Questions

[Dimitree]

I have couple of questions :)

Since my interest in Japan is ever growing and never shrinking i am seriusly considering to move and live in Japan.
I know that it will take years to prepare but i don't have a problem with persistance :blush:

I know that it's easy to point me to some guide or internet site but i'm not happy with what i have found so far on the web.
That's why i want to ask what will be needed for a foreigner to survive in Japan ?

Can somone point me to Key things i need in order to survive in Japan ?
Language skills ?
What must i be able to work ?
I'm not looking for finance information for now.
I'm searching for information about basic skills for foreigners ?
Like for example if someone asks me what will he need in order to survive in Bulgaria i would say :

1.Bulgarian language talking and writing.
2.Ready to work in two places with low payment.
3.Best way to try in a small town and not in the capital because it's too expensive to rent an apartment there.


Something like that o-o.
However bulgarians are very open and friendly to foreigners.
There will be no problems to find a job anywhere.In a coffe in a shop, resturant, IT company and so on.
I'm not sure that the same applys for Japan ...
That's why i want to know what are the common jobs for foreigners there ?
What would be easy to get as job for a foreigner in Japan ?
:souka:

[karlyboo]

The most common jobs going in Japan for foreigners are teachers, bar work (usually women), entertainment including modelling and acting (again, more common for women) and (although I take it with a big dose of salt) I've been informed that IT is another avenue.

Basically it's teaching, entertaining or (possibly) IT. I'm rather dubious on the last one since Japan already has a very skilled work force and it would be very much dependant on your Japanese skills and your IT skills. I'm an IT professional (1st class degree, several years experience etc.) and my avenue over the next couple of years will be English teaching.

[Dimitree]

Can't a foreigner get a "Normal persons job" in Japan ?

The only time i teached english (can't belive i did that eather :bluush: ) was over Skype to couple of brazilian students :blush: at first it was fun but when things started to repeat it got boring as hell :okashii:

My IT skills are one year in a french company working with photoshop and corel but that's all o-o

I mean ... can't i go in japan and get two low payed jobs that no one wants to work for a starter ?Is there such a thing in there ?

Here a foreigner can work in the construction business for some time until he gets to know how things work here wihout any problem ?Or in a supermarket for example ...

Do i have to be some sort of super pro guru in order to survive in Japan ?

[karlyboo]

AFAIK you don't have a chance, I'm afraid. Hiring a foreigner means filling in many papers, including visa information, and it's unlikely a low-end job will be willing to do that when they could hire a Japanese citizen for a fraction of the trouble.

Your best bet, although this is only IMO, is to save up for a year and do a teaching english course (TEFOL or TESOL) then applying to one of the larger language schools. I don't think any of them recruit in Bulgaria but I see no reason you couldn't attend one of their European recruitment areas. They usually don't take people without degrees but you may have some bargaining power if you have a teaching qualification already.

[Dimitree]

So what you are saying is that the only way i can get in Japan and stay there is to become an english teacher :o ??? O____O

I can't belive that Japan is so low on options :souka::mad:

[karlyboo]

Well I'm a long way from an authority on the subject so others might have some ideas.

Apart from that your only option is to save up and go to Japan on a holiday visa, sort out work there (but unless you're very fluent you'll have a hard time outside of teaching) then come back to Bulgaria to the Japanese Embassy to arrange a work visa and then actually go back out and start working.

[Homerduff]

As you are from a non-english speaking country, it may be hard to get a (decent) teaching job in English. I suggest you look for a language school as stated above, and depending on your current level in Japanese, take a 1 or 2 year Japanese course. Most of those courses are college prepratory which means that afterwards you should be fluent enough (have JLPT 1 level) to apply for a college or university in Japan or look for work.

Most of these language schools will help you find a part-time job in the meantime. I'm sure that they will take care of most paperwork. Just maybe you could stick to this job afterwards if they are happy with you.

Anyway, your best bet to stay in Japan is absolutely to study there in my opinion. I know there's a tuition fee but if you go to a language school that has it's own dormitory, you will save money on that mather surely. It's true that most jobs posted above are the common ones for foreigners. But in any case, your Japanese level is decisive.

Here's a nice link to look for a language school troughout Japan:

www.nisshinkyo.org

Oh btw, this may sound weird but it's definetly effective; who knows you get to know a girl during your study period in Japan and you get to marry her. Your further stay in Japan will be guaranteed (as for visa), but finding a job may still be bothersome.

[Dimitree]

Thanks for the hope :cool: :relief:

[Glenski]

Look, there are many types of visas, and a visa is your first step in figuring out how to get here as more than a tourist. Please look at the visa homepage for starters. It's not easy to follow, obviously, but please go there and see what is available.
http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/index.html

Next, I resent the fact that you say bar work, teaching, and modeling are not "normal jobs". What do they have in Bulgaria, anyway? (P.S. One of my university students here is from Bulgaria, so that question was purely rhetorical.)

Next, most visas will require that you have a bachelor's degree or equivalent, or a certain number of years of experience in that field. Do you? On top of that, foreigners from non-English-speaking countries (sadly, Japan often considers them to be only the top 5 or 6) will usually need more than just a degree -- they may need 12 years of their education in English.

Next, Japan has tons of unskilled labor doing the real dirty work here that Japanese don't want to do. Many of those workers are here illegally (and some of those illegal workers are actually hauled in by the government or companies!), but many are here legally. The work can sometimes be only short-term, and the benefits are often pretty crappy. Unfortunately, Japan works like that, so really look hard to see what is being offered to you. REALLY hard! That sort of work, by the way, will either require a skilled labor work visa or something else that I don't know of.

Look at www.jobsinjapan.com for ads on general work, but you MUST bear in mind that the first hurdle to overcome is a visa.

Japanese language? If you are so determined to come here, start learning yesterday. Many of those "dirty" jobs have people who hardly speak a word of Japanese, but your life will be so much better and easier if you know some. It takes a LONG time to become reasonably fluent.

[Dimitree]

Wow ... going in Japan sounds more like trying to enter North Korea *giggle*

Okeiz i checked the japanese embassy in Bulgaria.
For bulgarians we don't need visas for short term 90 days stay in Japan.
We need visas for work and for long stay in Japan.
We have this -Artist visa type which i didn't find at the MOFA page ?
Do you have information about this type of visa ?

I checked the IT jobs in jobsinjapan.com it seams that i better start learning C++ and java :blush:

Well i don't think it will be that hard going in Japan :) After all i will learn the language in 3-4 years and by that time i will learn programming.Programming fits nicely in my current MMORPG project altho i was considering on doing only the 3D art part of the game.Oh well ...
:okashii:

The questions i had for unskilled work were asked because my philosophy is to prepare for the worst and wait for the best :relief:

Thank you :bow:

[Kirirao]

I mean ... can't i go in japan and get two low payed jobs that no one wants to work for a starter ?Is there such a thing in there ?

without a working visa?
illegally? probably.
legally? no :) if it was that easy, I bet Japan is already been flooded with foreigner right now.

Labor work is easy to come by when you have very basic Japanese skills and a visa. :)
If you have both of them I can recommend you to a few 派遣(outsourcing?) company in Japan that I used to worked before. They don't pay as well as teaching, but It should be enough to survive.(they can pay more then teaching if you willing to work everyday) No benefits whatsoever tho.

If you have conversational-level Japanese skill and a visa, other jobs are pretty easy to come by too. E.g Izakaya, restaurant, supermarket etc.

note : all of above is just part-time level of work. and visa = non-tourist visa.

oh, and btw, most IT company need you to be in Japan first before they sponsor you with a visa. No idea about other company tho since I only done research on IT company so far.

[Dimitree]

Kirirao san ^_^ i almost jumped on the airplane to Japan :p
However first i need to learn japanese, programming, make a demo MMORPG world for my portfolio.
So i'll be more then happy to call for your help in 4 years ^_^
My plan is to first go in Japan for 90 days and try to find work and a company that will work out my visa.
Then get back in Bulgaria, get the visa and finaly move in Japan.
I am not sure what you mean with the "IT company need you to be in Japan first before they sponsor you with a visa"
Visas are free of charge for bulgarians if that's what you mean ?
Anyway thank you very much for the information :) i was sure that Japan can offer more then teaching jobs for foreigners :)
Thank you very much ! :bow:

[Kirirao]

sponsor you with a visa = a company being your sponsor for the working visa, as far as I know you need a company to be your guarantor or something like that for you to get a work visa.

oh and your age gonna be a minus, some of the IT company do have an age limit for people who are inexperience. Different story if you have xx numbers of years of working experience already.
do you have a bachelor's degree?

I still don't know what kind of visa you are valid for, so some of the thing I said might be invalid tho.

oh and to answer your question

Can somone point me to Key things i need in order to survive in Japan ?

from my personal opinion.

1. Money

[Dimitree]

Oh the details are always painful :okashii: :(
Unfortunately i didn't bother to finish a bachelors degree because we don't have IT related studies in our dear South-West University here in my hometown.I became a student every year for 5 years until the military removed the obligatory service ( after serving in the military here you get out with mental problems and nothing useful, my brother is a living example of that :okashii:) but as i said i didn't bother to finish any of the different bachelors degrees i studied for :p
We have family business here with two shops and supplying two cities with milk products and that was another reason for not having the time to get into finishing a degree.This gives me a professional experience on the supermarket jobs market *giggle* :blush:
I am planing on getting all the certificates that might be required for the language and for the programming skills.
And i hope that with certificates and a good portfolio i can make up for the missing bachelors degree.
I saw job offers with age limit 25-30 o-o i plan on learning to programme for two years and then get a two years professional experiance.So i will have professional experience with Photoshop and CorelDraw and programming hopefully i will learn Java and C++, so i will be 29 when that happends :souka:
o well ...
It never hurts to try ^____^
Even if i fail in coming to Japan i will have programming skills and Japanese language which is a rare skill in Bulgaria :):happy:

[karlyboo]

In all honesty matey, I think you'll have trouble.

Don't get me wrong, serious-discussion-forum arguments aside (where I spend most of my time being a smug bastard), I would never presume to tell you how to aim for your dreams. That said I'd like to try and give some practical advice on reaching them.

I'm basing this purely on the fact I'm actually in IT so I know something about it.

I can tell you this, if you spend your four years as you suggest you would have a hard time getting a job here in the UK (with no visa or language barriers), so I don't honestly see a japanese company going for it.

In IT two things rule: your degree and your experience. I've tried the whole 'I ran this little project' line before, it is always countered by "Yes that's nice, but how much professional experience do you have?" Employers wants years worth of experience, they want project details. Homegrown assignments don't cut the mustard for languages like C++ and Java.

I was able to get a basic job with my degree (working on an IT helpdesk with some minor fill-in programming under the .NET framework) and then gain experience to build myself up to something better. Without a degree you'll find that experience hard to gain, and without either I don't honestly see it working out.

Now I say again if you're certain this is the angle you want to go down, by all means do. It's only my opinion and you might well prove it wrong. That said I know a bit about my industry.

All I can advise is how I would deal with this. I've heard your situation and I would probably try and deal with it thusly:

Even with a cerificate/homegrown project, IT jobs within Europe (with free movement of workers without visa and a more common language) would be tricky, let alone Japan.

The most common entry requirement for most things, including a work visa to Japan, is a degree.

I would probably use those 3/4 years to work on a degree. Pick something you like, possibly IT/Computing/Computer Science/whatever or alternatively to train as a teacher. The University I went to trains teachers (including English, with teaching english as a secondary language as an option) and is happy to accept students from all over the EU.

You'll find your prospects improve a great deal with the latter.

That's 3 years. Take another year to gain experience by working as a teacher and to save your money.

When you can over the course of the year, take the time out to visit Japan a couple of times (your profile says you have never been). Then make sure to read up on it, go out of your way to find the potential negatives about living there. Make sure that if you do this it's really what you want and that you are expecting the reality of living in Japan, for example:

Long hours are very common.
Tax is generally less than in Europe.
Food costs more unless you are willing to cook for yourself often and to eat local food.
You will always be a foreigner and always be treated as such, by both the government and the people.

When you've done all that, start hunting for a position out there. Go for IT if that's really what you want (personally I hate the sector, that's why I'm looking to get out!) but teaching will always be a better option (the turnover is very high, and despite ups-and-downs these Japanese will always want people to teach them). Whilst English is not your native language if you are a qualified teacher in the subject you stand a better chance.

As I said, that's all my opinion. That's how I'd deal with this situation you're in from what I know of IT, my experiences of Japan, the time I've spent researching jobs out there, living expenses, taxes etc. You obviously have to call it how you see fit.

If funding for your degree is a problem the UK offers student loans/tuition fee loans and they are open to EU residents. I can point you to various links if you would like, though I would imagine you would need an address and a job over here first.

Best of luck.

[Glenski]

We have this -Artist visa type which i didn't find at the MOFA page ?
Do you have information about this type of visa ?Look more carefully. It's there, fourth on the list of visas and second on the list of work visas. It says:
3 years or 1 year
Activities for the arts that provide income, including those carried out by composers, songwriters, artists, sculptors, craftspeople, photographers, etc. http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/04.html

Well i don't think it will be that hard going in Japan :)I think you seriously underestimate your chances.

[Dimitree]

Hurray for the club on "Ney" sayers :p
I have proven wrong way too many people like you guys in my short lifetime to take any notice of what you say :wave:
One of these people still can't belive that i went in Sofia our capital and for one day i found a job and was hired in a Kodak photo studio without any work/degree experience.
One month later i searched for a new job for one single day and was hired in a french company without any work experience and no degree and no portfolio.After a year they bagged me to stay offering me more money or change of job but stupid me i went back to our family business.
This person also preached to me how impossible it will be for me to find a job in Sofia without degree/experience/portfolio.
karlyboo : i want to tell you that the company that will consider a MMORPG (Massively multiplayer online role-playing game) project involving the creation of 3D models, texturing, animating, writing server side plug-ins and so on, realized by a single person as insufficient will be defenatly a company that i will evade by all means.If a MMORPG, Java, C++, Photoshop, CorelDraw, Autodesk Maya in my portfolio is not enough for a company then maby i don't need such a company :p
Did i mention that i whent in France and after one week in Paris i was almost hired (my visa was not ready yet :okashii:) as IT specialist ?Again without any experiance/degree and barely speaking french haha :souka:
So i had to work in a supermarket for couple of months until it got boring and i got back home :bluush: bureaucracy for the lose >_>
Glenski do you mean overestimate ? o-o
Anyway i am sure that Japanese companies are not so dumb to place a peace of paper over a talented portfolio.Most of the people with degrees are only good for just that ... holding a degree paper :souka:
Btw where is this "The most common entry requirement for most things, including a work visa to Japan, is a degree" ? Where does it say bachelors degree ? i must be lazy not seeing it ^____^.
Don't get me wrong :) i know that it will be far more painless to have a degree and so on and so forth, and i have requested information about getting an online university degree ( will that do ? O_o) but i don't understand why do you bother giving me the Ney treatment ?
I can do the Ney treatment myself and myne is far more dark then what you painted ;)

Oh boy ... now some people will hate me :souka:

[Eponine]

Dimitree, I admire your enthusiasm and if you wish to move to Japan I wish you luck. But the fact is it's not as simple as you seem to think. Just because you have been lucky in the past does not mean you will be able to blag a job in a country where the culture is completely alien to you. The people on here are giving you good advice, and as you asked for it I'm not really sure what your problem is. Yes, Degrees have been horribly devalued in the UK due to the amount of people taking slam-dunk courses but it is still the standard set for the kind of career you seem to desire, particularly abroad.

You mentioned Artist visas...you imply you have worked in studios but do not say whether you are experienced in the arts or performing arts. Realistically you cannot call yourself an artist without relevant experience in your own country and very good evidence that you'll be in demand in the Far East. I also agree that it would be wise to visit the country before you commit yourself to moving out there for extended periods. Be realistic, play to your strengths and work on your weaknesses. Good luck.

[karlyboo]

but i don't understand why do you bother giving me the Ney treatment ?

You said you were willing to work at it, I was giving an honest opinion on what you needed to work at. Take it how you like.

[Kirirao]

Anyway i am sure that Japanese companies are not so dumb to place a peace of paper over a talented portfolio.Most of the people with degrees are only good for just that ... holding a degree paper

This only prove that you know nothing about Japan.

Nay treatment? heh.
The people here are trying to give you some advices from their own experience, and you say that they are the nay sayers?

Why did I even bother posting in this thread.
Should've noticed the red flag from all those smilies.


karlyboo : i want to tell you that the company that will consider a MMORPG (Massively multiplayer online role-playing game) project involving the creation of 3D models, texturing, animating, writing server side plug-ins and so on, realized by a single person as insufficient will be defenatly a company that i will evade by all means.If a MMORPG, Java, C++, Photoshop, CorelDraw, Autodesk Maya in my portfolio is not enough for a company then maby i don't need such a company

yes thats true, the company will consider all those stuff you typed, but come here again when you actually MADE one. (without using already made engine like torque or RPG creation tool or whatever). I hear alot of noobs talking big about wanting to make an MMO, in the end, its all just crap. Nothing but talk.

Talk is easy, come back when you made one and I'll let you brag in my face. :)

Oh and sorry for acting like an ***, I'm quite sensitive when it comes to games/MMO-related stuff.

[Dimitree]

Sure thing Kirirao
I will even send Pencho to negotiate with you ;)
http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/7018/looolcu8.jpg

[Kirirao]

No point of bragging over 1 model :)
Brag when you have the full thing.

[Dimitree]

Gosh you realy can't take a joke can you :) :P

[Kirirao]

Nah, I can. But just like I said, I'm quite sensitive when it comes to games/MMO-related stuff.

[Glenski]

Hurray for the club on "Ney" sayers :p
I have proven wrong way too many people like you guys in my short lifetime to take any notice of what you sayPlease read what people here are saying to you. Trying to find work in Japan is nothing like finding work in your home country. It's much harder in your situation.

Did i mention that i whent in France and after one week in Paris i was almost hired (my visa was not ready yet :okashii:) as IT specialist ?Again without any experiance/degree and barely speaking french hahaI don't understand what it means to not hav a visa ready, but the fact is, you didn't get the job.

bureaucracy for the lose >_>If this means bureaucracy is a b!tch, then you haven't seen anything until you try to get past Japan's.

Glenski do you mean overestimate ? o-o
Anyway i am sure that Japanese companies are not so dumb to place a peace of paper over a talented portfolio.You underestimate how hard it will be here. Please realize that companies have their desires and regulations and requirements for foreign employees, but in the end it is immigration that they must contend with, just as much as you will. If you don't meet the requirements from immigration, you won't get the visa or the job. It's pretty much that simple. If the portfolio is all they go by, and yours is what immigration desires, you stand a good chance. I suspect a portfolio is not the only requirement from immigration, and even that will be subject to scrutiny for its relevancy to the job, plus other factors.

Most of the people with degrees are only good for just that ... holding a degree paper[quote]Please take that chip off your shoulder against people with degrees. Not all degree holders get jobs, but the simple fact is, most employers require them, and they are the chief requirement for most visas.

[quote]Btw where is this "The most common entry requirement for most things, including a work visa to Japan, is a degree" ?It's on the web page I gave you. That one shows only one part of MOFA's info on visas. Here's the one you should have looked for (appendix 1).
http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/index.html
Unfortunately, it doesn't list what you need for an artist visa, so you are stuck with having to contact immigration directly. Expect a vague answer at best. That's the bureaucracy here.

i have requested information about getting an online university degree ( will that do ? O_o)Maybe. That's the best answer I and immigration can give you until they see all of the documentation from you and the potential employer.

but i don't understand why do you bother giving me the Ney treatment ?Because I have lived here almost 10 years and seen stories like yours a lot. Many times, the person writes as if there must be a loophole in the system for him, or that he will find a way. Discussion threads eventually end up in a flame war, and the person leaves vowing to get what he wants. Nobody that I've ever seen on these threads has ever come back with such information. That doesn't mean what you want is impossible. It just means it is very difficult.

Bottom line:
It it difficult to accomplish.
It is also difficult for anyone on these boards to give you a definite answer either way because we do not work for immigration and we do not know all of the information from you or your potential employer.

However bulgarians are very open and friendly to foreigners.
There will be no problems to find a job anywhere.In a coffe in a shop, resturant, IT company and so on.
I'm not sure that the same applys for Japan ...It doesn't apply for Japan because you need a visa here and you need to fit the visa requirments, even for a coffee shop job.

The only time i teached english (can't belive i did that eather ) was over Skype to couple of brazilian students at first it was fun but when things started to repeat it got boring as hell I hate to tell you this, but this is what teaching is about... repeating material until students get it. Don't like it? Don't teach. Want to teach Bulgarian? Frankly, there is little to zero call for it, but go ahead and ask Berlitz if you don't believe me.

My IT skills are one year in a french company working with photoshop and corel but that's allThat is quite clearly not enough to get a job in Japan, IMO, in the IT world. Go to www.daijob.com and see what most of the IT job requirments are (including language requirements).

Homerduff wrote: Oh btw, this may sound weird but it's definetly effective; who knows you get to know a girl during your study period in Japan and you get to marry her. Your further stay in Japan will be guaranteed (as for visa), but finding a job may still be bothersome. "Bothersome" is not strong enough. Having a spouse visa merely allows you to work at any job where the employer feels you are qualified. We've already talked about qualifications, though, and you don't have much, so change "bothersome" to "very difficult".

[Dimitree]

Very well :) it is impossible for me to go in Japan. There :) sleep well now :p

[Glenski]

Dimitree,
I don't sleep well on account of what I write or don't write on forums. You have come here, asked a very difficult question (not an impossible one), gotten frustrated at the negative responses (the reality of the situation you are in), and given up. Your reply above is typical of someone who chooses to disagree with people who know more than they do and who can't give them the loophole they want.

That's your choice.

[JerseyBoy]

One of the job agencies I deal with for my office's staffing needs told me that Japanese immigration makes the original visa sponsor responsible for the sponsored foreign national depart Japan after the sponsorship ends. So, the sponsoring company has to trust the foreign national he sponsors. If that foreign national decides to overstay in Japan, the Japanese government also goes after that sponsoring company.

Being an illegal alien would be a tough call. Rights and entitlements are limited for an illegal. That would put a huge damper on the dream and hopes he/she had prior to taking the illegal path.

I've been in the states for many years. I saw many illegals there who were living below their full potential because of their precarious legal status.

[Dimitree]

I just want to say that i'm not interested in hearing what i can't do with what i have.
I'm interested in hearing what i CAN do with what i have.

Do you guys understand the differance ?

What's the point in telling me that i can't go to the moon if i don't have a space ship ??? This is what i call a "Ney" treatment.

Like i sayd i will try my best and if i fail i will be left with lots of useful skills which are rare in Bulgaria and that's good enough for me even if i can't come in Japan with them.
Thank you for trying to help me :)

[Kirirao]

Dimitree,

I'd love to know how can I go to the moon without a spaceship. Can you tell me how? Don't give me the "ney treatment" tell me what I CAN do with what I have currently.(no spaceship)

IMHO, it's best to hear what you can't do with what you have so you can prepare or make some effort to cover that "what I have currently is not enough" part.

what CAN you do with what you have? who the heck knows, every person experience differently even if the person have the same thing that you have. We can't answer that, we can only tell you what to expect or advice on what to do to avoid what we experienced.

If you wanted to go to the moon, and someone said no, its not possible if you don't have a spaceship. You don't have take it as a your so-called "ney treatment" but take it as an advice or whatever, and find a way to make a spaceship then. :P

My last advice, get a degree. It would seriously make your life easier here in Japan. I know degree means nothing to you, but to the Japanese company here, It means everything.

Here's an example. Everyone knows nintendo right? No matter how great you are in programming, it means nothing if you don't have a degree. You wouldn't even get pass the first interview. Nintendo also been named here by my teachers as the company who will only hire student from famous university even if their programming skills......sucks hard.

[Dimitree]

Kirirao you can drive with your car to NASA.That's what you can do without a spaceship :P :P :P you may be happy even with that :) and WHO knows :P maby when you reach NASA with your car some NASA employee may just give you a chance and put you on one of NASAs spaceships ? Who knows o-o ? But if i simply tell you that you can't go to the moon you will never get in your car and drive to NASA and you will never have the chance to meet a NASA employee who MABY could put you on a spaceship.
It seams that you guys are not that optimistic ;) that's not good at all :) i wouldn't live my life that way atleast :P

[Kirirao]

If I were to drive to NASA right now I'd drown in the ocean. Are you trying to kill me or are you trying to help me here? :P
That is even worst then the so-called "ney treatment".

unfortunately unlike you, my life doesn't fill with MAYBE :P
I don't live my life with MAYBE's.

I work my *** off,
I sacrifice everything I have,
I do everything what I need to do,
I fill in all the "what I don't have" blanks.
AND thats why I'm in Japan right now :P

simple as that.

If you love living your life with maybe's and with all those empty optimistic thinking, then have it your way. Life is short, and its yours. Good luck with it then.

Oh, and if you simply tell me that I can't go to the moon without a spaceship, I'll just make a spaceship :P

[Glenski]

Dimitree,
I fully understand what you want. However, your situation is so nebulous that nobody can tell you what you want to hear. I've been at this 10 years and have yet to see anyone in your situation given any clear answer on half a dozen forums. It is entirely, completely, and wholeheartedly a case by case situation. That is the name of the game with any immigration office and certainly with Japan's.

I and others have told you it will be difficult. That's the best we can do to tell you it is not IMpossible. To tell you HOW to make it POSSIBLE, well, you just have to try things for yourself and see what works in your situation.

A Bulgarian may have different results from a Spaniard or a Malaysian or a Russian.

Indians seem to be in high demand for IT work here. You are competing with them. Do your own research and find out what they are doing right. I'll bet the vast majority of situations, if not 100% of them, will show that they have either the degree or the necessary experience. But, I'm not in IT. Your little experience in that field makes you more of an expert than me. Look into it. I've given you pretty much all I know, and the fact that you don't like it is not going to change the situation. (Still, the fact that you admit you haven't even learned sufficient programming should be an obvious hint that you seriously lack the basic skills there. Moreover, please consider the next obvious fact that Japan is where a lot of programming starts, so you would have to be more than just a freshly educated programmer to be considered for a job, even WITH 100% Japanese fluency (which you won't have in 3-4 years).)

You've already insulted 3 professions here by saying that they are not "normal jobs". Are you even aware of that? Pretty common jobs, too, no matter where you live -- teaching, modeling, bar work. Have you checked out the jobsinjapan.com web site I gave you for something other than IT jobs (because you are not going to be qualified for them)? That's doing more than just naysaying, but have you even followed up on it? Yes or no?

You only seem to have looked up the Bulgarian embassy to find what I told you initially -- that you need a visa -- and you couldn't even navigate a simple web page by MOFA to find the artist visa. I just gave you a more explicit link. Again, more than just naysaying. Have you even followed up on that link? Yes or no?

You want to come here for 90 days, look for an eager employer for your visa sponsorship, then return to Bulgaria for 3-4 years where you hope to gain requirements for a visa. Do you think this is even a remotely reasonable strategy in friendly Bulgaria?
Employers won't think you are qualified now, nor are they going to wait years for people to become qualified.

You wrote that you will get some certificates for programming and a portfolio and hope that these will bypass the degree requirement or experience requirement. They won't unless you have a decade in that portfolio (minus study years). The requirement is a proper degree or 10 years of experience (including time spent studying).
http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/appendix1.html#5

Unskilled labor in Japan is pitifully paid, rarely benefitted, often exploited (trainee visas), and generally not treated very well. Most are Brazilian or Asian. Read a few of these news articles from the past couple of years.
2003 (Russian presence)
http://gsti.miis.edu/CEAS-PUB/2003_Aka-Vass.pdf
2004
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Japan/FJ22Dh01.html
2005
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Japan/GE03Dh01.html
2007 (by the biggest human rights activist in Japan)
http://japanfocus.org/products/details/2559
2007
http://www.japanfocus.org/products/details/2520


It seams that you guys are not that optimistic ;) that's not good at all For your situation, that's right. You are beginning to get the picture. 100% negative? No, but very much so.

[Dimitree]

Well the conflict here is my personal experiance and what you guys are telling me :)
In my experiance i whent and got two jobs in Sofia in Foreign companys not in bulgarian companys without any degree and all the people which waited on the interview HAD a degree and they didn't get the jobs. I did :)
I also whent in France and without a degree i DID get IT job but the company told me they will hire another person because my visa was still in the making after they put me trough some medical exams in France.

My plan is not to go NOW in Japan for 90 days and then come back in Bulgaria and start learning.My plan is to learn and get certificates and then go in Japan and try to find a company.

I didn't insult any jobs !!! How did you came up with that ? :)
I worked almost everything in my short life including the jobs you mentioned only without teaching.

Truth is that if i listen to you and never try i will njever get anything done :)
Just as if i have listened to my frind here who told me that i can't get a job in Sofia without a degree, even more so if i try to get a job in a foreign company in Sofia.
The facts are different thou and that's why i have a conflict with what you say.

Anyway this is getting pointless :) so i will try my best and i hope that things will work out for me.
Thank you again for the links and help YES i did read them.

[Glenski]

Well the conflict here is my personal experiance and what you guys are telling me :)OUR experience, not just what we are telling you, ok? You make our information sound like tall tales, which they are not. They are based on as much fact as you have back home.

In my experiance i whent and got two jobs in Sofia in Foreign companys not in bulgarian companys without any degree and all the people which waited on the interview HAD a degree and they didn't get the jobs. I did :)
I also whent in France and without a degree i DID get IT job but the company told me they will hire another person because my visa was still in the making after they put me trough some medical exams in France.That was Bulgaria and France. We are giving you the story about Japan. Different, ok? Get used to it.

I didn't insult any jobs !!! How did you came up with that ? :)You asked about common jobs. Karlyboo wrote about teaching, modeling, and bar work. Your first words after that post were:
Can't a foreigner get a "Normal persons job" in Japan ?Pretty insulting to put "normal" in quotes. Either you were insulting the type of work or the people who have them. That was my take on it anyway. What the heck [u]did[/i]you mean?

Truth is that if i listen to you and never try i will njever get anything done :)No, wrong again. Truth is, if you listen to us, you will be more prepared to face what exists here. And, that is a pretty harsh road for a non-degreed foreigner who doesn't come from a native English speaking country. I'm not discriminating against you when I write that. I'm telling you what the situation is here. Yes, if you sit at your computer and do nothing but read this forum, you won't get very far, compared to reading the links I gave you, making contacts on your own, studying Japanese, going to school to get that necessary degree, or working to gain the necessary experience. Run your own life as you like, but people here are giving you the benefit of many years of experience living and working in Japan. Use it.

Just as if i have listened to my frind here who told me that i can't get a job in Sofia without a degree, even more so if i try to get a job in a foreign company in Sofia.
The facts are different thou and that's why i have a conflict with what you say.The facts were different for you in Sofia (your homeland). They are precisely as I have laid them out for Japan.

[Dimitree]

By normal i mean a job that a normal person will work in japan :) not one that requires qualifications.I'm sorry that in your head that sounds like an insult :P
I doubt that 100% of the japanese have degrees and have 10+ years of experiance.
I also doubt that a company in Japan will not hire me and pay me less then a person with degree and so on :)
If what you say is true then 100% of the japanese and foreigners there must have all degrees and 10000 years fo experiance which is a fairytale for me.
I worked on 10000 different places and different jobs and the fact is that this is business and as long as it is profitable for the employer i will get a job with or without degree and with or without visa, here in bulgara in france and everywhere in the world.
I doubt that any of you tryed to search for a job while not having a degree or visa and that's why i doubt what you guys say :)
Anyway i might be 100% wrong.And that's ok with me :) i will try and i may fail.Nothing to worry about in my opinion.I will still have much more in my porfolio then now and thats going foreword not backwords.
I will try to come in Japan but if i fail BIG DEAL i don't care :)
I love Japan but if their policy is in fact that foreigner not friendly then God bless America hahah they are far more tollerant :P

[Glenski]

By normal i mean a job that a normal person will work in japan :) not one that requires qualifications.I'm sorry that in your head that sounds like an insult :PTeachers, models, and bartenders are normal people, don't you think? The insult still stands.

I doubt that 100% of the japanese have degrees and have 10+ years of experiance.They don't need visas, which are the reason you need the degree or experience. Can't you get that through your head?

I also doubt that a company in Japan will not hire me and pay me less then a person with degree and so on :)It happens in the teaching business, I can guarantee you that. As for other fields, I wouldn't know.

If what you say is true then 100% of the japanese and foreigners there must have all degrees and 10000 years fo experiance which is a fairytale for me.As I wrote above, Japanese don't need degrees or experience for certain jobs simply because they are citizens here and don't need a visa (which holds those requirements). As for foreigners, I think I may have already explained that depending on the visa situation, you are right. People with spouse visa, dependent visa, student visa, cultural visa, and working holiday visa don't need a degree for their visas. Whether they need them for jobs is up to the employers. You don't seem to fit any of these visa categories (unless you go for the student or cultural visa). Don't get ticked off at my responses. They are simply the facts as Japan holds them.

I worked on 10000 different places and different jobs and the fact is that this is business and as long as it is profitable for the employer i will get a job with or without degree and with or without visa, here in bulgara in france and everywhere in the world.I doubt it, but that's your opinion.

I doubt that any of you tryed to search for a job while not having a degree or visa and that's why i doubt what you guys say :)That has not been my case, but I've giving you the benefit of 10 years of experience living here keeping my eyes open and ears to the ground. Disbelieve me if you like, but it won't change the situation.

I love Japan but if their policy is in fact that foreigner not friendly then God bless America hahah they are far more tollerant :PI think if you check the immigration requirements for the USA, you will still find similar barriers. Good luck anyway.

[Kirirao]

I doubt that any of you tryed to search for a job while not having a degree or visa and that's why i doubt what you guys say

I take offense to that. I did and I failed and thats why I'm advising to get a freaking degree to make your life easier.
Now you're just being rude and mean to the people who are trying to help you.

It would be nice if any mod would lock this pointless thread.

[Glenski]

Now you're just being rude and mean to the people who are trying to help you.
That's what usually happens on threads like this, when a poster wants something that is extremely difficult or impossible to get. Best we can do is give sound advice and explanations, and let the poster do what they please. They never seem to come back anyway with success stories. Haven't seen one in the 10 years I've been posting, anyway.

[uchimizu]

Hi,

when you come to another country, the chances are you do not speak perfectly the language, do not know local customs, and you will represent additional paperwork for the company who heres you (everywhere in the world, not just in Japan). If you do not fall into predefined visa categories, then the paperwork is just huge.

Basically, a company is taking a risk by hiring a foreigner. To compensate that risk, it will want proof of qualifications (diploma, recognized experience, maybe a degree in local language...).

Anyways, good luck, but I believe that with a few exceptions, you have as much change to get a normal job by coming ot Japan without a visa than to catch a big fish by randomly hitting the sea with a club.

[Dimitree]

Why Kirirao how nice of you to say that everythign writen in this thread is pointless :)

Once more thank you guys for helping me :)

[Mycernius]

This thread is going nowhere very fast. Dimitri, members have all told you what to expect, but your seem to ignore the advice. It is, as Kirirao san has pointed out, becoming pointless. Thread clsoed