petina wrote:

QUOTE:
2. Possible to get a visa to work as a barrister here.. but not likely to get visas for the others you mention.

It can catch some people out in it's spelling but a Barista and Barrister are two entirely different things . Only found out probably a year ago what a Barista is!

Barista is someone who makes and serves coffee.

Barrister is someone who works within the legal system.

petite_pixie wrote:

QUOTE:
any1 living or having spent time in japan ever seen an expat working as anything other than an english teacher? ie. barista, bartender, actor, model, waiting staff, secretary, voice-actor, sales assist. in shop??? entry to mid level jobs?

pls dnt badger me with posts like 'get a degree' or 'no!'...i've read so i kno...just looking for some helpful ans 2 my q's pls.

The thing is, depending on your circumstances for being in Japan (primarily work, being a student, being a spouse) will dictate what kind of work you can and can't do.

From the jobs you mentioned above, it's only possible to get a Work Visa for being an Actor or a Model if you decide to come to work in Japan as these would fall under an 'Entertainer' Visa. The other jobs do not fall under a specific working visa (perhaps the entry to mid level ones would, but you it would depend on the work)

I have seen foreigners working in Bars full time and also seen one or two foreigners working as a sales assistant. How these people got these jobs were either because:
A ) They were students, having a student Visa in Japan allows you to work unrestrictedly as long as it doesn't violate anything considered illegal or immoral. You can only work a certain number of hours per week though.
B ) They were on a Spousal Visa, as in married to a Japanese National, where you also can work unrestrictedly as long as it doesn't violate anything considered illegal
C ) They were on a Working Holiday Visa. A specific visa only open to certain countries where you can travel to Japan for roughly a year (and only for that year) and allows you to engage in work while you are there (usually these jobs are the ones you mentioned above like a Barista, Bartender, Waitress etc)

WOW
Sounds much cooler than "waiter/waitress"

kk!

thx Petina, ChrisPWill & Cravez

i'm a british citizen so i kno i'm eligible for a working holiday visa, but do u think it wud be possible at the end of that year if i found an employer who wanted to take me on in whatver job that i cud renew my visa with their sponsorship?

i also found out about enrolling in a language school & that definitely means a student visa, so i could work then as well

entertainer visa would sound easier, bt i have no experience nor do i see myself as really good looking

petite_pixie wrote:

QUOTE:
i'm a british citizen so i kno i'm eligible for a working holiday visa, but do u think it wud be possible at the end of that year if i found an employer who wanted to take me on in whatver job that i cud renew my visa with their sponsorship?

Well I don't see why not, that is if you do happen to find an employer to sponsor you and also depends on the work as you have to satisfy Japanese Immigration to give you the Visa. Just remember though that there is competition out there.

Also bear in mind that going to a language school grants you a Pre-College Visa and not a College Visa (they are two seperate Visas), as far as I am aware you can work part time as a pre-college student but again, regarding Japanese Immigration, it is up to them whether if they allow you to do so (you can't do part time work from the get go, you need to submit an application to Immigration first before you can). Just as I said, since the Visa's are different there maybe be differences between the two, although I dont see it being a problem though!

@ Petina: Yeah I have grown to love coffee, wouldn't mind being a Barista at all! ( So I can drink it all the time )

thx 4 the advice! noted =)

hi
great site really helpful
i was wonder if japan has like a parks/wildlife/ reserves department that may hire forigners, im doing an environmental degree and im going to try and teach english but id like to find out if i could then migrate into my field in japan
cheers!