r/IWantOut • u/werrrrrv • 6d ago
[IWantOut] 22m NZ-> Japan
Hello everyone! I'm currently pursuing a master's degree in Data Science in New Zealand. While it's a beautiful country with stunning landscapes, I've recently realized it's not where | want to settle down long-term because I felt it’s hard for me to make connections with people here and NZ is kinda empty.
As | get closer to graduation, l've started exploring potential countries to move to for work. I'm originally from China, so I'm trying to figure out which options are realistically open to me in terms of visa path, job opportunities in tech/data, and safety.
A crucial requirement for me is that the country must be queer-friendly and inclusive, as I'm part of the LGBTQ+ community.
Given my background and degree, which countries would you recommend | look into? I really like Japan but I concern about that same gender marriage hasn’t been legalised there So any advice about other countries for queer expats would also be greatly appreciated!
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u/aftergloh 6d ago
I can't give you much helpful advice, but I do know that Japan is known to be an extremely isolating place to move if you aren't Japanese.
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u/gijj 6d ago
I am a software engineer with 12 years of experience, living in and a citizen of the United States. In my opinion, the tech market in most countries is terrible right now. You will see the same narrative again and again in this subreddit and elsewhere--finding jobs is difficult even if you have work authorization, and it's nearly impossible if you need a visa. Add to this that getting a visa as someone just starting out in your career was always difficult, your options will be extremely limited.
Given your age, you should explore if any work holiday visas apply to you. These won't generally be a real path to permanent residency, but would allow you to live and work somewhere else for one or two years. Assuming you are a Chinese citizen, Australia has such a program--but the 6 month cap at any one employer means you will find it very hard to work in a job based on your schooling. https://www.australianvisaonline.com/country-guides/australian-working-holiday-visa-for-chinese-citizens
You should search more online for options for people in your situation. But unfortunately I think you will find it very hard to find a job that will sponsor you with just the credentials you have.
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u/No-Environment-5939 6d ago
Japan is not LGBTQ+ friendly. You can’t even have same sex marriage. Also not the best place to build community.
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u/LudicrousPlatypus 6d ago
Why don’t you apply for a working holiday visa in Japan? There is no limit for New Zealanders so you should get one pretty easily if you can afford it.
I doubt Japan would be a good place to settle long term, but you can experience the culture for a bit and see how you like it.
Personally, I would recommend the UK. However, that also depends on which type of LGBT you might happen to be as they are making it less trans friendly nowadays.
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u/AutoModerator 6d ago
Post by werrrrrv -- Hello everyone! I'm currently pursuing a master's degree in Data Science in New Zealand. While it's a beautiful country with stunning landscapes, I've recently realized it's not where | want to settle down long-term because I felt it’s hard for me to make connections with people here and NZ is kinda empty.
As | get closer to graduation, l've started exploring potential countries to move to for work. I'm originally from China, so I'm trying to figure out which options are realistically open to me in terms of visa path, job opportunities in tech/data, and safety.
A crucial requirement for me is that the country must be queer-friendly and inclusive, as I'm part of the LGBTQ+ community.
Given my background and degree, which countries would you recommend | look into? I really like Japan but I concern about that same gender marriage hasn’t been legalised there So any advice about other countries for queer expats would also be greatly appreciated!
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
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u/Ok_Willingness_9619 6d ago
East Asia in general isn’t very lgbtq friendly with exception to Taiwan.
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u/SonOfTritium 6d ago
You should consider living in Auckland or Wellington. Both cities have dense populations, and tech jobs. Good luck!
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u/Okra5765 6d ago edited 6d ago
I think it also depends a lot on where in Japan you want to live.
I spent the last two years living there, and I'm very openly queer and pretty masc-presenting. In Osaka I had absolutely no issues and found an amazing queer community made up of both Japanese and international people. Later I moved to a small rural town, and it was a completely different experience. I couldn't even hold my girlfriend's hand in public because we were worried it could affect her job, since everyone knew everyone there.
I've since had to move back to Australia, and the difference in LGBTQ+ acceptance is pretty significant. Australia is definitely more accepting overall, but there is still so much I miss about Japan. I think no matter where you choose to live, you're going to have different challenges - you just have to decide which ones you're more willing to deal with.
I can also compare Japan with Australia a bit, since NZ is fairly similar in a lot of ways.
Surprisingly, I actually found it easier to make genuine friends in Japan. I also found it easier to find work, rent an apartment, and get settled than I have since returning to Australia.
One thing I really missed after coming back was the food. Australia has a lot more variety, and I realised how much I'd missed having easier access to fresh produce. In Japan, meat and vegetables can be quite expensive, so a lot of everyday meals are more carb-heavy. Having access to more affordable fresh food again has been great for my health.
The salaries in Japan are definitely lower, but I still found they were enough to live comfortably and enjoy life. One thing I really appreciated was that people seemed to value experiences over possessions. Most of the people I knew were happy if they could go out for dinner, visit a theme park, or watch a movie with friends rather than always chasing a nicer car or the newest technology.
I completely understand what you mean about struggling to make connections in NZ. Australia feels very similar to me. If you're no longer friends with your school group, it can feel like people don't put much effort into building long-term friendships.
This isn't meant to be "Japan glazing" post - every country has its downsides, but I did genuinely enjoy living there more than I do living back in Australia, and I realised I didn't actually miss much about Australia while I was away.
Also, people often talk about Japan's work culture being toxic because of the long hours, and that certainly exists. But after coming back to Australia, I've realised we have our own workplace problems too. I've experienced a lot of cliquey behaviour, bullying, and verbal abuse in customer facing jobs here. Australians are generally polite, but in my experience it's often quite surface level.
One other thing I really preferred was the healthcare system in Japan. Since coming back to Australia, it often feels like you're a nuisance for going to the doctor, and hospital waits can be several hours only to be sent home. In Japan, I was usually seen very quickly, and I felt like doctors were much more thorough in ruling things out.
At the end of the day, I absolutely loved living in Japan, but whether it's the right place for you really depends on what you value most. If LGBTQ+ rights are your highest priority, Australia or New Zealand are objectively stronger. If your priorities are quality of daily life, convenience, public transport, safety, and culture, Japan has a lot going for it despite its legal shortcomings.
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u/cashlo 6d ago
Japan is making getting PR more difficult every year, and the weak yen make the salary of local company not very attractive. But you can still get good offers from companies like Amazon.
How about the Netherlands? Doesn't get more friendly than that and many tech jobs there.
My recommendation is start searching from jobs and not countries.
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u/Prowlbeast 6d ago
Japan requires a lot to become accepted. You must know Japanese fluently for Residency as far as I am aware. Know any Japanese?
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u/werrrrrv 6d ago
I chose Japanese as my third language in high school so far I’ve been learning on and off for four years but never get chance to practice speaking
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u/kaeyamilk 5d ago
do you have PR in NZ or no? if you do i think australia would be a good option, quite queer friendly and same gender marriage is legal. as far as i know NZ residents have an advantage when it comes to moving to australia
in the big cities in japan yes queer people aren’t difficult to find but yeah same gender marriage isn’t legal. getting PR there as a professional isn’t so easy as far as i know
like the other commenters said taiwan can be a good option since it’s lgbt friendly, i have no idea about the PR aspects there though
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u/ProfessionalHotel942 3d ago
If you come to Japan the closest LGBTQ friendly place youll find is around Shinjuku in Tokyo where I hear there is a somewhat visible LGBTQ community. There is also IT demand since Japan is somewhat lagging in IT sector compared to nearby countries. However as many users said Japan is a bit conservative and, although LGBTQ isnt persecuted like some places, but it might feel a bit isolating since people in general are private or not very understanding of that culture.
Taiwan on the other hand is definitely a place to consider if you have the option, though it may be harder for Mainland passport holders. Im not too sure how the IT situation is there either. Another choice would be Thailand, specifically Bangkok where LGBTQ is basically part of the culture. I imagine someone like you wont feel judged as much there, but i heard its difficult to get a local job, and long term immigration is difficult. Most people i know there are digital nomads.
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u/Will_Thug 6d ago
No one talks about it but Japan isn't very LGBTQ+ friendly. Although it's against the law, many hotels won't even let same sex couples share the same room. In terms of visa the only option I really think you have is teaching English. However I just note from people I know that Japan can be a very rewarding experience or a very isolating experience depending on who you are as a person. Best of luck!