I’ve been thinking about moving to Japan for a long ago. Rather than living in a big city, I’d rather like to live in a village in the mountains. Of course, it’s an “end goal” and for now, I just want to move to a smaller city – max of \~300k citizens – probably in Kyushu or Aomori where the prices are the lowest.
I will be 27 years old next year. I already have a bachelor’s degree (probably I’ll finish my master’s next year), I’ve also passed N2 (maybe I’ll pass N1 next summer – 2 years ago I missed about 15 points) and 7 YoE as a software developer (.net + some cloud knowledge). I’m rather average or at most just a little better than average as a programmer.
So I’d rather say I have 2 problems for now:
\- to move to Japan (logistic problem)
\- to find a job with a fully remote position (for HSP visa – to get PR in \~1,5 years)
The best for me would be to move to Japan on a working holiday visa to work from home for the first year, and to look for a Japanese Employer in the meantime. But here the problem is with accommodation. It seems to be hard to rent anything as a gaijin, without a visa/residency/Japanese employer/Japanese guarantor and being over sea (If we are not talking about the biggest cities).
My second option is to move on a student visa. I’m thinking of going to a Japanese language school and working remotely for 20 hours weekly. I wouldn’t have much pressure and I could brush up my speaking skills (even after passing N2 I wouldn’t say I’m anywhere near fluent or at least to express freely as a software engineer/architect when it comes to speaking). It limits places I can move to, but even on GoGoNihon, I saw schools with dormitories in smaller cities. It would somehow solve problems with accommodation and a lot of other problems with relocation.
Yet I could try to find a job being over sea right away – but it seems to be the hardest way in my opinion. Maybe I’m wrong, but if one would sponsor my visa then the job would require me to be on-site (in a big city), or if it would be a remote position I think it wouldn’t sponsor my visa.
Or maybe you see some other ways? Or maybe I’ve made some wrong assumptions until now?
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**How to move to a smaller city in Japan?**
I’ve been thinking about moving to Japan for a long ago. Rather than living in a big city, I’d rather like to live in a village in the mountains. Of course, it’s an “end goal” and for now, I just want to move to a smaller city – max of ~300k citizens – probably in Kyushu or Aomori where the prices are the lowest.
I will be 27 years old next year. I already have a bachelor’s degree (probably I’ll finish my master’s next year), I’ve also passed N2 (maybe I’ll pass N1 next summer – 2 years ago I missed about 15 points) and 7 YoE as a software developer (.net + some cloud knowledge). I’m rather average or at most just a little better than average as a programmer.
So I’d rather say I have 2 problems for now:
– to move to Japan (logistic problem)
– to find a job with a fully remote position (for HSP visa – to get PR in ~1,5 years)
The best for me would be to move to Japan on a working holiday visa to work from home for the first year, and to look for a Japanese Employer in the meantime. But here the problem is with accommodation. It seems to be hard to rent anything as a gaijin, without a visa/residency/Japanese employer/Japanese guarantor and being over sea (If we are not talking about the biggest cities).
My second option is to move on a student visa. I’m thinking of going to a Japanese language school and working remotely for 20 hours weekly. I wouldn’t have much pressure and I could brush up my speaking skills (even after passing N2 I wouldn’t say I’m anywhere near fluent or at least to express freely as a software engineer/architect when it comes to speaking). It limits places I can move to, but even on GoGoNihon, I saw schools with dormitories in smaller cities. It would somehow solve problems with accommodation and a lot of other problems with relocation.
Yet I could try to find a job being over sea right away – but it seems to be the hardest way in my opinion. Maybe I’m wrong, but if one would sponsor my visa then the job would require me to be on-site (in a big city), or if it would be a remote position I think it wouldn’t sponsor my visa.
Or maybe you see some other ways? Or maybe I’ve made some wrong assumptions until now?
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I think the easiest way would be finding a job (anywhere), get a work visa and move to Japan. Then, after being in Japan, look for a job in those regions.
Well let’s untangle this a little.
1. You are an experienced software engineer.
2. You have N2 (but are you actually fluent in Japanese?)
Those two alone open many doors for you. Going on a WHV is certainly a very good idea, but just getting a job is also not bad. Language school is a waste for you. Many of these issues of not finding a place to live etc can be resolved by working with a realtor who knows what’s up with places for gaijin.
Note that if you come to Japan you can’t really continue working remotely for a company back home unless on a spouse visa. On a student visa you need a domestic employer. Same on WHV. I mean it’s also very difficult to actually work remotely in another country than where the company actually is.
However, you can absolutely find a remote job in Japan and still get a visa. What they hire is your talent, not your ability to come to the office. You living in Japan is just simpler for tax purposes etc.
Hello, me.
Best option is to find an American tech company with a presence in Tokyo that lets you transfer to the Tokyo office but work 100% remotely. Yes you’ll still get CoL adjusted, but it tends to be quite comfortable regardless.
Waaholi is a good idea but beware of the quotas.
Leopalace is everywhere and rents to foreigners. Same as UR. You might not have the nicest place at first but you’ll definitely find something