Job Discussion Forums

Birdog3344 · Joined: 28 Jun 2004 Posts: 126 Location: Osaka, Japan

I was on this board a few weeks back, and with the aid of all the advice I recieved here, my girlfriend and I were hired by ECC. Unfortunately, we will have to wait untill the new year -possibly April '05- to start teaching in Japan. If this turns out to be our only option we will wait it out, but we're really anxious to get there and are exploring other possibilities. Our major hurdles have been our intent to stay clear of Tokyo coupled with the fact that we must be hired together. So.....does anyone have any leads for schools (other than the big 3, 4? 5?) in medium to large-sized cities (Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, etc.) that might have openings for the fall of this year? I've done the requisite search of the major online classifieds and continue to come up empty. I'm hoping someone will give me that serendipitous word-of-mouth tip that will land us the job we're looking for. I know, don't hold my breath, right?

BenJ · Joined: 11 May 2003 Posts: 209 Location: Nagoya

one of you (the least employable) get a job in a big city, then the other look for a job in the same area but at any company - increases your chances tenfold and gives you the added bonus of not seeing each other everyday at work.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Fall is one month away. You are going to have a long wait regardless. Even if you are hired tomorrow, there will be a two to four month wait for your work visa.

Stick with ECC. Use the time to learn Japanese, get some additional teacher training, and read up on Japanese culture & business. Familiarize yourself with ECC as much as possible, and its teaching format.

Birdog3344 · Joined: 28 Jun 2004 Posts: 126 Location: Osaka, Japan

BenJ-
Are you suggesting that one of us get a job from here and the other look for work once we arrive in Japan or to simply apply to separate schools from here? The former makes good sense. Which cities can I be assured of finding a job locally? In other words, I don't want to get there and then not be able to find work because of a slow job market.

Glenski-
Also sound advice. I should have mentioned however, that our interest in arriving in Japan sooner than later is rather urgent. We are currently living together in Canada, and due to visa issues I will soon be forced to return to the States while she (a Canadian citizen) stays here. And while we are prepared to do the long distance thing for a bit (say, a few months), April will mean over a half year apart. Getting there by December, sufficient time to get hired and for all paperwork to go thru, would make life alot easier to say the least. Now I could ask for advice on how she could find temporary work in the U.S., or on how to keep our relationship alive until April, but I think that's for another board.

So.....any schools hiring for the fall?[/quote]

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

If I understand the situation right, you are American, and she is Canadian, is that right?

That makes the situation a bit different with regard to visas. Both of you can get work visas if you have bachelor's degrees, and the fact that ECC has hired both of you would suggest that they are willing to sponsor the two of you for that. Have they started the paperwork for them yet?

She is also potentially eligible for a working holiday visa, which doesn't require a degree, but it is good for only a year. The advantage is that it allows her to start work immediately. Getting it requires only a couple of weeks after applying for it in Canada. Getting the work visa, as I wrote earlier, could take a few months.

Ok, so ECC has hired you. Have you signed contracts yet?

Celeste · Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2004 11:22 pm Post subject:

That is really tough. Are the two of you willing to get married? I think the US has some kind of "fiance visa" for couple wha want to get married in the US. Not sure about Canada.

I suppose the two of you could both move to border towns. That way the distance wouldn't be so bad. I know a few people who live in Washington state and work in Vancouver. It is a bit of a commute, but people do it.

ECC is really one of the best companies around. I would advise you to stick with them. Have the two of you considered Korea for the short term until your ECC job comes through? It is probably easier to find work there for a few months than it is to find work here in the fall/ winter semesters of school. Hang in there!

Birdog3344 · Joined: 28 Jun 2004 Posts: 126 Location: Osaka, Japan

Yes, I am American and she is Canadian and we both have degrees. No, we haven't signed contracts (technically contracts aren't signed until after training in Japan is completed!) and I don't believe paperwork has begun on visas since we may not be there until April.

Birdog3344 · Joined: 28 Jun 2004 Posts: 126 Location: Osaka, Japan

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

The 10 places that I know that hire from abroad and provide visa sponsorship are:

GEOS
NOVA
ECC
AEON
Altia
James Language School (several locations, northern Honshu)
Peppy Kids Club (Kyushu, I think)
Westgate Corporation (3-4 month contracts only)
JET Programme (very lengthy application process, Dec. to Aug)
Language House (no web site, but email, plus read Job Info Journal)

I think Earlham College also offers an ALT program in Japan, but the web site doesn't clearly state whether visa sponsorship is granted. I would think so. http://www.earlham.edu/~aet/ The problem for you is, the start dates are April 1st and August 1st.

My extensive research has come up with only these places. Other people sometimes retort with claims that there are "many places" that hire only on phone interviews, but nobody...nobody has come up with names to substantiate that.

You would know if paperwork has begun on your visa because ECC would have asked you to provide a copy of your resume, college degree, a couple of photos, and a photocopy of your passports so you could get the Certificate of Eligibility sent to you.

Getting married won't help your situation any, in my opinion. As mentioned before, schools rarely hire couples, whether married or otherwise, so you wouldn't gain anything.

I have not worked in Korea, but I would advise you to steer clear of it. Too many serious problems with Korean school managers, plus your visa does not follow you as it does in Japan. Meaning, your visa is tied to the school in Korea, whereas in Japan, it is not.

BenJ · Joined: 11 May 2003 Posts: 209 Location: Nagoya

Birdog3344 · Joined: 28 Jun 2004 Posts: 126 Location: Osaka, Japan

Okay. So my options are:
A) Leave for Japan asap with as much money as we can scrape together and try to land jobs in a big city once we arrive.
B) Propose to my girlfriend so she can live with me in the States until ECC calls and says they're ready to send us to Japan.
C) Leave for Korea and take our chances at a sketchy company until ECC calls.
D) Do the long-distance thing and wait until ECC calls.

Seems a bit ominous that I allready feel resentment towards the company that hired me and I haven't even started working for them yet. Wink

BenJ · Joined: 11 May 2003 Posts: 209 Location: Nagoya

E) do some work and line up jobs or a job for one of you before you leave

I don't think I'd really want to go to Japan without at least one person having secured employment.

kiracle · Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 65 Location: Gifu, Japan

I agree with Ben. Keep an eye on the job board and Ohayo Sensei and send a bunch of resumes out. After one of you has a job that sounds good and will let you live together (IMPORTANT!!), move and the other can look for work here.

Or...keep looking on the job boards for schools that hire couples from abroad. There's a school in Chiba ( MLK? MIK?) that definately does. The school I work for does too but I don't think there are any openings until next April.

Or..talk to ECC and explain the situation. They have a lot of schools, maybe they can put you on some kind of waiting list.

My husband and I were also from two different countries and could either come to Japan together or live apart or get married. We obviously got married and we got lucky in that last August just as we thought we'd have to wait a half a year for the April start, we got a job that started in Spetember. It happens.

Don't obsess too much, it'll work out.

Good luck.

easyasabc · Joined: 13 Jul 2003 Posts: 179 Location: Japan

Birdog3344 · Joined: 28 Jun 2004 Posts: 126 Location: Osaka, Japan

Thanks for the tips guys!! I'll follow your leads and continue to search for schools from here and have allready emailed ECC with a request for earlier placement. If nothing turns up in the next month or so, I think we'll just wait it out and try to visit eachother as often as we can- it'll be a good test for our relationship. Now, I'll be in New York starting in September, anyone know of any restaurants that are hiring?
Thanks again for your help and encouragement. (Makes me wonder if the majority of the ESL teaching community is as helpful- and intelligent- as this group makes it seem. I always felt it took a certain type of person to pick up and leave the security of home to live and work in a foriegn country/culture. I'm on my way to determining if I am that type.)