What's new

Moving to Japan and get a job

zidro

Registered
16 Nov 2018
3
0
11
Hi everyone

I live in switzerland (22years old) and working there as automation engineer. I have six years exp. form buildungs automation (programming / commissioning / drawing web systems )
i did in school one year robotic course too. atm i learing a bit japanese
I was two times in Japan (2 months) i really liked it.
what are my chances to live there and get a job.
 
You must first secure a job, get a contract, then use the contract to apply for a work visa. This means, the company that agrees to hire you does so knowing that they will have to sponsor your visa, and they will have to wait for your arrival while you go through the visa application process. You cannot come to Japan and search for a job. Well, you cannot do that legally.

Regarding your field, I would think it is a fairly hot market, but your lack of Japanese proficiency will be a hindrance to you. Not many companies will hire you if their functional language is Japanese, and speak mainly English (or some other non-Japanese language). Your job prospects become more more interesting if you speak a high level of Japanese.

One option is to get hired by a Japanese firm in Europe, and try to get transferred to their Japan office. Intra-company transfer visa may be easier than trying to find a Japanese company that will hire you and sponsor your work visa.
 
You must first secure a job, get a contract, then use the contract to apply for a work visa. This means, the company that agrees to hire you does so knowing that they will have to sponsor your visa, and they will have to wait for your arrival while you go through the visa application process. You cannot come to Japan and search for a job. Well, you cannot do that legally.

Regarding your field, I would think it is a fairly hot market, but your lack of Japanese proficiency will be a hindrance to you. Not many companies will hire you if their functional language is Japanese, and speak mainly English (or some other non-Japanese language). Your job prospects become more more interesting if you speak a high level of Japanese.

One option is to get hired by a Japanese firm in Europe, and try to get transferred to their Japan office. Intra-company transfer visa may be easier than trying to find a Japanese company that will hire you and sponsor your work visa.

Thank you Majestic
studying in a school to learn japanese and work 28/h a week
is there a company in my branche that will
support this?
 
You can get a student visa to study at a language school, and then you need permission from the government to work part-time, but that's all very doable.

Another option is to look for an internship here with a company. They may pay only enough for room and board, not a salary, but it will be one way to test the waters as long as the language requirement matches your ability. You could study the language here at the same time, too, but the hours would have to be at night or on the weekend.
 
You can study at a language school for up to 6 months on a tourist visa. If you want to study for longer than that, you need to apply through the school for a student visa. They will conduct background checks into your financial affairs and previous stays in Japan. Immigration is strict about schools not taking on students with criminal backgrounds, or who are going to use their student visa to engage in criminal or illegal activity in Japan (e.g. working full-time rather than studying).

You can also come to Japan on a temporary visitor (tourist) visa and apply and interview for a job from within Japan (though you're not allowed to engage in any paid employment on a tourist visa). If accepted, you then go to the Immigration Bureau to change your status of residence, i.e. change the visa from a visitor visa to a working visa. Although "searching for employment" isn't included on the list of activities allowed under a temporary visitor visa, people do it and I don't know of anyone who's been arrested or deported for it.
 
You cannot come to Japan and search for a job. Well, you cannot do that legally.

I applied and interviewed for a job from within Japan, on a temporary visitor visa, when I first came to the country. I was offered the job, took the necessary documents to the immigration bureau, who changed the visa over from a temporary visitor to a working visa (the process took about 6-8 weeks IIRC).

There were no questions asked about that, or any suggestions that it couldn't be done legally, even though the activities listed as being allowed on a temporary visitor visa don't include "searching for employment".
 
Last edited:
is 4million yen enough to start
You should consider the entire package. Bonus, subsidized housing/transportation (or not), etc.
And since you're in Switzerland you should compare taxes, health care, housing, etc. as well.
 
Back
Top Bottom