Job Discussion Forums

[dawnbuckley]

Hi,

I am hoping to go to Japan for mid Feb, but for various reasons my future employer is not going to get his hands on my documents required for the visa application until at least the end of the first week in Jan (don't use DHL if you live in Ireland,they never show up!)
I am told that it takes 4 to 8 weeks for the visa, it would be OK if it was closer to the former but 8 weeks is too long. Should I forget this one?
Also, my employer would probably let me come on a working holiday visa. I am a bit wary of this though. Should I be?I just feel like it doesn`t leave me with much security. Finally, I presume you have to leave the country to get it changed to a work visa?

Thanks,

Dawn

[Apsara]

I know people who have changed working holiday visas to work visas and they didn't have to leave to Japan to do it. You just go to Immigration with supporting documents and apply for a change of status.

[Glenski]

First of all, what is the rush to be here mid-February? To brush off a job offer just because of something that is out of the employer's hands (visa processing) is pretty silly in my opinion.

Second, with the market in a glut at the moment, you should be happy you got hired at all, especially from abroad.

Third, you can come on a working holiday visa (something you can get in about 2 weeks) and stay for 2 six-month periods. Pretty secure to me! If you want to change to that work visa while you are here, you don't have to leave Japan to do it. Just remember that you only get the WHV once in your life, so if you want to make it last for nearly the 12 months, you can. You will probably have to pay 20% tax on your earnings, though, so it might be financially more sound to get it, come here, apply for the work visa fairly soon, and kiss the WHV goodbye in a short time.