If you’re doing a major or minor in Japanese, or you speak fluent Japanese – your placement fee is waived completely.

We will collect a fully refundable security deposit of the same amount, which is returned at the end of your contract.

You have two options:

After your interview:
This shows us you’re completely keen to go – so you’re given priority over other people. There’s zero risk, as if you later change your mind before a position is confirmed, or in excess of 3 months of the expected start date of a confirmed position, your Fee will be fully refunded.

After being sent a Tentative Job Offer.
Job offers will contain the link to put through your fee/deposit if you haven’t already done so.

There’s no reason to be nervous in the Interview; it’s just a relaxed, casual chat, to get an idea of whether you’re suited to Resort work in Japan or not. Your interviewer will ask you a couple of quick questions about yourself and your interest in Japan, and then a couple of simple questions in Japanese, to get an idea of your Japanese level. Depending on how long you’ve been studying Japanese, your Interviewer will tailor the questions to suit your level.

Having a friendly nature and positive attitude is much more valuable for Resort jobs than your Japanese skill. If you’re enthusiastic and open-minded, we’re sure you’ll make a great impression in the interview.

Remember we’re seeking applicants with a genuine interest in Japan. You will need to respect Japanese culture, and make effort to abide by their rules and customs while you’re there. Resorts don’t want staff who are only interested in the powder snow.

There is no specific minimum level. If you have studied at all, you have a great chance of getting a job through us (because we have positions for almost all levels). Having a genuine desire to learn, is much more important than your current Japanese-speaking ability.

Even if you don’t speak any Japanese at all, we have quite a few positions available every year around Japan.

If you are coming with a friend or partner we’ll do our absolute best to place you at the same resort.

It is important to remember though, that dormitories are separated by the sexes at Japanese-run resorts. If you are coming with your opposite-sex friend or partner, it won’t be possible to share a room there. The only way to share a room would be if you’re placed at a foreign-run resort, so please make it known to us that’s where you wish to be placed.

At foreign-run Ski Resorts it is possible – although subject to room availability.

In Okinawa and at all Japanese-run Ski Resorts, dorms are single-sex, so you won’t be able to stay in the same room together.

In the past, most couples have just accepted they won’t be able to spend much private time together for the few months they are working at a resort. You’ll likely have different days-off, and there won’t be any private area for you to hang out so meeting each-other means going out to nearby restaurants/bars – which will cost at least the price of a drink.

It’s important you are prepared for this, and go with the right mindset: wanting an experience where you meet lots of new people, not one where you’re together 24/7.

Please think seriously about whether this will be a problem for you, before you apply. Thank you for your understanding.

Either a Level 1 or Level 2 qualification of any country should be fine. Please make us aware of your qualification when applying, or if you gain a qualification after your application, you can email us to let us know.

Resorts pay us a small fee to source them staff. That alone is not enough to fully support the business, which is why we have Participation Fees for applicants who don’t meet the waiver criteria.

The fee the resorts pay us allow us to keep the Placement Fees much lower than other companies offering similar services to ours.

A Tentative Job Offer is an email we’ll send with full resort/job details of a position we expect to be confirmed for you, assuming that you also like it.

We first need to check you’re interested in the position, so send you the Tentative Job Offer with all of the details.

If you accept it, we’ll seek confirmation by telling the resort about you. Once it’s confirmed, we’ll send you your Resort Confirmation Email with the next steps.

Yes. Many do both ski and beach seasons. There may be a gap between seasons, but you can do one season and then another. You can do them in any order.

About half way through your season we’ll reach out to you to see if you’re interested in joining us for another one.

If joining us for a second (or third) program, you don’t have to pay the Participation Fee or Security Deposit again. 

Find a full description in our “Ultimate Working Holiday Guide“.

The actual amount depends on your country, but at the time you apply for your Working Holiday Visa you must show that you have a few thousand dollars available in your bank account. The Visa office needs to know you have sufficient funds to pay for your airfare, and support yourself while living in Japan. You’ll need to submit a bank statement as proof.

As many of you are students, we know this much money can be hard to raise. Before their Visa application, many applicants receive gifts from their parents, of a few thousand dollars. This is fine, as long as you show the Visa office an accompanying letter from your parents, explaining they have given you the money for your stay in Japan.

Once your visa is issued, it’s valid for 12 months – that means you have 12 months from the issue date to enter Japan. Once you enter Japan, your visa starts.

Australians
Once entering Japan, your visa starts and is valid for 6-months from your entry date. You can then extend it for another 6 months, and then another 6 months – to a total of 1.5 years.

Other Nationalities
Once entering Japan, your visa starts and is valid for 12-months from your entry date.

Yes – but only if you hold one of eight passports.

Japan currently lets citizens of Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Denmark, Austria, Germany, Ireland and Slovakia obtain a second Working Holiday Visa. Canadians and Britons may apply for the second year while still in Japan or split it into two separate visits; the other six nationalities must leave the country and re-apply from home for their second visa.

For all other partner countries the programme remains a once-in-a-lifetime visa.

Citizens of South Korea, Australia and France are expected to be able to apply for second Working Holiday Visas at some point in the near future, although no specific dates have been set for when that will become possible.

No, unfortunately we cannot offer Visa sponsorship. A company has to guarantee a job for 12-months continuously in order to provide sponsorship. As ski and beach jobs in Japan are only seasonal, this isn’t possible.

To be eligible for Resort Work, you must be currently in Japan, holding one of the following Visas, which is valid for the entire time you wish to work in a Resort:

VISAS WHICH DO PERMIT SHORT-TERM WORK IN RESORTS

Working Holiday Visa
Spouse Visa
Permanent Residency
Child of Japanese National Visa
Japanese Citizen (holding a Japanese passport)

NOTE: Unfortunately, as resorts are unable to provide Visa sponsorship, foreigners with the below Visas are not eligible to Work in Resorts, and are therefore unable to apply for our programs. This is government regulation – if you have any questions about Visas, please contact the Department of Immigration directly. We’re sorry for the disappointment, but thank you for your understanding.

VISAS WHICH DO NOT ALLOW SHORT-TERM WORK AT RESORTS

*Working Visa (including Specialist in Humanities)
Dependent Visa (even with a work permit, only permits up to 28hrs work per week, which is less than the minimum required to work in resorts)
Student Visa (as above)
Engineering Visa
Other Specialist Visas (Artist / Cultural Visa etc.)
Any other Visa which is not listed on this page

Of course! As long as you can be at the designated meeting point when everyone else arrives, you’re welcome to travel wherever you like. After your contract, we recommend you travel on (with your new friends) too!

Note: You must apply for your working holiday visa in your country of residency. If you plan on traveling to other countries before Japan and need to get your visa early, please contact us for more information.

Yes. You will need to purchase Travel Insurance (including coverage for snow sports (Ski apps only) for the entire length of your Resort contract. This will cover you for accidents outside of work (you will already be covered by work insurance during work hours).

In addition, due to a recent change in government policy, all foreigners are now also required to enter the Japanese National Healthcare System. Thankfully, this is only a minimal expense of approx. 2000yen (USD$20) per month.

Finally, a few select ski resorts require staff to enter their own additional Ski/Snowboard Insurance scheme aswell (approx. 3000yen per season).

We recommend you rent ski gear, as it’s convenient, and if you’re lucky, you’ll get a cheap staff discount from your resort! Buying and bringing your own board/skis over on the plane can be expensive, and troublesome to carry around. In addition, there’s no way to send objects larger than 150cms from Japan back home, so if you do decide to bring your own gear, make sure you don’t go over the airline baggage allowance limit, as you’ll have to bring them back with you on the plane.

NOTE: Japan’s largest boot size is about 28cms, so if you have bigger feet than that, you should buy your own ski/snowboard boots, and bring them with you to Japan.

If you decide to buy gear in Japan, expect to pay (for average-quality new gear): Board/binding/boots or ski/boots/poles sets = 30~40,000yen. Jacket / Pants = 20,000yen for a set. Gloves / Goggles = up to 10,000yen each.

Of course if you already have your own set of gear and wish to bring it with you, that’s fine too!

We’ll meet you at the designated spot and deliver you to the resort. You’ll receive a full Orientation and we’ll be there to help you sign your contract and settle in. Then we’ll be available 24/7 to help you anytime during your stay.

In addition to Travel Insurance, you’ll need to join the Japanese National Health Insurance program, which is compulsory for all adult residents of Japan. You’ll enter this after arriving in Japan – at the same time as you register your address at the local city office, which we give you assistance with.

Yes. Uniforms will be provided for all staff, though you may be required to bring specific items of your own – for example black pants and shoes for a restaurant position.

We’ll let you know if you need to bring anything after your position/resort is confirmed.

During busy holiday periods (Ski: Xmas/New Year’s Break + mid-February, Beach: Jul-Aug Summer Vacation), your resort may ask you to work a few extra hours if they’re very busy and need more help.

Most contracts are only 3-4 months long. Changing jobs means being re-trained in a new one. Given the short time you’re there it makes more sense to train you up in one position and have you perform that for the duration of your contract. Because of that resorts prefer people to stick with one position. However if you really want to change jobs after starting, you can request a change – but it may or may not be approved.

That being said, there are different aspects/roles within each position and as time goes by you’ll learn new aspects of your job and be given more responsibilities. Whatever your job appears to be like after week 2 isn’t what it’ll be like the whole season – as the season progresses you’ll learn and take on different tasks within the same job. 

Resort work is shift-work, so the days of the week won’t mean much!

You’ll be scheduled 8 days off, and they’ll be spread out over the month.

You may work 2 days, have 2 days off. Then work 5 days, and have 1 day off. Work another 4 days, and have 2 days off. Etc. It’ll be random, and different from one month to the next.

During busy periods (May and August for Okinawa resorts, Dec 26 – Jan 10 for ski resorts) you may get scheduled slightly more days on, and more days off later. But that’s good! It means you can work while it’s horrible and busy and enjoy more holidays when you’ll have the beach/slopes to yourself!

As mentioned in the question above, you likely won’t have a full weekend off. Your holidays will be spread out over the month.

If you have a few consecutive days-off, you may with to travel to nearby cities, which is fine. However we recommend exploring areas near your resort during your contract, and doing further-afield travel afterwards.

VEGETARIANS: Please be aware that it is extremely difficult to live and work in Japan as a vegetarian.

Unfortunately, Resorts which provide meals cannot cater to specific dietary needs (vegetarian, diabetic etc). If you have dietary constraints, it’s best we consider you for a position at a foreign-run ski resort. Or if applying for Okianwa, you’ll need to make purchase food and make your own meals at the dorm.

Japanese-run Ski Resorts : NO (Three meals / day are provided but kitchen facilities are not available to staff).

Foreign-run Ski Area Hotels : YES. Meals aren’t provided so you can buy and cook your own meals at the dorm.

Okinawa : NO. Two meals a day are provided, however you can also buy and cook your own meals in the kitchen facilities at the dorm.

Most resorts pay cash, which you will collect from your resort office each month.

A few resorts may require you to open a Japanese bank account, into which your salary will be paid monthly. Banks are located near the resorts, so withdrawing money won’t be a problem.

In this case, we will show you where the bank is, and how to fill out the forms. You will not be able to open a bank account on Day 1, as you have to first wait until city hall processes your change of address.

Yes. When you open a bank account in Japan, you will be given an ATM card which allows you to access your money via ATMs all around Japan (though your card probably won’t work internationally).

Ski jobs: Approx. 90,000yen after-tax take-home pay per month (including meals, accommodation, and ski pass). See sample monthly cost breakdowns Here.

Beach jobs: Approx. 125,000yen, minus 20% tax (23,000yen), food (5,000yen), and dormitory (15,000yen) = 82,000yen after-tax take-home pay per month.

Anyone who hasn’t lived in Japan for more than 12 months is deducted a 20.4% withholding tax. 

If you remain in Japan more than 12 months, you can file a Japanese tax return to request a refund.

You’ll be covered by three layers of protection during your time in Japan:

Travel Insurance – It’s important that you get travel insurance to cover your entire stay. If you’re working during the winter, it must also include snow sports coverage.

Japanese Work Insurance (“rousai”) – Covers you 100% for any injuries that occur during work.

Japanese National Health Insurance – Everyone livign in Japan is required to join this. It only costs about $50 for the season, and it covers 70% of medical costs for any injuries or illnesses. The remaining 30% you’ll need to pay at the doctor/hospital, but you can then claim that back through your travel insurance.

For minor illnesses or doctor visits, costs are generally low – often just a few hundred yen to a few thousand yen after insurance ($10~50). For more serious injuries like a broken leg, the 70% coverage from Japanese insurance helps reduce the large upfront medical costs significantly – the remainder of which you can claim on travel insurance.

In the case of a serious injury that prevents you from performing your job duties, you’ll unfortunately have to leave your resort position early. Resorts are very understanding in these situations and will give you time to arrange your onward plans.

We understand that sometimes unexpected things come up. However, it’s important to know that leaving your contract early causes significant disruption for the resort. Resorts plan their entire season around a fixed number of staff, and when someone leaves mid-season, they’re left short-staffed during their busiest period. It’s very difficult to find a replacement partway through the season/

If you truly need to leave early, be sure to:

• Return all borrowed items, such as bedding, staff uniforms, ID cards etc

• Complete any required paperwork requested by the resort.

• Allow at least a few days for your final paycheck to be calculated and paid out before you leave.

  Please give 2 weeks notice (or more) if leaving early. 

Also keep in mind:

• Participation Fees are non-refundable.

• Security Deposits are only refunded after full contract completion. If you leave early, your deposit will not be refunded.

Please be honest about your availability when applying. If you know your schedule might change, let us know early so we can try to find a more flexible or shorter placement for you.