A work visa requires a sponsor. What that sponsor requires depends, but in general it will be a 4-year-degree or long-term experience is whatever specialized field is required.

I agree with you JF. Nice catch.. Sad but true.

I haven't been to Japan yet (though I plan to visit soon) but based on my experience here in the US having a college degree will not increase your chances of landing a job. You need work experience and/or connections. It could be the complete opposite in Japan, I don't know, but I haven't read anything in this thread that makes me go, "I better get them 4 years!"

I think you need to read more of this thread then.

A sponsor is not always required. You can get a "shokutaku" visa, which entails signing up customers willing to guarantee that they will each buy a certain amount of goods or services from you. These should total up to at least ¥210,000 a month, maybe more now. Also, if you invest in your own business, typically ¥5 million, you can get an investor visa. No sponsor is required in either case.

For first-times, however, these options are not really practical.

It's actually 3 years of "professional" experience, and things like car repair or carpentry are not considered professions. The 12 year requirement is for those who wish to teach English or another language; they must have lived 12 continuous years in the country whose language they wish to teach, in addition to 3 verifiable years experience, or a 4 year degree.

You are right, having a degree will not increase your odds of finding a job in the US, but only for those jobs which entail removing dirt from cars using soap and water, or asking "would you like fries with that?" to your customers.

Getting a job in a "profession" will almost always (more than 90% of the time) require that one possess a degree.

Well put. This comes down to my point (And others) on whether the Japanese MacDonald will sponsor a foreigner to sell burgers.

Reality tell us that NO they won't. The cost out weight the benefit by a few tonnes.

As Sangetsu stated, to get this anywhere close to having a chance to move to Japan is if you are some kind of professional. By professional we mean:

- Engineers
- Programmers
- Teachers (professors)
- Lawyers (I could be wrong, someone correct me please)
- Doctors
- Researchers
- Accountants
- etc

Notice how MacDonald servers, Gas Station Attendant, Store Clerk, Garbage collectors are not on the list? Well, guess what, these jobs also don't need a degree in the US......

You may be wrong or right but you won't find a Japanese company who's willing to sponsor you if you don't have that degree. Even if your potential employer is willing to overlook this deficiency in favor of experience and/or connections, the Japanese immigration office won't.

Also, worth mentioning, having "connection" doesn't do you much either, especially if you are a foreigner. They can't just give you a job blind folded...