Qualified Canadians who love Japanese culture or wish to leave Canada can now apply for Japan’s newly introduced digital nomad visa.
Following Indonesia, Portugal, Spain, and Italy, Japan has become the latest country to launch such a visa, allowing foreigners to live and work remotely with their spouses and children for six months.
Earlier this year, the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA) announced that the program was expected to launch by the end of March. The program eventually launched in April.
According to a release from the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), “The digital nomad visa will allow holders to work remotely in Japan for up to six months (once this period expires, applicants must wait six months before reapplying for the same visa status). The new visa provides an excellent opportunity for professionals in relevant industries to deeply explore Japan.”
Who is eligible to apply for Japan’s digital nomad visa? Citizens from 49 eligible countries and regions can apply, and their spouses and children are also eligible to stay in the country. The latter must submit their applications separately.
However, some requirements might make the application process challenging. Firstly, your annual income must be at least 10 million yen. At the latest exchange rate, this is just under 80,000 Canadian dollars.
Required Documents According to Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the following documents are needed to apply for the digital nomad visa:
- Visa application form (with photo)
- Valid passport
- Certificate of Eligibility (COE), i.e., proof of income (bank/tax statements)
- If you do not have a Certificate of Eligibility, you must submit documents explaining your planned activities and the duration of your stay in Japan, as well as documents proving you have purchased life and health insurance for your stay in Japan (medical compensation for injury or illness must be 10 million yen or more).
- Proof of annual income of 10 million yen or more. These documents can be tax certificates, income certificates, employment contracts, or contracts with business partners (clearly stating the contract period and contract amount).
- Documents for your spouse or children:
- Visa application form (with spouse/child photo)
- Valid passport of the spouse/child
- Certificate of Eligibility (COE) and documents proving the relationship with the spouse/child
- If there is no Certificate of Eligibility (COE), the aforementioned point 4 (regarding insurance and stay details) applies.
- A copy of the digital nomad visa holder’s passport
For more details, please click here to read the information provided by Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.