Coming back home during holidays

[marialji]

Hi everyone!

I'm highly interested in Vulcanus but I have read that participants are not allowed to fly back to Europe during the programme. Does this mean that participants are supposed to spend the whole year in Japan and they can not come back to their home countries during holidays (i.e. Christmas, Golden week...)?

Thank you in advance!

[Giulia_F]

Hi everyone!

I'm highly interested in Vulcanus but I have read that participants are not allowed to fly back to Europe during the programme. Does this mean that participants are supposed to spend the whole year in Japan and they can not come back to their home countries during holidays (i.e. Christmas, Golden week...)?

Thank you in advance!

From what I remember it is not possible to go back to Europe during the year in Japan, unless for some serious reasons. I remember reading explicitly that participants are expected to stay in Japan throughout the whole duration of the programme.

[kryss]

It is allowed to travel internationally during the programme, as long as you fulfill your study/work obligations. Or at least it was in 16/17. It's just so you don't expect to be home every couple of weeks while applying, because that's not possible. You do need to be a person willing (and able) to be on the other side of the globe, alone, for a whole year. Some soft rules may have changed from back then, but you're treated as a responsible adult so you don't get a travel ban. There may or may not have been something about a re-entry visa if you do travel, but I didn't leave Japan myself during my stay, so I can't give you first-hand experience on that.

People went home, travelled to e.g. Korea during the holidays, but this was a minority. Keep in mind that once work starts (in January), you only really have Golden Week to travel anywhere for more than a weekend, and it's really packed then, because the whole country is on vacation. Or after work ends and before your visa expires, which is anywhere from 0 to 30 days. If you have a friendly manager in your company, you can even take a week off, which is nice. Many went on trips in larger groups during school while everyone is still together - I went to both Hokkaidō and Okinawa back-to-back during Christmas, which is an amazing experience. If you're in Japan, why not make the most of it while you're there, right?

[MK16]

In my year VinJ19, you could come back to Europe for Christmas no problem. As mentioned above, you just need to meet your study and work commitments.

[Giulia_F]

In accordance with the purpose of the Programme, the Student pledges to attend all Japanese language courses
and seminars arranged by the Centre. Furthermore, the Student is expected to stay in Japan throughout the
duration of the Programme. Before any travel outside Japan during the duration of the Internship, the Student
shall inform the Company and the Centre.

This is what is written on this year's draft contract, I don't know if it was the same for the previous years. I think they expect you to stay the whole year, but if you want to go you can (by first letting them know). Maybe it is related to "bureaucratic" reasons concerning the visa, idk.

[hidesagred97]

Probably the new restrictions are realated with COVID-19, since it can become a problem if a lockdown starts in the country you taveled to and now you can't return to japan.

[Kasia]

In accordance with the purpose of the Programme, the Student pledges to attend all Japanese language courses
and seminars arranged by the Centre. Furthermore, the Student is expected to stay in Japan throughout the
duration of the Programme. Before any travel outside Japan during the duration of the Internship, the Student
shall inform the Company and the Centre.

This is what is written on this year's draft contract, I don't know if it was the same for the previous years. I think they expect you to stay the whole year, but if you want to go you can (by first letting them know). Maybe it is related to "bureaucratic" reasons concerning the visa, idk.

Participants are expected to inform the Centre about any travel that includes overnight stay outside of greater Tokyo area and oversea travel was always an option in a reporting form. I am guessing that what has changed due to Covid-19 is that now responsibility for travel got shifted towards the companies because until now travelling hasn't been including such a health hazard for co-workers.

Speaking only technically you may go back to your country if you put some effort to it, but I'd rather you consider if you really want to do it in current situation? The ViJ19 edition had very hard time with coming back home due to cancelled flights, quarantine, necessity for testing, etc. What if you purchase a flight at convenient conditions and a month later they would change and two days before the flight they would change into something else again?