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dog8food
Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 60
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Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2016 11:47 pm Post subject: What are my non-JET options as a family man? |
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So I got accepted into JET a few years back and had to refuse the contract for personal reasons.
I had applied a few times to JET since and I won't even get an interview. I believe I'm blacklisted.
So now I have a wife and child and we're looking for other ways into the country.
Are there other programs (or schools) out there that would be family visa friendly? |
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nightsintodreams
Joined: 18 May 2010 Posts: 558
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Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2016 4:36 am Post subject: |
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What are your options?
Staying in your home country. |
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rtm
Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 1003 Location: US
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Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2016 4:45 am Post subject: Re: What are my non-JET options as a family man? |
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dog8food wrote: |
Are there other programs (or schools) out there that would be family visa friendly? |
I believe your dependents would receive dependent visas based on your work visa no matter what English teaching job you have. Rather than a visa, you probably should be worried about finding a job that pays enough to support a family. Entry-level salaries have come down in the last few years.
What EFL experience and qualifications do you have? |
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Shakey
Joined: 29 Aug 2014 Posts: 199
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Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2016 7:30 am Post subject: Re: What are my non-JET options as a family man? |
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dog8food wrote: |
Are there other programs (or schools) out there that would be family visa friendly? |
The TEFL industry in Japan is not designed to hire teachers with families from overseas.
The typical candidate is in his or her early 20s, single, degreed, and from an English speaking country.
I would not expect you to get hired anywhere. Also, the salaries are so low, that there is absolutely no way that you could afford to support a wife and children in Japan on an ALT salary.
Finally, there is no job security in TEFL. Even if you were hired somewhere, the company could easily not renew your contract. Then what? You will be on the hook to support a wife and kids, but you won't have a job or income. |
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TokyoLiz
Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan
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Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2016 11:20 am Post subject: |
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Accommodation, childcare, and education are all issues you need to consider.
My partner and I share a house in suburban Tokyo for cheap. Our place is big by Japanese standards, a 3LDK, 3 rooms and living, dining and kitchen. Housekeeping, futon care, laundry and cleaning, is a lot of work.
We got it through a local real estate agent, and it wasn't hard because he's Japanese and does all the talking. We had to pay out two months worth of deposit before we paid rent.
For a non-Japanese family, it may be a big shock to live in a small house with no central heating or cooling, and very different lifestyle (futon care, garbage bylaws, neighbourhood associations, etc). Just getting a house may be difficult. Landlords are wary of non Japanese who don't know Japanese housekeeping and may reject you outright. I recommend you look at real estate agencies that specialize in foreign resident accommodation, but it will cost you a lot more than the going rate (starting at ¥100,000).
We don't have school age kids, but we are aware of the issues. It's tough to find childcare here, and babysitters are nearly nonexistent outside of Tokyo.
If you have two incomes, and your school age kids in public schools, you'll still have to think about after school care. |
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rxk22
Joined: 19 May 2010 Posts: 1629
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Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2016 10:32 pm Post subject: |
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Agreed. Japanese house work is way more than normal. Not having a dryer and a dishwasher make for more chore time.
Also, it will be very hard for you and your wife to find a house/apt here. UNLESS your company does it for you. As most places simply won't even rent to you.
I also agree that ALT/Eikaiwa salaries aren't enough to really support a family.
Seriously, in your case, why Japan? Not trying to be mean |
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timothypfox
Joined: 20 Feb 2008 Posts: 492
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Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2016 1:56 am Post subject: |
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I quite frankly wouldn't recommend it.
I took 5 years doing a private high school job search until something came up that looked good. 5 years. But, I got the job after having had teaching experience in a NYC public school, having an NY State TESOL teacher's license, having an masters in TESOL, AND prior teaching experience in Japan at language schools.
If you do come over to teach at an Eikaiwa or work as an ALT, you will NOT make a good living - at least not to support a family. Even if you get a direct hire ALT job, there is a question of job stability. Stability is what you need when raising a family, surely.
I strongly recommend getting yourself qualified as a public school teacher in your country including getting a masters degree and teacher's license, and then some public school teacher's experience before you consider moving your family. Your options will be better then, though still very competitive.
Salaries for public school teachers in large urban cities in America are quite decent, and the benefits good. (I'm not sure what country you are in). If you can stomach working in a high needs environment with union wrangling, it is maybe worth this route. |
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TokyoLiz
Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan
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Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2016 11:54 am Post subject: |
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On my way ho,e, I looked up gaijin apartment rentals. ¥100,000 gets you a one room apartment, very small, in the Tokyo area.
If you can get into a normal rental apartment or house, you're looking at deposits, real estate fees amounting to three or four times the rent. We paid about ¥300,000 before we got the keys.
What rxk22 says is not exaggeration. Futon care, laundry, and cleaning are intense here. Fighting insects that bite (tatami ticks, skeeters, centipedes), and trying to prevent fungus from growing on you, your clothes, and futon are not easy for a newcomer with no experience and no Japanese literacy. |
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Lamarr
Joined: 27 Sep 2010 Posts: 190
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Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2016 2:04 pm Post subject: |
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Totally agree with the above. If you're going to come over, I'd do it at a higher career level/salary, with a company or organization that provides help and support with moving and settling issues, apartments, childcare and so on. An eikaiwa/ALT salary will be very difficult to support a wife and child on, and they will literally dump you in a one room apartment, then leave you to fend for yourself. They provide virtually zero support (save setting up a bank account and getting a mobile phone).
I'd advise anyone who's seriously interested in Japan to forget eikaiwa and ALT (except JET) and get a job in their home country first, then look to move to Japan with your company, or get a job in Japan in the same field. I agree with Timothy: if you want to teach, get a teaching qualification and experience at school in your home country first, then apply for a school in Japan. You will have a far better, nicer, smoother experience doing that than you would working for some criminal eikaiwa or ALT racket. |
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Don72
Joined: 02 Feb 2016 Posts: 8
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 5:22 pm Post subject: Wow! Breath of fresh air! |
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I haven't been to this forum for many years but, wow, judging from the replies to the OP, things have changed for the better, i.e., no BS from a long time, frequent poster who would tell potential newbies "sure, come on over for Y 220,000/mo., no airfare, key money, health insurance, pension, etc.'' "What are your lifestyle choices,?" he would ask. And newbies bought into this! What this joker didn't tell posters was that: 1. he first came over here 20 yrs. ago. 2. Despite being an EFL neophyte, he got paid airfare, free accommodation, and a minimum starting salary of Y250,000/mo. 3.Then, he would berate potential newbies for expecting the same!!!
Family man or not, who in their right mind would come over now to teach EFL!!!? There are three exceptions: 1. Univ. lecturer (for which you will need a minimum of a Master's in TESOL or Linguistics) 2. JET ALT 3. Direct hire PS ALT (these jobs have already just about gone the way of the Dodo bird).
Imagine this pleasant case scenario: A young'un is 23; and has just graduated from university. This soul has no job prospects at home. But he's heard about the EFL Shangri-la that is Japan! He's single! He has no student loan/credit card debt! Hell, he even has $5K in the bank! Whoohoo! So he gets an offer from an eikaiwa/ALT dispatch co. gangster outfit to teach EFL in Japan (he doesn't know a prepositional phrase from a phrasal verb, but what the hey?). So he says "Yes!'' and HE pays for his visa, plane ticket, three months rent for a prison cell sized apato, basic furnishings, etc. He's now not only broke...he's looking at 6 weeks before he gets a check (after tax) for Y195,000. And not likely he'll be enrolled in socialized medicine/pension.
Potential EFL newbies to Japan: whether you're 23 or 53, give it a miss! |
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TokyoLiz
Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 11:14 pm Post subject: |
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To the op, if your wife qualifies, why not get her to apply to the JET Program? |
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Don72
Joined: 02 Feb 2016 Posts: 8
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Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2016 4:11 am Post subject: |
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Fair advice, Liz, but as you're no doubt aware, even if the OP's wife were to be a successful candidate, she wouldn't start work until the spring/summer of 2017.
The lengthy application process is one of the few downsides of the JET Programme. |
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Lamarr
Joined: 27 Sep 2010 Posts: 190
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Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2016 1:16 pm Post subject: |
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True. I applied for JET years ago from Japan. I had to fly back to London in the December to do the interview. I passed the interview and thought everything was set, came back to Japan and continued in the job I was doing. I heard nothing from them by the following summer (two friends had previously done JET and started their orientations in July) and was getting a bit worried. Then in the August, I got a letter thanking me for my patience but informing me that there were no more jobs available.
I had no idea that that was possible. Waiting nine months only to be told that was a complete pain in the ****. |
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kpjf

Joined: 18 Jan 2012 Posts: 385
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Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2016 3:07 pm Post subject: |
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Lamarr wrote: |
True. I applied for JET years ago from Japan. I had to fly back to London in the December to do the interview. I passed the interview and thought everything was set, came back to Japan and continued in the job I was doing. I heard nothing from them by the following summer (two friends had previously done JET and started their orientations in July) and was getting a bit worried. Then in the August, I got a letter thanking me for my patience but informing me that there were no more jobs available.
I had no idea that that was possible. Waiting nine months only to be told that was a complete pain in the ****. |
That sounds extremely unfortunate. You weren't on their reserve list, were you? I thought if you passed the interview you just had to sit patiently and wait for the email telling you which city/prefecture you'd be placed in? I guess that would put you off ever applying to JET again. Like you a say, a complete pain the ****! |
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Lamarr
Joined: 27 Sep 2010 Posts: 190
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Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2016 3:56 pm Post subject: |
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kpjf wrote: |
That sounds extremely unfortunate. You weren't on their reserve list, were you? |
I don't recall anything about a reserve list. I got my application in later in the application period, which I presume put me further down the list when it came to doling out jobs. They ran out by the time they came to me.
I'd definitely recommend doing JET over and above other silly eikaiwa and ALT jobs. It's not just that it's a better scheme with better pay, but you can make useful connections through it, and it tends to open more doors jobs-wise once you finish.
Moral of the story: get your application in as early as possible! |
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