Hello,
I cannot go into details about what I did for work or how it ended.. But I am here with an open visa for the next 2 1/2 years and it's kind of a bummer things did not fit as I just got everything ready in my apartment in Oki (even got a car). 4 postdocs in neuroscience, data scientist specialized in AI, built a deep tech start-up from the ground up and ran it for 5 years, raising over 1M. No Japanese though. Any chance of staying? I have PR in Oz and am Canadian so no stress but I'd like to stay here if I can. Any advice appreciated.
by Eidgare
7 comments
Depends what you want / where your heart is really.
If that was $1M and not ¥1M, you can afford a business manager visa, copy-paste your startup plan, take time to figure out what you’re going to try.
For neuroscience, there are a couple of options here, but omg so many more even in Oz… most obv in the us of a.
If you want to stay here, then it’s probably worth finding something else. If you are fine going elsewhere for better pay/opportunities, then it is probably not worth finding something else. Only you can really answer this question.
For Neuroscience or Health Science it has to be EU or USA for cutting edge talent and hungry market
Lot more going on in Tokyo. Things will get a bit quiet for a couple weeks around the end and start of the year but you should reach to specialist headhunters ASAP and network directly with potential employers, as well. Get some interest and interviews going. Some roles could be remote and allow you to live down there but there are a lot more potential opportunities here in Tokyo, obviously.
Is your question about job prospects or about the logistics of continuing to live in Japan on a visa that will expire and not renew?
Make sure you report your job loss to hello work so you get an unemployment certificate and to immigration via their website. You’ll need the certificate to get a discount for national health insurance, which you MUST have if you don’t have private health insurance. You’ll need to ask directly for the unemployment discount, it’s not automatic, check the city home page. Also go to the pension office and report your unemployment so they will pause requests for payment. You will still have to pay residence tax afaik, no discount for that.
> I am here with an open visa for the next 2 1/2 years
There is no such thing as “an open visa”. In Japan, all status of residence (SOR) are activity based, and the holder is required to be actively performing the stipulated activity of their SOR. If you have left your job, actively job hunting counts as a valid activity.
Generally, you have 3 months to secure a new job (unless your SOR expires before this). Even if you take longer than 3m, you’re generally ok as long as you’re actively job hunting up until your current SOR expires – but for most, it is difficult to remain in Japan without any income for an extended period of time.
When you find a new job, if it is within the same scope as your SOR, you can start immediately. However, if it is not, you will need to submit an application to switch. Do note that you can’t start work (or even begin unpaid training) until you receive it. This can take anything between 3-12 weeks, or longer.
Do also keep in mind, you need to inform immigration within 14 days of leaving your job, and again when you start a new job. This can be done online.
Pretty much all visa types are “activity based”, as such, you can only remain here if you’re “doing something”. Other SORs you can perhaps look into include:
[Student](https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/long/visa6.html) visas are for full time study, regardless if it’s language school, or postgraduate studies. IMO, language school fees are pretty reasonable for the number of contact hours. You would also be limited to working only up to 28h per week.
An alternative you could look into is “[cultural activities](https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/long/visa5.html)”, but even then, my understanding is you need to be pursuing that activity “full time” under the guidance of an expert, with similar contact hours as a full-time student; and it may also be harder to get permission to work (compared to a student visa).
If you’re already working on your own, and raking in enough to get by, and money is not a problem; perhaps consult with an “immigration lawyer” and see if it would be possible for you to start-up a business here, doing what you do, under a [Business Manager](https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/long/visa1.html) visa. However, the requirements for this were raised recently, and might be out of reach for some.
If [getting married](https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/long/visa10.html) is an option open to you, you could look into that, although some might say it’s more demanding than full time work.
There is also the [long Stay for sightseeing and recreation](https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page22e_000738.html) visa. This is probably the only visa that will let you stay here without doing much at all – but you do need to have cash in the bank, and your own health insurance. I don’ t think you’re allowed to work while you’re on this however.
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