So I’ve seen several YouTubers who’ve moved to Japan. I’m considering it as well, but I’m wondering how that works as all the websites I’ve found say you have to have an actual job IN the country in order to get a Visa?
Depends on the specific circumstances of that specific individual.
Some of them are here as students, many have day jobs, some are Japanese or have Japanese spouses. Some of them get hired by production companies. Some of them found their own production companies. I’m sure a lot of them just do it illegally too.
Easiest one if you have money would be a student visa. Enroll in Language school and then go on your own youtube adventure despite the somewhat gray legality of it.
If they are actually successful, they could possibly have an entertainment visa sponsored by YouTube Japan or some other Japan based agency.
**But**, I’d wager the vast majority are either students or working another job and get “permission to engage in an activity other than those permitted by the status of residence previously granted”.
Most of them move to Japan on a conventional visa arrangement (student, work, dependent, etc). YouTube is then a side gig alongside whatever else they do. There are limits to how much money you can earn from an activity other than the one specified by one’s visa, but you can apply for permission to exceed the limit. They might say no, but I think in practice this is rather unusual if you’re doing something uncontroversial.
A handful of very successful channels generate enough revenue to be a full time job, but if you look at the economics of YouTube, most of these folks are actually operating medium sized, diversified media companies. Chris Broad isn’t just a YouTuber, he’s the CEO of a company with employees and payroll and whatnot that just happens to use YouTube as one of its outlets.
Where I assume they get the ‘Entertainer’ visa (https://www.japanvisa.com/visas/japan-entertainer-visa) sponsored by their employer (in this case Tokyo creative)…. That is assuming companies like Tokyo creative sponsor visas?…. I’ve heard they don’t?
But assuming they have an ‘entertainer’ visa that should also enable them to do their own YouTube side content too.
Failing the correct work visa, they either 1) apply for permission: https://www.isa.go.jp/en/applications/guide/nyuukokukanri07_00045.html or 2) are working YouTube yielding remuneration illegally… which I don’t recommend doing because then you’re literally posting evidence of yourself on Youtube/twitch/only fans/whatever’s breaking immigration law haha.
Potentially they could be on a WHV, which they can do YouTube on. Or they maybe on a student or dependent visa where they can get permission to work up to 28 hours a week on.
Other than that they will have a table 2 visa (spouse, LTR, PR, SPR) which has no working restrictions, or they will actually be Japanese citizens which have no working restrictions.
The guys on the highly popular Trash Taste have sponsored visas. The parent company behind them is big, and recently expanded by bringing in more popular content creators. Tokyo Creative doesn’t sponsor visas. They’re more of a collaborative agency for creators already in Japan.
A lot go the student visa route, then switch after getting married to a Japanese citizen (i.e. John Daub, Dogen, etc). I think Chris Broad switched to a business visa. One person I know of committed immigration fraud to get their permanent residency.
Either business permits or being contracted by a company, essentially proving you can support yourself financially, these people own companies so really all they have to do is register their company to be able to operate in japan.
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Depends on the specific circumstances of that specific individual.
Some of them are here as students, many have day jobs, some are Japanese or have Japanese spouses. Some of them get hired by production companies. Some of them found their own production companies. I’m sure a lot of them just do it illegally too.
Easiest one if you have money would be a student visa. Enroll in Language school and then go on your own youtube adventure despite the somewhat gray legality of it.
If they are actually successful, they could possibly have an entertainment visa sponsored by YouTube Japan or some other Japan based agency.
**But**, I’d wager the vast majority are either students or working another job and get “permission to engage in an activity other than those permitted by the status of residence previously granted”.
https://www.reddit.com/r/movingtojapan/comments/i0kav0/what_visa_do_youtubers_have_and_how_do_you_obtain/
Most of them move to Japan on a conventional visa arrangement (student, work, dependent, etc). YouTube is then a side gig alongside whatever else they do. There are limits to how much money you can earn from an activity other than the one specified by one’s visa, but you can apply for permission to exceed the limit. They might say no, but I think in practice this is rather unusual if you’re doing something uncontroversial.
A handful of very successful channels generate enough revenue to be a full time job, but if you look at the economics of YouTube, most of these folks are actually operating medium sized, diversified media companies. Chris Broad isn’t just a YouTuber, he’s the CEO of a company with employees and payroll and whatnot that just happens to use YouTube as one of its outlets.
Some YouTubers work for YouTube orientated companies such as TokyoCreative: https://www.tokyocreative.jp/en/
Where I assume they get the ‘Entertainer’ visa (https://www.japanvisa.com/visas/japan-entertainer-visa) sponsored by their employer (in this case Tokyo creative)…. That is assuming companies like Tokyo creative sponsor visas?…. I’ve heard they don’t?
But assuming they have an ‘entertainer’ visa that should also enable them to do their own YouTube side content too.
Failing the correct work visa, they either 1) apply for permission: https://www.isa.go.jp/en/applications/guide/nyuukokukanri07_00045.html or 2) are working YouTube yielding remuneration illegally… which I don’t recommend doing because then you’re literally posting evidence of yourself on Youtube/twitch/only fans/whatever’s breaking immigration law haha.
Potentially they could be on a WHV, which they can do YouTube on. Or they maybe on a student or dependent visa where they can get permission to work up to 28 hours a week on.
Other than that they will have a table 2 visa (spouse, LTR, PR, SPR) which has no working restrictions, or they will actually be Japanese citizens which have no working restrictions.
The guys on the highly popular Trash Taste have sponsored visas. The parent company behind them is big, and recently expanded by bringing in more popular content creators. Tokyo Creative doesn’t sponsor visas. They’re more of a collaborative agency for creators already in Japan.
A lot go the student visa route, then switch after getting married to a Japanese citizen (i.e. John Daub, Dogen, etc). I think Chris Broad switched to a business visa. One person I know of committed immigration fraud to get their permanent residency.
Either business permits or being contracted by a company, essentially proving you can support yourself financially, these people own companies so really all they have to do is register their company to be able to operate in japan.