Working holiday and digital nomad visas

Japan has working holiday agreements with about 30 countries and regions, including Australia, Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Korea and Taiwan, though not the US. The usual age range is 18 to 30, and the stay is up to a year, with a longer one for some countries. You can work to pay for your trip, but the visa is meant mainly for travel and cultural exchange.

Each country has its own application process through the Japanese embassy, and some limit the number of visas a year. You normally need a valid passport, a plan for your stay, proof of funds and a return ticket or the money for one.

Introduced in March 2024, this visa lets people working remotely for an employer or clients outside Japan stay for up to six months. Reports list an income requirement of about ¥10 million a year, private health insurance with at least ¥10 million of cover, and citizenship of one of about 50 countries and regions that have tax agreements with Japan.

It is a limited status. Reports differ on whether it can be renewed, and holders may not receive a residence card, so they cannot do some of the things residents do, such as signing a lease through the usual route. Check the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the current rules.

Neither visa converts easily into a work status. If you find a job in Japan, your employer normally applies for a Certificate of Eligibility, and the move to a work status needs the usual conditions, such as a degree or experience for a skilled job. Some people leave and apply again from abroad.

Time spent on a working holiday or digital nomad status may not count toward permanent residency, so ask the immigration bureau how your time will be counted.