Working Holiday Visa for Canadian Citizens
2025/3/19
For the purpose of promoting greater mutual understanding between Japan and Canada, the governments of these two countries agreed in 1986 to start a working holiday scheme to help encourage the exchange of young people. This program makes it possible for citizens of one country to enter the other primarily for a holiday over an extended period, and also to engage in employment as an incidental aspect of their trip in order to supplement their travel funds.
With this visa, Canadian citizens need not obtain further permission to engage in remunerative activities while in Japan. However, this programme is not designed for persons who mainly intend to work. The applicants’ primary purpose of stay should be to “holiday” in Japan. Therefore, applicants who intend primarily to work cannot apply for this visa.
Working Holiday participants are strictly prohibited from working at places affecting public morals such as bars, cabarets, and nightclubs, etc.
As of December 1, 2024, the Working Holiday Visa can be granted twice in a lifetime (up to two one-year periods of stay obtained on separate occasions), or for one period of stay of two years (up to two one-year periods of stay obtained consecutively). The Government of Japan, on a reciprocal basis, will grant, free of charge, a single-entry visa for the Working Holiday to persons who satisfy the requirements.
Please note that matters related to visas are handled locally based on your residential address. Therefore, please direct all your visa inquiries to the office where you apply.
▷ Embassy of Japan in Canada
(Jurisdiction: Ottawa region)
▷ Consulate General of Japan in Vancouver
(Jurisdiction: British Columbia and Yukon)
▷ Consulate General of Japan in Calgary
(Jurisdiction: Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Northwest Territories and Nunavut)
▷ Consulate General of Japan in Toronto
(Jurisdiction: Ontario, except for Ottawa region)
▷ Consulate General of Japan in Montreal
(Jurisdiction: Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Labrador & Newfoundland)
As an alternative, applicants may pay a service fee to the following local organizations to apply.
SWAP (Jurisdiction: All areas throughout Canada)
Go International (Jurisdiction: British Columbia and Yukon)
Stepabroad (Jurisdiction: British Columbia and Yukon)
With this visa, Canadian citizens need not obtain further permission to engage in remunerative activities while in Japan. However, this programme is not designed for persons who mainly intend to work. The applicants’ primary purpose of stay should be to “holiday” in Japan. Therefore, applicants who intend primarily to work cannot apply for this visa.
Working Holiday participants are strictly prohibited from working at places affecting public morals such as bars, cabarets, and nightclubs, etc.
As of December 1, 2024, the Working Holiday Visa can be granted twice in a lifetime (up to two one-year periods of stay obtained on separate occasions), or for one period of stay of two years (up to two one-year periods of stay obtained consecutively). The Government of Japan, on a reciprocal basis, will grant, free of charge, a single-entry visa for the Working Holiday to persons who satisfy the requirements.
Please note that matters related to visas are handled locally based on your residential address. Therefore, please direct all your visa inquiries to the office where you apply.
▷ Embassy of Japan in Canada
(Jurisdiction: Ottawa region)
▷ Consulate General of Japan in Vancouver
(Jurisdiction: British Columbia and Yukon)
▷ Consulate General of Japan in Calgary
(Jurisdiction: Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Northwest Territories and Nunavut)
▷ Consulate General of Japan in Toronto
(Jurisdiction: Ontario, except for Ottawa region)
▷ Consulate General of Japan in Montreal
(Jurisdiction: Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Labrador & Newfoundland)
As an alternative, applicants may pay a service fee to the following local organizations to apply.
SWAP (Jurisdiction: All areas throughout Canada)
Go International (Jurisdiction: British Columbia and Yukon)
Stepabroad (Jurisdiction: British Columbia and Yukon)