Changes in the law governing immigration into Japan as well as the ways in which the government handles immigration cases are coming into effect soon and we thought it was time to give you an idea of what to expect. The important thing to remember here is that not everything has been decided, other than the fact that change will happen, so the list below is vague on purpose.
In addition to a number of smaller changes, the big thing to expect will be an extension to the maximum length of permission to reside in Japan. Previous visas were issued on a three year basis; new visas going forward will be on a five year basis.
The second major change is in the re-entry stamp system. Before leaving Japan, those wishing to return to the country would have report to immigration to get a re-entry stamp. This has now been abolished.
Perhaps most significant, however, is the replacement of the Alien Registration Card system with a new Resident Card to be managed by the Immigration Bureau.
The changes came about from requests made by cities with high foreign populations to the central government. With increasing numbers of foreign residents coming and going, keeping track using the existing system was proving difficult. As a result of the changes, all immigration matters will now be handled by the Justice Ministry’s Immigration Bureau.
Other small changes are to be expected as well, but as of now, are still to be defined. GaijinPot will update asap.
Comments
but why this new rules japan 5 years visa after the 3 year finish before visa ?
hi
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Hi
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Tokyo Immigration Using Odaiba Police Station for immigration paperwork pick-up????
I got a postcard in the mail from the Odaiba police saying that I had “lost” a letter and that I should pick it up. When I called to inquire, they said that immigration had brought it there and that there were many things, so I should come and pick it up. IS THIS NOT WEIRD?????
good in changes in japanese immigration rules coming we always see the awful situation when government tries to change the rules of immigration .the whole world gazes the rules changes with expectation eyes of relaxation. This is awesome information I am seeking some details about moving to New Zealand and the visa processing for New Zealand How cost and processing is essential for it. http://www.mynzimmigration.co.uk
I’m an American living in Japan. I’ve been here for the last couple of years and I’ve absolutely enjoyed it. I plan on being here for the foreseeable future and see where the road takes me. Like most foreigners here, I teach English but I definitely don’t plan on staying in the industry if my circumstances change. The people I’ve met are great; I love the food and the night life is like no other. It takes time to get used to things, but I feel like I assimilated pretty quickly.
I’ve talked to many people and read many blogs about different experiences in Japan. And it’s just that- everyone has a different experience; different people will experience different emotions when encountered with different situations. I’ve lived in four different countries. So far, Japan ranks at the top for me.
A lot of this Japan-sucks/Japan-is-great dichotomy comes from the circumstances under which people come to Japan.
If you come here to work in teaching English for a private company (which is what’ll happen if you come without a job lined up)–a private or chain English school, or a privte ALT placement agency–life is tough. You’ve got to deal with all the details on your own in a foreign language. You’ll have terrible hours and sometimes may not have enough work (and thus not enough pay), you’ll have the skimpiest possible insurance plan, and you may feel ill-treated. These companies and most Japanese look at these workers as hippie-types who’ve come to screw around rather than to work and who have no commitment to thier companies (however untrue that may be for any individual) and treat them accordingly. The only people I’ve known who were happy teaching in English schools were people who started their OWN schools and became their own bosses.
For people who’ve come here on the JET program, and people who’ve managed to get a job working directly for a public school system, a high school, or a university after a few years in Japan, it’s much different. The employers take care of most of the details when you first get here, they pay you well and consistently, the working hours are normal, insurance is unbelievably good (damn near miraculous to an American), and in general your employers treat you with respect. And the general reaction of everyday Japanese when they hear you work for the school system is also very respectful.
It’s the same in any other first world country: if you come with no job or with a sketchy job (like any big chain English school or ALT placement agency), it’s going to be tough. Why would anyone coming here be surprised by that?
Vuong, there’s plenty of advice all over the web saying that if you come here without a degree you’re going to have a tough time finding even a low-paying, degrading job (you could be a busboy, or one of those guys who stands outside sex clubs trying to get passers-by to come in). Even if you faked a degree (very bad idea–did the people above mention that deportation is often preceded by months in very unpleasant Japanese prisons?), private English schools (and their customers) usually prefer teachers with American accents–and, stupidly, teachers who fit their stereotypes of what Westerners should look like. If you come, simply plan to burn through your money (you’ll need half of it just to move in to an apartment in any of the big cities) and go home. It’s slightly possible you’ll find decent work and be able to stay on longer, but the odds are pretty slow so you shouldn’t plan on it. If you really want to live and work in Japan, use your money to go to school and get a degree, then come to Japan when you can do it right and really enjoy it.
They’re not talking about tourist visas. In the old (current) system, if you have a resident visa (i.e., anyone working here legally), you also need a re-entry permit to get back in if you leave the country. A dumb idea, and good that they’re doing away with it.
I don’t understand this statement at all. Pretty much what you are saying is:
1. If you lie by telling a Japanese company and the government you have a degree but don’t and get caught you get deported and punished harshly. That sounds reasonable. Here’s a tip, don’t lie on your resume. Not hard.
2. If you don’t speak Japanese, you will have a hard time communicating with people. Again, I don’t understand why this is a surprise. This is a JAPANESE speaking country. When you go to the United States they expect you to speak English.
3. Paper work. First off they need to keep track of you, you aren’t a resident. Alien registration is a part of all civilized countries. On the issue of the health insurance card, try getting the same deal in the US. Premium costs on health in Japan was a relief compared to the insane prices of my home country. And what if you get sick and end up in the hospital for weeks? Is the government suppose to front the cost for an Alien, when natives do not get the same privilege? Taxes… again a part of all first-world countries.
4. When it comes to help from government officials, I was given a packet of information by the Embassy of Japan in my home country when I obtained my visa. It outlined everything I needed to do once I landed in Japan. When I walked into the local ward office, I was directed to the proper officials and told exactly what to fill out to get registered.
Please don’t listen to this person. The only point I agree with is the trains. Very crowded during rush hour, but most of the day it isn’t that bad. Japan is just like every other first-world country in the world. There are good and bad things you have to deal with. What you have to decide is if the good things out way the bad. For me, the culture, language, food, shopping, and nightlife outweighed anything bad.
moving into a normal sort of apartment will probably cost you at least 300,000 yen up front (key money, deposit, agent fee, fire insurance first month rent…) and then you still won’t have a refrigerator or air conditioner or anything to sleep on. So better to go for overpriced (per month) but low/no initial cost ‘gaijin house’ or ‘guest house’ (google it).
It will be very hard for you to get a job or a visa without a degree. An American friend of mine was working for Microsoft, had great Japanese skills, and they couldn’t transfer him to the Tokyo office because he only had a 2 year degree–despite him being the best person for the job–because he couldn’t get a visa.
> The second major change is in the re-entry stamp system. Before leaving Japan, those wishing to return to the country would have report to immigration to get a re-entry stamp. This has now been abolished.
This should have been controlled on visa itself, I got multi-entry visa in China so I didn't need to get those stamps while those who didn't even needed another visa to enter.
Yeh, maybe Japan was way better like 5-6 years ago but these days……It's gone down hill for foreigner to live here. As Michaudorama said you can get a fake degree (I have heard alot of people doing this) and you might be able to get away with it but if they catch you….it's see you later budy. On the spot you are deported back to your country, with what you got on , they won't let you take out any money you have on your bank accounts of if you are owned money form your company you can forget about that cuz you have lied in the companies face and Japan so they will agree not to pay you anything back. All your stuff you have bought here while in your stay you can say bye bye to and to make things even worse you will be black listed and I think these days you will be banned from entering Japan for like 10-15 years I think. But as to working here again….. I'm not sure if they will even let you do that again.
People here make Japan seem like a wonderland as Mich said below but don't let it fool you, it can be a great holiday spot and enjoyable pass time, but when it comes to working….it's another story. If you are lucky enough to find employment either be teaching english or in some other work that is your first step, then you will have to deal with Racism (Japanese people actually liking working with you) sometimes people have bad luck and get the ocassional Idiot who is racist and close minded not just here but in all countries and this…you would have to deal with everyday at work. Other nice things Japan has to offer is packed trains (with smelly people and or bad breath), communication barrier (if you don't know any Japanese at all you can forget about getting anywhere as not a lot of people want to speak English….even if they know about it they are (shy or couldn't be bothered as they don't want to sound stupid speaking it) and the many things you have to do here when you start living (paper work) like gaijin card, health insurance, tax to every town you move to lol. So yeh now after hearing all this try and decide if you still want to move here. I have a Japanese gf so it was a little easier for me as I got help from here get things started here when I first came and now I do everything myself. But when you first start if you don't know anyone or anything it's a killer as the government doesn't bother to tell you anything or give you info…unless you know someone or you have an agent who you can talk to to point you or guide you in the right direction.
mono locco…true words my friend “But ALT living here in Japan is not that great anyways….. and the life here is hell also for some people. Don't beleive all the hype people make out about Japan. Those people are just tourist who come by for a few weeks and the go back home. If you cannot adjust to the culture, language, japanese society and way of living, and homesickness I can assure you, you will be on a plane back home in less than a year like alot of people.”
im taking courses at a uni in OZ and 600,000 is actually a lot more than 6000 Oz dollars.
Anyways nickle and diming perhaps.
Japan is rough to live in even if you have a degree. you can always get a fake one, probably will fool people here…then you can return to your homeland with no degree hehe. stupid people. Anyways Japan is expensive and I think more people should be straight up with people who wanna come here. I read too many blogs about people saying how Japan is so great. Its not these days.
Hey Voung,
I am Peruvian/Aussie working in Japan as an ALT and like what Guest101 said up above is right.
600,000 yen is like less than 6000 Aussie Dollars right now and depending on where you live it might last you from 3-4 months. I came to Japan with 15,000 Aussie dollars and that lasted me for around 8 months (I was living with my gf in Tokyo so was sharing half half the apartment) but was still spending like around 600 dollars a month and that didn't include transportation and food. Also I came here with a dregree but no Job so I had so do some serious Job hunting (took me about 3 months to get this ALT job) but while I was waiting to get a job I was going to school to learn Japanese (which helps alot if you can speak some Japanese at least) but I applied to every single add I could possibly find, I also went through friends and friends friends. So in all and all it was not easy and I was very lucky to find work. As you don't have any kid of degree you will find it very very very hard getting any employment here. And as the years pass the Immigration department is getting tougher on giving out visas to people who have no degree at all. So I say your chances of getting here to Japan at all and getting a working Visa are very slim without some kind of dregree. But if you do actually get here it would be best to apply for jobs while you are here than from Australia as there is more of a chance to land one as they will ask you to go for an interview if they are interested in you. But ALT living here in Japan is not that great anyways….. and the life here is hell also for some people. Don't beleive all the hype people make out about Japan. Those people are just tourist who come by for a few weeks and the go back home. If you cannot adjust to the culture, language, japanese society and way of living, and homesickness I can assure you, you will be on a plane back home in less than a year like alot of people. Hope all this hasn't scared you or anything but I thought I'd tell you the truth before you hear any other crap from someone else.
600000 Yen is practically only going to last you for the first few months.
Two years ago, My friend spent $20,000 USD for a year and he lived in kansai non metro area so the living cost is lower. He didn't work though. I would imagine your money will only last you 3-4 months and remember your first or second month will be the most expensive as you have no job and you need to pay deposit/key money/etc. And I hope that that is excluding your air ticket money.
Without a BA u basically unable to get the instructor visa so Australian agency won't look at your application to teach English in Japan. You probably can find an English Teaching job over there but it is almost impossible to to get it from Australia (I tried for 2 years, I even have a MA degree). And when you get to Japan you have to fight with other job seekers. Another school big school went bust not too long ago (GEOS) so there is an influx for teachers there again (just as like when Nova collapsed)
You have to consider all of these factors
Hi Vuong,
I would expect to have a lot of money saved up before coming to Japan without a degree. Although it's not impossible to get work it can be very difficult and it's very hard to get work before getting here without a degree. Which city do you want to live in? That also makes a difference in terms of job hunting and apartment sorting. In Nagoya there is a place called 'Freebell Apartments' where you don't have to pay any key money. Use the internet, there is heaps of info on there.
hi everyone. I hope i came to the right post area, but i am currently about to move to japan and work on a working holiday visa. i am very eager to know what it is i need to do on this end before i fly over there such as apartments and general living expenses.
Im a aussie born vietnamese. is finding jobs in japan hard without a degree? i currently have extensive experience in corporation sales and banking and finance. Just need to get an idea what options i can go by in regards to finding a job over there.
The exchange rate is currently bad in favour for me going there with only 600,000 yen. is this enough? does anyone know which website i can go to apply jobs as i perfer flying over there knowing i have everything in place (apartment, job, city etc)
your comments and advice would be very much appreicated.
Vuong
gosh.. should post this earlier i just paid mine yesterday =(
Good to know. Wished they pasted these laws last Dec so I didn't have to pay for the re-entry permit.