Hey! I don’t really have the information you’re looking for, but I’m in a similar situation so maybe there’s some stuff I’ve found at that might be helpful. I’ve been working at Starbucks since I was in high school (just over two years now) and am planning on leaving this September to study in Japan for a year. I’ve heard that you can’t really transfer to Japanese stores due to differences in like corporate structures and that you basically just have to be rehired, but I’m not sure if that’s true. I do have two questions though. Do you speak Japanese, and are you planning on just going to Japan to work?

Unfortunately, Japan’s immigration laws are very strict and it’s difficult to move to Japan without having a specialized degree or being sponsored by a company. However, you can work part-time on a student visa. I know that a lot of people trying to move to Japan will start out by going to a language school and working part time in a conbini or some similar job and then transition to university in Japan or find a more specialized job there. And, while I’ve definitely seen foreigners working customer service jobs in Japan, they all have at least a basic command of the Japanese language. It’s pretty difficult to find work other than an English teacher if you aren’t around at least N3 level. There are definitely many paths to get to Japan though, even if it can be very difficult. I hope that everything works out for you, and I’m happy to try and answer any questions if you have them!

AFAIK you have to quit and reapply for international transfer

“I’m working on creating goals for myself for the coming year, one of which is moving to Japan and transferring to a store over there. I’m interested to know what the process for an international transfer, specifically to Japan, would look like, so that I can get a better idea of what I’ll need to do when the time comes.”

i would just really stress that this isn’t something you’re looking to do immediately, but you’re also planning your future and want to keep her in the loop about what your plans are, and also have a better idea of what is required of you for this transfer. i’m not planning on transferring for another two years, and it’s only to another county in my state, but i’ve spoken to my sm about it casually and he knows that i won’t be staying at that store permanently (this was something i also mentioned in my interview with him, he knows i want to move up into an asm/sm position eventually and our store doesn’t have an asm).