Moving to Japan from the US, Canada or the UK

For people with a Japanese job offer, remote workers who want six months there, and young Canadians and Britons on a working holiday. How each route works and what it asks for.

Japan works differently from most countries in this guide series. Living there long term almost always starts with a Japanese employer. The routes that do not need one are short or narrow: six months for well-paid remote workers, a year for young Canadians and Britons, or a business visa with a high capital test. This guide walks through each so you can see which one fits.

How Japanese visas work

Japan grants a “status of residence” that matches what you will do there. For most long stays, someone in Japan first applies for a Certificate of Eligibility through a regional immigration bureau. You then take it to a Japanese embassy or consulate for the visa. For work visas, your employer usually handles the first step.

The main ways in

Work visa with a Japanese employer. This is the main long-term route. You need a job offer or contract with an organisation in Japan. You usually also need a degree related to the job or substantial professional experience. High earners can use the Highly Skilled Professional option, which scores education, career, salary, age and Japanese ability. A score of 70 points or more brings faster permanent residence. Your spouse and children can join you on Dependent status.

Digital nomad visa. This suits remote employees and freelancers who want up to six months in Japan. You need annual income of at least JPY 10 million, shown by a tax or income certificate. You also need private medical insurance with at least JPY 10 million of medical cover for the whole stay. You must work for an employer or clients abroad, not for anyone in Japan. US, Canadian and UK citizens meet the nationality test. The stay cannot be extended. After you leave, you must wait six months before applying again. A spouse or child can come with you for the same six months.

Working holiday visa (Canadian and UK citizens only). If you are 18 to 30, you can spend up to a year in Japan, travelling and taking casual work. Since 1 December 2024, Canadians and Britons can take part twice: two years in a row or two separate years. Japan sets yearly caps of 6,283 visas for Canada and 6,000 for the UK. You cannot bring dependants. You must show a return ticket or the money to buy one, plus funds for the start of your stay. The embassy in each country sets that amount. Japan has no working holiday arrangement with the US.

Business Manager visa. This suits entrepreneurs who will run a company in Japan. Since 16 October 2025, the rules are much stricter. You need at least JPY 30 million in capital, up from JPY 5 million. You also need one full-time employee who is Japanese or a long-term resident, an independent office, and a business plan checked by a professional. These details come from professional advisers, not the immigration agency’s own page, so confirm them before you plan around this route.

See every route below for the full rules on each.

Money and tax

Japan taxes you according to how long you have lived there. For tax purposes, a “non-permanent resident” is a foreign national who has lived in Japan for five years or less in the past ten. Non-permanent residents pay Japanese tax on Japanese income and on foreign income paid into or sent to Japan. After that, Japan taxes worldwide income. A stay of six months or less, such as on the digital nomad visa, usually leaves you a non-resident for tax. Confirm with Japan’s National Tax Agency or an adviser.

US citizens stay liable for US tax on worldwide income wherever they live. The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion and foreign tax credits can reduce double tax.

Timeline and your first weeks

1. Choose your status first. Your status sets what you may do in Japan, so pick the one that matches your plans.
2. Get your Certificate of Eligibility. For work and digital nomad stays, this comes before the visa. Working holiday applicants go straight to the Japanese embassy or consulate in their own country.
3. Apply for the visa. Processing times are not published for these routes, so allow plenty of time.
4. Register your address. Working holiday participants must register at the local municipal office within 14 days of settling. Check the rule for your own status when you arrive.

What catches people out

• The digital nomad visa is a long visit, not a move. It gives no residence card, no extension and no route to permanent residence.
• No US working holiday. Younger Americans need a job offer, a study place or the digital nomad route instead.
• Permanent residence takes time. Secondary sources describe a general guideline of about 10 years’ residence. Highly Skilled Professionals can apply after three years with 70 points, or one year with 80.
• Citizenship means giving up your old passport. Japan generally requires naturalised citizens to give up other nationalities. News reports say a practical 10-year residence threshold applies from 1 April 2026.
• Our table has no retirement or student route for Japan yet. We have not verified one, so we do not describe it here.

This is general information, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Check each requirement with the Immigration Services Agency or your nearest Japanese embassy before you apply.