Visiting and Working at the same time..help?

[Jayern]

Hey there, so I'm going to Nara for my summer semester for college as a course. And of course I'll be going to visit for a month with my school mates. And here's the deal, we get to stay back as long as we want so I'm wondering if I could get a part time job if I stay back longer?



my parent's friend said that she heard of tourists visiting and working for a month for a school or something. (I know I should ask her instead but she went back to Japan already)

Is there such thing? If so, where can I apply?

 

[nice gaijin]

After the first three months, you'll be able to apply for special permission to engage in activities not specified on your visa, which will be a requirement to legally work on a student visa. This permission will allow you something around 14 hours a week during your time as a student in Japan. However, it's possible that once your school term ends, you will no longer be considered a "student," and your permission to work under the student visa might end. If your visa status is different than it could be another story.

 

[Glenski]

This may help explain things a little more, too.
Immigration Services Agency of Japan

What exactly will your visa status be?

What kind of work were you hoping for, and how good is your Japanese?

 

[Jayern]

oh im not going to school in Japan.

its a school course at my local college (in Canada) where we visit Japan for a month. And we are allowed to stay longer by ourself (Out of school's guardian) in which Im planning to stay longer and work for some experience.

Do Canadians need visa? It's my first time going there, im not sure.
im looking for a temp job like teaching basic english and stuff with no long term commitment. my japanese is basic, everyday conversation is probable since I could get my message across

sorry for not explaining a lil bit clearer on my first post

 

[nice gaijin]

Ask your school what your visa status will be, we can't tell you that.

Unless you are there on some sort of visa that allows employment, or will be there for longer than 3 months and eligible for the special permission I mentioned above, I don't believe you will be able to work over there legally.

 

[Glenski]

If you are here as a tourist, it is illegal to work. Your Japanese friend is misinformed if he/she thinks otherwise.

If you are coming as a tourist, you don't need a visa. Your passport alone will suffice.

 

[Jayern]

oo so if i wanna work i need to apply for a work visa?

 

[nice gaijin]

it'll be hard to get a working visa without your degree...

 

[Glenski]

If you want to work, you need a work visa or a working holiday visa.

A work visa requires a sponsor (willing employer), plus either a degree or years of experience (the exact number depends on the type of work visa). You get hired first, then wait 4-8 weeks to get the work visa.

A working holiday visa does not require a degree or sponsor, but you must be 18-30 years of age and be able to prove you have US$2000 or so, plus have a plane ticket in hand. Getting this takes only 2 weeks, but you must apply in your home country. BE CAREFUL, because you can use this only once in your entire life!

 

[Jayern]

Sorry for the late reply, have been scrambling tring to get hold of my friend.

Here's the deal,

I'm pretty much going there as a school field study as the course relates to buddhism and shitoism. So that's what we are going to learn for a month. In this month (let's say April), I have to stick by the school professors and other class mates. But after April, we are allowed to stay longer at Japan on our own without any guardians with some of the students leaving and some staying longer as well.


And this is when my friend from Japan kicks in. She said I could live with her for a couple of months and she can hook me up with a part time job at the place she works at. She also said a student visa???? should be able to allow me to work part time while of course I also want to mess around/touring Tokyo at the same time working for some change to spend.


So do I still need a legit working visa and all that things you guys suggested?

 

[ullvarg]

I'm guessing that for 1 months study in Japan they wont bother to give u a student visa, and instead let you stick with a tourist visa... If you were to actually get a student visa you still wouldn't be able to work, because for the working permit on a student visa you need to have been there studying for 1 month to get the work permit issued and then to keep it you need to stick to lessons wile having it to or it will be revoked...
So the only way i could see u follow up on your plan is if you go with what Glenski said and use your ones in a lifetime working holiday visa, but depending on what you want to do with your future that might be kind of a waist

 

[Glenski]

Sorry for the late reply, have been scrambling tring to get hold of my friend.
Here's the deal,
I'm pretty much going there as a school field study

Fine. Hope you have a great time. Now, before we discuss anything else, exactly what sort of visa arrangement are you going to be on? My high school students in Hokkaido went overseas on study trips for 1-3 weeks. No visas necessary. That made them tourists. If this is your situation, you cannot work. Period.

If you have a student visa (which I doubt, as they are meant for people who actually study in Japan at schools in Japan willing to sponsor such a visa, and sponsorship is dependent on the students paying tuition), then you will have to apply for special permission to work (and only part-time), but those are usually not granted in the first 1-3 months, so you are SOL again.

But after April, we are allowed to stay longer at Japan on our own without any guardians with some of the students leaving and some staying longer as well.

So, you will remain as tourists.

And this is when my friend from Japan kicks in. She said I could live with her for a couple of months and she can hook me up with a part time job at the place she works at.

No she can't. Not legally. What kind of PT job did she have in mind, and how much Japanese will it require? Does she actually do the hiring?

[wuote] She also said a student visa???? should be able to allow me to work part time while of course I also want to mess around/touring Tokyo at the same time working for some change to spend. [/quote]The visa itself does NOT permit work, as I explained above. No offense, but most Japanese people do not know how the visa and immigration system work. Please put more faith in foreigners and immigration. I've been here about 10 years answering precisely these sorts of questions.

You want to "mess around/touring"? Listen, even if you are on a student visa, how can you do that? You'll have to be attending classes here. But, I think you begin to get the message.

So do I still need a legit working visa and all that things you guys suggested?

Yes, and I don't think you will be able to. Working holiday visa is all you may be eligible for, and it seems a waste to burn such a thing on just a month or two.

 

[Kirirao]

No offense, but most Japanese people do not know how the visa and immigration system work.

Glenski speaks the truth.
I mean, not even one Japanese in my class nows anything about immigration, and even worst the teacher that in charge of my class don't know anything about it too.

So you will be staying there a month or two, right?. Are you that desperate for money? Part-time work won't even give you that much money, I bet everything will go byebye after you go for a yakiniku or something. Considering you that want to "mess around/touring", you won't even have that much time to work, maybe once twice per week. Which brings me back to the point I'm trying to make. Just bring enough money for your stay duration.

But, if you want to work just for the experience, I'm guessing volunteer work is OK? no?

<considering if you actually can get a student visa>

Most school are strict when it comes to dealing with immigration (since I bet they don't want to get on their bad side), so almost all school will have at least a 3 month no-work policy in place before giving you the permission to work.(which I noticed when I went school searching a year ago, even If you're already here 1 year+, when entering a new school, you still have to wait 3+ months)

Even if you Japanese friend says its ok, don't work illegally please. It's already hard for us gaijin student (that really wanted to come here to study) to get in Japan as it is.
The only reason I brought this up is, this week theres another idiot got caught working without a permit. His reasoning? "I don't know that you need a permit to work".
Not implying on anything, and no offense intended.


Well, we still don't know what kind of visa will you be on anyway.
Either way, just bring enough money and have a blast. Working, visa etc can really give you a bad headache you know. Just come and enjoy~

 

[Jayern]

It's not that I want to make money in Japan. It's just job experience that I want...

Also, I'm planning to "mess" around after my first month which was the study period...not during that duration.

And for the job, I think she owns a small private eikawa but I'm not too sure on this.

I'm not sure what kind of visa and if I'm getting one at all. It's still early for the registration thing to process. I thought I might've as well prepared for it by asking in advance.

 

[Glenski]

If you aren't getting a visa, you can't work. Ask now so we can help you further, if it's even possible to help. I doubt it.

If your friend has a business, you still need a visa to work legally. Period.

Answer this. You have a friend who is willing to invite you to actually live with her for a few months, yet you don't know her well enough to know the type of business she's in? How is that possible? And, your first post indicated "where she works", yet now you say she may actually own the place? What gives?