Job Discussion Forums

sam.ye · Joined: 13 Mar 2012 Posts: 17

Hey

I am an Australian citizen currently completing my bachelor degree. I am planning on moving to Japan next year to work as an english tutor while I finish my degree. I know i'm eligible for a working holiday visa, but without a completed degree, I don't qualify for a working visa. Is that correct? Can I do a short course like TEFL and such to obtain a working visa?

What are the chances of finding working with only a working holiday visa? I know the working holiday visa prohibits full time work. What is the weekly working hours threshold between full time and part time?

Also I am only looking for work in the Kansai region (preferably Osaka). Is work in that region abundant?

Any information will be greatly appreciated.
Thankyou

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

People without degrees can get work visas only if they can prove 3 or more years of related job experience.

If you don't have a degree, you can still get PT work on dependent, cultural activity or student visas, and FT work on a spousal visa, but obviously those require special circumstances.

And, no, the WHV does not prohibit full-time work. Read the WHV homepage!
http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/w_holiday/index.html
It is meant for travelers from certain countries to get jobs that can supplement their finances during their vacation, and that includes FT work, but the principle of the WHV is that you don't get a long-term contract with such work. (In reality, some employers look the other way, but the risk is yours.)

Chances of finding work on a WHV.
Help us here. When are you coming? How old are you? Where do you intend to work? (Ah, I see you are limiting yourself to one city. Keyword: limiting) Got any teaching experience at all?
Those answers should be obvious ones that will give you a good leg up. Other things are intangible, such as how good your resume looks, how well you interview, can you make a demo lesson, will you pass a grammar test, etc.

sam.ye · Joined: 13 Mar 2012 Posts: 17

oh...thats strange, I read somewhere else that peole on working holiday visas can't have a full-time contract. What is considered a long-term contract? I don't plan to sign a contract for any longer than 1 year.

When you say related work experience, do you mean experience related to my degree or related to the employment I aim to engage in?

More info:
I aim to come over at the begining of 2013. Roughly around Feb.
I turn 22 in April this year, so i'll be almost 23 by the time I go over.
I don't have to work in Osaka, but prefer it to be in Osaka or at least the Kansai region.
I've been privately tutoring for the past 3 or 4 years. But I've only tutored maths and physics, not english.
I am currently living in Australia, so I'm not sure how they want me to give a demo lesson.
And I'm confident that I'll pass a grammar test, but definitely not full marks material.

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

sam.ye · Joined: 13 Mar 2012 Posts: 17

So is private tutoring considered as related to english tutor? If so, then I technically can obtain a working visa. Maybe i should give the Japanese embassy in Australia a call.

But assuming I'm stuck with a working holiday visa, then to do everything by the book, I'll have to change contracts every three months? Or my potential employer will have to give me three month contracts with constant renewal?

I gave you my age and rough date of arrival because you asked for that information. But I'm glad my chances of finding work is not based on the time of year or my age.

The issue with going over first before securing a contract is that I don't exactly have alot of money to support myself over there. How long does it generally take before one finds employment over there?

Kionon · Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 2:09 pm Post subject:

I too wanted a position in Kansai, and I received one, but it was the last of four offers I received when I first came to Japan. Luckily, because essentially, beggars can't be choosers, and you're a beggar in this market. Kansai area positions are harder to find, many are often not advertised, and in my experiences working in Kansai, people tend to hold onto the positions longer. I was in the same position for three years, I know some of my coworkers are now on year seven or eight.

Kyoto City specifically is owned almost outright by the JET program because of its position as the cultural capital. Of the entire Kansai area, Kyoto City itself is probably the most difficult to get a position in.

My experience is secondary school work, but I have people who are eikaiwa instructors, and they confirm that such positions are difficult to find. I had an interview with ECC for an ALT position, but some of the interviewees there were for an eikaiwa position. I opted not to take the job because they wanted to change my visa type, and that was a deal breaker for me.

sam.ye · Joined: 13 Mar 2012 Posts: 17

This is where I'm confused. When you say Kansai area is the most difficult to find a job, you're obviously comparing it to other areas in Japan. What I would really like to know is how difficult that actually is? If i was already in the country with a working visa, will i be able to find a job in a week, a month, three months, 6 months? Of course, I'm asking about average.

OneJoelFifty · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 463

I recently found a new job, and I was looking in the usual places for something in Kansai. I found it was pretty slim pickings, with mainly language schools offering average conditions at best.

There are jobs out there, but how long it will take is anyone's guess. I wouldn't plan on finding anything in the first month you're here, to be safe. And then if you're going to be relying on that paycheck, keep in mind that you'll probably receive the first one at the end of the month after you started work.

ssjup81 · Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 8:35 pm Post subject:

If it's okay to ask, why are you so intent on being in the Kansai region? There's more to Japan than just Kansai and Kanto.

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

sam.ye · Joined: 13 Mar 2012 Posts: 17

There are two main reasons why I'm going to Japan to work while i finish my degree externally.

1. I'm only left with two subjects (one in each semester) so it'll be a complete waste of staying in Australia doing nothing exciting at all.

2. My girlfriend is currently working in Osaka, I want to be there to give her some company.

Therefore, I won't consider going over if:

1. I have already finished my degree, because i'll just start working on my long term future career.

2. I Don't live somewhere near her.

That being said, I'm fairly oblivious about Japan's major districts and travel times between these regions. And I am also pretty oblivious to the travel costs. My main concern with living in Tokyo is that how much will I have to spend if I want to see her every weekend? Just as an example

ssjup81 · Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 11:29 pm Post subject:

The best time to probably start looking is from December - February, possibly since the Japanese school year begins in April, unless you aim to work in an eikaiwa which tends to have openings all year round.

sam.ye · Joined: 13 Mar 2012 Posts: 17

Do schools do direct hiring over there? Or are they contracted by other companies? Where can I find these jobs being posted?

In fact, what eikaiwa schools are out there in Japan?

ssjup81 · Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 11:51 pm Post subject:

sam.ye · Joined: 13 Mar 2012 Posts: 17

I've already looked through gaijinpot.com, and am current browsing through this site's job listings. Jobs in Japan seem to be limited. It doesn't even have its own section like jobs in China or Korea.

Also, I found a list of companies hiring differen types of teaching jobs:

http://jet-programme.com/jet_alternatives.htm

Can you tell me how comprehensive that list actually is?