depending on the country, you can download the application form from the embassy website, print it out, and send it in with the other required documents. The documents that are required differ slightly for each country but usually include your passport, 2 passport size photos, a resume/CV, an outline of what you intend to do in while in Japan, a letter explaining why you want to go on a working holiday, proof that you have enough money to support yourself in Japan, etc). You are usually required to visit an embassy or consulate in person at some stage during the application process.
Conditions and requirements for Working Holiday Visa applications differ from country to country. Please contact your nearest Japanese embassy or consulate for more information (preferably by telephone). Here are the Working Holiday Visa-related pages of each country’s embassy websites:
9. Who can apply for a Japanese Working Holiday Visa?
Citizens of Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Korea, New Zealand, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom, who are between the ages of 18 and 30 inclusive, and citizens of Ireland, who are between the ages of 18 and 25 inclusive, are eligible to apply for Working Holiday Visas. In certain instances Irish citizens over 25 years of age are allowed to apply for Working Holiday Visas.
There are other application conditions too, which vary from country to country. These conditions also change over time. Please contact your local Japanese embassy or consulate for more information (webpage links above).
10. How long can I stay in Japan on a Working Holiday Visa?
Citizens of Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Korea, New Zealand, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom can stay in Japan for 12 months. Citizens of Australia can stay for 18 months. Citizens of Canada, and New Zealand have to extend their visas after 6 months, and citizens of Australia have to extend their visas twice- once after 6 months and again after 12 months. To extend your Working Holiday Visa you will need to visit an immigration office with your passport and alien registration card and pay an extension fee of 4000 yen
11. Do I have to apply for a Working Holiday Visa in my home country?
Yes! You have to apply for, and receive a Working Holiday Visa at an embassy or consulate in your home country before coming to Japan. If you are overseas at the moment unfortunately you will more than likely have to return to your home country in order to apply for your Working Holiday Visa but please check with the Japanese embassy in your home country first to make sure.
12. Why can’t people from countries other than Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Ireland, Germany, Korea, New Zealand, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom get a Working Holiday Visa to visit Japan?
This is because at present, only the governments of those countries have signed Working Holiday Agreements with Japan. Working Holiday Agreements are concluded bilaterally between separate countries, and it's up to the government of each country to organize Working Holiday Agreements with other governments. If you wish to apply for a Working Holiday Visa to visit a certain country, your own country must have a Working Holiday Agreement with the country in question.
13. Is it possible to change to another visa from a Working Holiday Visa?
Yes, but this ultimately depends on the decision of the Japanese Immigration Bureau.
There are also some visas that you can change to and some that you can't. If you want to apply for an ordinary work visa to work as an English teacher you normally need to have a university degree.
For more detailed information please contact your local immigration office if you are already in Japan.
14. Is it possible to leave Japan and come back during a working holiday?
Yes, but you will need to obtain either a "Single Re-entry Permit" (there is a 3000 yen fee) or a "Multiple Reentry Permit"(6000 yen) from your nearest immigration office. Without a re-entry permit, your visa will automatically expire as you leave Japan and you will be unable to return on the same visa. The expiry date of your visa will not be extended to allow for the time that you have spent outside of Japan.
15. Do the same visa rules apply to everyone?
No. There are slight differences in the rules and requirements agreed to by each country, and these rules are subject to change. Something you read about Working Holiday Visas might not actually apply to you, or may of course be inaccurate or outdated, so it is always best to contact your local Japanese embassy or consulate if you have any questions about visa application conditions etc. If you are already in Japan, your local Immigration Bureau Information Center is the best place to ask.
16. Who should I contact when I have questions about Working Holiday Visas?
Usually the best place to ask is your nearest local Japanese embassy or consulate. If you are already in Japan, you could ask us or Immigration Bureau Information Centers.
Embassies and consulates usually prefer people to visit them in person or to phone them rather than ask questions by email. But be aware that as embassies and consulates are run by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and immigration is actually controlled by the Ministry of Justice, unfortunately embassies and consulates are only really able to provide information about visa applications rather than visa-related laws and conditions. If you have a complicated or unusual question about visa rules they might not be able to give you the correct answer.
17. I have to renew my Working Holiday Visa after 6 months?
It depends on what country you are from. Australians, New Zealanders, and Canadians have to renew their visas after 6 months.
Citizens of other countries have 12-month visas that do not need to be renewed. Australian citizens can stay for a total of 18 months but they need to renew their visa after 6 months and then again after 12 months.
18. What kind of work can I do on a Working Holiday Visa?
As a working holiday maker there are no restrictions on working hours or types of jobs with the exception of certain jobs like host/hostess work, work in massage parlours etc., which Working Holiday Visa holders are not permitted to engage in.
While most Working holiday makers work as language teachers, others find work in restaurants, hotels, ski resorts, etc, although these non-teaching jobs usually require a certain level of Japanese conversation ability. While the pay depends on the area, the hours, and type of job, non-teaching jobs do tend to have lower pay than teaching jobs, though of course there are exceptions. Recently, a number of working holiday makers have found IT-related offices jobs that require only a minimum of Japanese ability. While the pay may be lower, non-teaching jobs give you the opportunity to work in a Japanese-language environment which can help you to gain a clearer understanding of Japanese society and improve your Japanese ability
19. Is there a limit to how much work I can do on a Working Holiday Visa?
No. However remember that the aim of the working holiday scheme is to promote understanding and friendship between countries, and work shouldn’t be your primary motivation for coming to Japan on a Working Holiday Visa. There is no limit on how many hours or days per week or how many months you can work on a Working Holiday Visa in Japan.
20. How is the job market at the moment?
The current recession is affecting wages and the number of jobs that are available. The job market for working holiday makers has been getting tougher for several years because of poor economic conditions and also an increase in the number of people coming to Japan looking for work. However, if you are over 21 and have a university degree you should be able to find work in Japan eventually if you aren’t overly particular. It is absolutely essential to bring enough money to survive on until you find a job and to tide you over if you suddenly become unable to work or lose your job.
It used to be fairly easy to find a job as an English teacher, but due to the large numbers of people coming to Japan seeking jobs in this field, it is becoming a little more difficult. On average, it takes newcomers about one to two months to secure a teaching position. During this time it can be quite difficult emotionally, mentally, and financially and it really is important to make sure you bring enough money to survive on while you search for work.
21. How much is the average wage for Working Holiday Makers?
Wages for language teaching jobs in Japan have been dropping in recent years. The most common hourly wage for language teaching jobs in our job files is approximately 2,000 yen, though wages do range from about 1500 yen to about 3000 yen. The wage for non-teaching jobs in our job files is approximately 1000 yen per hour
22. What kind of work do you have on your files?
The most common kind of job in our files is language teaching (especially English). Wait staff/hotel staff jobs are the next most common. Recently there have also been a number of office jobs.
23. Is it more difficult to find work in Japan without a university degree?
Yes, it is more difficult to find teaching jobs in Japan without a degree, especially in the major cities. Many employers require applicants to have a degree, but there are exceptions. Teaching jobs that don’t require degrees tend to have lower wages. In the case of unskilled non-teaching jobs, fewer employers require a degree, but conversational-level Japanese ability is usually required, and in many cases a high level of Japanese proficiency is required.
If you are planning to come to Japan in a gap year before continuing on to university, it is important to be aware that not having a degree and being under the age of 21 does make it more difficult to find work.
24. Is it more difficult to find work in Japan if you’re under 21?
Yes. It does tend to be difficult for people under the age of 21 to find work, and some unfortunately return home disappointed (see above). English schools usually require teachers to be over 21 years of age, but with non-teaching jobs it doesn’t seem to be so much of an issue. Your chances of finding such work increase if you can speak Japanese.
25. Do I need to be able to speak Japanese to find teaching work?
No, but being able to speak Japanese is often an advantage when looking for work, and when interacting with Japanese colleagues, even if you aren’t required to speak Japanese in your daily work. You might be surprised by how many people there are in Japan who are unable to speak English. We recommend that you try to learn some Japanese before you leave for Japan, as it will likely make your stay a lot more enjoyable and fulfilling.
26. Is it possible to find skilled non-teaching work if you can’t speak Japanese?
It does tend to be difficult to find skilled non-teaching work that doesn’t require a certain level of Japanese ability, but it very much depends on your other abilities and your field of work. Jobs in the service industry usually require a high degree of Japanese ability. People with high levels of expertise in a certain field sometimes find work despite not being able to speak Japanese, but such people are the exception.
27. Can I find work before I arrive in Japan?
It depends on your country's Working Holiday Visa conditions. Citizens of some countries are allowed to and others are not. Please contact your nearest Japanese Embassy or Consulate for information. The Core Japan cannot give out information on the job files that we have in our office to you until you have registered in person at one of our offices. This is to ensure that access to the information is restricted to Working Holiday Makers who are registered with us.
28. How long does it usually take to find a job after arriving in Japan?
It usually takes between 2 weeks to 2 months, though of course, it very much depends on the person and the time of year. Some people find work almost immediately while some people find it very difficult. Though is quite rare, occasionally there are people who fail to find any work at all and have to cut their working holiday short.
29. When is the best time to find work in Japan?
Many teaching jobs start in early April (April is the start of the academic and financial year in Japan), so February and the start of March tends to be a good time to look for teaching work in Japan. Job openings for non-teaching work tend to be more evenly spread out through the year. It is very difficult to find any kind of work right before or during the New Year period, and the ‘Golden Week’ holiday period starting at the end of April. Most companies close during these holiday periods, and hotels, trains, and planes tend to be fully booked. Peak rates apply during the New Year and Golden Week periods making domestic travel expensive. It may also be more difficult to find teaching jobs during the summer holiday period from late July to the end of August.
30. Is it difficult for Danish, German, French, Korean, and Taiwanese people to work as language teachers in Japan?
It does tend to be difficult to find work teaching languages other than English. You could try looking for private students. If you are fairly fluent in English you might be able find work at a small school teaching English to children.
31. How much tax do working holiday makers have to pay?
People who have been in Japan for less than 12 months have to pay an income tax of 20% (this is the ‘non-resident tax rate’ and it applies to Working Holiday people. There is also a 8% consumer tax levied on goods and services.
32. Can I find work even if I’ll only be staying in Japan for a couple of months?
As wages are generally paid on a monthly basis, many employers require that employees work for at least three months. If you are planning to stay for less than three months your employment opportunities will be limited, but there are a number of short-term jobs available.
