Is this plan feasible?

5 comments

1. This is a copy of your post for archive/search purposes.

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   **Is this plan feasible?**

   I’m planning to go to Japan for graduate school in a couple years. I was there this year for about 2 weeks and loved it, I just would like feedback from everyone!

   **Background Info:**

   – 21 years old, dual citizen (US and Canada), lived in Canada in my whole life

   – Currently in my first year of CS

   – Visited Japan this year in 2023

   – Currently learning Japanese

   – I plan to visit every year reconfirm if I really want to move to Japan in the coming years, including staying for longer lengthy periods (3 – 8 weeks), so I get an idea of what it might be like to live there even if its minor

   – I’ve been doing research on a lot of things like other expats getting lonely and whatnot and I’ve been focusing on making sure I’m not gonna be making a mistake. This has also made me think of ways I could avoid/power through these adversities

   **Roadmap**

   – Graduate BSc around 2027/2028

   – Get into graduate school for MSc in Japan for 2 years

   – **Find a job within Japan after getting my masters**

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   General Questions:

   – Is it hard to go from Student Visa -> Work Visa? I heard there’s a several month window to find a job in Japan after graduating as long as you show your proof, such as sending resumes?

   – Is this plan feasible, what are your thoughts?

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   Any help and feedback is appreciated, thanks!

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2. >- Is it hard to go from Student Visa -> Work Visa?

   If you have a job lined up and you’ve graduated from university it is not difficult. The hardest part is finding the job really, and your university will have resources to help you with that.

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   >I heard there’s a several month window to find a job in Japan after graduating as long as you show your proof, such as sending resumes?

   You should be applying for jobs several months before you graduate. Most fresh grad positions start in April, with most offers being formalized well before then. One of the requirements to change your status from ‘student’ to ‘looking for a job’ is that you’ve got proof that you’ve been trying to get a job and a letter of recommendation from one of your professors. Have a look here: [https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/designatedactivities14.html?hl=en](https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/designatedactivities14.html?hl=en)

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   >- Is this plan feasible, what are your thoughts?

   The whole ‘get educated, get a job’ plan is pretty normal and should be fine. You may also want to look into study abroad options with your current university to see if you could spend a semester or two at a university here in Japan.

   Keep in mind, if you’re going through the shuukatsu system you’ll be severely underpaid compared to your western compatriots, even at the same company and in similar roles.

3. Unless you’re going to study AI, having that masters degree won’t increase your value much in the Japanese software engineering market. Instead, getting 2 or 3 years of work experience in Canada or US are worth more than the master’s degree you’d receive and you’d go into Japan making more money vs. finding that first job after your masters degree.

   It’s up to you, but you also never mentioned your japanese level. Are you going to attend an english speaking program or Japanese speaking program? Can you also afford to go through the masters program? Remember that you can only work 28 hours on a student visa plus you will be paying school tuition and rent and other expenses so keep that in mind if you have any student debt/potential debt you will accrue.

   Now my own personal opinion. Be patient you’re only 21. Ideally get some work experience in the US ideally or Canada for 2-4 years to save that USD or CAD before going to Japan and come to Japan as an experienced professional. You can just study Japanese in your off time and get that N2 in the states/Canada. Entry level salary is like 3-4million yen generally unless you happen to get into a decent company it could be a bit more.

   Just as an example the average median entry level dev salary in Seattle is $87k, not including any bonuses or stock. By year 2 or 3 you can already be hitting six figures. Seriously think it through…you’ll have a much nicer time in Japan and set yourself up nice financially. By getting some work experience prior you can skip the crap entry level salary that Japan pays and have the doors open for a good job. Entry level salaries (especially dev salaries) are criminally low, and unless you can’t find a job in Canada or the US after like a year or something, then you could go to Japan to try to make it work, but at least just try first in Canada or the US. Just my 2c.

4. do a summer work study and semester abroad if your program allows. you can definitely network then and have potential employers and support for a potential move. best of luck!

5. First, what you are planning will make you an immigrant not an expat. Expats are working professionals that get generous packages on top of their salary for the inconvenience of living in a foreign nation. No package, not an expat. It’s become racist to call yourself one without a package. You will be an immigrant or migrant worker under your current plan.

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   Other than that, your plan is better than most. Just make sure you don’t go to uni in English. If you have to, take a year or two and go to language school first.