Visiting/Moving to Japan...

Question

So I live in the United States, and I don't have a college degree. I want to live in Japan though. What are my options? I'm trying to find a job before I leave, but I feel it's harder not having work visa. Does anybody have any suggestions?

Answer 1

You could possibly get a SOFA job, or else a cultural visa would entitle you to work up to 20 hours a week-but no one checks up on your hours. Most people who get a cultural visa go to Japanese language school, but it is possible to get the same visa by studying karate or even ikebana, etc. It's not as easy as it used to be to get a cultural visa for budo, but it can still be done by for example applying through a hombu dojo. Even though you might not make a lot of money, you would might get more out of your Japan experience if you worked in a restaurant or whatever rather than being in the ESL ghetto. I tended bar in Japan at one time and that's really where I learned how to speak the language, and had lots of fun.

Answer 2

Get a degree

Answer 3

Well, it'll be extremely, extremely expensive. Second, you'll more than likely want to be able to speak Japanese, so, yeah, that's another suggestion XD!

Answer 4

Without a work visa, you will be in the country illegally after your tourist visa expires (90 days). And in order to get the work visa you must have an employer sponsor your visa. Without a degree, no employer can legally sponsor your visa. In other words: you need a 4-year degree to get a job and you need a job to get a work visa. Without the degree you have no options legally in Japan.  

Answer 5

Due to working law, any person who wants to work in Japan must have a degree. In anything, it doesnt matter. Second alot of employers want you to have a degree. You cannot get a working visa if you do not have a degree is the long and short of it. If you dont have a working visa you cant work in Japan, they are really pedantic about their laws.

Question. Have you been to Japan before? I would honestly go there for a long vacation before I would make a move to Japan. A lot of people who move to Japan, find it too different to stay there. It is a totally different culture.

The only other way is to work in the jukus (study schools). Go there on a tourist visa, find a juku and see if they will sponsor you for a working visa. Which brings me back to, you cant work in Japan unless you have a degree.

Sorry tobe such a downer, but Im just being realistic here.