Moving to Japan means great economic opportunities, social security, and safety. However, the process is not as simple as packing up and moving, you have to find a visa that suits you, complete an application process, and only then can you start your journey.
So, in this guide, we’ve gone through everything you need to know to move to Japan step-by-step.
Step 1. Understanding Your Immigration Options
If you plan to move to Japan, you’ll need a valid reason, such as:
- Work
- Study
- Family reunification
Without having a clear immigration pathway to move to the country, then it’s quite difficult, nearly impossible to move there.
Moving to Japan for Work
Japan offers several work visa options you can choose from depending on your profession and qualifications:
- Highly skilled individual. This visa is granted to only individuals who are considered highly skilled and experienced in their field of work. If granted, it allows the holder to stay in Japan for up to 5 years.
- General work visa. A general work visa is given to various professionals such as artists, journalists, business managers, researchers, nursing care professionals, and such. It can be granted for a period of 5, 3, or 1 year, or even three months depending on the applicant.
- Digital nomad visa. This is a designated activities visa for digital nomads, which allows you to stay in Japan for 6 months. The visa is not renewable and cannot be extended beyond the initial stay. So, while it’s not a year-long visa, it still allows its holder to experience life in Japan for some time.
- Working holiday visa. You can apply for a working holiday visa if you’re between the ages of 18 and 30 from specific countries that have an agreement with Japan. There are currently 30 countries that have this agreement in place which you can find here.
- Start-up visa. A start-up visa allows you to stay in Japan for 6 months (with the possibility of an extension) to start a business in Japan. However, you must meet the eligibility requirements set by the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry Order and be supported by municipalities in Japan.
Where to Find Jobs?
To help you find English-speaking jobs in Japan you can use the following sites:
Please keep in mind that a very small percentage of the work market is available to English-speaking individuals or non-Japanese speakers. So, we highly recommend you learn a little bit of the language before moving especially if you plan on working in the country.
List of Professions in Demand in Japan
Some of the most in-demand professions in Japan include the following (eligible for skilled individual visas as well):
- Nursing care.
- Building cleaning management.
- Manufacture of industrial products.
- Construction industry.
- Shipbuilding and ship machinery industry.
- Automobile repair and maintenance.
- Aviation industry.
- Accommodation industry.
- Agriculture.
- Fishery and Aquaculture.
- Manufacture of food and beverages.
- Food service industry.
- Railway.
- Forestry.
- Wood industry.
Moving to Japan to Join Family
You can also move to Japan to join a family member, such as a spouse or registered partner. For this option, you have to apply for a designated activities visa which is then specified into categories depending on which visa your partner has.
But you can also apply for a spouse visa if you’re moving to join a Japanese citizen.
Moving to Japan to Study
If you’re accepted to a Japanese higher education institution, you can move to the country to study. A study visa will allow you to stay in the country for up to 4 years and three months.
Afterward, you can apply for a work visa to continue living in the country long-term.
Step 2. Applying for a Visa
To apply for a long-term visa to Japan, you must first obtain a certificate of eligibility (COE). This is usually obtained by your employer (if applicable), if not you can do it via a proxy, or apply by yourself here.
Once you have your COE, you can continue with the rest of the visa application.
Process
- Find an embassy or consulate. You can find a Japanese embassy or consulate in your area here. Afterward, you have to schedule an appointment to submit your visa application.
- Fill out the visa application form. You can find the application form at the embassy’s website. The embassy or consulate will give you instructions on how to fill it out.
- Prepare the required documents. For your visa application, you have to submit several required documents such as your passport, application form, COE, work contract, and so on (see a full list below).
- Submit your application. On the day of your visa appointment, submit your application and prepare to sit down for a short interview. Once your application is processed, which should not take more than 10 to 20 days, you will be notified of the final decision.
Documents
Here are the required documents for your Japanese visa application:
- Passport.
- Application form.
- Identity photographs.
- Certificate of eligibility.
- Proof of work contract.
- Proof of university admission.
- Family certificates.
- Proof of financial means.
Depending on your visa and home country, you may be required to include additional documents and the embassy holds the right to ask for any extra requirements.
Fees
An entry visa costs JPY 3,000 (approx. $200). But this does not include the payment for your residence permit, or for any additional service fees you may incur.
Step 3. Settling in Japan
Within three months of receiving your visa, you have to enter Japan and you can start settling down in your home country.
At the Entry Port
At the airport (or seaport) after entering the country you will receive a landing permission by an immigration officer after going through a landing examination. You will be asked to present your visa, and other documents allowing you to enter and stay in the country.
Apply for a Residence Permit
Once you enter the country, you have to apply for your residence permit. You can check here if you can do it online, and if not, you have to visit the nearest Immigration office in your area.
Find Accommodation
For your initial stay, you can use temporary accommodation such as a hotel or Airbnb, but for long-term stays, you should look into finding a rental.
To help you find a new place to live while you’re in Japan, use the following:
- Apartment-japan.com
- Wagaya-japan.com
- Apartments.gaijinpot
Finding accommodation in Japan can be difficult if you don’t speak the language so most expats recommend you hire a real estate agent to help you. Most importantly the agent will help you find foreigner-friendly accommodation, as some landlords may be hesitant to lease to foreigners.
Register Residence
Within 14 days of deciding on your new living arrangements, you have to complete a “notification of place of residence”. You can do this by filling out a form here and submitting it to an office of Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition in your area.
Open a Bank Account
With your new place of residence and registered address, you can open a bank account in Japan. If you plan to work in the country and receive benefits you will need a bank account.
Some of the most popular banks include:
- Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG)
- Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC)
- Mizuho Financial Group
- Japan Post Bank
- Resona Bank
Obtain Health Insurance
Japan offers a public health insurance system to all of its citizens and residents, and registering for insurance is obligatory for everyone.
You have two main options in this case depending on your employment situation.
- Sign up for Employee Health Insurance (kenko hoken). Your employer will cover half of the health insurance premiums and the other half will be deducted from your salary. This option covers around 70% of your medical bills.
- Sign up for National Health Insurance (kokumin kenko hoken). This option is for those who are self-employed, unemployed, dependent on family members who are covered by employee insurance, or retired (under the age of 75). Same as employee insurance, this option also covers 70% of the medical bills.
You must complete the registration at your local municipal office within 14 days of settling down in the country.
Please note that private health insurance is rarely accepted by Japanese hospitals and even if you have private insurance you are still required to sign up for the public healthcare system.
Obtaining Japanese Citizenship
After five years of regularly living in Japan, you can apply for citizenship by naturalization. Unfortunately, Japan does not allow dual citizenship, so to apply for naturalization you have to give up on your previous nationality.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Moving Cost to Japan?
Your total cost of moving to Japan will vary depending on where you live, how many items you bring with you, and visa requirements
On average be prepared to spend the following:
- Immigration procedures— $200 to $500
- International shipping— anywhere between $5,000 to $10,000.
- Flight tickets— $500 to $2,000.
How Much Is the Average Salary?
The average salary in Japan is around JYP 6,200,000 (approx. $39,818) per year. Of course, this will change depending on where you’re living, and in which professional field you’re focused.
What Are the Living Costs in Japan?
The living costs for a single person in Japan on average go around JYP 132,107 (approx. $880) per month.
Adding rent, and other expenses be prepared to spend the following amounts monthly:
- Rent— JYP 50,000–150,000 ($350–1,000) per month
- Utilities— JYP 10,000–20,000 ($70–140) per month
- Food— JYP 30,000–60,000 ($200–400) per month
- Transportation— JYP 10,000–20,000 ($70–140) per month
What Is the Work Culture Like?
The Japanese are hard-working people and value dedication, discipline, and teamwork. Over-time is quite common and even expected in most companies you’ll even hear of the “salaryman” culture where employees regularly work over 40 hours a week.
There is a strict hierarchy to follow, where seniors demand respect in the Japanese culture, including the workplace. You’ll find these rooted in the language as well where you’re asked to speak to seniors with respectful language structures, known as “keigo”, which include honorific and humble forms used to show proper respect.
Do I Need to Know Japanese?
To move to Japan, you are not required to know the language, but for a student visa, this may be a requirement depending on your study program.
Either way, you’re highly encouraged to learn the language a little bit before moving and focus on learning it as much as you can after arriving. You’ll find that it will be much more difficult to enter the workforce, find accommodation, or meet new people without speaking the language.