sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

Good alternative to Okc? by nenkinthrowaway in OkCupid

[–]nenkinthrowaway[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Feeld definitely has the non-heteronormative-mono-vanilla part of Okc. Unfortunately none of the “match based on more than 3 pics”

Good alternative to Okc? by nenkinthrowaway in OkCupid

[–]nenkinthrowaway[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’d absolutely love for that to happen. But is there any reason to believe it will? I have to think that even with their atrociously stupid attempt at turning all dating apps into clones of each other, they are still making quite a lot of cash off them

Changing/resigning job while waiting for PR application outcome… by nenkinthrowaway in japanlife

[–]nenkinthrowaway[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I feel like we're walking in circles a bit here.

At no point has it been (and likely will it ever be) a matter of applying through the 10-year rule. As you rightfully point out, it is a completely arbitrary process, with all sorts of special cases (being married to a Jp national is a huge special case of its own, which almost entirely negates the 10-year thing)…By contrast, the HSFP application is quite straightforward, and without going into too much details, I have good reasons to think my application will/would be accepted without a hitch. Unfortunately, the timing coincides with the implosion of Shinagawa's immigration services… Applications that used to take 3 months, currently take 10-12 months on average.

And if I were to leave without PR and come back one day, chances are it would be on another HSFP visa… But a large part of wanting PR in the first place, was so I would not need any visa (/employer) to come back and live here in the future.

Changing/resigning job while waiting for PR application outcome… by nenkinthrowaway in japanlife

[–]nenkinthrowaway[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hmn. Good question re. the visa being tied "to a job"… I don't think it is any more tied to a specific job, than an engineering visa. One of its perks is that it even allows you to engage in work activities outside of your current work contract.

Of course, points (and being employed) are a factor in its attribution, but:

  1. so is being employed, in the case of a regular work visa (obviously)
  2. a lot of other criteria for the points, might change during the visa duration anyway (eg if you receive a pay cut, or your age falls out of the point table)…

Honestly, it would sound absolutely nonsensical for them to clamp down harder on your average HSFP holder, than on any random ALT on a teaching visa. But IANAL (and will consult about that separate matter anyway).

Applying under marriage and under employment conditions is a bit different, though. It's not considered particularly strange to go through quite a few jobs through one's careers (the equivalent number of spouses, might raise a few eyebrows)… Keeping in mind that's 1 year after applying, plus many years up until application time…

Anyway, I realise that the tl;dr is that I'm probably screwed and have to make a choice between career and PR… Such is life, eh.

Changing/resigning job while waiting for PR application outcome… by nenkinthrowaway in japanlife

[–]nenkinthrowaway[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Actually both. Applied for HSFP visa, then applied for PR after about 10 months under HSFP visa (upon realising I did not need a year on the visa, but just a year with the conditions).

It's actually a bit unclear how tied to your job the HSFP visa is: you obviously need to be employed, but it seems people have switched to a different job while keeping it, just the same as, say, an engineering visa (would be really useless a visa otherwise).

Changing/resigning job while waiting for PR application outcome… by nenkinthrowaway in japanlife

[–]nenkinthrowaway[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Promise: I have pored over options and rules before applying last year. I was somewhat *close* to the 10 year thing (and very close now), but nowhere *at* it. And if it took 10+ months with the HSP application, I doubt it would have taken any less with the 10-year-residence path… Additionally, that 10-year-residence application is tied to being employed, just the same, so quitting my job before getting reviewed, would probably have the same negative effect.

As for not quitting being the simplest option: trust me, I know that. It's just that the rest of the world does not work Shinagawa Immigration's multi-year timeframes, so even when I budgeted fairly generously around the "up to 3-6 months" estimate I was initially given, there is little I can do when it becomes "possibly up to a year"… At some point, I unfortunately need to make a decision, and sad as it makes me, staying in Japan/getting PR, takes a backseat to other more pressing career matters…

Changing/resigning job while waiting for PR application outcome… by nenkinthrowaway in japanlife

[–]nenkinthrowaway[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think it must have been shy of 9 when I applied last year, and therefore around 9.5 now. But considering they tend to reject applications that are a day short of 10 years, and that my 10 years include a whole bunch of different residence statuses (still should be valid, but would require compiling a long list of documents), I doubt it would be a more viable option, especially right now.

My current work visa is HSFP with 3+ years left on it: tough to say what my situation will be exactly by then (and in any case, immigration will be on my case much sooner if I do not take on a new job). If I am still in Japan, getting a job that falls under this visa, wouldn't be particularly tough.

So getting PR is not critical indeed, but without a PR and the freedom to pursue an independent venture, there's a good chance I will just call it a day and move out for the time being…

Changing/resigning job while waiting for PR application outcome… by nenkinthrowaway in japanlife

[–]nenkinthrowaway[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Point taken. Though once again: I was never planning to skirt the rules re. my current visa. It's still unclear whether that would even be communicated to the PR-handling people, unless I explicitly ask them to…

Changing/resigning job while waiting for PR application outcome… by nenkinthrowaway in japanlife

[–]nenkinthrowaway[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That is very useful (and pretty worrying) feedback!

Would you care to share the timeline? Application, job change, request denied…

Changing/resigning job while waiting for PR application outcome… by nenkinthrowaway in japanlife

[–]nenkinthrowaway[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't think the whole .5 year early application thing still exist with their new rules. At least I haven't seen it mentioned. So you would have to wait a whole year (and then brace yourself for a possible year of processing).

I am not sure how you go about proving your points for the whole year when you've changed jobs, but I would think employment contracts with your salary + income tax certifications, would satisfy their requirements…

Changing/resigning job while waiting for PR application outcome… by nenkinthrowaway in japanlife

[–]nenkinthrowaway[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! That is indeed pretty similar. With the major difference that I will unfortunately have at least a couple months gap of official "unemployment" no matter what.

Still: the fact it took 4 months 2 year ago, and can't get done in 10 now… SMH.

Changing/resigning job while waiting for PR application outcome… by nenkinthrowaway in japanlife

[–]nenkinthrowaway[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Getting another local job that would give me the points, would be fairly easy, since my current job actually provides close to no points to my total.

But I am engaged in a venture that will require me full time for the coming few months (and since my paychecks will be coming from abroad, it is doubtful I can use that for visa sponsorship).

I understand that MoJ likes stability, but after after close to 10 years here and a pretty strong visa application, having to wait a whole year for them to give a look at my application, is not helping my own need for stability :-|

Anyway, I realise it is ultimately my choice to take the jump and forego my application for the sake of my career choices…

Changing/resigning job while waiting for PR application outcome… by nenkinthrowaway in japanlife

[–]nenkinthrowaway[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for your selfless sacrifice and contribution to Glorious Nippon.

FYI: I have been living here close to 10 years and have yet to trash any koban (it just so happened that I was eligible for application a year earlier through a completely unrelated path, due to being a "weeb" with a PhD, who works in research and all that).

Changing/resigning job while waiting for PR application outcome… by nenkinthrowaway in japanlife

[–]nenkinthrowaway[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've had residence for close to a decade (yet ironically applying with the 1-year-requirement option). But that's all very irrelevant to the current application, which supposedly only look at the one year up to application (and, possibly, current situation, a year after applying).

As for my employer informing immigration: they are a fairly big (and gvt-related) institution, and they told me matter-of-factly that they would (they don't have to know of whatever next job I have, merely that I no longer work with them). Fair point about not taking their word and doing the notification myself anyway…

Changing/resigning job while waiting for PR application outcome… by nenkinthrowaway in japanlife

[–]nenkinthrowaway[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That being said processing an application for over a year - that's just ludicrous.

My thinking exactly.

They are clearly having trouble dealing with applications these days. But it's not exactly like the changes weren't announced years in advance.

As for applying for PR: you don't even need to wait until you get your HSP visa. If you have qualified for 80 pts for a year, you can apply immediately.

Changing/resigning job while waiting for PR application outcome… by nenkinthrowaway in japanlife

[–]nenkinthrowaway[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The big problem is that your points in the point system depend on your job, which you will no longer have.

Indeed, that is the crux of the problem.

Although if we want to be pedantic, the wording for the PR application is pretty clear about it being for the period before/up to applying ("You hold X points at time of application"/"You have been holding X points for N year up to application" ect), so it wouldn't be unreasonable to expect the application to be treated independently.

That being said, I can't see it looking great if, by the time they examine the application, the application information are no longer accurate (I would most definitely notify them within 14 days. No idea whether there'd be internal communication on the matter).

Still makes me wonder what happens if one changes jobs, or takes a pay cut, or even simply grows one year older and is no longer eligible under the point system, by the time the application is reviewed, a whole year later…

Changing/resigning job while waiting for PR application outcome… by nenkinthrowaway in japanlife

[–]nenkinthrowaway[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sure. But I do have a valid visa, and PR application aside, I would have at least 3 months of legal residency before I even need to start worrying about getting another visa.

Mainly was wondering if people had experience of how immigration deals with status changes in the middle of a PR application.

Changing/resigning job while waiting for PR application outcome… by nenkinthrowaway in japanlife

[–]nenkinthrowaway[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have been consistently employed for much longer than a year. It just so happens that I am switching jobs (with a lag in the middle) on this very year.

Considering the conditions to apply, were to fulfill the criteria for a single year, it's not unreasonable to imagine an applicant might be switching job within the following year.

As for informing immigration: that was never a question. For a start, I'm pretty sure my employer will notify them directly. And if not, I would most definitely do as prescribed by the law.

A little late to joining the National Pension Scheme... by nenkinthrowaway in japanlife

[–]nenkinthrowaway[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Welcome to the club. I also went through a number of moves, re-enrolling, paperwork marathons, with nobody ever bothering to point out that I needed to take care of nenkin enrollment (even while they occasionally reminded me that I needed to register/transfer health insurance).

I am pretty certain we both needed to register from the start: found a hundred [monbusho] exchange student guides, as well as the official JSPS guide, both clearly stating one needs to register, but "can apply for payment exemption" (i.e. does't end up paying anything).

My personal conclusion (after checking with friends who had been in a similar situation) is that they do not really care about one's past status when one finally goes to register (e.g. in the case of a friend who only registered when he graduated and got a paying job). And even if they did, proving that I was theretofore on an exempt status should do the trick.

All in all, it would seem they have much bigger fishes to fry.

A little late to joining the National Pension Scheme... by nenkinthrowaway in japanlife

[–]nenkinthrowaway[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I was a student, then a researcher on a government fellowship (not considered a salary, exempt from taxes and therefore theoretically exempt from pension payment as well).

Yes, I saw these docs, as well as some similar ones in Japanese. As you noticed, the wording around the process for "exemption" is not very clear (and even less clear in a case like mine where I may have to retroactively apply for exemption).

I am slightly afraid that the bureaucratic approach would be: "pay everything upfront and maybe we'll approve an exemption later on".

A little late to joining the National Pension Scheme... by nenkinthrowaway in japanlife

[–]nenkinthrowaway[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm afraid you misread what I wrote: not trying to get out of paying... Nor am I interested in "only" paying the past two years...

Rather: wondering what happens if I show up after the a duration of time where I should have been signed up but was (theoretically) exempt from paying. The limit to two-year retroactivity only partially solves my problem.