Japan’s scheme is set to launch in late March with a visa valid for six months. - Reuters
TOKYO: Japan is the latest destination in Asia to offer a visa for digital nomads, but some are calling it “restrictive”.
Digital nomads are individuals who work remotely while moving between locations for short- or medium-term stays.
Japan’s scheme is set to launch in late March with a visa valid for six months.
Individuals from 49 countries and territories, including Singapore, the United States, and Australia, can apply, according to the Japan Times newspaper.
Applicants must earn a minimum annual income of ¥10 million (S$90,000) and also have private insurance.
Self-employed individuals are eligible, as well as people with spouses and children.
Visa holders will be permitted to live and work remotely from anywhere in the country. However, they do not qualify for a residence card by virtue of having the digital nomad visa.
There will be no immediate extensions of the digital nomad visa upon expiration; a reapplication may be submitted six months after a person departs from Japan, according to travel and hospitality website Travel Daily Media.
Japan joins a growing list of countries and territories that offer such a scheme, which includes Estonia, Mexico, Portugal and Taiwan.
The Japanese initiative is part of the country’s broader strategy to attract more remote workers and boost its tourism economy.
The Japanese government hopes digital nomads will drive innovation and energise the country’s rapidly ageing workforce.
However, digital nomad communities say the terms of Japan’s visa are restrictive, according to a Feb 17 report by Australia’s ABC News.
They say the visa’s six-month validity is too short for long-term travellers, and the minimum annual salary requirement is too stringent for those working in start-ups.
Most other territories offer the visa for a minimum period of a year. Japan’s six-month visa is similar to Iceland’s, which is valid for 180 days.
For Spain, one of the top destinations for digital nomads due to its visa’s low barrier of entry, applicants are required to have a monthly income of €2,600 (S$3,800), according to a BBC report. Its visa is valid for a minimum period of one year and for up to five years with renewal.
Japan’s digital nomad visa is similar to neighbour South Korea’s.
Applicants to the programme in South Korea must earn an annual income of over 84.96 million won (S$85,500) and be employed by a foreign company. Digital nomads and their families can stay in the country for up to two years.
Elsewhere in Asia, Malaysia’s “nomad pass” allows applicants of all nationalities to stay in the country for up to two years, provided they earn more than S$32,500 a year.
They should also work in a digital-related field, such as IT and digital marketing, and have health insurance.
Taiwan offers a “Gold Card”, which is not technically a digital nomad visa, but does allow unlimited entry for three years, along with working and residency rights. Applicants are assessed based on their professional skills.
Still, despite Japan’s seemingly stricter terms, its visa is likely to be popular, the BBC report said.
It is the result of a survey of digital nomads, who had indicated a preference to stay longer than the current 90-day visa-free arrangement that tourists get.
In 2023, Tokyo took the top spot as the fastest-growing destination for digital nomads, according to Nomad List, a website for remote workers. - The Straits Times/ANN
