Job Discussion Forums

[dreaming_saturn]

Hi all,

I'm in the process of looking for a job in Japan from overseas. Just to clarify my own situation, I'm Canadian with a degree from the UK, I've got a Bed. and Celta, qualified teacher status in the Netherlands and about three years experience.

My husband would like to come with me to Japan - he's a Dutch national and works from home (Internet company) so we could easily adapt to anywhere there is a decent internet connection. I've done a quick search on spousal visas, and it seems possible, but I was wondering if there was anyone else out there in a smilar situation? Was it easy to bring your spouse, and were schools less willing to hire you becasue you have a dependant?

Any advice is welcome.

[Glenski]

The terminology in your situation is dependent visa, not spousal. Spousal visas are for people married to Japanese citizens.

On a dependent visa alone, your husband cannot work, but with a simple piece of paperwork filed at the same time as the visa, he can get permission to work, albeit only part-time.

As for you getting hired and bringing your husband, what sort of school were you interested in? high school? elementary school? conversation school (eikaiwa)? university? You will find that some places are open and willing to hire you and provide housing whether you bring along a partner or not, but the housing is usually designed for one, so your husband will have to be the one to adapt.

[dreaming_saturn]

[pnksweater]

Well... most of the housing English Teachers receive is based for single people. Some are shared apartments and others are single occupancy. Either way you're looking at a pretty small space- a six mat room plus a combo bathroom and toilet with a burner and sink in the hall. About 9 square meters. Of course there are exceptions to this and each school and company's policy is different.

My first employer would not allow me to live in company housing as they didn't want to be responsible for a non-employee (my husband). My current employer offered company housing but said there would be some complications. There are only two "family" apartments in the school housing and the waiting list is long. The available apartments are as mentioned previousely- one small bedroom, a bathroom and toilet, with a kitchen area in the hall. Perhaps more rural locations will offer more sizeable apartments or homes.

As for bringing a spouse, I found that conversation schools that hired abroad were the least accomodating. They wouldn't let a spouse live in company housing unless they were also an employee. But if they were and employee there was little chance we would actually work and live in the same area of Japan. Individual mom and pop type schools might be more accomodating.

My husband and I simply found our own housing. We live in a 1DK. Its about 27 square meters. It has one bedroom and a larger kitchen and dining space. It also has a seperate toilet and sink room, laundry room and a bathroom. Rent doesn't come cheep though. We shell out 100,000 yen a month and don't ask about the deposits and key money. This size of housing seems to be pretty common for couples (at least in Tokyo). My married friends live in very simillarly sized and priced accomodations.

The biggest problem is that both of you will need a guarantor for your apartment. Your employer usually will guarante its employees... but spouses... that might cause problems. My old host mother is my guarantor on my apartment, but convincing her to sign for my husband (a foreigner she had never met) took a lot of convincing.

Finally, your spouse will need something to do, work or otherwise. It took my husband two weeks before he went stir crazy. I started to get worried because the house was so clean! If your husband can move his work, great. Get your internet connection set up as soon as possible. Don't worry too much about the part time work thing. There is zero communications between immigration and taxes. Part time qualifies as something like 25-30 hours in Japan. Regardless, no will be checking to make sure he doesn't go over the limit.

[Doglover]

[Glenski]

[nawlinsgurl]

I came to Japan alone and then my husband came over after he finished his duty with the US military abroad. I was the only person bringing a paycheck home for a while until he could find a job, and he has no degree. Right now he is working part-time on a dependent visa and also has tons of privates and a security job...which pays tons. In my opinion, it is very easy for your husband to find work, especially with computers or teaching privates. I definitly recommend you both come together, because it is the best way to experience Japan, instead of moping around b/c you miss your hubby (like I did when I first got here). Good luck!!