Japan opens one-year work-travel visa to young Luxembourgers

Luxembourg and Japan will start a program that allows citizens of each other’s countries to travel and work in both states for one year, the embassy of Japan in Luxembourg said on Wednesday.

The program which is set to begin on June 3, will allow citizens of Luxembourg between the ages of 18 and 30 to visit Japan for one year and to work while staying in the country. The same will apply to Japanese citizens wishing to spend a year in Luxembourg, although the government of Luxembourg is yet to make the announcement.

“This program makes it possible for citizens of one country to enter the other country primarily for a holiday over an extended period and to be able to work incidentally during their holiday in order to supplement their travel funds,” the Japanese embassy said.

Citizens of Luxembourg aged between 18 and 30 will not need to get a regular work visa for Japan under the scheme but they will have to apply for the new program.

The working holiday program will only be available to Luxembourg nationals who are also residents at the time of application. They will have to show evidence of funds for maintenance, about €1,900, and must leave Japan at the end of their stay.

Under the current rules, citizens of Luxembourg can travel to Japan as tourists visa free for a maximum period of 90 days at a time.

The working holiday announcement from Japan comes just a few weeks after the Chinese embassy announced that it is extending visa-free entry for citizens of Luxembourg until the end of 2025.

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