Job Discussion Forums

mtheta · Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Posts: 76

Has anyone ever heard of people being denied working holiday visas? WHen I went to apply for mine the attendent kept asking me if I had employment already (which is a no no). I do, but said no. I am freaking out, thinking they will find out and deny me my visa!! Has anyone heard of people being denied WHV for these reasons??

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

Is it now a requirement for you not to have a job already? I had one arranged when I got my WHV, a few years ago now though. I told them so, as did all of us going to work at the same place, and it was no problem.

callmesim · Joined: 27 Oct 2005 Posts: 279 Location: London, UK

Maybe I'm crazy but surely applying for a WHV while a WV is being processed could pose some problems. What are the odds that they will cross-check their records?

Does anyone know?

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

Since you have to go to the consulate/ embassy for both the COE and the working holiday visa, it's a fair bet that they will notice you are applying for two visas at the same time. Better to postpone going to Japan until you have the COE in hand, even if it means cancelling a flight- there have been other people asking for advice on this topic on this forum who have had to do just that.

mtheta · Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Posts: 76

Ya, I am pretty sure they will see that there is a WV in process and I will get screwed. I thought I would just say that the employment fell through and I still wanted to go cause I had all the travel arranged. Worst case scenario is I get denied the WHV and I have to post-pon the flight until the COE comes through. Holding my breath!

callmesim · Joined: 27 Oct 2005 Posts: 279 Location: London, UK

I don't want to scare you but surely the worst case scenario is they find you've applied for 2 visas, find you've been lying to them and deny you both.

Have you checked with your employer about maybe them paying to reschedule your flight? I know my employer did that recently when a bunch of new recruits had their visas delayed. Clearly Immigration is just being a little slow at the moment.

mtheta · Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Posts: 76

I have told my employer the situation and if I am denied my WHV, then I will have no choice but to re-schedual my flight. She is the one who wanted me there ASAP, but I can't control Immigration.

My plan, for if I am questioned about the WV in progress, is to say that I was going to work but the contract fell through and since my tickets were booked I decided to still go and just travel.

What a pain! I seriously had a dream last night that Immigration banned me from ever entering the country because of this situation. Ahhh!

NorthofAmerica · Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 187 Location: Recovering Expat

Good luck mtheta! Post and let us know how it turns out.

I am applying for a working holiday visa right now and preparing to write a letter "explaining my reasons for a working holiday visa". If they deem me to be working too steadily and not having enough of a "holiday" could I be denied my visa? Does anyone know how likely they are to deny a visa?

rich45 · Joined: 26 Jan 2006 Posts: 127

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

Just put down info about your work for the first couple of months on the application, then a couple of places you wish to travel to.

I worked full time for the first 3 months of my WH visa, then almost full-time at another company for the rest of it, and they certainly don't check up on you afterwards- even when I applied for the extension I don't remember any questions about how much I was working.

I also borrowed the $3000NZ amount required off my parents- we had to show it to them in traveller's cheques- and after showing it to them, promptly changed it back to cash and gave it back to my parents, since I was going straight to a job where accommodation and food were provided from the start I didn't really need that much.

mtheta · Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Posts: 76

Looks like I'm in the clear! Fewf. I figured it would be fine and that people bleep their way through the process all the time, but you never know right?
As for the $2500 in travellers cheques, I did the same thing, borrowed from parents and turned around and gave it right back to them.
Here I come JAPAN!

chirp · Joined: 03 Dec 2005 Posts: 148

Congratulations and best wishes mtheta! Very Happy

LoTan · Joined: 21 Sep 2006 Posts: 30

so i'm applying for my WHV soon... i've already been hired through nova to work the flexi-position, but what bothered me a bit was that nova didn't tell me ahead of time that i shouldn't write down that i'm employed by them. as well, my departure date is in 4.5 weeks and nova still doesn't want me to apply for the visa just yet. i hate all this last minute stuff because the consulate of japan states that all applications must be made at least 3 weeks before departure date.

oh... a question ..
i leave end of feb, and my return ticket is stated for november, does it matter that the return ticket is after the six months that's initially granted??? yes i can state that the ticket can be changed .. but will the consulate care???

has anyone really been denied a WHV even when they hit all the requirements?

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

If I were you I would apply for that visa right away- I can't see how it would affect Nova if you applied for it now, but it would certainly affect you if the processing took longer than expected. When I first came to Japan on a working holiday I worked at a ski resort for 3 months before going to work at Nova, so I got my visa well in advance of going to work for them, and although I had interviewed in July I told them at a later date that I would be available to work for them from Feb the next year- it was no problem at all. They always have openings basically.

Don't let them boss you around too much.

As for the flight, I came to Japan in Nov with a return date of July, so more than 6 months later and no-one ever mentioned it. I just extended the visa in May and later changed the flight because I ended up staying the full year.

It's natural to worry about visas- every time I apply for one for Japan or even a tourist visa for India or wherever I have these ideas that I'm not going to get it, but I always do. I have not come across anyone who has been rejected after applying for a WHV. Try not to worry!

Wink

Neongene · Joined: 18 Dec 2006 Posts: 51

Could anyone give me a detailed explantion of the process and what to expect when applying for a WHV? I know that I will need 2500 CAD and that is coming along nicely, but are you really not supposed to have work planned out ahead of time? And do they ask what you want to accomplish in Japan?