Can You Switch From a Working Holiday to a Work Status Without Leaving Japan?

🐱: "Lots of people come to Japan on working holidays these days. If you find a full-time job during your working holiday, can you just switch to a work visa?"

👨‍🏫: "Let me explain."

What a working holiday is for

A working holiday is the status of residence "Designated Activities," Public Notice No. 5. Japan's working holiday scheme is mainly for a holiday; work is allowed only as a side activity to help cover travel and living costs. Work is not the purpose of the scheme.

In principle, you must leave Japan first

To change from a working holiday to a work-related status, you generally need to leave Japan and apply again from abroad. A major reason is that many partner countries, when issuing working holiday visas, require the applicant to intend to leave Japan at the end of the stay.

However, working holiday participants from some countries can currently apply to change status without leaving, if they meet the conditions:

• Australia
• Canada
• South Korea
• New Zealand
• Germany

What about Taiwanese nationals?

🐱: "So Taiwanese people can never change status inside Japan?"

👨‍🏫: "Even for countries where it isn't allowed in principle, individual cases may still be approved. But compared with a few years ago, the immigration authorities have become much stricter, and in practice it is very difficult."

🐱: "So finding a job and being able to switch to a work status are two different things."

👨‍🏫: "Exactly. And it isn't only working holidays; the same goes for switching from other statuses to a work-related one."

Think about your status strategy early

If you plan to stay and work in Japan, start thinking about your future status-of-residence strategy while you are job-hunting. The question isn't just whether you have a job now; it also depends on your current status, your nationality, the rules, and what you will do next. Feel free to book a consultation.

🐱: "By the way, I've heard of 'Designated Activities,' but it isn't just working holidays, right?"

👨‍🏫: "Right. There are actually more than 50 kinds."

🐱: "More than 50?!"

More in the next article.

Understanding Japan through law.

This article provides general legal information, not legal advice on any individual case. Please consult us about your own situation; for disputes or litigation, consult an attorney.