Visa snapshot
Verified on 19 June 2026- Funds required
- EUR 1,600 with a return or onward ticket, or EUR 3,200 without; a couple applying together shows EUR 2,300 combined.
- Work rights
- Paid work is allowed to support your holiday. Work in bars, cabarets, nightclubs, gambling venues and other businesses that affect public morals (the Entertainment Business Act) is not allowed. The visa is single entry, so you need a re-entry permit to leave and come back.
- Study rights
- Study and short courses are allowed alongside the working holiday.
- Extensions
- No extension
- Reciprocal healthcare
- No
- Private health insurance needed
- Quota / ballot
- 800/year; closes once reached
- No ballot
- Health & insurance
- Must meet Japanese health requirements
Eligibility & conditions
Open to Irish citizens aged 18 to 30. Insurance is a documented requirement. Register with the Irish Embassy in Tokyo on arrival and apply in person at the Embassy of Japan in Dublin.
The visa is free of charge and single entry. Annual caps, the length of stay and repeat-participation rules vary by nationality (see each route).
Insurance is mandatory (a documented application requirement), unlike the UK (recommended), Australia (not stated) and New Zealand (optional).
Lowest annual cap of the five markets: 800 a year.
Funds split by ticket: EUR 1,600 with a ticket, EUR 3,200 without; a couple shows EUR 2,300 combined.
Twice in a lifetime since 1 January 2025 (two inconsecutive one-year stays).
Register with the Irish Embassy in Tokyo on arrival; apply in person at the Embassy of Japan in Dublin.
How to apply
Applications are submitted through the Japanese Government's official visa portal. Processing typically takes 2-4 weeks.
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