Quit job and keeping visa (particular case)

My dream is to do modeling in Japan, but you need some experience in the business to be sponsored by an agency and get an artist visa. So I came as a teacher and I'm doing model work on the side.

I am working as an English teacher now but barely have time to go to model auditions. I don't think I can't continue like this since I can't find enough time to follow the career I came to Japan for. Now, here is my question: if I quit my teacher job, can I keep my visa?

I know this has been answered before (everyone said you need to find a new job within 3 months), but I�fm thinking it might be different for my specific case. I will continue to do my model work. But I�fm not sure that will count as a job since model agencies basically don�ft offer you a contract and you don�ft have a fixed income. I will, nevertheless, make some money and will have an activity. Will that be enough for them to let me keep my visa until the end?

I saved some money which will help me pay my bills until the visa expires, even if I quit the teacher job. No problem on this side. I just want to know how many chances there are to keep my visa until the end, so I can have time to invest in my modeling career.

I would be grateful to hear your opinions on this.

Did your current employer sponsor your current visa?

It sounds like to need to make an application for visa change before you attempt to change your line of work. Immigration is probably your first point of call since you have a unique situation.

I�fm thinking it might be different for my specific case

No, it isn't. Your modeling work does not count because it is not within the scope of your status. By the way, this also means that doing it is illegal unless you received permission to engage in another activity, which is very rarely granted if you are on a "work status".

I have a humanities visa and I'm allowed to do model work on it. I made sure of this before starting...

@hakata14: Thanks for the reply! Yes, my current employer sponsored my visa.

I have a humanities visa and I'm allowed to do model work on it. I made sure of this before starting...

Who told you that? It doesn't make sense; you say yourself that you would need Artist status to do the kind of work tht you do. A job cannot fall under several statuses.

I first read about it on this website: http://cynthiapopper.com/modeling-in-japan-faq-tourist-visas/

"The Humanities visa also includes �gadvertising�h work, which modeling falls under."

Since then I got to Japan and confirmed this with the agencies I'm working with and other models that I came to know. Most of them are also teachers.

An artist visa would mean hitting the jackpot as you get it if you can make 250.000 yen only on modeling work. But it's not required to do modeling. You can do it just fine as a part time job while on a humanities visa. The thing is, I don't want to do it only part time because as I came to know, I barely have time for it.

That's why I'm thinking to quit my current job and do as much modeling as I can, maybe I can get an artist visa until my current one ends. And so we go back to my question.

Well, I'll just say that if I were you, I'd go ask immigration to be sure.

I have never heard that modeling (or spot jobs of similar nature) could be done under Humanities visa. I also recommend that you check with Immigration directly. "Advertising" as in marketing and ad planning in a corporate environment, for example, is a bit different from modeling on spot job assignments. Maybe what they meant was that as a side job on a separate permit to engage in other activities, they simply earn pocket money from it.

In any case, if you leave your current job, both your employer and you are required to report that change to Immigration within 14 days. And yes as far as I know you need to find a job in the same category, if you want to keep the current visa/resident status, within a few months.

And even if you could continue that for the rest of the validity of your current visa/resident status, you yourself are aware of the slim chance that you could get someone to sponsor you for an artist visa. Then wouldn't it be better if you built your modeling career (if possible) back in your country, then come back on a proper artist visa as a professional model with a portfolio?

You'll have to ask immigration about it. You'll need to inform immigration that you've left your job anyways so you'll be heading down there anyways.

For what it's worth, modelling work falls under the entertainer visa not an artist visa.

At any rate I would go to immigration before quitting your job. They'll have better answers than anyone here or a blog on the internet.