Japan

Tokyo Tower at duskLouie Martinez
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You + Japan

Japan offers excellent infrastructure, safety, and quality of life, but the language barrier and strict immigration system make it one of the harder countries to relocate to without employer sponsorship. Japan's immigration policy is opening up this year. Japan has a humid subtropical climate (summers avg 30°C, winters avg 6°C).

For daily life, you'll need A2 Japanese. Japan has an Immigrant Acceptance Score of 43 BETA, so you may find it challenging to feel welcome at the moment.

What people love

  • Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) visa scores 70+ points and grants a path to permanent residency in just 1-3 years
  • Universal healthcare covers 70% of costs at roughly ¥30,000/month ($200) for employed residents
  • Exceptionally safe. Tokyo has one of the lowest violent crime rates of any major global city

What's hard

  • Business Japanese (JLPT N2+) is effectively required for most non-tech jobs. English-only roles are limited to foreign firms and startups
  • Work culture in traditional companies includes long hours and rigid hierarchy. Foreign workers often prefer gaishikei (foreign-capital) firms
  • Renting requires guarantor companies, key money (1-2 months), and deposits (1-2 months), totaling 4-6 months upfront

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Watch a webinar about Japan

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Learn from experts about life in Japan and how to navigate a move there.

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Visa Pathways

Japan's immigration policy is opening up this year. Japan offers several visa pathways for immigrants. Here are the most common options.

Engineer/Specialist in Humanities

Standard work visa for professionals

Eligibility:University degree or 10+ years experience, Job offer
Processing time:~8 weeks
Path to PR:Yes
Working Holiday Visa

For young adults (18-30) from partner countries to work and travel in Japan for up to 12 months

Eligibility:Age 18-30, Passport from participating country (26 countries)
Salary:€2K+
Processing time:~4 weeks
Path to PR:No
See other visa pathways
Digital Nomad Visa (Designated Activities)~8 weeks
Highly Skilled Professional~8 weeks
Business Manager~12 weeks
Student Visa (College Student)~8 weeks

Visa requirements change frequently. Always verify with official sources or a licensed immigration consultant.

Featured Japan visa specialists

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Language for Japan

If you want to settle permanently, you'll need B1 Japanese for permanent residency. It generally takes 6-9 months to reach this level with consistent study.

Featured Japanese teachers

Mayumi York

Mayumi Y.

$45 / 45min

Experienced Japanese language instructor. I use customized lesson plans with each student to ensure they get the attention they need.

Eastern Daylight Time (New York, EDT)
Limited availability
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Language Certifications

IELTSUniversityTOEFL iBTUniversityJLPTWork, Residency, Citizenship, UniversityTOEICWorkEikenUniversity, WorkNAT-TESTWork

Housing

Find a place to live in Japan with help from local experts.

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Relocation agents in Japan

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Temporary housing solutions

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Long-term rental specialists

Related Resources

Country Guide

Japan
Japan

Explore Cities

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Visa Guides

Digital Nomad Visa (Designated Activities)Highly Skilled ProfessionalEngineer/Specialist in HumanitiesBusiness ManagerStudent Visa (College Student)Working Holiday Visa
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