Working Holiday Visas from Japan: Country Matrix & Age Limits

Japan has working holiday arrangements with 32 countries and regions (as of 1 April 2026), letting Japanese nationals aged 18 to 30 holiday abroad and take incidental work to fund the trip.¹ The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA, 外務省) sets a common baseline, but each partner sets its own age wording, annual places, funds, insurance and work rules. This guide compares all 32 partners, details the most-used schemes, and lists what to settle in Japan before you leave.

Annual visa grant numbers and long-term trends are covered in the article on official statistics on Japanese living abroad; this guide covers eligibility, conditions and the application process.

What Is the Working Holiday Scheme and How Does Japan’s Network Compare?

The Purpose: Holiday First, Work Incidental

A working holiday (Wakingu Horide ワーキング・ホリデー) is a holiday visa that permits work, not a work visa. MOFA describes bilateral arrangements (二国・地域間の取決め等) under which each side lets young people from the other enter mainly for a holiday and take incidental work to supplement their travel and living funds, with the aim of mutual understanding.¹ Japan’s first arrangement was with Australia in 1980.¹²

Host governments agree. The German Embassy in Tokyo writes “It is not a working visa!”, and Australia’s Department of Home Affairs suggests a work visa if work is your main purpose.³⁴

MOFA’s Common Eligibility Conditions

MOFA lists the main conditions that generally apply across all partners (as of October 2026).¹ Each partner words them differently, so treat this list as a baseline:

You are a Japanese national living in Japan.
You intend mainly to spend a holiday in the partner country or region.
You are 18 to 30 at the time of the visa application. With Australia, Canada, South Korea and Ireland the arrangement says 18 to 25, but applicants up to 30 may apply where that government’s authorities allow.
You are not accompanied by children or other dependants.
You hold a valid passport and a return ticket, or the funds to buy one, plus funds for the first part of your stay.
You are in good health.
You have not been issued a working holiday visa by that partner before, unless the arrangement has been revised.

The binding detail sits with each partner, not with MOFA. MOFA tells applicants to check the partner’s embassy or consulate in Japan; for Taiwan, that is the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan.¹ The age test applies on the application date: Australia, for example, can still grant the visa if you apply at 30 and turn 31 before the decision.⁴

Partners apply the “living in Japan” condition differently (as of October 2026). Canada requires an address in Japan, Germany asks for proof of address such as a registration sheet or a recent gas bill, South Korea asks for a residence certificate (Juminhyo 住民票), and Hong Kong requires residence in the home country.⁵³⁶⁷ Australia, the UK and New Zealand base eligibility on citizenship and passport, and their pages state no residence-in-Japan condition.⁴⁸⁹

One Visa per Partner, With Recent Exceptions

The default is one working holiday per partner. MOFA records revisions dated 1 December 2024 (New Zealand, Canada, the UK, Denmark and Austria), 1 January 2025 (Germany, Ireland and Slovakia), 1 October 2025 (South Korea) and 1 February 2026 (Taiwan).¹ For Japanese nationals, the result is a second participation in Canada, Slovakia, South Korea and Taiwan, while the UK has allowed stays of up to 2 years in one visa since 2008 (as of October 2026).¹²

The other revisions run one way only. The changes with New Zealand, Denmark, Austria, Germany and Ireland let their nationals come to Japan twice but give Japanese nationals no second visa (as of October 2026).¹ New Zealand, the UK, France and Hong Kong confirm on their own pages that a Japanese participant can take part only once.⁹⁸¹⁰⁷

Canada and South Korea publish their own start dates. IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) dates Canada’s second participation from 1 April 2025, while 1 December 2024 is MOFA’s date for the revised arrangement.⁵¹ The Korean Embassy dates its rule from 1 October 2025; in both schemes, past participants may take part once more.⁵⁶

Do not confuse a second participation with Australia’s second and third visas, which are earned through specified work (see the working rights section).¹¹¹²

Global Destination Matrix: 32 Partners, Places, Age Ceilings and Stay Length

Table 1: All 32 Partners (MOFA Data)

MOFA lists every partner, its start year and the annual places for Japanese nationals (as of 1 April 2026; no later edition was found as of October 2026).¹² “No cap” means no annual limit in the Japan-to-partner direction; where directions differ, the figure is for Japanese nationals going to the partner.

#	Partner	Start	Annual places for Japanese nationals	Second participation for Japanese nationals
1	Australia	1980	No cap	No (further visas only through specified work)
2	New Zealand	1985	No cap	No
3	Canada	1986	6,283	Yes
4	South Korea	1999	10,000	Yes (from 1 October 2025)
5	France	2000 (MOFA’s English page: provisionally from December 1999)	1,800	No
6	Germany	2000	No cap	No
7	United Kingdom	2001	6,000	No (up to 2 years in one visa)
8	Ireland	2007	800	No
9	Denmark	2007	No cap	No
10	Taiwan	2009	10,000	Yes (from 1 February 2026)
11	Hong Kong	2010	1,500	No
12	Norway	2013	No cap	No
13	Portugal	2015	No cap	No
14	Poland	2015	500	No
15	Slovakia	2016	400	Yes (from 1 January 2025)
16	Austria	2016	200	No
17	Hungary	2017	200	No
18	Spain	2017	700	No
19	Argentina	2017	200 (Argentina to Japan: 400)	No
20	Chile	2018	200	No
21	Iceland	2018	30	No
22	Czech Republic	2018	400	No
23	Lithuania	2019	100	No
24	Sweden	2020	No cap	No
25	Estonia	2020	No cap (Estonia to Japan: 100)	No
26	Netherlands	2020	200	No
27	Uruguay	2023	100	No
28	Finland	2023	No cap (Finland to Japan: 200)	No
29	Latvia	2023	100	No
30	Luxembourg	2024	100	No
31	Malta	2026	100	No
32	Italy	2026	500	No

Source: MOFA, as of 1 April 2026.¹ Check the partner’s embassy page before applying.

The age baseline is 18 to 30 for every partner.¹ Stay length and other conditions are set by each partner: Table 2 covers ten destinations, and for the other 22 the partner’s embassy or consulate in Japan publishes the binding conditions.¹

Table 2: Detailed Conditions for the Most-Used Destinations

Every figure in this table is volatile (as of October 2026) and comes from the destination’s immigration authority or its embassy in Japan. “Check the embassy page” marks a point no official page could confirm for this guide.

Destination	Age at application	Maximum stay	Minimum funds	Health insurance	Application channel	Fee
Australia (subclass 417)⁴¹³¹⁴	18 to 30; apply by midnight Australian Eastern time on the day before turning 31	12 months from first entry; up to 2 further 417 visas through specified work	Usually about AUD 5,000, plus the fare for leaving Australia	Not required; strongly recommended; Japan has no reciprocal health care agreement with Australia	Online (ImmiAccount); first visa applied for and decided outside Australia	AUD 840 for a first 417; AUD 1,000 for any other 417 applicant (from 1 July 2026)
Canada (IEC Working Holiday)⁵¹⁵¹⁶	18 to 30 inclusive	Up to 12 months per participation; 2 participations	CAD 2,500	Mandatory for the whole stay (medical care, hospitalisation, repatriation)	IRCC online: profile, invitation, work permit application, port of entry letter	IEC fee CAD 184.75 plus open work permit holder fee CAD 100; biometrics CAD 85 if required
United Kingdom (Youth Mobility Scheme)¹⁷⁸¹⁸	18 to 30 when you apply	Up to 24 months	GBP 2,530 held for 28 days in a row	Immigration Health Surcharge GBP 776 a year (GBP 1,552 for 2 years), paid with the application	Online, from outside the UK	GBP 340
New Zealand⁹¹⁹²⁰	18 to 30	Up to 12 months, plus up to 3 months through the Working Holiday Extension Work Visa after seasonal work	NZD 4,200, plus ticket money on top	Not required for the Japan scheme; Immigration New Zealand may ask for proof of medical insurance	Online	From NZD 770
Ireland¹²¹	18 to 25, up to 30 where the authorities allow (MOFA)	Up to 1 year	Check the embassy page	Check the embassy page	Application form emailed to the Embassy in Tokyo during fixed windows	Check the embassy page
Germany³¹	18 to 30 (MOFA; confirm with the Embassy)	1 year; no extension in Germany	EUR 2,000 (EUR 4,000 without a return ticket)	Mandatory: health insurance of at least EUR 30,000 plus liability or accident insurance of at least EUR 30,000	Appointment at the Embassy in Tokyo or the Consulate General in Osaka-Kobe, or at the local foreigners’ authority after entering Germany	Free for Japanese citizens
France¹⁰	18 to 30 (until the day before the 31st birthday)	1 year; mainland France only; no extension or change of status	Bank balance of at least EUR 3,100, plus the return airfare	Mandatory: illness, injury and hospitalisation for 1 year from arrival; credit-card insurance not accepted	In person by appointment at the Embassy’s consular section in Tokyo	Free
South Korea (H-1)⁶¹	18 to 25, up to 30 where the authorities allow (MOFA); applicants over 25 submit a statement of reasons	Check the embassy page	Bank balance certificate required; amount not stated	Mandatory: at least 10 months and at least KRW 40 million	The Embassy’s designated working holiday desk only (from 1 July 2026)	Check the embassy page
Taiwan¹²²	18 to 30 (MOFA)	180 days, extendable once in Taiwan to 1 year from entry (Yokohama Branch terms)	¥250,000 or more (Yokohama Branch terms)	Overseas travel insurance for 1 year or more (Yokohama Branch terms)	Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan, at the office for your prefecture	Free (Yokohama Branch terms)
Hong Kong⁷	18 to 30	Up to 12 months; extension not normally considered	At least HKD 20,000	“Sufficient medical insurance”	Online application to the Immigration Department (e-Visa)	Free for Japanese citizens

How to Read the Matrix: Places, Timing and Competition

“No cap” and a fixed number of places work differently. Nine partners set no annual limit for Japanese nationals: Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Estonia and Finland (as of October 2026).¹ The official pages reviewed for this guide do not say whether or when any capped scheme runs out of places, so check early in the year.

Allocation methods also differ (as of October 2026). Canada invites candidates from a pool in rounds of invitations, Ireland accepts applications only in fixed windows, and Hong Kong approves qualified applications first-come, first-served within its quota.²³²¹⁷

Big Three Deep Dive: Australia (Subclass 417), Canada (IEC), and UK (Youth Mobility Scheme)

Australia: Working Holiday Visa (Subclass 417)

Japanese passport holders can apply from 18 to 30 (as of October 2026); the limit of 35 applies only to some other passports, such as those of Canada, France, Ireland and the UK.⁴ You must enter within 12 months of grant, time spent outside Australia does not extend the 12-month stay, and Home Affairs expects average processing of around three months.⁴

The visa application charge is AUD 840 for a first 417 and AUD 1,000 for any other 417 applicant from 1 July 2026 (as of October 2026).¹³ Home Affairs strongly recommends health insurance because you are personally liable for all healthcare costs, and Japan has no Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with Australia.⁴¹⁴

You can do any kind of work and study for up to 4 months (17 weeks), usually with only 6 months per employer under visa condition 8547.⁴²⁴ Dependent children cannot accompany you at any time.⁴

Canada: International Experience Canada (IEC) Working Holiday

Japan’s only IEC category, Working Holiday, gives an open work permit for most employers anywhere in Canada (as of October 2026).²⁵²⁶ You also need a valid Japanese passport for the whole stay, because the work permit cannot outlast it, and a round-trip ticket or the money for a departure ticket.⁵

Applying is a multi-step online process (as of October 2026). You create a profile and enter a pool; if invited, you have 10 days to accept and then 20 days to submit the work permit application.²³¹⁵ IRCC’s service standard is 56 days, and approval brings a port of entry letter that you present on arrival.²⁷²⁸

Insurance shorter than your stay shortens your permit. IRCC issues a work permit that expires when your insurance does, so buy cover for medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation for the full period, ideally after the port of entry letter arrives.¹⁵²⁸ A medical exam is required before applying if you plan to work in health, primary or secondary education, or child or elderly care, or recently spent 6 months or more in certain countries.¹⁵

United Kingdom: Youth Mobility Scheme Visa

Japanese nationals aged 18 to 30 apply directly; there is no ballot for Japan (as of October 2026).⁸ The GOV.UK eligibility page names Hong Kong (SAR passport) and Taiwan as ballot countries, and Japanese nationals have applied directly since early 2024, when the allocation rose from 1,500 to 6,000.⁸²⁹ The 2026 allocation for Japan is 6,000 places.²⁹

The visa lasts up to 24 months, and you may enter and leave freely (as of October 2026).¹⁷ Savings of GBP 2,530 must be held for at least 28 days in a row, with day 28 within 31 days of applying.⁸ You apply from outside the UK, up to 6 months before travel, and a decision usually comes within 3 weeks.³⁰¹⁷

Work is broadly open, with clear limits. You can work in most jobs and be self-employed only if your premises are rented, your equipment is worth no more than GBP 5,000 and you have no employees; professional sport is barred.¹⁷ Only nationals of Australia, Canada and New Zealand can extend, so a Japanese participant’s stay ends at 24 months, and you cannot apply if you have already been in the UK under the scheme.¹⁷⁸

Choosing Between Them

The three schemes differ most on length, extension route and insurance model (as of October 2026). The comparison ranks nothing.¹⁴¹³⁵¹⁶¹⁷⁸¹⁸

Feature	Australia (417)	Canada (IEC)	United Kingdom (YMS)
Maximum stay	12 months per visa; up to 3 visas through specified work	12 months per participation; 2 participations	24 months in one visa; no extension
Annual places for Japan	No cap	6,283	6,000
Funds	Usually about AUD 5,000, plus onward fare	CAD 2,500	GBP 2,530, held 28 days
Health cover	Recommended, not required	Mandatory for the whole stay	Immigration Health Surcharge paid with the application
Main fees	AUD 840 (first visa)	CAD 184.75 plus CAD 100	GBP 340 plus the surcharge
Main work limit	Usually 6 months per employer	Medical exam for some occupations	Self-employment conditions; no professional sport

Other Popular Destinations: New Zealand, Ireland, Germany, France, South Korea and Taiwan

New Zealand allows temporary jobs for up to 12 months and study or training for up to 6 months, but no permanent job or business ownership (as of October 2026).⁹ The Japan scheme is exempt from New Zealand’s working holiday insurance rule, though Immigration New Zealand may ask for proof of medical insurance.¹⁹⁹ After at least 3 months of seasonal horticulture or viticulture work, you can apply for up to 3 more months through the Working Holiday Extension Work Visa.²⁰

Ireland accepts emailed application forms only in fixed windows (as of October 2026). In 2026 these were 15 January to 6 February (travel by 30 September 2026) and 15 to 31 July (travel from 1 October 2026 to 20 March 2027).²¹ Age wording, funds, insurance and fees could not be confirmed on an Irish official page for this guide, so check the Embassy’s pages.

Germany asks for a CV and motivation letter, and Japanese citizens may also apply at the local foreigners’ authority (Ausländerbehörde) after entering (as of October 2026).³ Language courses may not exceed 20 hours a week or run full time for the whole stay, and you may work for one employer for at most one year in total.³ The national visa also allows tourist visits to other Schengen countries for up to 90 days in any 180.³

France wants a health certificate and bank certificate each issued within 1 month, and the Embassy states that it recognises no intermediary or agency (as of October 2026).¹⁰

South Korea accepts no travel agency applications under its desk-only procedure, and stay length, the funds amount and the fee were not stated on the Embassy pages reviewed for this guide (as of October 2026).⁶

Taiwan offers a second participation from 1 February 2026 (as of October 2026).¹ The Representative Office’s Yokohama Branch publishes a 180-day visa extendable once in Taiwan to 1 year from entry, a bank balance of ¥250,000 or more, travel insurance for 1 year or more and no visa fee; other offices may publish their own versions, so check the office for your prefecture (as of October 2026).²²

Hong Kong limits Japanese citizens to 6 months with one employer and courses totalling up to 6 months, and rules out permanent employment (as of October 2026).⁷

Proof of Funds and Financial Requirements at Immigration Entry

Funds Rules Compared

Funds are checked at different points (as of October 2026). The UK, Germany, France, South Korea and Hong Kong want evidence with the application, for example a German bankbook covering 3 months or a blocked account.⁸³¹⁰⁶⁷ Australia recommends sending evidence with the application, and New Zealand may ask for it after you apply.⁴⁹

Carry proof when you travel as well. Canada may ask to see your insurance on arrival, Germany recommends carrying proof of funds and insurance, and New Zealand may refuse entry if you cannot show onward travel or the money to leave (as of October 2026).²⁸³⁹ Amounts are not converted into yen here because exchange rates move.

Return Ticket or Funds for One, and Insurance as a Financial Requirement

MOFA’s baseline requires a return ticket or the funds to buy one, on top of living funds.¹ New Zealand and France both say the ticket money is separate from the living-funds figure (as of October 2026).⁹¹⁰

Insurance is a visa condition in some schemes and only advice in others (as of October 2026). It is mandatory for Canada, Germany, France, South Korea and Hong Kong, recommended but not required for Australia and New Zealand’s Japan scheme, and replaced by the Immigration Health Surcharge in the UK.⁵³¹⁰⁶⁷⁴¹⁹¹⁸ Choosing a policy that matches each wording is covered in the guide to health insurance for digital nomads and long-term travellers.

Working Rights: Employer Limits, Study Limits and Second-Year Extensions

Employer, Occupation and Study Restrictions

None of the schemes verified for this guide caps weekly working hours (as of October 2026). Their limits fall on time with one employer, type of work and length of study; Germany’s 20-hour weekly limit applies only to language courses.⁴²⁴⁵¹⁷⁹³¹⁰⁷ Work rules for South Korea, Taiwan and Ireland could not be confirmed on official pages.

Australia’s condition 8547 usually limits you to 6 months with the same employer, counted as elapsed time, not hours (as of October 2026).²⁴ You may exceed it without permission if you work in different locations with no more than 6 months at any one, in plant and animal cultivation anywhere in Australia, or in certain industries in northern Australia only; check Home Affairs for any other current exemptions.²⁴ The 6 months resets when a second Working Holiday visa or a bridging visa takes effect.²⁴

Know your workplace rights before you start. MOFA reports cases of participants who were underpaid or suffered sexual or power harassment, and recommends researching local labour law in advance.¹ In Australia, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) confirms that working holiday makers (WHMs) have the same workplace rights as everyone else under the National Employment Standards.³¹

Second and Third Years: Australia’s Specified Work vs Second Participation Elsewhere

Australia’s second 417 requires 3 months (88 days) of specified work on the first visa, and the third requires 6 months (179 days) on the second (as of October 2026).¹¹¹² The days count as the days or shifts a full-time employee would work, and the work can be split across employers but not compressed into a shorter calendar span.¹¹¹² The specified-work exemption for UK passport holders applying from 1 July 2024 does not cover Japanese passports.¹¹

Specified work covers set industries in set areas (as of October 2026). It includes plant and animal cultivation, fishing and pearling, tree farming and felling, and mining and construction in regional Australia, plus tourism and hospitality in Northern or Remote and Very Remote Australia and some disaster recovery work.³² The work must be paid under Australian law and awards, and evidence includes pay slips, Australian bank statements and employer references.³²¹¹

Elsewhere, more time means a new participation or a short extension, as the flowchart shows (as of October 2026).¹⁵¹⁷²⁰

flowchart TD
    A["Want more than 12 months on a working holiday?"] --> B{"Which destination?"}
    B -->|"United Kingdom"| C["Up to 24 months in one YMS visa; no extension"]
    B -->|"Australia"| D["88 days of specified work on the first visa"]
    D --> E["Second 417 visa: 12 months"]
    E --> F["179 days of specified work on the second visa"]
    F --> G["Third 417 visa: 12 months"]
    B -->|"Canada, Slovakia, South Korea, Taiwan"| H["Apply for a second participation under that partner's rules"]
    B -->|"New Zealand"| I["At least 3 months of seasonal horticulture or viticulture work"]
    I --> J["Extension Work Visa: up to 3 more months"]
    B -->|"Other partners"| K["One participation only: look at other visa types"]

Moving On to Other Visas

Changing to another visa is a separate application with its own rules, covered in the guides to studying abroad, working abroad after graduation, skilled migration and each destination’s relocation guide. In Australia, being granted another visa, even a visitor ETA, after the Working Holiday grant ends the Working Holiday visa on the date of that grant (as of October 2026).⁴

Taxation on Working Holiday Earners: Avoiding Withholding Traps

Australia: Working Holiday Maker Tax Rates and Employer Registration

Australia taxes most WHMs at special rates if they hold a 417 or 462 visa and are foreign residents for tax, or Australian residents not from a non-discrimination article (NDA) country.³³ The table shows the ATO’s published 2025-26 rates, identical to 2024-25; no 2026-27 table could be confirmed for this guide, so check the ATO for the current year (as of October 2026).³³

Taxable income (AUD)	Tax on this income (2025-26)
0 to 45,000	15c for each AUD 1
45,001 to 135,000	AUD 6,750 plus 30c for each AUD 1 over 45,000
135,001 to 190,000	AUD 33,750 plus 37c for each AUD 1 over 135,000
190,001 and over	AUD 54,100 plus 45c for each AUD 1 over 190,000

Check that your employer is registered with the ATO as a WHM employer. A registered employer withholds 15% on the first AUD 45,000; an unregistered one must use foreign resident rates “starting at 30%” (as of October 2026).³¹ A Tax File Number (TFN) is not compulsory, but the ATO says you pay more tax without one, and you need not lodge a return if all your income was WHM wages under AUD 45,001 unless you want to claim deductions.³¹

Japan is on the ATO’s list of eligible NDA countries after the High Court’s 2021 decision in Addy v Commissioner of Taxation (as of October 2026).³⁴ A Japanese WHM who is an Australian tax resident for all or part of the year may be taxed like a resident Australian national, but the ATO’s longstanding view is that WHMs are foreign residents.³⁴³⁵ Residency can change with your purpose, for example a permanent visa application or a long-term lease, so confirm your position with the ATO or a registered tax agent.³⁵

Superannuation and the Departing Australia Superannuation Payment (DASP)

Your employer must pay superannuation for you, and the ATO says this applies regardless of how much you earn (as of October 2026).³¹³⁶ You claim it through the DASP after your visa has ceased and you have left Australia with no other active visa; unclaimed super moves to the ATO 6 months or more after departure but stays claimable.³⁷

DASP paid to WHMs is taxed at 65% (as of October 2026).³¹³⁷ The ATO’s super exemption under social security agreements concerns people working temporarily for an overseas employer; totalization is covered in the guide to bilateral social security agreements.³⁶

Canada, the UK and New Zealand: Ordinary Rules Apply

In Canada, you need a Social Insurance Number (SIN) to work, applied for soon after arrival.³⁸ The Canada Revenue Agency decides residency by your residential ties and generally taxes non-residents only on Canadian-source income; no special rate for IEC participants appears on IRCC or CRA pages (as of October 2026).³⁹

In the UK, ordinary Income Tax applies. For 2026-27 the Personal Allowance is GBP 12,570, with the 20% basic rate up to GBP 50,270 outside Scotland, and you can apply for a National Insurance number once you live in the UK with the right to work (as of October 2026).⁴⁰⁴¹

In New Zealand, everyone with a job pays tax and needs an Inland Revenue Department (IRD) number; check Inland Revenue for codes and rates.⁹

The Japan Side: Residence Status, Resident Tax and Year-Two Returns

A working holiday also raises questions at home. Whether you stay domiciled and a Japanese tax resident during a 12-month working holiday is covered in the article on temporary absence versus emigration from Japan. Resident tax (Juminzei 住民税) depends on where you are registered on 1 January, as explained in the guide to inhabitant tax rules for departing residents.

Step-by-Step Administrative Procedure & Timeline

Work backwards from your application deadline, because age is tested on the application date and several schemes use fixed windows or short-validity documents (as of October 2026). Japan-side items are covered in dedicated guides.

Timing	Action	Where	Note
T-12 to T-6 months	Check your age on the planned application date	Partner’s official page	Australia and France: apply by the day before your 31st birthday⁴¹⁰
T-12 to T-6 months	Choose a destination from Table 1; check caps and application windows	MOFA and the partner’s page	Ireland’s 2026 windows: 15 January to 6 February and 15 to 31 July²¹
T-12 to T-6 months	Check passport validity	Partner’s official page	New Zealand: valid 3 months after the visa expires; Germany: 3 months beyond the stay; Canada: permit cannot outlast the passport⁹³⁵
T-6 to T-3 months	Canada: profile, invitation, work permit application	IRCC online	10 days to accept; 20 days to apply; biometrics within 30 days²³¹⁵
T-6 to T-3 months	UK: hold GBP 2,530 for 28 days, then apply (up to 6 months before travel)	GOV.UK	Surcharge paid with the application¹⁷⁸¹⁸
T-6 to T-3 months	Australia and New Zealand: apply online	ImmiAccount; Immigration New Zealand	Enter within 12 months of grant or issue⁴⁹
T-6 to T-3 months	South Korea: email pre-consultation, then in-person appointment	Korean Embassy’s working holiday desk	Health and bank certificates issued within 1 month⁶
T-3 to T-1 months	Germany and France: embassy appointment	Embassy in Tokyo (Germany also Osaka-Kobe)	Germany: 3 months to 2 weeks before departure; France: up to 3 months before entry³¹⁰
T-3 to T-1 months	Buy insurance meeting the partner’s minimum; secure a return ticket or funds	Insurer; airline	Canada: cover for the whole stay¹⁵¹
T-1 month to departure	Decide whether to file a moving-out notification (Tenshutsu-todoke 転出届)	City or ward office	See the moving-out notification guide
T-1 month to departure	Settle National Health Insurance and National Pension	City or ward office	See the guides to cancelling health insurance and to voluntary National Pension enrollment
T-1 month to departure	Banking, phone number for passcodes, My Number card	Bank; city or ward office	See the guides to keeping Japanese bank accounts and to the My Number card when moving abroad
On arrival	Overseas Residential Registration (Zairyu Todoke 在留届) for stays of 3 months or more	Japanese embassy or consulate, or online via ORRnet	Passport Act Article 16⁴²¹
On arrival	Get a tax number and open a bank account	Host-country authorities	TFN, SIN, National Insurance number or IRD number³¹³⁸⁴¹⁹
On return	Re-register in Japan if you filed a moving-out notification	City or ward office	See the moving-out notification guide

Overseas Residential Registration is a legal duty for longer stays. Passport Act Article 16 requires a Japanese passport holder who sets up an address or residence abroad for 3 months or more to notify the local consular officer, and MOFA says this can be done online through ORRnet.⁴²¹ Shorter trips and emergency help are covered in the guide to consular services and Tabi-Reg.

Japanese Citizens vs. Foreign Residents: Critical Distinctions

Japan’s arrangements are for Japanese nationals. A foreign national living in Japan cannot use them and must check whether their own country has an arrangement with the destination.¹

Rules on applying from a third country vary (as of October 2026). The Australian and UK pages set no home-country residence condition, so a foreign resident of Japan with an eligible passport may be able to apply from Japan; confirm on the page for your passport.⁴⁸³⁰ Canada sets criteria per country, Hong Kong requires residence in the home country, and the German Embassy in Tokyo accepts only some non-Japanese nationals holding status of residence in Japan.⁵⁷³

Topic	Japanese nationals	Foreign residents of Japan
Which arrangement applies	Japan’s 32 arrangements¹	Their own nationality’s arrangement with the destination, if any¹
Applying from Japan	Standard route; some partners require an address in Japan⁵³⁶	Depends on the destination’s rules for that passport; check the official page⁴⁸³⁷
Main Japan-side risk of the absence	Domicile, resident tax, Zairyu Todoke⁴²	Losing status of residence if away longer than the re-entry permit allows⁴³
Pension	Voluntary National Pension enrollment while abroad	Lump-sum withdrawal payment, which cancels the insured period it covers

For foreign residents, the absence itself is the main risk. A re-entry permit is valid for up to 5 years and a special re-entry permit (Minashi Sainyukoku みなし再入国許可) for 1 year from departure or until your period of stay ends, if sooner; staying away longer generally ends your status of residence, including permanent residence.⁴³ The article on leaving Japan as a Japanese citizen versus a foreign permanent resident covers this, and the voluntary National Pension and lump-sum withdrawal (Dattai Ichijikin 脱退一時金) guides cover pension choices.

Dual nationals must enter Australia on the passport linked to the Working Holiday visa grant.⁴

Common Pitfalls & Regulatory Compliance Risks

Missing the age cut-off: age is tested on the application date; Australia and France stop at the day before your 31st birthday.⁴¹⁰
Using old lists: MOFA lists 32 partners, and Japanese nationals have applied to the UK without a ballot since early 2024.¹²⁹
Assuming a second visa: only Canada, Slovakia, South Korea and Taiwan offer a second participation.¹
Short UK funds history: GBP 2,530 must be held 28 days in a row.⁸
Short insurance in Canada: the work permit expires with the policy.¹⁵
Treating it as a work visa: study and employer limits apply (Table 2 and the working rights section).⁴²⁴⁷
Unregistered Australian employer: withholding starts at 30% instead of 15%.³¹
Unclaimed super: it moves to the ATO and is taxed at 65% when claimed.³⁷
Agencies: MOFA warns of agency trouble, France recognises no intermediary, and South Korea refuses agency applications.¹¹⁰⁶
Another Australian visa: being granted one after the Working Holiday grant ends the Working Holiday visa.⁴
Unused New Zealand visa: it cannot be deferred or reapplied for.⁹
No Zairyu Todoke: required for stays of 3 months or more.⁴²

References & Official Sources

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