Job Discussion Forums

Black_Beer_Man · Joined: 26 Mar 2013 Posts: 453 Location: Yokohama

I was just thinking how Japan hires so many ALT English teachers for public schools, but, to my knowledge, Korea and Taiwan do not.

I have observed that dispatch companies such as Interac and Borderlink hire English teachers from Philippines, Israel, Spain and countries in Africa.

I have no problems with this as the teachers I have met from these countries have enough skills and qualifications to teach English to elementary school students.

However, why do you think Japan hires these teachers, but Korea and Taiwan only hires English teachers from the following English-speaking countries (USA, Canada, Britain, Australia and New Zealand)?

Can't Japan attract enough teachers from English-speaking countries to fill these job vacancies?

mitsui · Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 1562 Location: Kawasaki

No because the wages they pay is less than before.
Pay used to be more, with more native speakers doing the teaching.

There are ALTs in Korea but jobs have been cut in order to save money.
I think more Korean teachers are teaching oral skills.

rxk22 · Joined: 19 May 2010 Posts: 1629

I think as Mitsui said, it is because the EFL industry here is undercutting it's self all the time. Seems like the race to the bottom is never ending.
My school was hiring, and it pays decently. Even still it was hard to find decent candidates. I feel that most people with any real degrees/certs/or even just being a good employable person, they end up not coming to Japan anymore.

rtm · Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 1003 Location: US

timothypfox · Joined: 20 Feb 2008 Posts: 492

I assume this post is about non-JET jobs and ALT type of jobs? I would say also that private junior or senior hire schools still hire teachers from places like Canada, the US, Australia, the UK, and New Zealand. They are still offering much better salaries and benefits than dispatch companies. I won't mince words in saying that these jobs are more competitive to find, but these kinds of jobs are out there and are a good option for those who no longer want to work for a dispatch company or face uncertainties working for a local school board which may or may not have a permanent hiring arrangement.

TokyoLiz · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan

It appears that the city I live in hires ALTs directly, and the majority of them are from countries other than Canada, the US, the UK, Australia, etc. I suspect that they are mostly spouses (wives) of local people. They may or may not be qualified teachers from their home countries. The salary is very low.

As Timothypfox says, private schools still hire teachers from "center" countries. They tend to expect TESOL, PGCE, B.Ed, etc., experience, plus Japanese language skill and cultural knowledge.

I've mentioned before in other threads, it's hard to find skilled people from anywhere to work. It's even hard to find people who are simply ready for the job.

Interestingly, in conversation with a veteran Japanese teacher of English a few weeks ago, I learned that it's nearly impossible to find Japanese people who are ready to work (language fluency and teacher training) in English teaching. The lack of skilled people meant that he didn't see opportunity for program development.

Black_Beer_Man · Joined: 26 Mar 2013 Posts: 453 Location: Yokohama

Outside of the JET Program, I have only seen dispatch compnies offering ALT positions.

I think those well-paying teaching jobs in the private schools you're talking about (timothypfox) are solo-teaching positions, aren't they?

Solo teaching is tough. You have to manage the classes strictly and do a lot of grading and lesson-planning. You earn more, but you have to work more too.

kpjf · Joined: 18 Jan 2012 Posts: 385

timothypfox · Joined: 20 Feb 2008 Posts: 492

This isn't really the thread for me to get into the specifics of my work, but yes, I do solo teach and plan my own lessons. Feel free to send a p.m. if you would like more specifics on private school teaching for foreign teachers.

The last time my school did hire, we were bombarded with qualified and overqualified candidates from mostly English speaking countries.

weigookin74 · Joined: 30 Mar 2010 Posts: 265

timothypfox · Joined: 20 Feb 2008 Posts: 492

For my school, yes.

TokyoLiz · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan

The institutions that I've worked with, yes, over ¥300,000 plus benefits.

rxk22 · Joined: 19 May 2010 Posts: 1629

Black_Beer_Man · Joined: 26 Mar 2013 Posts: 453 Location: Yokohama

rxk22 & Tokyo Liz must be paying very high ward tax and health insurance.

I mean losing almost 2 months of salary per year to these schemes.

Mine is as follows:

33,200 yen / per month for national health insurance.

253,000 yen / year ward tax.

Seems really expensive to me. I'd say I am maybe just into the middle income range. More than 300K, but not a lot more.

Living in Japan has gotten unaffordable (unless you like eating a lot of cabbage and tofu). I have never seen such high ward tax and health insurance tax before.

TokyoLiz · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan

Every year, the first few months of my salary are eaten by social insurance and tax. It's still less than my home country deductions, and I get slightly more value from the deductions since both medical and dental are covered (only medical is covered where I'm from).

My partner and I share the rent and bills on a house that's palatial by Japanese standards, in the 'burbs, and we eat like kings.