VISA Information
Visa Q&A List - VISA Information
Visa for “Freelancer”
I’m an American English teacher. I heard from my friend that there is a visa status of “freelancer.” Is this true?
Apparently, many English teachers are working in several schools and also taking private lessons. However, most of them basically have obtained a working visa after entering into a contract such as an employment contract, commission contract or business trust agreement with a school.
In order to obtain a working visa in Japan, you have to certify that you have a continuing job in some measure. Therefore, in order to work as a freelancer you only have a choice of applying for either the visa status of “Investor/Business Manager” or that of “Artist,” which is quite difficult to get.
Remember that you will have to apply for permission to engage in any activity other than that permitted by your current status of residence, if you will also work as an English teacher in schools other than the one through which you obtained your working visa. As long as you already have a “Specialist in Humanities/International Services” visa as an English teacher, it will be basically possible for you to obtain such permission.
(From January Issue 2010)
Advisor: NIITSU Kyohei (Immigration Lawyer)
