Job Discussion Forums

[DerbyJohn]

Hi all

Q. about working visas: I don't think this particular angle has been covered before.

I'm planning to be in Tokyo around mid-August and to start seriously job-hunting then.

I shall be staying with an English accountant friend who has a flat in Tokyo and is currently part-way through a three-year contract. Is this friend eligible to sponsor me for a work visa? I know it's normally a (prospective) employer who does this, but without securing work in advance, would the authorities accept my English friend as a sponsor? The reason I ask is because, when I enter as a tourist, I know that Customs will check for a return date for a holiday visa. (I was thinking of entering on a single ticket (cheaper)).

If this is possible, is it practicable or him to do this? Maybe I can send him papers so that he can get the Cert of Eligibility for me, but if I don't have it with me on arrival, I'll still be entering as a tourist who should have a return flight date.

Thanks for any input.

John

[PAULH]

[ionix-]

You friend won't be able to sponsor you. Look at the different categories of visa. You don't qualify for the work visa since your friend is not an established company for 3 or 5 years and doesn't employ Japanese nationals. As for the other types of visa, you are not his dependent. So it will be impossible for you to sponsor you even though he might be very rich. The fact is that you must fit in a category of visa to get one issued to you. Getting a work visa from a friend is just not possible.

[spidey]

Have you considered sponsoring yourself? I'm not sure of the criteria involved but I do know that it can be done sometimes.

Here is a website that is full of information.

http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/

Good luck

S

[PAULH]

[DerbyJohn]

Thanks for all the advice. I think, what with my short timescale and all, I'll leave the friend sponsorship thing and enter as a tourist.

Could I just ask for a few personal experiences here? When you arrive at the airport, how likely is it that you're checked for a return ticket? If very likely (and I've heard that Customs are pretty serious about it), then I suppose all I can do is buy a return ticket with the return booked for within 90 days or so and then change the date (at a cost) to be at the end of my employer's contract (if and when I get one!).

Thanks

[DerbyJohn]

P.S. I searched for 'return ticket' and found this thread - http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=24286&highlight=return+ticket - but it's not too conclusive. Any more experiences?

I should also mention that I'll be staying at an English friend's flat in Tokyo, so would it be sufficient to enter Japan on a one-way ticket but provide his address?

[ionix-]

It would not. You need your return ticket when entering on a 90 days tourist status of residence. The reason behind that is that you don't have a guarantor who will pay the return ticket if you are out of money.

[DerbyJohn]

Cheers for that, Ionix-

[Gordon]

[DerbyJohn]

Cheers Gordon. I'll look into that and let you know how I get on (might be useful for others).

[lajzar]

Unless your friend is also going to be your employer, he cannot sponsor you for a work visa of any kind.

[stillnosheep]

Are you eligible for a Working Holiday Visa? If so you don't need a sponser and can legally work (p/t), while finding a company to sponser you for a work visa.

[DerbyJohn]

No, I'm 37 years old. As far as I'm aware, the cutoff for the WHV is 30.

?