There are already a lot of people who have taken advantage of working holiday Japan opportunities. You might want to do the same if you want to have a truly enjoyable experience that is also enriching and educational. Before you apply though, there are some questions you need to ask.
What is a working holiday?
There are many countries that allow visitors to both work and enjoy holidays. This specific program offered by the Japanese government however is the result of a mutual agreement between Japan and other countries. Australia was the very first country to enjoy this benefit but is now joined by New Zealand, Canada, South Korea, France, Germany and the UK. The newest countries to sign the agreement are Ireland and Denmark. If you are a resident of these countries, you will have passed the first criterion to apply for special working holiday visas.
As the term implies, the program is primarily for people who wish to enjoy a vacation. This means that a traveler’s intention must primarily be to enjoy the sights and sounds of the country. Finding a job is only a secondary focus. Once a visitor has found a job in a non-regulated sector, he is allowed to keep it only for the duration of his visa’s validity. This is usually six months with a possible extension of another six months. Only Australians can apply for extensions that will allow them to stay up to eighteen months.
Who can submit applications?
Other than the requirement to be a citizen of a specific country, applicants for working holiday visas also need to comply with other requirements. They should at least be eighteen years old but no more than thirty years old. Their planned visit should also be their first and upon application they need to present a valid passport.
One other important requirement is related to personal finances. An applicant should be able to show that he is able to support himself during his entire vacation stay. At a minimum, an applicant should show that he at least has $2,000 for his stay. With the proof of funds, applicants should also present specific vacation plans and a booked return ticket home.
How costly is the stay?
An initial six pounds will be charged to UK applicants. For other applicants however, visa applications are free. In all territories, all visitors need to shoulder their plane tickets. That would mean preparing roughly $3,000. You may however be able to get cheap deals that will cost you below $2,000.
The living expenses give a little more cause for worry. You can expect to spend a little over 100,000 yen every month for food, transportation and accommodation. If, however, you plan to travel from December to April, you may be able to bag a resort position in a tourist hotspot like Nagano. In winter resorts, food and accommodations are free so you can expect to save a lot of cash in these places.
There is so much that you can gain from a working holiday Japan experience. Visitors get to both enjoy and earn off of jobs in Japan. If you already qualify, you should consider submitting your application for a special visa right away.
