Your Life Abroad Starts Here

The latest on studying abroad, working holidays, and emigration — backed by data and real experiences

Popular Destinations

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Emigration

Choosing a country for permanent residency based on reputation alone often leads to disappointment. When you lay out the required years, point systems, family and investment routes, and post-approval residency maintenance rules side by side, the differences in fit become remarkably clear. Having gone through long-stay visa and residency permit applications in multiple countries, we found that mapping out conditions, timelines, and residency obligations in a spreadsheet was the faste...

Study Abroad Guide

Rather than picking a study abroad destination based on popularity or price alone, comparing cost and safety side by side leads to better decisions. From firsthand experience, the Philippines kept expenses remarkably low with room and board included, while a working holiday in Australia easily ran a deficit for the first month, and winter rent plus cold-weather gear in Canada pushed the budget well beyond expectations.

Study Abroad Guide

A year of studying abroad in major English-speaking countries like the US or UK typically runs between 3 to 4.5 million yen (~$19,000-$29,000 USD), but narrowing your search by country and program can bring totals into the 2 million yen range (~$13,000 USD) — and factoring in work options, even below that.

Study Abroad Guide

Tuition alone tells you almost nothing about what study abroad actually costs. Only when you add enrollment fees, accommodation placement charges, rent, food, flights, insurance, and visa or ETA fees does the real total come into focus.

Study Abroad Guide

Want to study abroad without quitting your job? This guide covers five realistic approaches for working professionals — from short-term paid leave and leave of absence to remote work arrangements — with 2026 cost estimates, visa considerations, and step-by-step preparation timelines.

Study Abroad Guide

How much you get out of a one-week language program depends heavily on where you go. Having spent 3 months in the Philippines, a year each in Australia and Canada, and advised on dozens of short-term programs, I've found that for brief stays, the interplay between travel distance and class intensity makes or breaks the experience.

Study Abroad Guide

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Working Holiday

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Emigration

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Preparation & Procedures

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Preparation & Procedures

Successful working holiday preparation depends less on packing and more on when, what, and in what order you act. This guide walks through the timeline from one year out to the day before departure, covering visas, funding, residence deregistration, pension and insurance, resident tax, flights, and your first moves after landing.

Preparation & Procedures

If you are planning to stay overseas for more than a year, the first thing to sort out is not just your visa or housing. The overseas relocation notification (kaigai tenshutsu todoke) triggers a chain of changes to your residence record, pension, and health insurance. Leaving Japan without clarifying your residence status can create headaches with resident tax, national health insurance premiums, and pension obligations down the road.

Preparation & Procedures

The first thing to sort out about taxes when relocating from Japan is whether you qualify as a tax resident or non-resident under Japanese tax law. Once that distinction is clear, you can work out exactly how far Japan's taxing authority reaches and whether you need to file a return. The trickiest situations arise when both your new country and Japan appear to have a claim on the same income.