The PVT Japan (Working Holiday Visa) allows young people aged 18 to 30 to live up to a year in Japan by working to finance their stay. Accessibility, Resident Card, opportunity to work, flexibility, learning culture and language: this hub guide brings together all the concrete benefits of the PVT, with the key figures (quota, hourly wage, cost of living) and the steps to apply.
Accessibility of the PVT: an easy to obtain visa
The PVT Japan is one of the most accessible visas for young Francophones. Annual quota, age conditions, duration: Here are the key figures to know before applying.
Accessible to all and easily. In order to satisfy all future candidates under 30 years of age, the quota of places allocated each year allows for the moment to satisfy all applicants for thePVT Japan. The quota has been set at 1,800 places per year (compared with 1,000 originally) and is generally not reached. For more details, see our dedicated guide.
The TPP for Japan is one year from the date of entry into the country. It shall be renewable only once, subject to conditions, for a maximum additional period of one year. To be eligible, you must: be between 18 and 30 years of age (included) at the time of filing, be a national of a partner country (France, Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, etc.), not be accompanied by dependants, and have health insurance covering the entire duration of the stay.
Once the visa has been obtained, the first step on site is to recover its Resident Card.
Having a Resident Card: the key to Japanese life
The Resident Card is the sesame of your PVT Japan: without it, impossible to work, open a bank account or rent an apartment. Here’s how to get it and what it allows.
Resident Card is a piece of identity that will allow you to live like a Japanese in Japan. With the Resident Card, you will get your My Number, which will allow you to unify administrative procedures between government agencies for things like taxation and social security. With this one you can now work, have a bank account, a phone subscription and even your apartment.
Resident Card is delivered on arrival at the airport (Narita, Haneda, Kansai, Chubu, Fukuoka, New Chitose, Naha). It mentions your residence status (“Designed Activities” for the PVT), its duration (1 year), your name, your nationality and your address. You must declare your address to the city hall of your place of residence within 14 days of your arrival: it is this step that actually activates your status and triggers the creation of your My Number. Always keep it on you: the police can ask at any time.
With this administrative status in order, you can start looking for a job to finance your stay.
Possibility of working: financing your stay
The PVT Japan authorizes paid work without any restrictions of hours or sector, which allows it to finance its stay while discovering the country. These are the sectors that recruit and the salaries to be expected.
With the PVT, you will have the opportunity to work legally in Japan. The money earned will fund your visits and your daily life in Japan. One of the many advantages of the PVT is that it is not necessary to find the work upstream, so you will have time to take your marks before starting the search.
The sectors that recruit the PVTists the most are catering (izakaya, ramen, cafes), sales (konbini, department stores), hotels (ryokans, hotels), teaching French or English (language schools, private lessons), and seasonal agriculture (Hokkaido, Kyushu). The legal minimum hourly wage varies according to prefectures: about 1,050 yen in Tokyo, 1,000 yen in Osaka, 950 yen in Kyoto, 900 yen in Hiroshima. Count 1,200 to 1,500 yen/hour for a job in language school or tourist catering.
This work in a foreign country will be a very interesting experience to add to your resume, which will make it easier for you to value your experience in Japan (often seen by employers as a vacation year). In addition, it will be an additional way for you to integrate into Japanese society, enriching your experience all the more.
The cost of living in Japan is moderate for a PVTist: 60,000-90,000 yen per month for sharehouse or guest house accommodation (excluding Tokyo), 30,000-45,000 yen for food, 10,000 yen for transportation, and 5,000-100,000 yen for telephone and internet. Therefore, 25 hours of work per week at the minimum wage covers these expenses.
However, work is only one way to finance the stay: the flexibility of the visa allows you to freely organize your time.
Flexibility: a year to compose your stay
The PVT Japan offers total freedom: no obligation to work, no route imposed, no minimum duration constraint. You organize your year as you wish.
Once you arrive in Japan, you will be completely free from your activities and travels. Few restrictions will apply to you and so you can organize yourself as you wish for a year. Whether you prefer to visit the country first before you land to work or the other way around, you will have plenty of time to adapt.
This freedom has a framework: the visa remains a cultural tourist visa, not a work visa.
Learning a culture and language: the immersive experience
The PVT Japan is primarily a cultural and tourist visa: it allows you to discover the country in depth, learn or perfect your Japanese, and get out of the Tokyo-Hiroshima “golden road”.
As the working holiday visa is a long stay visa with a main tourist purpose, it is not suitable for projects of less than 6 months duration. Detailed visits to the project must justify the need for a long-stay visa. Although work is allowed in order to supplement its financial resources, it cannot under any circumstances be the main objective of the stay, which must remain mainly touristic.
This allows you to discover the country: you are not limited and are not obliged to do only the golden road from Japan (Tokyo to Hiroshima). You can explore Hokkaido, Tohoku, Shikoku, Kyushu, Okinawa, and get off the beaten track. This will also allow you to learn or perfect your Japanese basics: once in the country, especially in Japan, you will have all the opportunity to speak only in Japanese. Language schools (japanese language schools) welcome the PVTists for sessions of 3, 6 or 12 months, starting at 150 000 yen per quarter (excluding accommodation).
The PVT Japan is a unique experience: a year to discover the country differently, work to finance your stay, learn language and culture, and live as a local. Accessible, flexible and culturally rich, it is aimed at all young people aged 18 to 30 who want to go beyond the simple tourist journey. All you have to do is prepare his file, book his ticket, and start.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Japan’s PVT
Limit age, quota, salary, cost of living, approaches: Here are the concrete answers to the most frequent questions of the future PVTists.
What is the age limit for a PVT in Japan?
The PVT Japan is open to persons between 18 and 30 years of age included at the time of filing. Specifically, you must have celebrated your 18th birthday and have not exceeded your 31st birthday before the application date. Some partner countries (Argentina, Australia, Canada) allow a limit of 35 years, but this is not the case for France, Belgium or Switzerland.
There is no qualification or level of Japanese required. On the other hand, a passport valid for at least 18 months must be provided, health insurance covering the entire duration of the stay (about 300 to 600 € according to the formula), proof of sufficient funds for the start of the stay (about 2,000 to 3,000 €), and a return ticket or proof of means to buy it.
What is the annual quota of PVT for Japan?
The annual quota of the PVT Japan is set at 1,800 places per year for France. It is generally far from being achieved: in practice, all complete and eligible files are accepted, without selection by lot or interview. The quota was increased from 1,000 to 1,800 places to absorb demand.
The file is filed with the Japanese embassy or consulate in your country of residence, usually by appointment. Treatment time ranges from 2 to 6 weeks. The visa issued is valid for 3 months to enter Japan and 1 year from the date of entry. It is renewable once for an additional 1 year, subject to conditions (activity justification, financial resources).
How much can we earn with a PVT in Japan?
The legal minimum hourly wage depends on the prefecture: about 1,050 yen in Tokyo, 1,000 yen in Osaka, 950 yen in Kyoto, 900 yen in Hiroshima, 850 yen in rural areas. The jobs available to the PVTists (restoration, konbini, hotel) usually pay the minimum or slightly more (1 100 to 1 300 yen/hour). Work at 25 hours per week at the minimum wage earns about 110,000 yen/month gross, or about 90,000 to 95,000 yen net after contributions.
The cost of living varies greatly: 60,000-90,000 yen/month for sharehouse or guest house accommodation (excluding Tokyo), 30,000-45,000 yen for food, 10,000 yen for transport and 5,000-100,000 yen for telephone. A PVTist who works part-time therefore covers his current expenses without drawing on his savings.
What are the steps to obtain a PVT Japan?
The procedures are carried out in 4 stages: 1) to assemble the documents (passport, identity photo, application form, CV, cover letter, health insurance, proof of funds, return ticket); 2) to make an appointment with the competent Japanese consulate (Paris, Lyon, Brussels, Geneva, Montreal); 3) to present the file (receipt fee of around 20 to 30 €); 4) to retrieve the visa within 2 to 6 weeks.
Upon arrival at the airport, present your immigration passport: Resident Card is issued to you immediately. Report your address to the town hall of your place of residence within 14 days. Count 1 to 2 months from start to actual departure.
Can we renew our PVT Japan?
Yes, the PVT Japan is renewable once, for a maximum of one additional year. The application must be filed at least 3 months prior to the expiry of the initial visa, with the Immigration Office of your place of residence.
Renewal is not automatic: one must justify an activity (work, Japanese courses, volunteerism) and sufficient financial resources. The acceptance rate is high (more than 90% depending on PVT returns), but applications filed without proof of activity are refused. Count 4,000 yen of case fees and 2 to 4 weeks of treatment.
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