Taiwan's working holiday program with Japan opens

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) urged young Taiwanese people yesterday to seize the chance of joining a reciprocal working holiday program with Japan that will come into effect tomorrow, warning that the openings will soon be snapped उप

"A working holiday is a perfect solution for young people who want to travel abroad but are financially constrained," Peter Tsai, secretary-general of the MOFA's Association of East Asian Relations, told reporters।

"Those who are interested in joining the Taiwan-Japan working holiday program should file their applications as soon as possible, as it is a long-anticipated program about which the Foreign Ministry and other related government agencies have received many inquiries from interested parties," he added।

According to Tsai, Taiwan and Japan will each offer 2,000 openings in the first year of the program and the Taipei-based Interchange Association, which represents Japanese interests in Taiwan in the absences of formal diplomatic ties, will accept applications June 1-5 and Nov. 2-6.
While applicants will not be required to be versed in Japanese, language ability might be factored into the review process if the number of applicants far exceeds the 2,000-per-year quota, he added।

Japan is the third country to sign working holiday agreements with Taiwan, which signed similar pacts with Australia and New Zealand in 2004।

From June 1, Taiwanese people aged 18-30 can apply to the Interchange Association for a working holiday visa that will allow them to work on a short-term basis while visiting Japan। The visas are valid for one year.

Japan has similar programs with 10 other countries and is expected to sign one with Hong Kong this year, according to the MOFA।

According to the Interchange Association, prospective Taiwanese applicants should file applications in person and submit supporting documents, including a valid Taiwanese passport, resume, return ticket, a clean bill of health, a clean criminal record, accident insurance and sufficient finances to cover the initial part of their stay।

Those who acquire visas under the working holiday program are barred from working at night clubs or any sex trade-related places, as well as taking any other controversial jobs, the agency added।

The Interchange Association is scheduled to announce the results of screening for those who file June applications July 3 and qualified applicants should pick up their visas July 6-17।

Taiwan and Japan maintain close relations despite the absence of formal diplomatic ties। The Japanese government granted visa-free privileges to Taiwanese citizens in 2007 and the two sides that same year also began recognizing each other's driver's licenses.

An average 2।5 million citizens travel between the two countries each year.
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