1.Japan’s Immigration Services Agency just announced it will start issuing its long-anticipated digital nomad visa within the next few weeks. According to the Japan Times, the visa will be available to nationals of 49 countries, a list that includes the United Kingdom and the United States. Once obtained, visa holders can legally live and work remotely from anywhere in the country for up to six months.
2.It has come as welcome news to the global digital nomad community, with the announcement garnering plenty of praise in online communities such as Reddit’s r/DigitalNomad sub and hundreds more comments on the social platform’s r/Japan page. However, would-be digital nomads have been quick to point out that, like many new digital nomad visas, this one comes with some rather hefty requirements for eligibility.
3.As Japan Times reported, applicants must show they earn a minimum income of ¥10 million (about £54,356 or $66,622). Applicants must also hold private health insurance, and visa holders will not be allowed to obtain a residence card. The visa expires after six months and is not eligible for renewal.
4.Although it comes with steep terms, the visa is likely to be a popular one. It’s the result of a survey of digital nomads, who overwhelmingly indicated they’d prefer to be able to stay longer than the current, 90-day visa-free tourist stays allow.
5.And why not allow for an extended stay? After all, Japan ranked as the fastest-growing remote working hub in 2023, according to data shared with CNBC by Nomad List, a website for remote workers, which analysed more than 300,000 check-ins on its database.
6. But, beyond simply providing supply for the growing demand, Japan is also likely hoping to cash in on the economic benefits that can come with digital nomads moving in. As the BBC previously reported, a 2023 survey by Carlos Grider estimates that digital nomads contribute nearly $800bn to the global economy annually. A lot of that cash was flowing to places such as Portugal and its neighbouring nation of Spain.
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7.The former was home to nearly 16,000 digital nomads in December 2023, according to Nomad List, thanks to its Golden Visa residency program for expats looking to make Portugal a permanent home – plus a newly launched digital nomad visa of its own.
8.As for Spain, VisaGuide.World named the country the top destination for nomads thanks to its visa’s low barrier of entry, requiring proof of income at just €2,600 (£2,225, $2,394) per month, which equates to less than half the yearly salary Japan will soon require. Japan’s high-income requirement also appears to be a trend across several countries in Asia that are dipping their toes in the digital nomad visa waters.
9.”To be honest, it doesn’t seem that Asia is introducing ‘easy’ digital nomad visas,” says Brittany Loeffler, the head of operations at Nomad Embassy, a website that helps nomads obtain the proper visas. “They are requiring higher salaries compared to Europe’s digital nomad visas or have strict requirements for the nature of their remote work.”
