Work Travel Volunteer

Industry in Japan centres around high technology, motor vehicles and electronic items.

However most jobs available in Japan for working holidaymakers are to do with teaching English. The demand for fluent English speaking teachers remains high. Other options for paid employment in Japan include translation and editing (if you speak Japanese), IT and hospitality including cooking.

For more information on teaching English in Japan visit http://www.ohayosensei.com/

Citizens between the ages of 18-30 from Australia, Canada, Germany, France, Ireland, Korea, New Zealand and the United Kingdom are all eligible to apply for a working holiday visa. This entitles the worker to stay and work for a period of between six to 12 months.

Similar to the structure of the Australian Working Holiday Visa, the Japanese visa is only valid for one trip only, the holder of the permit must enter within one year of receiving the visa and workers can participate in any job on the basis that they stay is deemed as primarily a holiday.

If you want to stay longer you must obtain a working visa before embarking on any professional paid work. There are numerous working visas each allowing individuals to work in certain fields. However the main difficulty with obtaining one of these visas is you usually need a job offer first before applying for the permit.

Many UK based companies do have offices in Japan, if you are thinking of a sponsorship option. Barclays, Berlitz, British Airways, Cable and Wireless, Cadburys, HSBC, ICI, Jaguar, Lloyds TSB, Oxford University Press, Pearson Education, Reuters, Shell and Virgin are all companies that have international offices in Japan.

For further information on finding a job, visit these recruitment websites;

http://www.tokyoconnections.com/

http://www.jobsinjapan.com/

http://www.jobdragon.com/

http://www.japanesejobs.com/

http://www.escapeartist.com/japan/japan.htm

http://www.careercross.com/en/

Once you've finished working, you have the benefit of being able to claim back the tax and superannuation (similar to a pension) you've paid into. Visit http://www.taxback.com/

Search our directory for other working opportunities in Japan.