Departing for Japan

Who arranges and pays for my flight? Do I incur a cost?

All flight arrangements will be made by the government organizations, overseeing the JET Programme in Japan, through a designated JET Programme travel agency. The JET Programme will cover the cost of the participant's flight from Vancouver to Japan.

Participants are responsible for the cost and arrangement of flights for individuals accompanying them.

Why do all participants have to depart for Japan together?

In addition to expediting the processing of visas, participants must attend a pre-departure orientation in Vancouver and a post-arrival orientation in Tokyo. Departure dates and flight numbers are arranged ahead of time to avoid confusion and ensure that all participants can be met by representatives of their contracting organisations.

If I can't leave on my departure date, can something else be arranged?

No. Participants must arrive in Japan on their designated flight.

Can I depart from another Canadian city?

In principle, your point of departure should be the same as your interview site, however, you can choose to depart from one of the other designated Canadian cities, as listed on your Reply Form (Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg or Calgary). Once you have submitted your Reply Form, you cannot change your departure location. Departure is August 1 for all cities.

I will not be in Canada at the time of departure. Can I depart from another country?

No. All Canadian JET participants must depart from a designated city in Canada.

The only exception is for participants residing in Japan prior to participation on the JET Programme. This exception is limited to participants who can change their status of residence from within Japan. It is the responsibility of the participant to contact their local immigration office in Japan to find out if this is possible.