Job Discussion Forums

[benshi]

Does anyone know if the government has changed its policy on issuing 3 year work visas recently? For a few years now our school has been getting only 1 year visas for first-time applicants when we've applied, but the last couple of months they have been issuing 3 year visas, even though we haven't been specifically applying for them. Great for the teachers; it really takes the pressure off if they want to change jobs. But, it seems to me that since the NOVA collapse they be even less willing to have a lot of people with the ability to hang around long term, not moreso.

Anyone have any thoughts on why the change?

[Apsara]

I got my first 3 year visa back in 2000 without asking for it, and most of the people I knew were given them as well, many of them also first timers. Other people I know have had to go back every year to renew their visa. It has always seemed to me to be quite random.

[Glenski]

Have not heard anything official. Even when official news comes out, it is extremely low-key.

Plan on first-timers still getting a 1-year visa, and perhaps after that getting renewed to 3-year, but no promises.

[ironopolis]

OP, do you mean people getting 3 years when they first come to Japan, or when they first renew?

If you mean for completely new arrivals, then that's a little surprising, although not without precedent. About 4-5 years ago they started giving 3 year visas to new arrivals (in this area at least) but clearly seemed to re-think that policy a year or so afterwards and go back to just 1 year initially.

For renewals I used to think it was largely pot luck whether you got 1 or 3 years. I later learned that although it can undoubtedly vary from office to office, and even officer to officer, there are still some factors that do make a difference. One of these, apparently, is job stability. I've been told that many immigration offices are a little suspicious of people switching jobs (i.e. sponsor) mid-visa. Of course, they'll still renew in those cases, but will make it a 1 year extension rather than 3 until they've seen you stay in the same job for a whole year.

I don't doubt that there are plenty of examples from around Japan that contradict this, but this was a clear pattern at the immigration office I and people I worked with used and was confirmed by an immigration officer I used to teach.

[AndyH]

Benshi,
I had the priveledge of working for a really good school, with an excellent and knowledgable teaching director. I'll send him an e-mail, and PM you when I get an answer. I'm sure he'd know!

[Ai]

I came to Japan for the first time in 2005 and I got a 3 year visa. I'm not sure if my employer asked for it or not. Most of my friends had one year visas and resented me a wee bit for not having to worry about renewing.

[AndyH]

How could anyone resent you, Ai?

[Great Teacher Umikun]

I guess I just had lousy luck. I'm about to finish my fourth year here, yet I only got 1-year visas. (Looks like I'll be bailing to Europe this year.)

[Nate]

So is the 3 year visa something that can be requested?

[southofreality]

Yeah, there's a check-box for a 3-year request on the application form. When your employer fills it out, they can check it. My last employer checked it every year, but I always ended up with a one-year visa.

[Miyazaki]

I always checked "3 years" but never got it until I'd been in Japan a few years.

Some of the new teachers, right off the plane, arrived on 3 year visas.

For new teachers, it appears random.

[poohbear]

its random. 1 year or 3 year visas, they decide & there's no discernable order. my first 2 years i got 1 year visas, 3rd year i got a 3 year visa but that year i was leaving japan. go figure.:p