Start your career in Japan with the J-Find visa: a Le Wagon student’s journey

As a Chinese national, I don’t have access to the working holiday visa program that many other foreigners use to come to Japan for job hunting. So, my options were limited. I considered applying for a student visa by enrolling in a language school, but I had already passed the JLPT N1 before coming to Japan. Going to language school would’ve felt like a waste of time and money. I also thought about using a tourist visa, but doing job hunting on a tourist visa felt borderline illegal.

The J-Find visa stood out because it allowed me to reside in Japan while job hunting. It gave me a residence card and My Number card, which made life much easier—things like opening a bank account or getting a phone plan became straightforward.

There’s no GPA requirement at all.

I’m from China, but I have a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Physics from the University of Southern California (USC) in the U.S.

Since J-Find visa is a job-seeking visa, my main goal was to find a long-term job and eventually work toward permanent residency in Japan. I started by joining Le Wagon Tokyo to make friends, build connections in the Japanese tech scene, and work on some personal projects. It also gave me a soft landing and helped me adjust to life here while continuing to improve my Japanese. At the same time, I began applying for jobs.

🎥 Watch Shuxing’s Demo Day pitches on Youtube 

Yes, definitely. If you’re eligible, I think it’s a great option. It’s similar to a working holiday visa in that it lets you legally work while job hunting, but the J-Find visa has some advantages. One big advantage is that it’s extendable. You initially get a one-year stay, but you can apply to extend it for another year. In contrast, the working holiday visa is typically limited to one year with no extension. Also, with the J-Find visa, you can switch to a work visa (like the Engineering/Humanities/International Services visa or Highly Skilled Professional visa) once you get a job.

The application process is smooth – you don’t need to leave Japan. In my case, after I received a job offer, my company asked me to change my visa status. I applied through the Immigration Bureau, and after about a month, I got a postcard notification. My administrative scrivener picked up my new residence card, and everything went smoothly.

So, is the J-Find visa worth it?

Talking to Shuxing and other students who’ve taken this route, a few key takeaways stand out:

• If you’re eligible, the J-Find visa is one of the simplest ways to legally job hunt in Japan.
• You don’t need a guarantor or company sponsor, which removes a big barrier.
• It gives you time – up to 2 years – to find a job and build your life here.
• You can switch to a work visa without leaving the country once hired.
• Joining a coding bootcamp like Le Wagon Tokyo helps build your skills, network, and confidence during that time.

So if you’re thinking of using your J-Find stay to join a coding bootcamp: go for it. It’s an investment in your future and a great way to launch yourself into Japan’s tech industry.

Interested in moving to Japan? Read how four Le Wagon graduates prepared their move to Japan, went through our bootcamps and landed jobs in the Tokyo tech industry.