◆The Working Holiday Program◆
Your Gateway to Japan:
Navigating the Working Holiday Visa for a Cultural Adventure
Unlock the opportunity to explore Japan's rich culture and vibrant way of life through the Working Holiday Visa program.
Established in 1980 with Australia and now encompassing agreements with 30 countries and regions, this bilateral initiative allows young travelers to experience Japan's unique traditions while engaging in incidental employment to supplement their travel funds.
Designed to foster mutual understanding and cultural exchange, the program offers an unforgettable adventure in the Land of the Rising Sun.
★Key Points★
・Age Requirements: Generally 18 to 30 years old; up to 25, 26, or 30 for certain nationalities.
・Length of Stay: Typically up to 12 months
・Work Limitations: Employment in certain industries, such as bars, nightclubs, and gambling establishments, is strictly prohibited.
・Study Limitations: Short-term courses, such as language classes, are allowed but must not interfere with the primary purpose of the Working Holiday Visa.
・Financial Requirements: Applicants must possess sufficient funds to support themselves during their initial stay and a return or onward travel ticket or the means to purchase one.
・Health requirements: Applicants must be in good health and may need to provide medical certificates or other supporting documents as required by their local Japanese Embassy or Consulate.
A. Who Can Apply
Individuals aged 18 to 30 (inclusive*) from eligible countries/regions, including the following:
*For Australia, Canada, South Korea, and Ireland, applicants must be aged 18 to 25, except where an agreement with Japan extends the limit to 30 years.
*For Iceland, applicants must be aged 18 to 26.
Australia / New Zealand / Canada / South Korea / France / Germany / United Kingdom / Ireland / Denmark / Taiwan / Hong Kong / Norway / Portugal / Poland / Slovakia / Austria / Hungary / Spain / Argentina / Chile / Iceland / Czech Republic / Lithuania / Sweden / Estonia / Netherlands / Uruguay / Finland / Latvia / Luxembourg
B. Length of Stay
Up to 12 months
C. Cost
The application fee varies depending on the applicant's nationality and the specific visa type.
More details: https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/procedure/fee.html
D. What You Can Do
You can:
- Engage in employment† to supplement your travel funds
- Travel freely throughout Japan during your stay
- Enroll in short-term courses such as language classes to enhance your experience
†: Employment in certain industries, such as bars, cabarets, nightclubs, and gambling establishments, is strictly prohibited for Working Holiday participants.
>>> Work Conditions:
https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/w_holiday/index.html
E. Eligibility
To be eligible for the working holiday visa program, you must:
✔Hold a passport from an eligible country or region for the duration of your stay in Japan
*For residents in Hong Kong, you must possess a valid HKSAR or British National Overseas passport
*For residents in Taiwan, you must possess a valid Taiwan passport
✔Be between 18 and 30 years old at the time of application
*For nationals of Australia, Canada, South Korea, and Ireland, the age limit is 18 to 25, unless an agreement allows an extension to 30 years
*For nationals of Iceland, the age limit is 18 to 26
✔Be currently residing in your country of nationality at the time of application
*This applies to nationals of Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Korea, United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Spain, Argentina, Chile, Iceland, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Sweden, Estonia, Netherlands, Uruguay, Finland, Latvia, or Luxembourg.
✔Intend to primarily spend holidays in Japan for a specific length of time
✔Apply independently and not be accompanied by dependents or children
✔Possess a valid passport and either a return travel ticket or sufficient funds to purchase such a ticket
✔Have sufficient funds to support yourself during the initial period of your stay in Japan
✔Be in good health
✔Never have been issued a Japanese Working Holiday Visa in the past.
*Exceptions apply for nationals of Canada, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Denmark, Austria, Germany, Ireland, and Slovakia, where the program allows for two-lifetime occurrences under specific conditions starting from 1 December 2024 or 1 January 2025.
◎Starting from 1 December 2024, nationals of Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Denmark, and Austria will be eligible for 2-lifetime participation in the Working Holiday Programs.
- For Canada and the United Kingdom, this can include either 2 consecutive years of stay or 2 non-consecutive one-year stays in total.
- For New Zealand, Denmark, and Austria, this is limited to 2 non-consecutive one-year stays in total.
◎From 1 January, 2025, nationals of Germany, Ireland, and Slovakia will also be eligible for 2 lifetime participations, limited to two non-consecutive one-year stays in total.
◆For details on the two-lifetime occurrences program, please check with the relevant authorities.
https://www.mofa.go.jp/about/emb_cons/mofaserv.html
◆To check more details, visit