Job Discussion Forums

[tjg_marantz]

Hello,
I am posting this in the General Korea Forum as well because of the sheer number of posters on that part of the board who may have experienced life elsewhere. I hope this okay.

My wife has her BA in Education and she will be teaching wherever it is we decide to go. I have no BA and so I will going as a dependant trying to find work once we are there. My question is which place would I have an 'easier' time finding a non-teaching job? Japan, Korea, Hong Kong or Taiwan? I am perfectly bilingual(english/french) and am working for HP right now in a non-technical position at dispatch.

We are still evaluating both options for her(job over the internet with airfare paid and so on or going there and her pounding the pavement once there). We are leaning on going over and her looking for work so that she can see the places she is applying to and talk to the teachers already there instead of hoping for the best from halfway around the world.

All four places have different positives and negatives and we are still contemplating all four countries. Could you please share how the job hunting went for your non-teaching partner? Is there a place where it is much easier than the others for non-teaching foreigners to get a job.

From the looks of it, in Korea, living on one salary seems feasible and sustainable for a while, while I would be looking for work. How is it for the other places? Where are th eupstart costs the greatest and what is a ballpark figure for those?

Any and all expriences and comments are encouraged and welcomed.

Thank you very much!

[Glenski]

Speaking for people coming to Japan, the non-teaching partner can come on a dependent visa and work in almost any field part-time. Up to a certain income, this does not affect your tax status. Of course, "any field" depends on your qualifications as the potential employer sees them, so if your spouse doesn't have a degree in something, that might pose problems, even though a degree is not needed for work under dependent visa status.

[tjg_marantz]

It's actually me that doesn't have a degree in anything. Well, I went to a technical college in programming and got a degree there but not a Bachelors and I haven't been programming since graduating.

I am guessing Japan is the same as Korea where I could not legally teach english/french from our place, right? Or can I work part-time teaching french in Japan even without a Bachelor's?

Would I be allowed to give computer classes from home? I am thinking for children or even adults. If you know spouses who give cooking or dancing lessons, would computer lessons fall under the same category? Or is all this that you are mentioning technically illegal to do?

HP, yes Hewlett-Packard, I look at the internal job postings for Japan daily hehe. Never know.

I would be looking for any work I could find to make sure we have enough money so that my wife can live her dream of teaching english in a foreign land, how noble I want to keep it legal though. At least, I want to give it my best shot at keeping it legal

Thank you for replying, I look forward to any other expertise you can provide

[Glenski]

[tjg_marantz]

Hello Glenski,
I just want to make sure I am clear on what you are saying. If my wife is hired as an ESL teacher and I go over with a dependants visa. I can, in theory, be hired by the same school as an english teacher without any degree if the school is okay with it? I am pretty sure you are saying that but I just want to make sure. The Japanese government is okay with this?

Thank you very much for your input.

[tjg_marantz]

SO much information, so much conflicting information. I better make some time to call the consulate, sheesh.

From http://www.tfemploy.go.jp/en/spec/spec_1a.html:

Foreign nationals with the following residential status can not work in Japan unless they obtain a permit for extra-status activities:

"Cultural Activities", "College Student", "Pre-college Student" and "Dependent".

Foreigners with the above residential status are not allowed to engage in income-generating business nor receive remuneration.
[...]
Foreigners with the status of "Cultural Activities" and "Dependent" can apply for the permit after they get informal decision of employment.


What is an informal decision of employment? Is that basically someone wanting to hire me filling out the right paperwork? Thus allowing me to work in a teaching capacity or any other job they would be hiring me for? Could someone, anyone enlighten me?

Thank you!