Checked 12 October 2026
Japan Working Holiday Job Programmes Compared
Several companies will line up a job in Japan before you fly, mostly at ski resorts. They differ a lot on price, on whether the job is actually guaranteed, and on when you pay. Here is what each one publishes, side by side.
We run Helping Hand, one of the options below. Every other row only uses what the provider states on its own Japan page, linked, as of 12 October 2026.
Side by side
| Programme | Price | How the job is arranged | When you pay | If no job is found | Housing | Age | Taking applications? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helping HandAny working holiday nationality | £650 | Not part of the fee: the £650 pays for preparation and support | Once your visa is granted and the pre-departure course is done | The fee is for the programme, not a job; cancel any time for a refund of anything not yet delivered | Usually provided by Niseko employers; help finding a place where it isn’t | 18–30 | Open: Niseko, Japan ski season and anywhere in Japan |
| Global Work & TravelInternational | £2,145 (shown to UK visitors; $3,345 elsewhere) | "Guaranteed job match", but the employer makes the hiring decision | Deposit to book, with pay-later plans | Not stated. Cancelling with 84+ days' notice costs 50%, with the rest as store credit | 7 nights on arrival, then help finding your own | 18–30 | Open, flexible dates |
| JENZA (formerly BUNAC)UK and international | US$1,699 (≈ £1,290) | Pre-arranged 3–4 month ski job (Dec–Mar) after a video interview | US$115 deposit, then US$1,584 | Not stated on the page | Staff housing where the job provides it, plus 5 nights on arrival | 20+ for ski employers | Ski jobs closed for this winter; reopen in May–June |
| The Working Holiday Club (Japow Pack)Australia, New Zealand and UK | Full fee not published; $499 deposit | Job offer from partner employers before you leave | $499 deposit, full fee 30 days later | Fee refunded minus the $499 deposit, once all job options are exhausted | Staff housing included | 22+ | On hold for 2026/27 |
| Stepabroad (Ski Resort)Canada | C$1,199 (≈ £640) | Ski resort job placement, described as guaranteed | Not stated on the page | Not stated on the page | Not included; they can connect you with options | 18–30 | Not stated; the season runs mid-November to April |
Helping Hand
- Price
- £650
- How the job is arranged
- Not part of the fee: the £650 pays for preparation and support
- When you pay
- Once your visa is granted and the pre-departure course is done
- If no job is found
- The fee is for the programme, not a job; cancel any time for a refund of anything not yet delivered
- Housing
- Usually provided by Niseko employers; help finding a place where it isn’t
- Age
- 18–30
- Taking applications?
- Open: Niseko, Japan ski season and anywhere in Japan
- Areas
- Niseko now, plus any Japanese ski resort or anywhere in Japan. Hakuba, Okinawa, Kyoto, Osaka, Tokyo and more on the waitlist
- Who it is for
- Any working holiday nationality
- Price
- £2,145 (shown to UK visitors; $3,345 elsewhere)
- How the job is arranged
- "Guaranteed job match", but the employer makes the hiring decision
- When you pay
- Deposit to book, with pay-later plans
- If no job is found
- Not stated. Cancelling with 84+ days' notice costs 50%, with the rest as store credit
- Housing
- 7 nights on arrival, then help finding your own
- Age
- 18–30
- Taking applications?
- Open, flexible dates
- Areas
- Resorts, hotels and ryokans, including Niseko and Hokkaido. You arrive in Tokyo or Kyoto
- Who it is for
- International
- Price
- US$1,699 (≈ £1,290)
- How the job is arranged
- Pre-arranged 3–4 month ski job (Dec–Mar) after a video interview
- When you pay
- US$115 deposit, then US$1,584
- If no job is found
- Not stated on the page
- Housing
- Staff housing where the job provides it, plus 5 nights on arrival
- Age
- 20+ for ski employers
- Taking applications?
- Ski jobs closed for this winter; reopen in May–June
- Areas
- Niseko, Rusutsu and Furano. Its separate Own Job option (US$1,795) covers Tokyo and Kyoto
- Who it is for
- UK and international
The Working Holiday Club (Japow Pack)
- Price
- Full fee not published; $499 deposit
- How the job is arranged
- Job offer from partner employers before you leave
- When you pay
- $499 deposit, full fee 30 days later
- If no job is found
- Fee refunded minus the $499 deposit, once all job options are exhausted
- Housing
- Staff housing included
- Age
- 22+
- Taking applications?
- On hold for 2026/27
- Areas
- Niseko (and Hakuba)
- Who it is for
- Australia, New Zealand and UK
- Price
- C$1,199 (≈ £640)
- How the job is arranged
- Ski resort job placement, described as guaranteed
- When you pay
- Not stated on the page
- If no job is found
- Not stated on the page
- Housing
- Not included; they can connect you with options
- Age
- 18–30
- Taking applications?
- Not stated; the season runs mid-November to April
- Areas
- Japanese ski resorts
- Who it is for
- Canada
Prices are as shown on each provider's site on 12 October 2026. The ≈ £ figures are our conversions at that day's rates (£1 = US$1.32, C$1.88). Flights, insurance and spending money are extra in every case. "Not stated" means we couldn't find it on the provider's Japan page. Prices and terms change, so confirm with the provider before you book.
These aren't identical packages. Global Work & Travel and JENZA include arrival nights and an orientation in Tokyo or Kyoto. Helping Hand concentrates on the job itself, plus visa help and support where you work, with housing included in Niseko and most ski areas. Pick the one whose inclusions match what you need.
Each programme in more detail
Helping Hand (us)
£650 · Any working holiday nationality
Our own service. The Season Programme gets you ready for Japan: visa support and a document check, a Japanese CV and interview prep, a pre-departure course, Japanese lessons and support all season. There is no deposit. The £650 fee is due once your visa is granted and you have finished the course.
- Visa support and a document check
- Japanese CV (履歴書) and interview prep
- Pre-departure course and planning call
- 2 Japanese language lessons
- Support all season
- Help with accommodation where the employer doesn’t provide it
Areas: Niseko now, plus any Japanese ski resort or anywhere in Japan. Hakuba, Okinawa, Kyoto, Osaka, Tokyo and more on the waitlist.
Global Work & Travel
£2,145 (shown to UK visitors; $3,345 elsewhere) · International
A large international working holiday company, with over 12,900 reviews. The Japan trip covers 4 to 12 months and leans on arrival support and community: airport pick-up, a week of accommodation, orientation, meet-ups and an app. Its page notes that it is not a recruitment agency, so the employer decides whether to hire you.
- Job match before you arrive
- Airport pick-up and 7 nights of accommodation
- Arrival and life-in-Japan orientation
- Visa guidance and a trip coordinator
- Monthly meet-ups and language exchange sessions
- Emergency line and ongoing local support
Areas: Resorts, hotels and ryokans, including Niseko and Hokkaido. You arrive in Tokyo or Kyoto. Their Japan page
JENZA (formerly BUNAC)
US$1,699 (≈ £1,290) · UK and international
The UK working holiday company formerly known as BUNAC. Its JENZA Job package lines up a winter ski job in Hokkaido through partner employers, with an in-country partner (World Unite) handling arrival in Tokyo or Kyoto and the paperwork: bank account, residence card and tax registration.
- Pre-arranged 3–4 month ski job
- Staff housing (depends on the job)
- Visa guide and embassy documents
- Airport meet-and-greet and 5 nights in a houseshare or hostel
- Job counselling and CV translation
- Help with bank account, residence card and tax registration
Areas: Niseko, Rusutsu and Furano. Its separate Own Job option (US$1,795) covers Tokyo and Kyoto. Their Japan page
The Working Holiday Club (Japow Pack)
Full fee not published; $499 deposit · Australia, New Zealand and UK
A working holiday agency whose Japow Pack places people with partner employers in Niseko, with staff housing and, at most partners, a free season pass. Applications usually open in January and fill by May.
- Job offer before you leave
- Staff housing
- Free season pass at most Niseko partners
- Visa assistance and review
- Pick-up from Kutchan station
- Living and working in Japan booklet
Areas: Niseko (and Hakuba). Their Japan page
Stepabroad (Ski Resort)
C$1,199 (≈ £640) · Canada
A Vancouver-based working holiday organisation for Canadians, rated 4.9 from 291 Google reviews. It is also one of the organisations the Japanese embassy lists for submitting visas in BC and Yukon. Its Ski Resort package covers the job placement. Accommodation is extra.
- Ski resort job placement
- Visa submission available for BC and Yukon residents (C$150 add-on)
Areas: Japanese ski resorts. Their Japan page
Six questions to ask any programme
- Is the job guaranteed, or only "matched"? Read the terms, not just the headline.
- Do you pay before or after a job is confirmed, and what is refundable if no job comes through?
- Is housing included, and how much rent comes out of your pay?
- Which areas and employers do they actually place with, and can you choose?
- What support do you get once you are in Japan: residence card, bank account, phone, health insurance?
- Who handles the visa application, and is that help included in the price?
Not sure you qualify? Use the visa eligibility checker, or see the Japan working holiday visa guide by country.
Helping Hand
£650, paid once your visa is granted
No deposit. The Season Programme gets you visa-ready with a Japanese CV, a pre-departure course and Japanese lessons, then supports you for your whole stay.
Frequently asked questions
Which programmes guarantee a job?
Stepabroad's Ski Resort package describes its placement as guaranteed. The Working Holiday Club arranges a job offer before you leave and refunds the fee, minus the deposit, if none is found. Global Work & Travel guarantees a "job match" but says the employer makes the hiring decision. Check each provider's terms before you pay.
What is the cheapest way to get a job in Japan before I go?
On published prices, Stepabroad's Ski Resort package (C$1,199, about £640, for Canadians) and Helping Hand (£650) are the lowest. They cover different things, though, so compare what's included and what happens if no job comes through.
When do you pay for Helping Hand?
Once your working holiday visa is granted and you've finished the pre-departure course. The £650 pays for the Season Programme: visa support, a Japanese CV, a pre-departure course, Japanese lessons and support all season.
Is this comparison independent?
No. We run Helping Hand, so we are one of the options here. That is why every row only states what each provider publishes on its own Japan page, with a link, and the date we checked it.
