I just got back from my first trip to Japan at the end of March. I was there for almost 3 weeks and really fell in love with the country. I had often joked with friends about retiring there, but having thought about it since I’ve been back it seems like a decent idea.
For background, I’m a mid-fifties Canadian who has another five or so years in my current job. After that, I will retire with a decent pension and some savings. I was looking at visa requirements for permanent residence and determined I have about 70 points.
I could increase that by trying to get professionally accredited as a lawyer in Japan, or learning the language (including kanji/kana). Both of those would be difficult, and are probably not mutually exclusive (i.e. I’m not sure I could do one without the other). I am working on my conversational Japanese (Rosetta Stone & Pimsleur), but the level of fluency required to pass the language test must be significantly higher.
I’m trying to get a sense from those who’ve made the move as to whether or not I should push to significantly improve my language skills (reading/writing). I could work when I get there, although I don’t have to in order to get by. But if it speeds up my ability to obtain permanent residence, I would do it.
Thoughts? And are there other pitfalls/hurdles I haven’t considered/don’t know? Answers & links to online resources would be greatly appreciated!
by Beneficial_Radish547