Japan Opens Working Holiday Visa to 32 Countries With No African Nations on the List
- Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that 32 countries and regions qualify for its Working Holiday visa scheme
- The bilateral programme allows young adults aged 18 to 30 to live, travel, and work temporarily in Japan
- No African country, including South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, or Ghana, holds a working holiday agreement with Japan
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Source: Getty Images
Japan has confirmed that 32 countries and regions are eligible for its Working Holiday visa scheme, a programme that lets young adults live, travel, and work temporarily in the country.
According to Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the bilateral scheme is designed primarily around cultural exchange and extended travel, with paid work intended only as a way to supplement a participant's funds during their stay.
Who qualifies and what the visa allows
Applicants must generally be between 18 and 30 years old, though some partner countries cap the age at 25. To be eligible, a person must apply from their home country, hold a valid passport, have a return ticket or enough money to purchase one, and show proof of sufficient initial living funds. No dependent children or spouses may accompany participants unless those individuals hold their own valid visa.
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Employment under the scheme comes with firm restrictions. Participants are prohibited from working in bars, nightclubs, cabarets, gambling venues, or adult entertainment establishments.
Visa quotas vary significantly by country. South Korea and Taiwan each have a cap of 10,000 spots annually, while Australia, New Zealand, and Germany face no cap at all. Smaller quotas apply to countries such as Uruguay (100), Malta (100), and Iceland (30). Japan has also updated its rules to allow citizens of select partner nations, including Canada, the United Kingdom, South Korea, and Germany, to participate in the programme twice in their lifetime.
No African countries on the list
The full list of participating countries and regions spans Oceania, the Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe. It includes Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Germany, and 22 other European nations, alongside Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay.
Notably absent from the list is the entire African continent. South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and every other African nation currently have no bilateral working holiday agreement with Japan, meaning their citizens cannot access this specific visa pathway for short-term working travel in Japan.
Source: Getty Images
More on SA travel and work visa changes
- Briefly News recently reported that Thailand will cut its visa-free stay allowance for South African passport holders from 15 September 2026, citing visa misuse.
- In another story, a South African on the H-2B visa programme opened up about the life-changing work opportunity it offered her in the US.
- A South African security officer working on a cruise ship celebrated after helping two fellow South Africans land jobs in the US.
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Source: Briefly News
