Job Discussion Forums

johncanada24 · Joined: 19 Oct 2006 Posts: 119 Location: Canada

I am currently trying to obtain a WHV but ran into a Korean guy who states that instead of getting a WHV I can apply for an E2 Visa which is good for a Year. The only requirements of getting the Visa according to him are as follows:

1. 2 Year College degree + TESL
2. A confirmed contract with a company to work in Japan
3. I might be missing one more

Anyways I truly don't beleive this guy he says it's as easy to obtain an E2 visa but I still think i have to follow the WHV route here. It is a little easier for me to get the E2 visa because i only have a college degree to BA degree.

canuck · Joined: 11 May 2003 Posts: 1921 Location: Japan

A WHV for Canadians wanting to work in Japan is valid for a year. Rolling Eyes

I have never heard of the "E2" visa.

canuck · Joined: 11 May 2003 Posts: 1921 Location: Japan

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

What the heck's an E2 visa? Don't think such a thing exists in Japan. I don't think your Korean friend has a first class clue about what the heck he's talking about. I don't know why you would want to follow the advice of a KOREAN on how to get a visa for JAPAN. That would be like me asking a German how to get a work permit in France.

As for WHVs, no college degree is required -- but there are other requirements you need to fulfill in order to get it. Being under 30 years old is at the top of the list. WHVs are good for 6 months but you can apply for ONE extention so it can be good UP TO a year.

A regular work visa usually requires a 4-year degree and TESOL is not something that is generally accepted or considered in working visa applications. Stick to the info on this forum, or better yet -- go directly to the MOFA website to get the official word on visas.

johncanada24 · Joined: 19 Oct 2006 Posts: 119 Location: Canada

Yeah I thought I was right! I suspected that he really didn't know what he was talking about. I guess I was just hoping he was right. WHV is the only way to go then!

furiousmilksheikali · Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 1:10 pm Post subject:

ironopolis · Joined: 01 Apr 2004 Posts: 379

The Korean guy is correct, but he has obviously misunderstood and thought you were going to Korea not Japan. The E2 visa is indeed the visa that most teachers get when going to work in Korea.

There's no such term used for any visa in Japan.

johncanada24 · Joined: 19 Oct 2006 Posts: 119 Location: Canada

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

furiousmilksheikali · Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 4:52 am Post subject:

My problem is with your words "I don't know why you would want to follow the advice of a KOREAN on how to get a visa in JAPAN" with its assumption that a Korean couldn't possibly know how to get a visa in Japan. I don't know why their Korean nationality disqualifies them from giving advice on visas besides Koreans can in fact get Working Holiday Visas in Japan making them one of the few countries alongside Canada to be able to have this privelege.

Of course, in this case the person in question simply was wrong and John was merely trying to confirm it, not "taking the advice" but making sure.

But let's not go down the road of equating nationality with ignorance.

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

Wasn't trying to equate nationality with ignorance. Korean nationality does not disqualify them from giving advice. BUT.... What I WAS getting at though was that your average Korean generally doesn't generally go about getting a visa to teach English in Japan. (Though I'm sure there may be exceptions to that) -- but let's just say that for general purposes Korea is not considered to be a major purveyor of English teachers to Japan, unless we are talking about native-English speakers who have taught in Korea first. But the OP didn't indicate that was the case...

Yes, there are many Koreans working in Japan -- but a) usually doing other kinds of work and b) face difference requriements/criteria for admission into the country to do said work. The relationship between the two countries is quite different than between Japan and Canada, for instance.

The most reliable advice on getting the proper visa is going to come from i) MOFA, ii) a person who has been in much the same situation as the person asking the question (probably in that order).