Job Discussion Forums

[Black_Beer_Man]

The problem is that if you're over 40, the Japanese govt. forces you (by law) to enroll in the national health insurance scheme and you have to take both regular health insurance and "nursing home insurance".

So, basically, you pay double the rate of younger teachers.

I'm over 40 and the govt. is dinging me for 33,200 yen a month or ($328 USD)

The reason why it's a bad deal for most foreign teachers is because the vast majority of us, if we get so sick that we need to live in a nursing home, we would much rather return to our home countries and live our last days there. Where you have a better chance of seeing family and friends. Where you can get services in your own language and not have to eat Japanese food everyday 'til you die.

Unless you're set on Japan, I'd suggest that you consider teaching in other countries where either the health insurance is paid by your employer or where you don't have to buy nursing home insurance.

[taikibansei]

[Black_Beer_Man]

taikibansei, everyone you know has jobs with very good salaries. Well, that's your circle of friends.

The long term foreigners I know piece together several decent-paying short-term contracts (company classes and public school), don't get help with health insurance from their employers and have to alway be on the look out for new contracts.

They have families here. One is fluent in Japanese.

I do agree with you about getting fluent in Japanese to have a decent job based on the fact that the people who I know that are not, don't get the nicer jobs.


The Japanese gov. should give an option to "opt out" of the nursing home insurance to foreigners because most of us will never use it. It's really an unfair cash grab.

[Harp]

The nursing care insurance (not nursing home) is less than 5% of the total social insurance premium. Surely if you're going to pick a windmill to tilt at there are better ones that this...?

I agree with Taikibansei, long-termers I know in Japan who are over 40 mostly came out as eikaiwa teachers, as I did, and have now moved on to better things, as I have. And yes, that's my circle of friends and acquaintances as I can't claim to know every foreigner in Japan.

[taikibansei]

[TokyoLiz]

Like others here, all my non-Japanese colleagues over 40 are working in universities, private high schools, school boards, international schools or own schools, and have salaries well over the entry-level.

If you're qualified (TESOL post-graduate diploma, MA in TESOL or a related field, or k-12) and conversant and literate in Japanese, you can work in institutions that pay the going rate for someone in your age range.

[Black_Beer_Man]

I am not talking about the over 40's that are already here. I am speaking to the over 40's that are thinking about teaching in Japan.

It doesn't matter how much teaching experience you have. Japan is a bad deal for you.

What others in this thread have more or less said is that the decent paying jobs require Japanese literacy. Not only speaking, but reading too.

If you do come here, you'll probably get the lowest salary they can get away with paying you and then the govt. will bleed your net savings by charging you high residence tax and high national health insurance (complete with nursing service insurance that you're almost certain not to use unless you're married with kids here and have adopted Japan as your country).

You're better off teaching in almost any other country paying $2K or more - Korea, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan and even China.

[rtm]

[taikibansei]

[rxk22]

In defense of BBM, I am in my mid 30s. I do not have a graduate degree, and most people I know don't have one either. I feel like that is the minority of people here. Anyhow, most people I know are doing OK to great. From making in the upper 200K a month, to some decently high income for others who do translation work.

I don't really associate with that many current Eikaiwa workers, but there are a great many who are 40+.

[Shakey]

There must be hundreds of Canadians, Americans, British and Australians running around Tokyo, Chiba and Saitama teaching part-time at universities and high schools. Many of them are in their 40s, 50s and even mid 60s. A lot of these people are teaching 20 classes a week, some even teach more, and will likely have to teach until they drop. They have no pension or other benefits, so they truly will have to look after themselves. And from those I've spoken to, some are saving and investing while others are living month-to-month which is scary.

As mentioned above, Japan is a terrible TEFL destination for the entry-level ALT, eikaiwa, and dispatch English teacher. Everything about these jobs is absolutely terrible - from the way the companies treat their staff, teachers and students to the salaries.

However, for those who are qualified, Japan is among one of the most lucrative TEFL destinations in the world. I would even say that it's even the best. Besides Japan, in which countries do university TEFL teachers, for example, receive $4,000 - $10,000 a year in annual research budgets? In what other countries can TEFL teachers receive up to $20,000 - $25,000 a year in summer and winter bonuses? The answer is none that I am aware of. Not Korea. Not Taiwan. Not China. Not even in the UAE or Saudi Arabia. The good TEFL jobs in Japan pay a western-like salary and include all of the usual benefits regarding healthcare, pension, cost-of-living allowances, etc.

In my view, if someone is going to make TEFL a career but they do not have a B.Ed, M.A. or Doctorate in TESOL or Applied Linguistics - run to those qualifications, don't walk! Because holding such credentials will improve your life dramatically - e.g., from a 40-hour work week to a 12-hour work week (or less); from 10 days vacation to up to 5 months paid annual vacation, and of course a huge bump in salary. Without such qualifications people will be stuck in bottom of the barrel jobs that pay subsistence wages with few to no benefits and working for companies that treat people like shit.

In short, Japan is a miserable place for entry-level TEFL jobs, but can be one of the most lucrative TEFL destinations for people who bring the right qualifications, experience, etc. But one also needs to get lucky. The pie is shrinking and has been for some time now. There are fewer good jobs to go around, but they are still there.

[Black_Beer_Man]

Shakey. These big money positions that you're talking about sound like elite positions in universities. Much more money than Japanese teachers get in high schools.

If you're willing to work very long hours and not have a life, you can get a position like that I guess.

[timothypfox]

Sorry things are so bleak. I'm 45 now and have a family here and my employee (private high school) does contribute to my health care.

I think Japan is fine in your 40s if you are not coming in on entry level work. If you have previous experience here, or some exceptional Japanese related experience or skill in the Japanese language, you can still get decent work.

But there is no shame in trying out Japan for a year or two, and if things don't start to look up - there are plenty of countries you can work in including your own.

Many people after a stint in Japan return to their home countries and work in public school. I worked in Japan a couple of years, and then became a public school teacher in NYC for 5 years, but got the itch and researched carefully for 4 years to find my position in Japan.

[mitsui]

I don't recommend coming here if you are older and single, unless money means little to you.

Kanto is saturated with teachers. Since 2009 the Americans have been coming, and there is just too much competition.
Teachers with even a doctorate cannot get a full-time job, and instead teach part-time at different universities.

There are teachers who live in Saitama and work in Kanagawa. Their commutes are brutal, and I guess they stand it since they get vacations.

But don't lie - there is a demographic crisis coming. Jobs will vanish.
Schools are looking to save money.

Not all of us are going to get N1 and have piles of publications.
Not everyone wants to teach at a university, which is fine.
People who teach kids may do better than most, but just at elementary schools.

Where I work now there might be one foreigner with tenure, then the teachers on the limited contracts and the army of part-time teachers. That is it. More publications and better Japanese doesn't means better conditions.

And say you teach at a university and know Japanese well, but at meetings your opinion is not valued. All that is required is that you can read the handouts, nod your head and say wakarimashita. Why bother?

[mitsui]

As for health insurance, if you are healthy, good.
I had eye surgery last year.
With no insurance it would have cost a lot more.

People in Japan live longer and all of us are paying.
If costs could be reduced without sacrificing quality, fine.
For example, unneeded ambulance trips.