|
Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Xcentrik
Joined: 20 Jul 2013
Posts: 3
|
 Posted: Mon Jul 22, 2013 7:43 am Post subject: Teaching in Japan - no degree |
 |
|
Hi, So I have my heart set on teaching Japan, in particular in Tokyo
While I do not hold a Degree etc i have a lot of, how to put it "real world experience" i have spent 5years in the navy [NZ] and 2 years in the mining industry within Australia, i have at least 3-4 pages of courses and credits ranging from 1st aid through to search an rescue etc that i have completed etc, i am also a qualified helicopter pilot.
My partner is from Japan and is planning on going back for several years and I intend to follow her. However I am worried about finding work. I have been on forums and all sorts of sites trying to find more information, I have a reasonable grasp on the language [verbal only] and would probably spend 6 months at least taking an intensive language course when i arrive, and would take TEFL course or 2 before i leave.
Everything I have seen and read though is teaching and that requires a degree to even get a look in, i have also read that finding work outside of teaching is almost impossible for a foreigner unless you are headhunted.
What i want to know is with the information i have provided what would be the chances i would be able to get a job?
and also is there anything [except spending 4years and 30k + at a university] to improve my chances of getting work?
Thanks X |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
ssjup81
Joined: 15 Jun 2009
Posts: 664
Location: Adachi-ku, Tokyo, Japan
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 22, 2013 7:57 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Well the degree is an immigration requirement. Are you married? If so you can get a spousal visa and you'd be able to look for work with that, but only part time. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
HLJHLJ
Joined: 06 Oct 2009
Posts: 1218
Location: Ecuador
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 22, 2013 8:11 am Post subject: |
|
|
A spousal visa is different from a dependent visa, there are no work restrictions on a spousal visa. If your partner is Japanese and you are married, you should be fine. Otherwise, with no degree, no prior English teaching experience and, from the sound of it, no eligibility for a working holiday visa, you aren't going to meet the immigration requirements.
One option, if you are planning to study anyway, would be to take language courses over a longer period and get a student visa. That would allow you to work part time while you study. However, it's not going to be a long term solution. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Xcentrik
Joined: 20 Jul 2013
Posts: 3
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 22, 2013 8:19 am Post subject: |
|
|
as i live in NZ / Aussie i can get a working visa, i can also get a student visa as if i enter a language school that qualifies me for that.
I'm not so worried about visa etc, i am more having problems with actually finding a company etc that is willing to give me a chance. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
HLJHLJ
Joined: 06 Oct 2009
Posts: 1218
Location: Ecuador
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 22, 2013 8:57 am Post subject: |
|
|
| The degree is usually a visa issue rather than an employer one. Does an NZ WHV permit full time work? If so, you will probably be able to find something without too much difficulty, as long as you aren't fussy. If it's only part-time, then assuming you can afford to live on a part time wage, the only option I can immediately think of is GABA. Though you might be able to patch a few part time gigs together into something better. It just depends what's available when/where you are looking. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
HLJHLJ
Joined: 06 Oct 2009
Posts: 1218
Location: Ecuador
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 22, 2013 9:17 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Berlitz may also take you on part time, but they generally won't be flexible if you are trying to fit it in around studying on a student visa. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ssjup81
Joined: 15 Jun 2009
Posts: 664
Location: Adachi-ku, Tokyo, Japan
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 22, 2013 9:35 am Post subject: |
|
|
| My mistake for confusing the spousal visa with the dependent visa. ^^ |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Kitkat Biriyani
Joined: 10 Jul 2013
Posts: 51
Location: New Venkatanarasimharajuvaripea, Missouri, USA, Q!Q!QQQ!!!
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 22, 2013 10:58 am Post subject: You DO NOT need a degree |
|
|
....if you can prove that you have at least three continuous years of full-time English language teaching experience, you DO NOT need a degree.....companies systematically ask for degrees making the work permit process simpler for themselves, with all the paperwork for all the teachers then just going to the same place at the same time....however showing that you have the THREE years teaching experience is all that you need PLUS a company/school who is prepared to/willing to be put out just a little bit in obtaining the correct visa for you/this is law - trust me you do not need a degree to teach English in Japan full-time legally with all the correct paperwork/visa etc. but students may take a dim view of being taught by an 'uneducated' teacher - keep that quiet from them  ...an RSA CELTA however would be advisable/only 4 weeks but very intensive and of much more value and use than most degrees held by those recently graduated, inexperienced and unqualified "zero to hero teachers" - wish I knew this before going to university at the age of 35...  but then again that is the overall best solution to your predicament - a university degree!
The degree IS NOT an immigration issue as some have said, and IT IS a company/school issue - 3 years teaching experience and immigrations WILL give you the correct paperwork - guaranteed....you just need a company that knows this and is willing to take you on.
No wakkin furries.....
Kitkat Biriyani
MA Japanese
put in a good word/get me a job too |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rtm
Joined: 13 Apr 2007
Posts: 1003
Location: US
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 22, 2013 6:06 pm Post subject: Re: Teaching in Japan - no degree |
|
|
| Xcentrik wrote: |
| While I do not hold a Degree etc i have a lot of, how to put it "real world experience" i have spent 5years in the navy [NZ] and 2 years in the mining industry within Australia, i have at least 3-4 pages of courses and credits ranging from 1st aid through to search an rescue etc that i have completed etc, i am also a qualified helicopter pilot. |
The experiences you have listed sound like good "real world experience", but they don't seem relevant to teaching English. Do you have any experience teaching English?
| Quote: |
| My partner is from Japan and is planning on going back for several years and I intend to follow her. |
As others have pointed out, marriage would solve your problems. Is that an option?
| Quote: |
| Everything I have seen and read though is teaching and that requires a degree to even get a look in, |
As Kitkat Biriyani pointed out, there might be alternatives for someone without a degree. But, you would still need to find an employer who is willing to hire someone without a degree. If you have something that makes you stand out, that might be possible. Otherwise, you'll be competing with a lot of other people who do have a degree. That doesn't mean it will be impossible to find a job -- it just means that you'll need to work a bit harder, and find a reason for an employer to choose you over others.
| Quote: |
| i have also read that finding work outside of teaching is almost impossible for a foreigner unless you are headhunted. |
I think I would change that to "For a foreigner to get a job, they need to be able to offer something that Japanese applicants can't offer, without any negatives." That's why jobs that require one be a native English speaker are generally the easiest for foreign, native-English-speaking people to get. If your skillset is attractive to a Japanese employer, and there are no negatives (e.g., your limited Japanese language ability won't affect your ability to do the job), then you can do something else.
| Quote: |
| I'm not so worried about visa etc, i am more having problems with actually finding a company etc that is willing to give me a chance. |
I think you're putting the cart before the horse here. The job is required in order to get the work visa, as they have to sponsor you. That is, unless you are trying to get a different kind of visa (spouse, student, working holiday). If that is the case, I think your best options might be to try to find multiple part-time jobs, because that's something you would be able to offer that many other applicants wouldn't be able to (because they would require visa sponsorship).
Basically, I think you need to answer the question "Why should someone hire me to teach English?"
| Kitkat Biriyani wrote: |
| if you can prove that you have at least three continuous years of full-time English language teaching experience, you DO NOT need a degree |
That's good to know. Just for future reference, does "at least three continuous years of full-time English language teaching experience" mean 36 continuous months? I ask because a friend of mine had a problem with a job in the Middle East once because the potential employer required 2 years of English teaching experience. My friend worked 2 academic years in the US (i.e., 2 nine-month contracts, with a summer break between them, during which she was not under contract as classes were not in session). The potential employer saw that as 18 months of experience, and counted it as a year and a half, thus not qualifying for the job. It sounds like that is what you mean when you say "continuous", but that would also disqualify someone if they, for example, went home to visit family for a month between contracts. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Kitkat Biriyani
Joined: 10 Jul 2013
Posts: 51
Location: New Venkatanarasimharajuvaripea, Missouri, USA, Q!Q!QQQ!!!
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 23, 2013 5:23 am Post subject: 3 continuous years.... |
|
|
I'm sure going home for a break/holiday would not stand against you - otherwise some slave master somewhere may be tallying up your week-ends and evenings off.....perhaps I should have said, three continuous years of being in full-time English language teaching employment......
Talking of holidays, happy Ramadan
Back to bed
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Xcentrik
Joined: 20 Jul 2013
Posts: 3
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 23, 2013 5:28 am Post subject: |
|
|
no previous English teaching experience but i have held classes and tutored before so i have the skills needed to be a teacher.
Marriage is an option and we have talked about it but personally would not want to go down that road right now [i am only 25 and marriage is a big commitment ^^ or so Ive heard]
I will be entering initially on a student visa as intend to study at a language school until i am proficient enough with the language. i believe i then have to return home for several months then i can apply for a working holiday visa, in which i do not need a degree to obtain and that lasts for 12months, after that i will have to figure something out.
To be honest i never thought not going to University and getting a degree would hold me back or be such an issue. - |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Kitkat Biriyani
Joined: 10 Jul 2013
Posts: 51
Location: New Venkatanarasimharajuvaripea, Missouri, USA, Q!Q!QQQ!!!
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 23, 2013 8:51 am Post subject: |
|
|
Not having a university degree and trying to get an English teaching post IS a big issue but as I have said NOT impossible...I taught for seven years without one (but do have an RSA/CELTA) before going to university at the age of 35.....life is so much easier and better now - without a degree at best you will be greatly RESTRICTED in the type of work opportunities available to you ......
Still time for university and an academic year is far shorter than 12 months/worth thinking about....
beats the next 30 years of "teaching" head, shoulders, knees and toes"....
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rtm
Joined: 13 Apr 2007
Posts: 1003
Location: US
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 23, 2013 9:07 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Xcentrik wrote: |
| no previous English teaching experience but i have held classes and tutored before so i have the skills needed to be a teacher. |
That's good to know. That might help you a little as far as teaching demonstrations go. You might want to read up on English grammar and ESL/EFL teaching methodologies. Those would help you to transfer your teaching skills (teaching language is a bit different from teaching other things).
| Quote: |
Marriage is an option and we have talked about it but personally would not want to go down that road right now [i am only 25 and marriage is a big commitment ^^ or so Ive heard]
I will be entering initially on a student visa as intend to study at a language school until i am proficient enough with the language. i believe i then have to return home for several months then i can apply for a working holiday visa, in which i do not need a degree to obtain and that lasts for 12months, after that i will have to figure something out. |
OK, that sounds like it might buy you a bit of time. How much depends on how long you can afford to be a student (i.e., paying tuition, and with little income).
Is there a reason you would rather go to a language school than a university? You might want to consider going to a university in Japan -- that would get you to Japan, and would also get you on your way to that degree that you'll need eventually. There are a few universities in Japan that offer courses in English (not many, but some). Or, if you do decide to go to a language school, you can always take online university classes from a university in an English-speaking country (though that wouldn't get you a student visa on its own).
| Quote: |
| To be honest i never thought not going to University and getting a degree would hold me back or be such an issue. - |
Yes, it will hold you back, and not only in Japan. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rtm
Joined: 13 Apr 2007
Posts: 1003
Location: US
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 23, 2013 9:20 am Post subject: Re: 3 continuous years.... |
|
|
| Kitkat Biriyani wrote: |
| I'm sure going home for a break/holiday would not stand against you - otherwise some slave master somewhere may be tallying up your week-ends and evenings off.....perhaps I should have said, three continuous years of being in full-time English language teaching employment...... |
Right - I was just curious about how the law that you referenced defines "continuous". I asked because in my friend's case, her 3-month break between academic years (and, thus, between contracts) was not counted as "continuous", so that time didn't count toward the requirement (though, like I said, that wasn't in Japan). So, I was wondering how the "three continuous years" of employment was defined for the case of a working visa in Japan. You seemed to know about that law, so I was hoping you could explain in more detail. I was curious what was meant by "continuous" (how much time between contracts is still considered "continuous"), and what was meant by "year" (12 months?). Or, maybe it's not defined in the law, and they leave it up to each immigration office to interpret it? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Kitkat Biriyani
Joined: 10 Jul 2013
Posts: 51
Location: New Venkatanarasimharajuvaripea, Missouri, USA, Q!Q!QQQ!!!
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 23, 2013 9:40 am Post subject: |
|
|
A copy of your employment contracts/letters of reference for full-time employment that is, for the past three years should suffice....clearly showing you have worked from this period of time......to that period of time, from this period of time.....to that period of time, from this period of time.....to that period of time - without any major breaks in time....lengthy periods away from teaching - that is all.
No expert in Japanese law; just know from personal experience of working legally in Japan WITHOUT a university degree.
What's for lunch?
KKB....my favourite
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling.
Contact Dave's ESL Cafe
Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
