My search for work in Japan really started when I arrived in the country. When I got to Japan I got in touch with as many recruiters as I could. I had some contacts given to me by friends, and I looked on the Web and in magazines and newspapers for others. I went to see most of them. Some of them never contacted me again after the initial meeting, but a few were quite helpful. Four in particular were particularly helpful and persistent and got me some good job interviews, including the job I eventually took. Continue reading “Useful recruiters” »

I contacted a few recruiters from Australia before I went to Japan. The ones that said anything all said the same thing: it would be much easier to look for a job while over there. This is true even for the recruiting firms that have branches in both Japan and Australia; they seem to operate pretty much independently.

Continue reading “About Recruiters” »

Many foreigners work as English conversation teachers while they’re in Japan. For many people, the work is not too demanding and it gives them the opportunity to travel within Japan during holidays. To be a language teacher, most people need just two qualifications: Continue reading “Teaching jobs” »

I spent time in 2002 looking for a job in software development in Tokyo. Along the way, I also came up with a few other possibilities. This is a summary of my findings.

Continue reading “IT Jobs” »

Foreigners staying in Japan longer than 90 days need to obtain a Certificate of Alien Registration, also known as an Alien Card. It’s easy to get, but I had to get mine updated several times. If you leave the country without a visa and re-entry permit, they take away your alien card and you have to get another one when you return. Then, when your visa status changes (e.g. you get an extension or finally get your work visa) you go back and they put more stamps on it. I spent a lot of time at the Alien Registration counter in my local ward office in Shibuya.

Continue reading “Alien card” »

When you enter Japan, you will probably be on a 90 day tourist visa exemption. Holders of certain passports (e.g. Ireland) can get this extended by an extra 90 days. You must leave the country before your exemption runs out, but you can return straight away and get another 90 days. Some people worry that the the immigration people will eventually get suspicious if you keep doing this, but I have also heard of people who have done it five times with no problems.

Continue reading “Work visa process” »

To get a work visa, you need to find a company willing to give you a job. You will also need the appropriate qualifications. If you have a four-year degree from a reputable university, that should be enough. If you have anything less then things will be more difficult. For example, if you have a 2-year degree or diploma, or an MBA from an institution nobody has heard of, then you and your potential employer will have to argue your case with the immigration department.

Continue reading “Sponsored visa” »

Foreigners are not allowed to work in Japan unless they have an appropriate Japanese work visa. There are a few ways to get one. Some of the more common ways to get the work visa are as follows.

Continue reading “Visa Eligibility” »

When I arrived in Japan, I was what some call a “mid-career” professional, with an honours science degree and 11 years of experience in various aspects of software development. With this background, it would not be hard to find a job in the US, UK or Australia. But here, I faced the two common obstacles for foreigners in Japan: I hardly spoke Japanese; and I had no working visa.

Continue reading “My story” »

My name is Bennett McElwee. I first visited Japan back in 1992, when I stayed for a couple of weeks with a friend in Tokyo. He had moved there from Australia to work. I loved Tokyo, partly because it was largely incomprehensible — and not just because of the language. After that, I always wanted to spend more time in this endlessly fascinating place.

Continue reading “About this website” »