The Working Holiday Programme

Japan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs offer a unique programme for the citizens of Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Korea, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. It is designed to give young people a global perspective and enhance friendly relations between Japan and partner countries. It makes it possible for travelers to enter Japan for an extended holiday while engaging in temporary employment to supplement their travel money.

The Working Holiday Visa allows travelers practically no restrictions on working hours and types of jobs, except “fuzoku”, which means host or hostessing, stripping, etc.

There is a big market for native speakers of English to teach English, especially if travelers are current university students, have university degrees, or some experience. On the average, the pay for teaching is ¥3,000 per hour. Due to the volume of foreigners coming to Japan wanting jobs in this field, it can take around two to three months to get it, depending on one’s credentials.

Other teaching jobs include other languages such as Korean and German, although there is not a lot of demand for that. Travelers have the option of working as a waiter or waitress, working in a ski resort, in construction, etc.

Some conditions of the programme include the applicant must be between 18-30 years of age and that she or he must have at least $2,000 for living and medical expenses during the period of initial stay.

For more information, visit the official website.

You can also go to the Japan Association for Working Holiday Makers website for additional information.