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reachpeach
Joined: 18 Jan 2012
Posts: 10
Location: canada
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 Posted: Tue Nov 26, 2013 6:33 pm Post subject: school (EAC) requesting I get a work-holiday visa |
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Forgive me if this information is available already, but I haven't been able to find any reviews on English Academy for Children in Ibaraki. They request that I get a work-holiday visa and not tell the consulate that I have already secured a job.
They told me I will receive 250,000JPY for the first month and 280,000 onward. 104 hours of class time per month not including travelling and prep time. They will pay the apartment's guarantee money as well as furnish it and reimburse me for travelling costs. I was told they have the right to schedule me between 9AM and 7:30PM. I'm wondering if I will be able to pick up privates with this schedule, though.
If possible, can you let me know if this is reasonable as well? Here is what they sent me for the estimated cost of living:
| Quote: |
Monthly Living cost (Average single person):
Income tax: About 8-10 % of your total income
Residency tax: 20,000 yen will be deducted from the monthly salary every month and settlement of total amount with the tax department before the contract expires.
Utilities:
Water 4,000 Yen
Gas 4,000 Yen
Electricity 4,000 Yen
Telephone 3,000 Yen
Rent (Apartment) 50,000 Yen
Kerosene ４,000 Yen (Winter only)
Health Insurance:
Compulsory Health Insurance costs you at the sum of \58,400 annually for the first year of stay in Japan. |
So I will net about 191,000 JPY before taxes and the health insurance?
Anyway, please let me know if it is sketch? Google says that plenty of people work under a working holiday visa, but I just want to confirm it with users here. I understand that people would go to Japan without a job under a WHV, but would an employer normally request this?
And what does "in good health" mean exactly? Does this mean that I cannot be on medications of any kind? |
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Pitarou
Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 1116
Location: Narita, Japan
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| Posted: Tue Nov 26, 2013 11:21 pm Post subject: Re: school (EAC) requesting I get a work-holiday visa |
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Everything you've listed seems pretty standard. No obvious alarm bells. (Although you may well find that your phone bill comes to more than 3,000 yen.)
When you say "in good health" I presume you mean for your visa. Basically, they want to know that your health won't prevent you from doing the kinds of things you're saying you'll do when you apply for the visa. If you have, say, mild asthma, I'm sure that won't be a problem. If the only thing that's keeping you going is a daily dose of antidepressants, they'll turn you down.
I wouldn't even think about private students until you've given yourself a few months to settle into your new situation. And I encourage you to ask yourself: are you really here just to work every hour god sends? Isn't there anything else you can do with your free time in Japan? Are there other uses of your time that would give you more long-term benefits. |
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reachpeach
Joined: 18 Jan 2012
Posts: 10
Location: canada
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| Posted: Tue Nov 26, 2013 11:37 pm Post subject: Re: school (EAC) requesting I get a work-holiday visa |
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| Pitarou wrote: |
| If you have, say, mild asthma, I'm sure that won't be a problem. If the only thing that's keeping you going is a daily dose of antidepressants, they'll turn you down. |
I have epilepsy. I've been seizure free for 7 years, going on 8. I am supposed to be taking daily medication, but I haven't been for 2 years. My doctor won't take me off of it, though, because I drive once in a blue moon. I have heard this might be a problem. Of course, I don't intend on telling my school, because it really is not a problem at all. I was turned down from jobs in South Korea (but still offered contracts for some) for this reason. All schools did tell me, however, that it would still be possible for me to get a visa -- it just depends on who is reviewing my application.
| Pitarou wrote: |
| And I encourage you to ask yourself: are you really here just to work every hour god sends? Isn't there anything else you can do with your free time in Japan? Are there other uses of your time that would give you more long-term benefits. |
Yeah, of course I won't work my self to death, at least in the beginning, but I tend to get a little restless and usually work 2 jobs. I've always either been going to school full time with a job or working two jobs... or working two jobs and going to school full time.
Thank you for the reply! |
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marley'sghost
Joined: 04 Oct 2010
Posts: 255
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| Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 1:35 am Post subject: |
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I'm American, and not at all familiar with the WHV procedure. I'm not sure why having a job already lined up would complicate a "Working" Holiday Visa.
One thing you should know is that your first year in Japan, your mandatory National Health Insurance is next to nothing. The government bases your insurance payments on your previous year's salary in Japan. Since your previous year's salary is 0, you only pay that 50,000 odd yen for the year. If you stick around after that, your insurance will be a lot higher. Something like 4-5 times higher. (Sorry, can't find the exact numbers at the moment, someone correct me if I'm wrong.)
I've know more than a few new guys get blindsided by that little unexpected expense. |
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Pitarou
Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 1116
Location: Narita, Japan
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| Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 2:15 am Post subject: |
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| marley'sghost wrote: |
| I'm American, and not at all familiar with the WHV procedure. I'm not sure why having a job already lined up would complicate a "Working" Holiday Visa. |
Maybe because reachpeach was looking for work on a tourist visa?
Or maybe because they just want to keep the visa application as simple as possible? |
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reachpeach
Joined: 18 Jan 2012
Posts: 10
Location: canada
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| Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 4:21 am Post subject: |
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| marley'sghost wrote: |
| I'm American, and not at all familiar with the WHV procedure. I'm not sure why having a job already lined up would complicate a "Working" Holiday Visa. |
The purpose of the WHV is to promote tourism and culture exchange, I'm pretty sure. The point is not to work, although there is no limit on how many hours you can work. Still, when you are getting your visa, they ask you where you plan to visit and what you want to do. You're also required to have 2,000USD in the bank or some amount like that to show that you won't just be stranded there.
My assumption is that telling them you already have a job would make it look like you're really going there to work, so they would make you get a work visa instead. The USA doesn't have a WHV for Japan, but Canada and a few other countries do.
| Pitarou wrote: |
| Or maybe because they just want to keep the visa application as simple as possible? |
Yeah, I guess they rather keep it simple. It seems that it takes months to get a work visa whereas a WHV takes only a week or so. Plus, Canadians can renew the 6 month WHV for another 6 months after it expires.
Thanks for answering my question about the normalcy of it. I wasn't sure if they were making it simple or just trying to scam me somehow. I'm not sure of how they would be scamming me, but just to be safe... |
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mitsui
Joined: 10 Jun 2007
Posts: 1562
Location: Kawasaki
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| Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 7:58 am Post subject: |
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In Ibaraki it could be harder to find private students.
I think you would need time to settle in and get used to the schedule.
Most people would be happy to do something besides work on Saturday.
I remember working a second job once a week when I was a high school teacher.
It was a year after getting to Japan.
I got really burned out so I would say if the private students are motivated, fine.
But if they are unmotivated kids, don`t even bother. |
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kah5217
Joined: 29 Sep 2012
Posts: 270
Location: Ibaraki
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| Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 8:06 am Post subject: |
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| mitsui wrote: |
| In Ibaraki it could be harder to find private students. |
Yes. The kids here don't really care about English, so you'll be dealing with an assortment of housewives, a few businessmen, and the kids that aren't in juku but their parents want them to learn it.
Tsukuba is a university town, so you'll find more serious students the closer you get. But your prices will take a hit, as there are a lot of foreigners there. |
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Pitarou
Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 1116
Location: Narita, Japan
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| Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 8:56 am Post subject: |
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| reachpeach wrote: |
| My assumption is that telling them you already have a job would make it look like you're really going there to work, so they would make you get a work visa instead. |
That makes perfect sense to me.
| reachpeach wrote: |
| Yeah, I guess they rather keep it simple. It seems that it takes months to get a work visa whereas a WHV takes only a week or so. Plus, Canadians can renew the 6 month WHV for another 6 months after it expires. |
I don't think it takes months, but it takes a little longer because the employer has to demonstrate that the job really is there. Also, if you don't have a full college degree, the WHV is your only option.
So if you're happy to leave Japan within a year, a WHV looks fine to me. |
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hagiwaramai
Joined: 24 May 2010
Posts: 119
Location: Marines Stadium
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| Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 2:29 pm Post subject: |
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You're not supposed to have a job lined up before you go which is why you can't tell the embassy that you do. From the embassy website
| Quote: |
| applicants who intend primarily to work cannot apply for this visa. |
but I've never heard of anyone being busted for working too much on a WHV.
The only thing you wrote that concerned me was this,
| Quote: |
| Residency tax: 20,000 yen will be deducted from the monthly salary every month and settlement of total amount with the tax department before the contract expires. |
I'm not sure if Japanese citizens don't have it worked out that way, where their company deducts it from salary, but I don't think I've ever heard of it being done that way for English teaching jobs. Like the Health Insurance it's paid a year in arrears so the company would be keeping the money for themselves for the first year at least, and maybe paying it only if you sign another contract. 20,000 yen a month also sounds quite excessive to me for a single person, but the rates differ from area to area so I can't be sure. |
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reachpeach
Joined: 18 Jan 2012
Posts: 10
Location: canada
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| Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 3:05 am Post subject: |
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| mitsui wrote: |
| I think you would need time to settle in and get used to the schedule. |
Yeah, I had my actual interview today, and I feel like I will be driving around a lot. That might take getting used to. I don't really like the idea of driving a lot.
| kah5217 wrote: |
| The kids here don't really care about English, |
That's too bad. Half my day will be with 3-5 year olds, so I suppose their interest in English doesn't really matter.
| pitarou wrote: |
| So if you're happy to leave Japan within a year, a WHV looks fine |
Sounds fine to me! If I change my mind, I suppose I can just apply for a working visa.
| hagiwaramai wrote: |
| I'm not sure if Japanese citizens don't have it worked out that way, where their company deducts it from salary, but I don't think I've ever heard of it being done that way for English teaching jobs. Like the Health Insurance it's paid a year in arrears so the company would be keeping the money for themselves for the first year at least, and maybe paying it only if you sign another contract. 20,000 yen a month also sounds quite excessive to me for a single person, but the rates differ from area to area so I can't be sure. |
I'll look into it more and possibly ask her about this. Thanks for the heads up. |
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Pitarou
Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 1116
Location: Narita, Japan
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| Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 5:12 am Post subject: |
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| reachpeach wrote: |
| mitsui wrote: |
| I think you would need time to settle in and get used to the schedule. |
Yeah, I had my actual interview today, and I feel like I will be driving around a lot. That might take getting used to. I don't really like the idea of driving a lot. |
Will you working at multiple sites in a day? You'll be surprised how tiring that can be.
| hagiwaramai wrote: |
| I'm not sure if Japanese citizens don't have it worked out that way, where their company deducts it from salary, but I don't think I've ever heard of it being done that way for English teaching jobs. Like the Health Insurance it's paid a year in arrears so the company would be keeping the money for themselves for the first year at least, and maybe paying it only if you sign another contract. |
I don't get you. Japanese and foreigners pay tax and health insurance in the same way: from their monthly pay check. Then they settle up any differences at the end of the year (or, in the case of foreigners, when they leave the country).
Health insurance certainly isn't paid "a year in arrears" and the employer doesn't hold any money back. |
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hagiwaramai
Joined: 24 May 2010
Posts: 119
Location: Marines Stadium
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| Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 6:27 am Post subject: |
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| Pitarou wrote: |
| hagiwaramai wrote: |
| I'm not sure if Japanese citizens don't have it worked out that way, where their company deducts it from salary, but I don't think I've ever heard of it being done that way for English teaching jobs. Like the Health Insurance it's paid a year in arrears so the company would be keeping the money for themselves for the first year at least, and maybe paying it only if you sign another contract. |
I don't get you. Japanese and foreigners pay tax and health insurance in the same way: from their monthly pay check. Then they settle up any differences at the end of the year (or, in the case of foreigners, when they leave the country).
Health insurance certainly isn't paid "a year in arrears" and the employer doesn't hold any money back. |
I don't think he's talking about regular income tax, he said residence tax. Every English teacher I've known has got residence tax slips direct from the city, it hasn't been deducted from their pay by their employer. (and why should it be, your employer and the city/government have nothing to do with each other). If it was income tax 20,000 a month would definitely be way, way too much. Health Insurance and city tax are effectively paid a year in arrears as they are based on the previous year's earnings. As marley's ghost said you will pay much less the first year for HI, and you don't get residence tax bills until you've been here a year. |
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HLJHLJ
Joined: 06 Oct 2009
Posts: 1218
Location: Ecuador
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| Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 6:59 am Post subject: |
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| I may be wrong, but I believe AEON offer it as an option for teachers, to help them budget. I had a friend who left Japan recently, and she'd opted to have AEON deduct it, but she got a substantial refund from them when she left. I am 90% sure it was city tax they were deducting. |
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reachpeach
Joined: 18 Jan 2012
Posts: 10
Location: canada
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| Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 11:29 am Post subject: |
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| Pitarou wrote: |
| reachpeach wrote: |
| mitsui wrote: |
| I think you would need time to settle in and get used to the schedule. |
Yeah, I had my actual interview today, and I feel like I will be driving around a lot. That might take getting used to. I don't really like the idea of driving a lot. |
Will you working at multiple sites in a day? You'll be surprised how tiring that can be. |
Yeah, multiple sites a day with chances of it being one location a day, but I'm not counting on that. I believe she said I'd have 5 different schools. I can't remember now if it is 5 or 8... But supposedly generally 20 minutes away but up to 45 minutes away.
One summer, I worked 6 days a week at a place that was a 1 hour drive each way. The drive was what exhausted me (didn't help that I was always in beach traffic for the last 10 minutes), not the 10 hour shift. |
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