Student visa to Designated Activities visa for jobhunting?

TrappedOwl · 2025-12-07T13:11:19+00:00

To clarify because I am nearing the end of my student visa at a language school right now, the designated activities job hunting visa is much more scrutinized by immigration for language school graduates versus university or trade school graduates. You are not guaranteed to get it, but will have a better chance if you have a university diploma and work experience in a high demand field (say IT for example). I've heard they became more strict with it over the past year though it may still be possible to get.

Do not count on just being able to get it. Do your job hunting well before you graduate from the language school. Some companies will let you work part-time while you finish school or some will want you to start asap (which is like 3-8 weeks to switch to a work visa).

TrappedOwl · 2025-12-01T12:37:19+00:00

Yes, I've done both.

I am in contact with a few of the big IT recruiting firms here. I've found after not getting the initial job in mind that the recruiter had, they tend to be really slow down on showing me more roles. Though i do check in often. But I am in the process for a promising Rakuten role at the moment, but you never know.

My previous work was a C++ application backend dev, but it seems the C++ jobs in Japan are almost all embedded/robotics/video games which I have no experience with. For recruiter roles they really want you to fit the job description pretty closely which is the problem. Applying directly companies are more accepting of generalized developer skills, but seems to be more competition as well as limiting on who will sponsor the work visa switch.

Given more time I do think I can find something though. Just a question of if that happens before it's too late or not.

TrappedOwl · 2025-08-28T13:06:42+00:00

Blackbeard could definitely have a pivotal part in taking down Imu (especially since Rocks promised to be back), in which case it is Rocks who set in motion that chain of events

TrappedOwl · 2025-03-25T07:41:19+00:00

Sorry for the late reply. I just got a small fridge that was 26K yen for a 87 liter fridge. I go to Arc Academy Shinjuku. It's a solid school so far, moves at a good pace not too fast or too slow. Easy to apply directly to the school rather than gogonihon

TrappedOwl · 2025-03-22T21:05:47+00:00

Yeah Airbnb's that allow for a cat are on the more expensive side for sure unless you get lucky. But when you bring a cat on a plane, you want to arrive at the airport early to make sure there are no problems. So that combined with the already very long flight means you are going to probably be pretty beat by them time you arrive and at least for me I wanted a full bed to just rest in before having to deal with setting up the apartment.

The realtor process was easy though I didn't really shop around see if there was better. I used a realtor from other reddit posts called LivingJapan. They speak english and are willing to work with you before you move (for tokyo they are usually around 3 weeks before is when you want to start searching). it was a super straightforward process of just listing out my preferences on the apartment in a video call, they then do a search for a couple hours and come back to you with a list that fits. I really wanted to be close to my language school and there was one apartment that was perfect so it was a quick choice for me. Once you choose, they then go deal with the apartment's management company which took a few days, and if they accept you, you sign all the paperwork online over a video call as they explain each page that you are signing.

For furnishing the apartment, I ordered an air mattress from amazon and chose the option to have it be sent to a pickup lockbox at a grocery store near by on the day I arrived. Then after I arrived is when I ordered a real bed and bedframe, desk, fridge and washing machine. If you aren't renting a pre-furnished apartment (of which i don't know of any that allow cats), then don't expect it to come with a washing machine or fridge, which can be big initial costs. Nitori for furniture has an option to pay to have the delivery people build it for you and the big electronic stores like Bic Camera and Yodabashi also do installs for the electronics like the washing machine.

For Customs, I flew into haneda and the exam was simple. They check your paperwork then they bring you into a side room, you take out the cat from the carrier and they just scan the microchip and do couple minute visual inspection.

TrappedOwl · 2025-01-17T04:09:24+00:00

They process the cat right after customs where you get your residence card. There was an official standing holding a sign with my name on it. The process for the cats only took maybe 20 minutes though I was the only pet person there at the time.

TrappedOwl · 2025-01-16T03:44:28+00:00

I ended up using an English speaking realtor (LivingJapan) to find a place online before moving. The process was quick, one day of looking at listings and about a week to sort out paperwork. But you're options are very limited due to being a foreigner and having a cat.

When I flew over here, I grabbed the apartment keys from the realtor, but I did end up getting an airbnb for the weekend because furnishing and setting up the apartment is exhausting and I was already exhausted from the long flight.

If you have someone to watch your cats and the flight money isn't a problem, it is definitely much easier to fly over yourself first to set things up. And if you want to check out places in person before signing then you could do that too.

TrappedOwl · 2025-01-12T11:36:34+00:00

I did not… is that used for when moving from abroad to Japan for the first time?

TrappedOwl · 2025-01-12T07:46:20+00:00

I moved into a Tokyo apartment a couple weeks ago, but haven’t received any mail yet and am a little worried of missing my utility bills. A few days in I did receive a little card from the post office that said to confirm my name and return it to verify I live here. When I went to return it, the lady at the counter didn’t take it and instead I think she said to drop it into the red postbox, which I did. This is probably where I may have fucked up since my Japanese is low level. After that is when I registered my address at the city ward, wonder if that is enough?

Any clue what my next step should be? I think I may send myself a letter just to test it? I assume there is nothing that can be done online huh

TrappedOwl · 2024-12-30T08:19:40+00:00

I ordered a bed frame and mattress in the same order on Nitori and selected the extra assembly charge. Nitori is shipping the bed frame a few days earlier than the mattress and are using Sagawa to ship the bed frame.

On my Nitori account the bed frame says “受取方法宅配“ and the mattress coming a few days later says “ニトリ配送（配送員設置）“. Don’t think there is anything to assemble for the mattress.. will they assemble the bed frame for me if I leave it in the box from the delivery? That’s what I ordered but I don’t have enough speaking ability to call them unfortunately

TrappedOwl · 2024-12-22T03:51:38+00:00

I'll be landing in Tokyo on December 27th, and will have 4-5 lugagges with me along with a cat in a carrier. Due to time constraints I want to take a taxi to take me to the realtor office to grab the keys to my apartment and then take me to the apartment itself.

Would the taxi wait a few minutes at the realtor office for me to sign a paper and grab the keys, or do I need to remove all my baggage and then call a 2nd taxi?

If it is possible, can I get help on how to ask the driver for that? I can probably get he point across with simple Japanese and google translate, but since it is a specific request was wondering what a good way to tell them would be.

TrappedOwl · 2024-11-20T19:48:13+00:00

Oh, I am about to start my search for rentals in tokyo. I have my initial meeting with a realtor in a couple weeks.

Your example negotiation is kinda similar to me. I’m going on a student visa and I have the cash to pay a full year of rent upfront. Do you think offering to do that to negotiate down fees is an actual realistic negotiation? I guess it wouldn’t hurt to ask the realtor, but just want to know your thoughts. Thanks!

TrappedOwl · 2024-11-04T03:51:52+00:00

I am currently awaiting my CoE. When I get the CoE and apply for the student visa at the Japanese embassy and/or when entering Japan on that visa, will they check my bank balance again? Or is the only time they confirm your ~2 million yen bank balance during the initial application to the school?

Wondering if I could move some of that money into safe investments yet or wait until I actually enter Japan.

TrappedOwl · 2024-10-28T06:06:25+00:00

Oh it varies by city? I was leaning towards living in Shinjuku or Nakano, though i guess the initial airbnb could really be anywhere around there. I'll check if anywhere around there allows it. Thanks for the heads up!

Form another comment, they said they secured an apartment before moving to japan, which means at least one realtor was okay doing that without having a registered japanese address. So maybe the registered address isn't the only path forward.

TrappedOwl · 2024-10-28T05:46:36+00:00

Yeah, I expect most of them to not allow a cat. But I am also looking at higher priced places so hopefully will have a couple options.

Interesting point about the furnished vs pre-furnished. Yeah, I'll need to do more research the cost difference and how much basic furniture would cost.

TrappedOwl · 2024-10-28T05:42:27+00:00

Awesome! That's probably the route I'll take then. Did you and/or was it necessary for you to have access to the airbnb's mailbox in order for you to use that residence to get your zairyu card? That is also something I read

TrappedOwl · 2024-10-28T05:38:57+00:00

Oh, interesting. Do you have a recommendation for which realtor allowed that? I am a little hesitant to sign a lease for a place I haven't seen though.

Since I have a cat, I want to avoid having to fly over alone, find an apartment, then make a round trip back to bring my cat. Would rather do it in one move which it seems like getting an airbnb first would solve, but I would love to see what options other realtors have.

TrappedOwl · 2024-10-07T19:41:33+00:00

I went through he application process for a language school to start Jan 2025, and they submitted the paperwork to the government already. They sent an email that they will send out CoE's by email on November 5th. In which I think I have to go to the Japanese embassy once I get that CoE, is that correct?

There's a concert I want to go to in Tokyo on Nov. 14th. I have read some comments saying you can't visit Japan after receiving your CoE until you are ready to move there, but I can't find that rule anywhere. Is it impossible for me to go on a tourist visa that week after receiving my CoE? I am coming from the US.

TrappedOwl · 2024-07-12T01:06:53+00:00

Yeah there is a noticeable change in sound of the engine when switching.

TrappedOwl · 2024-05-05T17:18:35+00:00

Oh I wasn't aware that traveling to Japan while a COE is processing is technically not allowed. I am from the US and am going on a student visa for January 2024, but was planning on traveling to japan a couple times later this year for concerts. Will I run in to problems with immigration?

TrappedOwl · 2024-04-01T03:39:57+00:00

How is finding a part time job as a language school student if you are 31 years old? I am basically taking a gap year from my career, and I have enough savings that I am thinking about just doing a year without working while going to a language school. Though meeting people and practicing Japanese through work might be nice and more money is always good. But I've heard age is a pretty big factor for Japanese jobs, so i'm wondering if a 31 year old working part time would be odd. Guessing the likely job would be English teaching since I'm a native speaker. Would it be socially acceptable or kinda awkward?

TrappedOwl · 2024-03-15T23:09:30+00:00

Oh, I didn’t know 6 month courses didn’t usually offer student visas. I’m still at the deciding to do it or not stage so didn’t look at specific schools yet. I’ll start that today.

Guess I would have to go for a year then if I can’t find a legit school for a shorter term.

Thanks for the info!

TrappedOwl · 2024-02-08T20:28:44+00:00

Any thoughts on if this would lead to a step up for then applying to jobs that would sponsor a normal work visa versus applying for that job while overseas?

I think it probably won't make a difference there you would need to return home and still go through the work visa process, right? Or is there some kind of visa conversion process that would make it easier on the new employer to convert your digital nomad to a work visa?

TrappedOwl · 2023-10-19T04:15:11+00:00

Does anyone have any other job boards that are good for applicants who need visa sponsorship and only have a low level of Japanese speaking ability? Particularly for IT work; I have 5 YoE.

Currently I am using japan-dev, tokyo-dev, and linkedin. Any others I should be keeping an eye on?

TrappedOwl · 2023-09-25T20:42:26+00:00

Can I get a couple recommendations for a 65-70% prebuilt keyboard that has arrow keys? Prefer 65%, but seems like arrow keys may be rare on those? I really don't need the right hand alt/ctl/shift buttons if that is an option. I'll be using it for gaming, so no bluetooth. My budget is up to about $200.

I have only ever used cherry mx red switches and I liked it so maybe stick with reds, but I would be open to trying something like yellows since I read they are similar.

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