Job Discussion Forums

jamo22 · Joined: 30 Apr 2007 Posts: 47

Hi, ive never worked in japan, have experience elsewhere, and got offered this amount by a recruiter to teach in public schools. Is this Crazy low? has anyone accepted this amount and lived to tell the tale?

seklarwia · Posted: Tue May 31, 2011 9:34 am Post subject:

250,000 is supposed to be the non-JET standard although I've noticed scarily low salaries popping up in entry level jobs these days... I've seen 185,000!

Could you live off 220,000 and still have a little to put aside?
Well it depends on your lifestyle but it is possible especially outside of the big cities where housing is often substantially cheaper. If you have student loans, etc to pay back, you will need to do some hard budgeting before you accept any salary let alone a lower than standard one.

What is your holiday pay like?
Have you combed the contract for other deductions?
Is your contract tied to company accomodation?
Do you get paid for transport on top of that salary?

jamo22 · Joined: 30 Apr 2007 Posts: 47

the contract seems to be pretty shocking on a whole.

19 months

have to pay 50 000 visa fee if break it early

salary is tied to accom, 55 000, which is deducted
from your salary, in leopalace, whcih i think would be
alright.

60 000 fee at end of contract for 'cleaning' and 'moving'

No Paid leave! Im pretty sure this is illegal no? you get the whole
month of august off, but no salary, although they will pay for your
rent.

I dont need to save any money, and the main reason im considering the contract is because I think it would be better to teach in a public school compared to an eikewa.

seklarwia · Posted: Tue May 31, 2011 11:52 am Post subject:

Seems a scam.

The may be jacking up your rent. And yes whilst there is a clean up fee when you move out of many Japanese apartments, for Leopalace it is just under 30,000.

There are no visa fees for your employer. You cover all if any fees when you take the COE to get processed in exchange for your passport stamp (4,000yen if you do this at immigration in Japan, �6 if you are British and having it processed in the UK, free for US citizens in the US or the UK, etc). So that 50,000 if you break the contract is not only ridiculous but also illegal to write into the contract - Glenski is oracle of Japanese law quotes and links.

And yes you should be getting 10 paid personal days within your first 12 months (available for use after your first 6 months).

What about national holidays? Plenty of them througout the year. Are none of these paid either?

jamo22 · Joined: 30 Apr 2007 Posts: 47

moving fee and cleaning fee together is 60 000.

public holidays are paid.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Do not take that job. They have illegal clauses regarding penalties and fees, and I wouldn't want my job tied to my housing.

Let someone else who is desperate take that job. You can find better.

No paid leave at all in 19 months' time? Totally illegal!!

"Visa fees"??? As seklarwia wrote, there is no such thing. Just because it's in a contract, that doesn't make it legal or binding. They sound like they got burned with a previous teacher or two and are trying to make it up financially by threatening people.

seklarwia · Posted: Tue May 31, 2011 1:57 pm Post subject:

wayne432 · Joined: 05 Jun 2008 Posts: 255

If you move out of an apartment, there is generally a "cleaning" fee... However, it's never 60,000 yen... maybe 20-30,000.

19 months? Sounds like someone jumped ship early.
Visa fees are bogus.
220,000 a month for how many days/hours a week?
If you're working full time (40 hours a week), it's a rip off.
I know that some interac branches have 5-day part time positions that amount to roughly 200,000 a month, but that's for a 20 hour work week.

No personal holidays at all? Bogus.
Though technically a company doesn't have to give you holidays the first 3 months on contract if they don't want to... I think?

EmowshinallChicken · Joined: 25 Jun 2010 Posts: 26

is this company called fifthwings...?...if so, dont go near them...

tttyg · Joined: 26 Apr 2011 Posts: 16

Like others have said, 220,000/mo. jobs do exist and it seems like people out there do take them (otherwise they wouldn't be around for very long).

It is definitely a "livable" wage for one who has a 50,000/mo. apartment and no debts. However, most people out there certainly wouldn't envy it.

Also, as stated, do not take the job; more questionable than the wage are those "contract stipulations", which range from insane to illegal.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

jamo22 · Joined: 30 Apr 2007 Posts: 47

Thanks for confirming my suspicions. And yes, it is with fifth wings...

rxk22 · Joined: 19 May 2010 Posts: 1629

rxk22 · Joined: 19 May 2010 Posts: 1629

EmowshinallChicken · Joined: 25 Jun 2010 Posts: 26

Ha...of all the schools, companies etc....how did I guess./bad feeling..the fact I did and what I briefly said before..not wanting to go into too much detail...would infuriate myself - don't go anywhere near that company...better to be homeless and unemployed......worst two months of my thirteen year 'tefl career'.....
THIEFwings...!!
Wink