How to move to Japan WITHOUT Teaching English (and with no degree) 

On my last 5-6 months in my Japanese language school, my classmates joked around how English is the worst job to have and how they were looking for jobs in their specific field of work. Then come the last 2 months before graduation, the same classmates are all scrambling around the internet looking to take any English teaching job, even if it’s was working in a daycare. Seeing as how I already had more qualifications and interviews, it was great. Now post-grad, I work and live in Japan with my wife. Life is perfect.

It's like you knew I was moving to japan and didn't want to teach so made this video exclusively for me. I must purchase every affiliate item and join all the patreons.

Man one thing I have to say is that the titles of your videos are such a pleasant contrast to all the standard Japan bs thumbnails. Very nice, you choose topics that are actually interesting, not some generic stuff

Really good video! Super concise and straight to the point, with your own fun personality mixed in! A rare channel on RU-vid with no clickbait!

Bro, as a Norwegian gal who wants to work in Japan after I’m done studying, this is literally perfect

Don’t work for an eikaiwa or as an ALT. However, if you’re up to putting in the time to become high school level literate you can obtain a teaching license from a Japanese university and make 3 times what an ALT makes, have 40 paid holidays above and beyond your weekly 2 days off and 15 national holidays as well as a retirement package of around $150,000 when you retire. That’s the path I took, albeit it took 15 years of diligent study before I was accepted into a teaching licensing program at a Japanese university. I’ve been teaching in Japan for 30 years, 15 as an ALT, 15 as a full-time teacher. I absolutely LOVE my job. It’s the only job I could ever have said that about.

This is super helpful, didn't even know the self sponsor visa exists. Thank you for this video, and the humour too :D

thank you for this info! i've been researching casually and all i see is people who went through the jet program or have a degree w years of experience and now your vid found me! great and concise video, very helpful insight

Thanks! This idea was crossing my mind these days. I returned a few days ago from a 21-day vacation in Japan. I know that vacations and living in Japan are very different things, but I wanted to know, and this video is a starter.

Only just found your channel, but starting to be a fan already, keep it up!

Great info & video, this gives me hope that I might work in japan too, in the future 😊

I was thinking about the self sponsor one and after this video my hopes of mooving there skyrocketed, gonna look more into it thank you for the video, I love how easy it is to watch you

just stumbled upon your video and I find it absolutely hilarious!

Hej! Intressant video. :) Its funny that RU-vid recommends a lot of how to move to Japan etc videos for me but hey I’m here for it lol. It’s great to see! I’ll subscribe to your channel. :) greetings from Sweden

Another awesome video thanks man

Liked and subscribed, thank you for the informative video!

I'll forever regret not knowing about the under 30 working holiday visa. Fingers crossed I'll be able to manage something when I finish my degree.

I absolutely cannot thank you enough for this video. I plan on taking a working holiday for a year in Japan, and I've been racking my brain trying to figure out how I would go about trying to live in Japan permanently if I decided I wanted to continue living in Japan. Then, I saw the part of your video on the self sponsor visa and lost my mind. I'm already working freelance as a video editor earning over 2mil yen per year. Obviously, I'm going to need to do more research into it to figure out if it will work for me, but having those two pre-requisites down already has me very excited for my possible future in Japan! Edit: I do have a follow-up question based off some of the research I've done. In the places that I've looked for information on this visa, they seem to pretty heavily imply that the main company I freelance for has to be Japanese, but the company I mainly work for is American. Whilst they don't outright say that is the case, they certainly imply it by saying that the company has to stamp their inkan on one of the letters. I just wanted to know if I would be safe to go down this route even with my main client being American?

Obscenely informative 🤘

Oh hell yeah this is legit. I have very good friends that want me to stay in japan, I already have a place to live and everything. I was tripping out about a work visa thinking wtf am I supposed to do about that. Little did I know, until I watched this video, about the self sponsored visa. I already work remote as a freelancer making well more than 2mil yen. Welp there goes that problem already! Thanks!

great video, very helpful. i thought English teaching was basically the only path there. i do wanna teach english in japan tho, cuz im fluent in japanese and english and always wanted to see what if its like anime. but this a good back up

I like your humor, keep it up man

Im curious about the self sponsorship one. Could you make a video going into more detail? Thank you!

I traveled to Japan for the first time 2 months ago. It was very cool, and I'm interested in working there for a year or two to see if I can stand the paperwork and regulations. I have no degree, but I've been working 6 years since I graduated high school. I'm well on my way to becoming an engineer. I'm considering applying as a civilian engineer in the US army in Japan, but I want to reach N2 and focus on building my finances first. I'm going to take the N3 exam this December. Depending on how my career and finances go, I might hit N1 before I try to work in Japan. Until then, I'll probably just travel to Japan as a yearly vacation.

Thank you finally someone who talks about other possibilities than Teaching English or Working Holiday visa because as 34 yo man who is from non english speaking country and is not rich there is very little possibilities and i honestly though it would be imposible but person should never stop reaching for his dream right?

Another great video, thanks! This has become my favorite new channel. It's refreshing to hear honest and real reports of how things are out there. Fucking honestly funny too! And keep the rants coming.

your self deprecating humor is on point

New subscriber. I’m 38 this year and dream of coming to Japan. I have kids and want to wait until they are a little older before bringing them, but I work for an international company and we have offices in Tokyo. It’s something I hope to rotate through eventually.

Man just came across your video… had me laughing, very informative, I’ve been In Japan for 7 years Married to a Japanese woman, been an English Teacher for way Toooo long! If it wasn’t for them Pesky kids my life. Would be like a holiday in Hawaii! Got yourself a new subscriber

W content. thanks a lot bro!

私は海外で仕事をしたことがないから分からないけど、色々と大変だよね😢 真面目に頑張ってるあなたを見ると応援したくなる。 あなたが教えている生徒には変な子とか居たかもしれないけど、絶対にみんな感謝している思う！ 素敵な動画をありがとうございます。 (英語じゃなくてごめんなさい)

Think I will give this a try. No degree, non-English-speaking (but good) passport, and over 65. Lived in Japan (for 3 years) in the early 1970s, been back a few times. OK in Japanese back then.

If you are applying as ALT the TEFL is not required.

Hey dude, I can't find the self sponser visa you are talking about? When I google it there is many articles saying that such a visa doesn't exist. Where do I apply and what is the name please?

I did a working holiday visa in Japan back in 2007. I met my wife at the English conversation company we both worked at. From my experience, 1.5 to 2 years is generally the time it takes for people to know if living and working in Japan is right for them. I have friends that still live and work in Japan now since 2007. Like myself, I also know people that realised that after 2 years they were no longer interested in living/working in Japan. Some of my friends knew they didn't want to stay but still stayed for a few more years before they found a different job back home / other countries. In my case, I had enough teaching conversational English at my private company. I couldn't do that now that I'm 35 with a family to support. My wife and I are fairly happy working in my home country. We have more opportunities here than if we stayed in Japan.

0:30 So you need to have studied in a school from the US or UK? In the list you showed there it only says you need to have citizenship from an English speaking country and doesn't specify anything about the degree. I have dual citizenship (Romanian and American) and English is my native language, I am currently trying to get into a college here in Romania and move to Japan and become a teacher once I finish. Would my application be rejected just because I finished school in Romania even though I have US citizenship and speak natively? I also had an English exam in my last year of high school and got the highest possible grade all across, along with a certification, if that counts for anything. I'd really appreciate if anyone could give me some information about this.

Don't forget you don't need a TEFL certificate to get on the JET programme, as the programme has little connection to teaching.

I worked in a host club, as a Norwegian/English teacher, yakuza paper company, mountain guide and furniture flipper.. the sky is the limit being a white farang gaijin in Japan-land!

what is the self sponsor visa called specifically? I can't find any info on it. I own rental properties that provide me with enough income to live remotely in Japan, would this be applicable under this type of visa?

Thanks for the info bro. How about as a foreigner, Any agents/companies willing to help you find a place to stay for a 1 year holiday visa?

I’m 28 now, moved to Japan at 22. I regret not seeing a video like this. I did English teaching through one of the big eikaiwas. While JAPAN itself is beautiful and I enjoyed LIVING there. God I hated working there. I hated the children , I hated the work hours. In work by 12 PM , at home 11PM Tuesday-Saturday. I literally lived for the weekends and even though I was in Japan that’s no way to live. Wish I just visited instead and did a working holiday visa in South Korea.

With the self sponsored Visa, do we have to have a job in Japan and earning money or can all the money sustaining our life in 'japan come from over seas, out of Japan? Thanks.

>250000/mo rent in Tokyo Are you living in a luxury apartment in Minato? You can very easily live in a 1LDK for half that in central Tokyo.

There's also the startup visa too. You could make a video about that!

Does the self-sponsoring option have any japanese language proficiency requirement?

wow I didn't know about self sponsor visa, this sounds awesome! I thought freelancers have to do business manager visa

does all of this applies if you know around a n4 level japanese? hi from Argentina :)

holy shit the sound bite for australia was perfect

i live in switzerland and thought that i can make me a lot of money. In my job i make things with computers and i would be no problem for Homeoffice. So, can i get a working visa if i homeoffice for switzerland, while living in japan?

What did you do for work on the freelance visa?

I'm 25 turning 26 this year and I'm pursuing a degree in ba english is it possible to move in japan between the age of 29 to 30 years

Where is the self sponsored visa on Japanese website? i can’t find it.

I'm reading about the self sponsor visa and it seems to specifically require contract work for Japanese companies. It doesn't work if your clients are based outside of Japan.

for the self-sponsored visa is it 2M yen in profit or just sales? Just sales would be great!

How do I get a self sponcer visa? I am working in Japan but have got remote opportunity with over 20 million yen in my home country. Where do I begin?

im from iceland and i did 1 year exchange to uni, 1 year holiday visa and 1 year work visa and now Im on my 2nd year of spouse visa lol. living in edogawa city(tokyo)

I'm not a freelancer but i have a company (my own company with other business partners) and i work fully remotely. Do you think i can get a Self Sponsor? I wonder what's the process to do it...

Interesting how this video has suddenly picked up interest on YT algorithm 7months after it wss made 😂. My question is what did you do for the "freelance" side of it. Im planning to go this year after working for a bit and selling my vehicles. Ive got places to stay at in Aichi snd was going to go do working holiday, get work from Hello Work or PESO. I've got my TESOL as well. So whats the jobs you did during the first year and second year on the self sponsored visa?

Damn... idk if im just blind but i tired looking it up... i dont think America is eligible for the work visa 18-30 😢

I'm not doing anymore since salaries are ridiculously low for teachers so I've decided to work in municipal office as a interpreter and to be honest they payin almost 3 times more than teachers. In my opinion best choice is Toeic ( 800 or 850) than you will find interpreter jobs around 350000 400000yen which is quite good

I have a bachelor in IT field do i have a chance to work and live in japan?

I'm currently American with no degree, working holiday is simply not a thing for us so I have been limited to simply visiting periodically as a tourist. I do however have steady income as a freelancer from online work. Do you think that this self sponsored visa may work for me? I would be very interested in any resources you can provide, as I've been looking for a way in for several years.

Have been pondering being a tutor like Aristotle to a rich house, ofc dune will be attempted do tutoring how to play it correctly is indeed a worthy expense and expensive

I know you mentioned the self sponsored visa works if you're a freelancer but does it also work if you have a remote job?

Been living in Japan 14 years with no college degree basic Japanese language level. It's hard. It's expensive. It's stressful. English teaching is low pay and has its challenges.

I'd like to live in Japan for one year at least. I am a Canadian expat living in Romania.

I have been researching this topic. For a number of years now and the self-sponsor visa has come up quite a bit. But it is my understanding that the self-sponsor visa doesn’t technically exist. When I was researching it years ago it seemed to be a continuation of your existing visa based on having multiple employers this time rather than one. For example last year you worked for a school, then you got 3 or 4 other part time jobs and they would continue your humanities visa you would have got from your main school but now it’s multiple schools so you need a self sponsor visa. It is also my understanding that you continue the same visa that you was already on. So in your case it was a working holiday visa so maybe they just continued the conditions of your working holiday visa like some sort of extended working holiday? As far as I am aware you can’t just come straight to Japan on a self sponsored visa right? You already have to have a Humanities, or instructor or in your case working holiday visa to self sponsor? it doesn’t seem that you can simply have clients in Norway and use that to sponsor yourself in Japan is that right?

As a qualified native teacher (how we gaijin generally get referred to these days in Japan, rather than the old “foreign teacher”), I took a step down in pay and a few steps up in workload to come from my high school English teacher post in Canada to an Eikawa in Japan. 260, 000 a month and a subsidized apartment. But the tax was less and there was more time to gather private lessons. Now it’s 25 years later and the pay has gone down, and the Eikawa industry has shrunk substantially. Tax has gone way up and the yen is worth much less. Private lessons have dried up or people aren’t willing to pay $50 an hour for one. I would NEVER recommend anyone come to Japan to teach English. Unless…. It’s for a year or two and you don’t desperately need the money and you want to travel in your time off. Then…. It might work for you

“Hello Work”is not a company but a govt. agency.

Ill be on a spousal visa but will start with english teaching and thrn suss out other options later

You talked about how you won’t be positioned in Tokyo center, I’m glad about that, if I got put in a countryside town I’d be happy

So gutted I didn't do the the holiday Visa when I was younger. Lucky enough to have visited 5 times now but I would like to try live there but I am knocking on 38 now. maybe just stick with the holidays

Just to be clear: for the freelancer visa you must already be in Japan, correct? Otherwise why did they create the digital nomad visa where you need 10 million yen a year?

nailed it with the "...dawg karnts" voiceover for us Aussies haha

Working holiday won’t do me any good then as I’m 35 soon… I’m gonna visit for first time next spring, and then maybe one day I’ll move there. Maybe even going to consider a Japanese language course as a way in.😂 also best way to help me learn as I’m doing fuck all at home.

I came to Japan on a working holiday visa 10 years ago and have not left since. Never taught English and never will. 10 years later still just absolutely going with the flow living here. Never gets dull

I can't apply for any of these because I'm 51 years old and American. I can sustain myself financially no problem. I'm in Tokyo now for another month on a 3 month tourist visa but want to live here and freelance. So what can I do? too old to apply for any of these visa's

What about cooking or chef training?

It actually strange that the US is not on the list for working holiday since we actually use to own part of Japan. 13,200+/- usd is actually really low per year it would be challenging not to make that much a year. Do you need a sponsor for that visa or is just show them your tax return for 2 years ?

0:58 you had me at “fat man in Japan” I also have a TEFL but wouldn’t mind not using it

Helping the algorithm by subbing, liking and commenting

It's not entirely true anymore that you need to be from a native English speaking country. There are plenty of non-native "English" speakers teaching in Japan. Go to a homepage of a school and check their teacher profile page, if they have one. Probably not native English speakers. Also, having a degree, well, that also seems to not be strictly enforced. As long as you have a work permit, you're set.

I want to live there for a little too but I'm not giving up my passport.

ROAD TO 1K SUBSCRIBERS LET'S GO EMIL! I've wondered about the different visas and how they can work for foreigners. I did not realize the self-sponsored visa requirement is so low in terms of yen equivalent. Would having an OnlyFans count (lol)? I would not call myself a freelancer, but I am a part-time university professor who teaches solely online - too old for JET/ALT, too old for a working holiday visa. I make a lot more than ¥2,000,000 a year. Is there an age limit on the self-sponsored visa? I'm interested in knowing more about owning/renting property as a foreigner and what privileges (if any) that come with it. Especially in the inaka because fuck Tokyo. Keep putting out the quality content, Emil! The channel keeps growing and I'm here for it.

QUESTION; My wife of 20 years is Japanese... So does any of this matter for an American? We want to move together to Japan... I appreciate your response and videos!! ありがとう

Guys can someone help me? My case is that I have Russian citizenship, I live in Turkey, I’m 19 years old, no degree, not much money I’m trying to get as much money as I can and figure out how to move there more easily without much struggle

Hold up, you can self-sponsor with income you're earning outside of Japan? I'm a freelancer here but I am not self sponsored. After another year I should be swapping visas it seems

I really found the channel for me as a norwegian without a college degree 😂😂

Ohmygod, I think I can sponsor my own visa... but what happens if you don't end up earning about the same once you're in Japan?

What if I want to open my own language school in Japan, "how to talk like a real American" and everything that implies

Please make a video on how to become a manga artist, if possible where to learn manga creation with cheap course fees and how to find a lady mangaka and marry her 🙂

Ill be going on a Working Holiday Visa, i just have NO idea how to make an income for myself. (self sponsor visa)

Examples for freelancing??

This video has some nice information, but I feel like the whole takeaway is just "marry a Japanese person," for living in Japan long-term. As nice as that sounds, there's gotta be more to do to stay longer. Otherwise, from the information presented here, one could only work a year IF approved for working holiday visa.

Coming up to 60 so I’ll just have to be happy with visiting every year.

Damn missed the window if I had known that was a thing I’d have moved there 10 years ago.

And how to move with a degree? Can we work in Japanese industry , how?

Fuck. I just turned 29 last week.

Curious about westerners retiring in Japan.

La meg tippe basert på aksenten din. Du er norsk sant?