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How Canadians Can Apply for a Japan Working Holiday Visa

Are you a Canadian citizen planning to travel and work in Japan? Then the Japan Working Holiday Visa for Canadians is what you need! The Japan Working Holiday Visa gives you the chance to experience life in Japan like a local while making some extra cash to help cover your travel expenses.

Stepabroad has put together this step-by-step guide for Canadians applying for a Japan Working Holiday Visa, including how to submit your application and the documents to prepare beforehand. If you haven’t already, first check out everything Canadians need to know about the Japan Working Holiday Visa.

It can be tricky to navigate the process of obtaining a working holiday visa and getting a job in a foreign country. Lucky for you, Stepabroad offers Canadians direct assistance through each step of their visa application on our Japan Working Holiday Programs.

Discover living, working and traveling in Japan on a Working Holiday Visa!

Applying for the Japan Working Holiday Visa

The first step before applying is to ensure you are eligible for the visa, which you can check here. Before reading further, we recommend making sure you meet the requirements.

Visa Application Details

Process Time: At least one week. You must apply at least 3 weeks before your departure date.
Cost of Application: Free!
Application Method: In-person at your nearest Japanese Embassy or Consulate. There are only five locations in Canada that process visa applications. If there is no consulate in your city, you must travel to the consulate that serves your jurisdiction. If you live in BC/the Yukon and would prefer not to travel to the consulate, Stepabroad can submit your application file on your behalf (see the end of the article for details).

Step 1: Gather supporting documents

The first step is to prepare all the information you need to submit the visa application. This includes collecting the following documents:

a. Passport Photo

Get a passport photo taken to attach to your application form.

b. Doctor’s Note

Book an appointment with your family doctor, or walk-in-clinic doctor to get a doctors note.

c. Bank Statement

The Japanese government requires you to have proof of sufficient travel funds equivalent to $2,500 USD (or approx. $3,300 CAD). You can show this with a personal bank account statement in Canadian dollars.

d. Flight Information

Print out your flight itinerary showing your travel dates in and out of Japan.

e. Letter of Motivation

Your letter of motivation should explain why you want to apply for the Japan Working Holiday Visa. This is similar to a cover letter, so take it seriously! Yes, they will read it, and yes this is important.

With the assistance of Stepabroad, experiencing like in vibrant Japan is easier than you think!

Step 2: Fill out the application forms

Once you have begun collecting the above-supporting documents, you must fill out your personal information on the following three forms provided by the Japanese embassy and consulates:

a. Application Form

Grab your Canadian passport and fill in your personal information. For the“Name and address of hotels or persons with whom the applicant intends to stay” section, try your best to fill this out with an address of where you will be staying, even if it is only where you will be staying for the initial period of your time in Japan.

b. Resume Form

Fill in this form with your employment history and your previous experience in Japan. Some consulates do not require you to complete this form. In that case, submitting your professional resume is acceptable.

c. Itinerary Form

Do some research on Japan so you have an idea of the regions and cities you would like to visit as well as the activities you want to do. It is understandable that you may be travelling and working various jobs, so instead define what you intend to do for work.

As part of Stepabroad’s Japan Send-Off Package, our team will help you fill out these three forms in the correct way that Japanese officials require.

Step 3: Submit your application file

After you have completed the application forms and gathered all of your supportive documents, you need to make an appointment to go in person to your nearest consulate or embassy to submit your application file.

Bring your passport and another piece of government-issued personal identification when you submit your application. They will keep your passport and ask you to bring the same ID to retrieve your passport when your file has been processed. Staff at the embassy/consulate will give you a receipt and collection date to pick up your visa. Do not lose this receipt, you will need this to pick up your passport.

Stepabroad’s special agreement with the Japanese Embassy allows us to submit Japan visa applications on behalf of BC and Yukon residents, saving you the trip to the consulate! Live outside of BC/the Yukon? No problem, we can still assist you with your application and prepare you for your working holiday in Japan.

Step 4: Pick up your passport & visa

The consular agent at the embassy/consulate will ask you to come back in a week to pick up your passport. During that week, they will contact you if there are delays or problems with your application. When you return to pick up your passport, bring your identification collection receipt provided at the time of submission.

Step 5: Arrive in Japan

When you enter Japan, you will be issued a resident card at the port of entry. Within the first 2 weeks, you must find the nearest local municipal office and register your resident card with the address you are residing in. Your Stepabroad trip coordinator can help you with this too!

What are you waiting for? Begin the best adventure of your life in Japan with the help of Stepabroad!

Need help getting a job and a place to live?

If you are looking for assistance getting a job and pre-arranged accommodation, Stepabroad’s City Working Holiday and Ski Resort Working Holiday Programs provide these additional services in the south of Japan and the powder-filled northern region. No matter what your plans are, we take the stress out of planning so you can focus on your upcoming adventures in the Land of the Rising Sun!

Still have questions?

Are you still confused about the process of moving to Japan and getting a working holiday job? Check out our post on Frequently Asked Questions about the Japan Working Holiday Visa to learn more important details about the restrictions of the visa. Or talk directly with our team, either on the phone or via chat, via the form below.

Disclaimer: No Legal Advice Provided.

The material on our website and on this webpage is intended to provide only general information and comment to our clients and the public. Although we make our best efforts to ensure that the information found on our website is accurate and timely, do not, under any circumstances, rely on information found on our website as legal or immigration advice. Nor do we guarantee the accuracy of any information contained on websites to which our website provide links. For assistance with your specific inquiry or problem, please contact an immigration consultant or call the nearest Japanese consulate.