Canadian residents or nationals do not need a visa to enter Japan for temporary visits, however, for long-term purposes compatible with the desire to move to Japan from Canada, one will need to apply for a residence permit.
General long-term purposes include those that will involve remunerated work, family reunification, study, or business start-up. The Canadian applicant will need to prepare and apply for a suitable long-term visa with the Consulate General of Japan in their area of residence in Canada.
Canadian entrepreneurs who wish to apply for a start-up visa can rely on our assistance for company registration in Japan, in addition to the services related to their lawful entry into the country for business purposes.
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Types of visas
The following visa categories apply for Canadians who wish to move to Japan:
- Work: for Canadian nationals who have been hired by a Japanese company; sub-categories include highly skilled professionals, intra-company transferees in Japan, researchers, and other professions;
- Study: Canadians who have been admitted by an educational institution in Japan; the student must be able to pay for his/her expenses during their stay in the country;
- Business: the start-up visa is awarded for foreigners who wish to open a company in Japan; specific requirements apply;
- Designated activities: examples include digital nomads who will be working for 6 months in the country or the spouse or child of a digital nomad who already living in Japan;
Canadians who relocate to Japan from Canada need to submit their applications in person and each application needs to include the full set of mandatory documents (see below). The Japanese consulates in Canada may refuse incomplete or inaccurate applications.
Application requirements
Canadians who wish to move to Japan need to prepare complete documentation. Below, we list a few of the visa application documents:
- the filled-in visa application form;
- leger of guarantee letter of invitation (where applicable);
- identification documents:
- details about the company/organization (for those applying for a work visa, as well as for students accepted by an educational organization);
- other visa-specific documents.
The following processing times and fees should be taken into account when you move to Japan from Canada:
- the earliest you can apply for a visa is 3 months before the desired date of entry in Japan;
- the visa processing time is usually 5 working days, however, this term can be influenced by the provided documentation;
- the visa processing fee charged by the Consulate General of Japan in Montreal was $ 29 for cash payments at the counter (for a single-entry visa) and $50 cash payment at the counter for a multiple-entry visa.
If you plan to relocate to Japan from Canada you should take into account the visa processing times and the applicable fees, as well as other costs that relate not only to your travel to Japan but also to your accommodation and post-arrival costs.
Personalized assistance for those who move to Japan from Canada
If you want to relocate to Japan, having a local team of experts to guide you throughout the process can be valuable.
Our immigration lawyers in Japan can offer you in-depth information about the visa application process, your options if you want to turn a short-term stay into a long-term one, as well as the documents needed for your visa or residence permit application.
In addition to assisting foreigners with their visa and/or residence permit applications, our team will also guide investors interested in setting up a company in Japan. As previously mentioned, a start-up visa is an option for entrepreneurs who wish to come to the country with their spouse and/or children. Our company formation experts will give you details on the business climate and incorporation requirements.
Contact our team if you are interested in immigration to Japan from Canada. We will answer your key questions and streamline the visa/residence permit application process.