Elle — UI Developer/Designer, Vancouver
Japan-experienced UI designer who entered on a visitor visa, networked heavily via meetups, switched to working holiday, and secured a local UI developer/designer role in about eight months.
UIデベロッパー/デザイナー · Vancouver
Profile
Elle is a UI developer/designer in Vancouver in her 20s. Attributes: experienced (経験者), working-holiday route, ~8 months to offer, company not named. Lived about one year at Frog House 2nd from launch.
Current role
Working at a Vancouver company as UI developer/designer (employer name not disclosed). Aims for permanent residence and longer-term interest in design/developer education and community.
Japan experience
Experienced designer (経験者) after a career pivot. New graduate B2B sales at a Tokyo IT venture; left after advice that UI design fit her background (including Nanapi editorial part-time). Intensive HTML/CSS mentoring in Silicon Valley for three months, then returned to Japan as a second-new-graduate designer. Decided to study abroad the following autumn after a Berlin CSS conference. Exact years in the Japan designer role are not stated beyond “the following autumn.”
Path to Canada / North America
Preferred Silicon Valley but chose Vancouver for time zone, startups, and prior tourist visit. Entered on tourist visa first to network, then switched to working holiday. Attended ~100 meetups in eight months (speaking at Code & Coffee; mentoring/workshops). Focused applications on 3–4 target companies with English portfolio and coding tests.
Outcome
Local hire as UI developer/designer via meetup network and selective applications; planning PR and broader impact in design education.
Based on Frog’s Japanese-language interview. English summary for scanning (partners / employers). Original interview (Japanese)
Employer name not disclosed (company null).