I love Japan. I’ve visited numerous times for work and tourism and I’d like to live in the country for a few years (maybe 2-3) to better experience the culture and become conversational with the language. I am an older guy (40s) and have a few questions hopefully someone here may have experience with.
I can meet the requirements of the [Designated Activities (Long Stay for sightseeing and recreation)](https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page22e_000738.html) visa. I see that it has a stay period of 6 months, extendible to one year while in the country. I can’t find a solid answer about whether or not it is possible to get a re-issue of this visa. Does anyone have experience living in Japan on this visa? Could I possibly get re-issuances for a 2-3 year stay?
I’m also considering the Student Visa to attend a language school. I have an interest in the language and wouldn’t mind attending classes while I’m in the country. I’ve been trying to determine if there’s an age limit on applying for this visa. So far, I’ve seen people say “No, but…” indicating that individuals over 30 might find it harder to get approval. Has anyone here gotten a Student Visa later in life? How did that work out?
Finally, I could work. I’m an engineer and have worked with aviation/military companies in Japan for the last 10 years or so. Though I don’t have an official offer or COE, I’m confident I could get one from one of these companies if I tried. The only problem with this is the Japanese work culture, which I’ve seen first hand. It would be harder to enjoy the country if I’m working 12 hours a day. Is it possible to get a work visa for less than fulltime work if I negotiated it?
Finally, does anyone know of an option that might fit my situation better than what I mentioned above? I am American citizen, computer/software engineer, middle-aged, unmarried, and able to support myself for 3 years without working. I know the answer is probably “hire an immigration lawyer” and I probably will. I just wanted to see what you guys had to say first.
Thanks for any answers and insights you may have.
4 comments
>I can meet the requirements of the Designated Activities (Long Stay for sightseeing and recreation) visa. I see that it has a stay period of 6 months, extendible to one year while in the country. I can’t find a solid answer about whether or not it is possible to get a re-issue of this visa.
Unlike the working holiday visa, there are no limits on the number of times one could get this visa. You cannot renew it after the initial 6 month renewal though. So you’d have to leave and reapply every year. They do this to break up the consecutive residence periods to prevent qualifying for pr or naturalization.
>I’m also considering the Student Visa to attend a language school. I have an interest in the language and wouldn’t mind attending classes while I’m in the country. I’ve been trying to determine if there’s an age limit on applying for this visa.
There isn’t although you’ll find you’d be under additional scrutiny. I believe immigration wants proof of interest in the language in the form of 150 hours of studying prior to enrollment in the language school. So you should be taking classes where you are first.
>Is it possible to get a work visa for less than fulltime work if I negotiated it?
This is kind of a grey area. Immigration is mostly concerned that you’d be paid a livable wage and not be paid less than a local would be. It would be a tough sell for your company to convince immigration that they need to sponsor you for a visa but only for a part time position. It would come down to your employers relationship with immigration.
>Finally, does anyone know of an option that might fit my situation better than what I mentioned above? I am American citizen, computer/software engineer,
If you’re looking at a complete career break, you could go for an Eikaiwa job. They’re pretty low stress, with flexible hours, and are used to hiring foreigners. It’s not a great job from a salary or career progression perspective, but for a sponsored holiday you could have a ton of fun doing it.
You could also check out the US federal government jobs database for something on or near one of the military bases in Japan. You’d work more than you would at Eikaiwa, and you’d be near a base which is usually a fair ways away from the major urban centres, but you wouldn’t be taking the same kind of career break.
My wife and I just entered the country on Student Visas about 3 weeks ago, and we’re both in our mid to late 30s. There’s also a few people in our class who are in their 40s, so I highly doubt age has anything to do with the approval process.
As long as you have the means to support yourself while you’re here, that’s all that really matters.
The key is to get a software engineering job at a western company at their Japan office (like Google), or a company that mostly recruits English-speaking foreigners and uses English internally. They probably won’t have such a bad work culture, unlike the traditional Japanese companies. You’ll get a handsome salary by Japanese standards (though it’ll be significantly less than what you can get in America), and probably a relatively normal workday.
I’m also American. I’m 43 years old and currently here on a student visa. I had no trouble obtaining my visa. Though I am the oldest person in my class. Most people in my class are mid 20’s. The second oldest person is 34.