Working holiday visa

For the purpose of promoting closer co-operative relations between Japan and the Kingdom of Norway, the governments of these two countries agreed in November 2012 to start a Working Holiday scheme to provide wider opportunities for young people of the Kingdom of Norway to experience the culture and general way of life in Japan. This program makes it possible for nationals of the Kingdom of Norway to enter Japan primarily for a holiday over an extended period, and also to engage in employment as an incidental aspect of their holiday in order to supplement their travel funds.

Applicant shall satisfy all of the following requirements:

1. Is a national of the Kingdom of Norway and resides in the Kingdom of Norway at the time of the application
2. Intends primarily to holiday in Japan for a period of up to one year from the date of entry with the possibility of taking a job in order to supplement his/her cost of staying in Japan
3. Is aged between 18 and 30 years at the time of application
4. Is not accompanied by dependents unless those dependents are also in possession of the working holiday visa or otherwise.
5. Possesses a valid passport of the Kingdom of Norway and a return ticket or sufficient funds with which to purchase such a ticket
6. Possesses reasonable funds to support him/herself during the period of initial stay in Japan
7. Intends to leave Japan at the end of his/her Working Holiday stay
8. Has not previously been issued the Working Holiday visa
9. Has adequate medical insurance and good health

For more information: The Working Holiday Programmes in Japan
 

1. Completed visa application form
   ※Please be sure to provide information about the "Names and addresses of hotels or persons with whom applicant intends to stay". You are required to notify your place of residence in Japan to the local municipal office in where you reside within 14 days after entering Japan.


2. Valid Norwegian passport with at least 2 unused pages


3. One photo (Approx. 45mm x 45mm, taken within the last 6 months)


4. Personal resume/curriculum vitae typed on A4 paper, including educational background, work experience, hobbies and other relevant information (Japanese or English) 
   ※Please use the prescribed format.  
   ※This programme is not designed for persons who mainly intend to work or to study. The applicants’ primary purpose of stay should be “vacation” in Japan. Therefore, the applicants who primarily intend to work or to study cannot apply for Working Holiday Visa. For more information: The Working Holiday Programmes in Japan


5. A proposed itinerary for the whole stay in Japan (up to 12 months), including details of prearranged employment or attendance to a school, if any (Japanese or English)
   ※Please use the prescribed format.


6. Letter explaining the motive for a Working Holiday Visa (Japanese or English)


7. Insurance certificate for an international travel insurance or Pledge for National Health Insurance (Kokumin Kenko Hoken)
   ※If you stay at temporary accommodation such as hotels, you are not eligible to join the National Health Insurance scheme in Japan. We therefore recommend you to take out international travel insurance which covers your whole stay in Japan.


8. Minimum $4,200 in bank statement (last 3 months bank statements must be shown) OR $2,000 in bank statement and a return or onward journey ticket or a receipt for such

Visa application / Interview

• Applicant is required to submit all of the above-mentioned documentation in person at the Embassy of Japan in Oslo.
• An interview with a visa officer will be conducted after you have prepared all required documents. The interview can be scheduled from 4 to 5 weeks prior to the anticipated arrival date to Japan.
• For a visa application/an interview, applicant is requested to make an appointment by e-mail.
  e-mail: ryouji@os.mofa.go.jp

Processing time for visa application

Application must be made at least three weeks before the anticipated arrival date to Japan. Applications submitted at short notice will not be accepted.

《Note》
Working Holiday visa is single entry. Applicants must enter Japan within 3 months after the date of issue of the visa.

Residency management system

• Besides having a seal of landing verification stamped in their passports, mid- to long-term residents will be issued a residence card.
• Foreign nationals in possession of a valid passport and resident card who will be re-entering Japan within 1 year of their departure to continue their activities in Japan will, in principle, not be required to apply for a re-entry permit. (This is called a special re-entry permit.)
  
  Residency management system (website of the Immigration Service Agency of Japan)

 

• Japan has a public health insurance system, and everyone who lives in Japan must enroll in some form of public health insurance. The National Health Insurance program is one form of public health insurance, and the program is operated at the municipal level.
• When a working holiday participant notifies his/her place of residence, he/she should take necessary procedures for joining in the National Health Insurance at the municipal office.
• The National Health Insurance fee is about 3500 yen per month in general (the insurance fee may vary at each municipality). If an insured person shows his/her health insurance certificate at medical institutions before receiving medical treatment, he/she will then in general only need to bear 30% of the medical expenses.
• The National Health Insurance does not cover decease, residual disability, damage remedy, urgent medical return, etc. In case a working holiday participant requests the above-mentioned compensation which the National Health Insurance does not cover, it is necessary for him/her personally to take another insurance offered by an insurance company (i.e. overseas travel insurance).

 

1. Applicants will not be able to engage themselves in activities which are considered to go against the policies of the Working Holiday Scheme such as working at businesses which may affect public morals.
2. The Job Center (Hello Work) and the Employment Service Center for Foreigners in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya provide assistance to job-seekers in Japan. The above Employment Service Centers for Foreigners and some Job Centers are able to provide assistance in English. For further information, please follow the links below:
   
   Employment Service for Foreigners
   *Tokyo
   *Osaka

• The Working Holiday Programmes are designed to promote international interaction and enhance friendly relationship between Japan and partner countries/regions by providing opportunities for the young people to deepen their understanding about partner countries/regions.
• The Working Holiday participants are allowed to work for a certain period of their stay in order to cover the cost to travel and stay in Japan. This programme is not designed for persons who mainly intend to work. The applicants’ primary purpose of stay should be “holiday” in Japan. So the applicants who intend to work primarily cannot apply for this visa.
• The Working Holiday participants are strictly prohibited from working at places affecting public morals such as bars, cabarets, nightclubs and etc.