4 ms·

How about the VISA to get talent tech people in Japan? How does it work?

by aprdm 11y ago

patio11 11y ago
File this under "doable but not easy." If you need specific instructions, they're often situation-specific and outside the scope of an HN comment. Email me and I'll data-dump about it. (Offer open to any HNer at essentially any time.) The high percentage options are a) spouse of Japanese national, b) engineering status of residence (need to be able to demonstrate approximately ~3 million yen a year in income and an ongoing contract with one or more Japanese companies, and it is highly to your advantage if they're established old-line companies), and possibly, c) intra-company transfers (easiest to accomplish for established startups with significant ex-Japan operations), and possibly d) the new point-based immigration system.
- caser 11y ago
  Is it that tough? As a freelancer, I'm sure it's not easy, but as a funded company hiring engineers with college degrees, I thought it was relatively straightforward either with the Engineering visa or by somehow classifying the work under the Specialist in Humanities visa. (btw will be back in Tokyo in September, would love to buy you coffee)
  - mikekchar 11y ago
    I believe it is easy to hire people with the Engineering visa. I was looking into it recently, as I was considering hiring someone, but it looks like I don't need to at the moment, so I haven't looked at the details closely. My understanding is that the main issue you might have is a small capital requirement and/or income to show that you can support the employee. I've talked with people who have sponsored foreign English teachers and they have told me that they had absolutely no difficulty (though this was several years ago -- things might have changed). I haven't actually read the fine article yet, but I'm not really sure what would attract people to doing start ups in Japan. Hiring locals is difficult because of the way the job system works -- people don't change jobs every few years. It's quite a bit cheaper to live here than many other places in the world, but it is culturally very different. I spent 5 years here teaching English amongst many young (mostly American) colleagues. I wouldn't bring people over here unless you are prepared to help them out a lot when they inevitably get in trouble (shuddering recalling the experience of having to help my colleague who punched a police officer). It's a big commitment. Also, unless you have a lot of experience with Japanese culture yourself, it can be a bit tricky to handle all of the business issues. For my business, I write code and leave all the business issue to my Japanese wife (even though I am quite fluent in Japanese). Without her and my accountant, I would be lost. But, of course, Japan is an amazing place if you are the kind of person who fits in here. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.
  - unsignedint 11y ago
    Actually, they have combined "Engineering," "Specialist in Humanities" and "International Operation" into one category now. From what I know, it sounds like it is relatively simple to hire someone with college degrees, as long as receiving company can demonstrate they will be able to support (e.g. Company's big enough, making profit, etc.), but having even one factor outside of these parameters can severely make this complicated or impossible.
- sampo 11y ago
  > File this under "doable but not easy." Does that mean it's easier to bring foreign hires into Japan, or into US?
6t6t6 11y ago
If you have a degree in STEM, it is easy for a Japanese company to get a VISA for you. But you need to find a company that is willing to sponsor you, and speaking Japanese is a requirement for most of them. I mean if is not impossible to find a tech job where only English is required, but you will have to compete with a lot of other candidates from different nationalities; whereas if you are bilingual and you have an acceptable CV, finding a job is extremely easy. In some cases, maybe even easier than for a Japanese who is monolingual.

How about the VISA to get talent tech people in Japan? How does it work?

by aprdm 11y ago

How about the VISA to get talent tech people in Japan? How does it work?

File this under "doable but not easy." If you need specific instructions, they're often situation-specific and outside the scope of an HN comment. Email me and I'll data-dump about it. (Offer open to any HNer at essentially any time.) The high percentage options are a) spouse of Japanese national, b) engineering status of residence (need to be able to demonstrate approximately ~3 million yen a year in income and an ongoing contract with one or more Japanese companies, and it is highly to your advantage if they're established old-line companies), and possibly, c) intra-company transfers (easiest to accomplish for established startups with significant ex-Japan operations), and possibly d) the new point-based immigration system.

caser 11y ago
Is it that tough? As a freelancer, I'm sure it's not easy, but as a funded company hiring engineers with college degrees, I thought it was relatively straightforward either with the Engineering visa or by somehow classifying the work under the Specialist in Humanities visa. (btw will be back in Tokyo in September, would love to buy you coffee)
- mikekchar 11y ago
  I believe it is easy to hire people with the Engineering visa. I was looking into it recently, as I was considering hiring someone, but it looks like I don't need to at the moment, so I haven't looked at the details closely. My understanding is that the main issue you might have is a small capital requirement and/or income to show that you can support the employee. I've talked with people who have sponsored foreign English teachers and they have told me that they had absolutely no difficulty (though this was several years ago -- things might have changed). I haven't actually read the fine article yet, but I'm not really sure what would attract people to doing start ups in Japan. Hiring locals is difficult because of the way the job system works -- people don't change jobs every few years. It's quite a bit cheaper to live here than many other places in the world, but it is culturally very different. I spent 5 years here teaching English amongst many young (mostly American) colleagues. I wouldn't bring people over here unless you are prepared to help them out a lot when they inevitably get in trouble (shuddering recalling the experience of having to help my colleague who punched a police officer). It's a big commitment. Also, unless you have a lot of experience with Japanese culture yourself, it can be a bit tricky to handle all of the business issues. For my business, I write code and leave all the business issue to my Japanese wife (even though I am quite fluent in Japanese). Without her and my accountant, I would be lost. But, of course, Japan is an amazing place if you are the kind of person who fits in here. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.
- unsignedint 11y ago
  Actually, they have combined "Engineering," "Specialist in Humanities" and "International Operation" into one category now. From what I know, it sounds like it is relatively simple to hire someone with college degrees, as long as receiving company can demonstrate they will be able to support (e.g. Company's big enough, making profit, etc.), but having even one factor outside of these parameters can severely make this complicated or impossible.
sampo 11y ago
> File this under "doable but not easy." Does that mean it's easier to bring foreign hires into Japan, or into US?

6t6t6 11y ago

If you have a degree in STEM, it is easy for a Japanese company to get a VISA for you. But you need to find a company that is willing to sponsor you, and speaking Japanese is a requirement for most of them. I mean if is not impossible to find a tech job where only English is required, but you will have to compete with a lot of other candidates from different nationalities; whereas if you are bilingual and you have an acceptable CV, finding a job is extremely easy. In some cases, maybe even easier than for a Japanese who is monolingual.