Job Discussion Forums

Stosskraft · Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 252 Location: Japan

Hello all,

Whats your knowledge about switching a WHV to Working Visa?. My school has been trying for 2 months at immigration, and every time I ask "whats going on?" they say that immigration has become much more strict. Included in my paperwork is proof of my previous work experience in Canada,Thailand and China(adding up to over 3 years), but they are saying that immigration is reluctant to be live a"contract" in China as they are too hard to verify. The school I did work for in China, no longer exists (a normal occurrence over there) and I am unable to reach anyone that I have worked with.

Now, had immigration recently tighten there rules, as I have been told by my school?

They said they may try to get a Humanitarian Visa for me? How is this different from a Working Visa?

Now that I am working Full-time on a WHV should I just keep doing what I am doing and not "wake a sleeping dog" so to speak?

Anyone else here having this difficulty?

Thanks

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

Stosskraft · Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 252 Location: Japan

The sleeping dog I referred to, is immigration. Very Happy

I am now considering having to leave in February, anyway(when the visa expires). If I am unable to get another visa then I will leave Japan before my WHV expires. What I was concerned about is working full-time on WHV, yet technically speaking my visa is being processed (unsuccessfully) at immigration. I guess now I just have to wait and see, but it is not looking good at this point.

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

Stosskraft · Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 252 Location: Japan

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/w_holiday/programme.html#2

The MOFA website doesnt specificially forbid full time work on WHV any more, although it used to. Good news for you then.

ajarn · Joined: 15 Mar 2003 Posts: 53

The school could well be telling the truth. At my place of work last semester, there were 4 native speaking teachers. 2 of us had to renew our existing visas while the other 2 had to change their visa status. It took the two of us who renewed our visas between 6 - 8 weeks for our new visas. Of the guys who changed their visa status, one took 4 months and the other never actually received his before the semester finished (the semester was 4 months long) and actually left for Korea without even getting it. They were fed the same story from our administration about Immigration cracking down on Visas and taking longer to process. They both called immigration (on more than one occassion) to check what was happening and were told the same thing - that their visas were in process.

Stosskraft · Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 252 Location: Japan

Thanks ajarn,

It seems that immigration here is just quite slow. I hope that the visa does get changed so that I can finish my contract (ending April), if not I have to leave in February and my school will have to find a replacement earlier.