Job hunting might seem difficult when you are not sure what you want to do. How do you choose a company when you are living in a foreign land? DON'T WORRY! In this article we will explain and give you tips on how to do job hunting; as well as some helpful tips to live in Japan. Be a Jimoto-min aka jimomin, a local with us!
Working VISAs in Japan
There are different kinds of status of residences and when you work, you need a status of residence that allows you to work. There are many statuses of residence that allow you to work in Japan, but today I will introduce the most common status of residence for work, the Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services; hereby known as ESI VISA
For ESI VISA, qualifications and job descriptions are deeply connected, so be sure to check which jobs are qualifiable for the ESI VISA before starting your job hunting whether as a freshly graduate or for a career change.
What is an ESI VISA?
Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, (hereinafter referred to as Engineer/Humanities) is a type of a working VISA and its activity engaged in science, engineering and/or businesses requiring skills or knowledge in fields of law, economics, sociology or other humanities, or foreign cultures.
There are 3 main condition to apply for ESI VISA
- Appropriate skills and knowledge based on the person’s academic background (major, research content)
- Job description
- Bachelor's degree or above (this is possible at schools overseas, but the school must be recognized by the Japanese government)
Your VISA sponsor (employer, company/organisation) should be aware or fulfil the following criteria:
-Salary. The amount of the salary received should be the same or more as a Japanese national who is in the same or related job field.
-Employment. The period of employment on the Employment Contract/Agreement (or equivalent document) should be at least one year (if it is fixed).
-Stability of the VISA sponsor. Your visa sponsor must have financial stability and continually. If it is a start-up company then, there should be a business plan to show prove its business stability.
When to renew?
Engineer/Humanities VISA permits have four durations for period of stay: 3 months, 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years. The duration is decided by the Immigration Bureau of Japan. If you wish to renew your Engineer/Humanities then it is recommended to do so 3 months before the expiry date. But you can start preparing the documents beforehand so it is advisable to prepare 3 months before. However, please note that the official documents you receive from the ward office have an expiration date so you have to check to make sure you have not used expired documents.
What kind of jobs can you apply for?
The common documents needed for a working visa such as Certificate of Eligibility, a valid Passport, Japan Work Visa application form. However, only specific job industries/occupations are eligible for this type of working visa.
| Field of Study | Engineering/technology-related | Humanities-related | International services-related |
| Jobs | EngineerProgrammer IT developer ArchitectBio-technologyConstructionAutomobile etc. | AccountantAnalystHuman ResourcesConsultantManagementMarketing Public Relations etc. | TeacherTranslatorInternational Public RelationsFashion/Interior Design in relation to foreign countriesOverseas trading etc. |
As mentioned earlier, you need a diploma (Japan or abroad) but there are schools which are not recognized by the Japanese immigration, so it is advisable to check beforehand.
In jimomin.work, we have jobs which sponsor designated activities 46 (特定活動46号）and Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services (技術・人文知識・国際業務).
Summary
Deciding which VISAs you can apply can be confusing and complicated. Furthermore, it takes a few months for your application to be accepted. Therefore, it is advisable to look into the VISAs terms and conditions a few months in advance before applying for it.
How can we help you!
In jimomin.work, we offer career counselling where you can discuss your problems and understand what sort of jobs you want to do.
We aim to spread awareness and give tips and information which are not taught in school or universities. Changing residence card, what is an Entry sheet, how to reserve a moving company; we cover all sorts of topics.
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