> The new benchmark has been set at the equivalent of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) B2 level.
B2 is upper intermediate. Probably 2-5 years of study
https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-referen...
Japan implements language proficiency requirements for certain visa applicants
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Re: Japan implements language proficiency requirements for certain visa applicants
#12> The new benchmark has been set at the equivalent of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) B2 level. B2 is upper intermediate. Probably 2-5 years of study https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-referen...
Or JLPT N2. Which is quite difficult - approx 4000 words and 1000 kanji. That's several years of learning for all but the most proficient.
(The scale starts at N5 and lower numbers are harder)
Re: Japan implements language proficiency requirements for certain visa applicants
#13Earlier quoted context omitted.
>If I'm applying for a work visa where the work I'm doing would require me to know Japanese, I should know Japanese. the naturalization act of 1906 and the immigration act of 1917 , in the US, were some of the hardest fought-for and controversial laws ever put in place. The immigration act got vetod by 3 different sitting presidents in different forms , and the naturalization act included a 'free white persons & nati…
Ok, but neither of those are about work visas. If I'm applying for a work visa, it's because I expect to be in that country to work, not as a permanent resident.
I think we need to acknowledge that all but the most transitory fruit pickers may want to settle permanently after working in a country for many years, and should not unreasonably be prevented from doing so.
Re: Japan implements language proficiency requirements for certain visa applicants
#14I mean, seems fair. If I'm applying for a work visa where the work I'm doing would require me to know Japanese, I should know Japanese.
Why do you need that requirement be validated by people and at a level not connection to the place of work?
Re: Japan implements language proficiency requirements for certain visa applicants
#15[flagged]
Re: Japan implements language proficiency requirements for certain visa applicants
#16Earlier quoted context omitted.
>If I'm applying for a work visa where the work I'm doing would require me to know Japanese, I should know Japanese. the naturalization act of 1906 and the immigration act of 1917 , in the US, were some of the hardest fought-for and controversial laws ever put in place. The immigration act got vetod by 3 different sitting presidents in different forms , and the naturalization act included a 'free white persons & nati…
Ok, but neither of those are about work visas. If I'm applying for a work visa, it's because I expect to be in that country to work, not as a permanent resident.
Without knowing the numbers, I'd wager that the majority of work Visas worldwide are "dual-intent", to use the USCIS parlance. Restrictions might be higher or lower in different countries, but there's generaly a path dor moving from a work visa to permanent residency.
Re: Japan implements language proficiency requirements for certain visa applicants
#17Earlier quoted context omitted.
The key thing is that the ESI category includes a lot of work which you don't need to know Japanese. For example, software engineering jobs in Japan are often at either larger multinational companies or companies with enough presence outside of Japan that they have teams which are in English. Japan has been on a recent anti-immigration kick via making visas harder and more expensive to get while also blaming them for…
See, I would have figured the "Specialist in Humanities" part of it would not include software development. I just looked up the definition/qualifications for it and I misunderstood the bit. I thought it was sub categories. Engineers, who are Specialists in Humanities, who are doing International Services. But it's more like three different categories. Engineers OR Specialists in Humanities OR International Services.…
Teaching English is humanities though, not IS, so that doesn't work. (To clarify, teaching at any sort of private company. A K12 school has a dedicated Instructor class that can't be used for anything else.) And translating (which requires proficiency) is IS in some cases I think?
Re: Japan implements language proficiency requirements for certain visa applicants
#18I mean, seems fair. If I'm applying for a work visa where the work I'm doing would require me to know Japanese, I should know Japanese.
The key thing is that the ESI category includes a lot of work which you don't need to know Japanese. For example, software engineering jobs in Japan are often at either larger multinational companies or companies with enough presence outside of Japan that they have teams which are in English. Japan has been on a recent anti-immigration kick via making visas harder and more expensive to get while also blaming them for…
But the law doesn't apply to all ESI jobs, just a subset which (ostensibly) do need to know Japanese.
Re: Japan implements language proficiency requirements for certain visa applicants
#19Key detail: > Immigration authorities say the move is aimed at preventing cases in which foreign workers obtain visas under one category, but then engage in unrelated or lower-skilled work. The claim appears to be that people were using up visa slots for things like interpreters or other jobs where clearly you'd need good language skills to actually do the job, including in Japanese, with the intent all along of doin…
There's also the issue of people going to Japan to buy out several properties to then rent them out.
Re: Japan implements language proficiency requirements for certain visa applicants
#20Earlier quoted context omitted.
Ok, but neither of those are about work visas. If I'm applying for a work visa, it's because I expect to be in that country to work, not as a permanent resident.
I think we need to acknowledge that all but the most transitory fruit pickers may want to settle permanently after working in a country for many years, and should not unreasonably be prevented from doing so.
If i were working in a country for many years, I would make some effort to learn to communicate with the other people who live in that country, before becoming a permanent resident. I understand this is very difficult; I've been studying Spanish every day for almost 2 years and I am nowhere near fluent. However, I suspect I would be further along if I lived somewhere where people commonly spoke Spanish.