Job Discussion Forums

[ostrinomical]

My (now) boyfriend is set to begin his English teaching credential program in California this summer, and will finish in 2008. After this, we are considering spending a year of him teaching English in Japan. Here are our issues:

We were planning on getting married in 2008, right after finishing his program (around May). Would this be too late? Would we need to be married further in advance for me to be able to come with him? I am assuming I would require a dependent visa?

I see a lot of questions about couples coming to both teach, but what is the situation if he teaches and I do not? Can we both live on his salary? Are there any types of jobs I can do without knowing Japanese? I will have a college degree but I am not sure I am interested in teaching. If I don't work, would there be enough things for me to fill my time with?

Would we most likely have to find our own apartment if I am with him? Is there any type of job sponsored program that permits a non working spouse to come along?

From what I have picked up, the fact that he will be a credentialed English teacher probably will not help him any. Is this the case? Or is there something he can do to make it work for him (and possibly make more money)?

I know this is a lot of questions, so thanks in advance to anyone who can help.

Edit: I forgot to mention he actually has teaching experience. He has three years of substitute teaching and one year of teaching "emotionally disturbed" children in a very poor area.

[Quibby84]

I am going to Japan with my husband but we will both be teaching, I have heard that it is nearly impossible to survive on a teacher salary (for two people I mean). Another problem is that if you dont get a apartment supplied by your job you have to pay really high fee/present to the landlord. I dont know, I havent gone there yet (we leave in January), so I do not know much...I will know more once I have gotten there...I'll let you/the boards know then if it would be possible to have two people on one salary.

[Glenski]

ostrinomical,
By "English teaching credential program " do you mean a teaching license, or just a degree? If he has a license plus teaching experience he could look at jobs in international schools, but without the experience, I don't think he can get one. That means JET programme, conversation schools (eikaiwa), or non-JET ALT dispatch work (read about the negative side of that before taking the plunge). Not sure if substitute teaching counts, or if international schools prefer FT work, but give it a shot. They pay more.

If you come without having married him, you can only stay as a tourist, which means 90 days. If you are married and he has a work visa, then you can get a dependent visa and stay longer. With the DV alone you cannot work (if you were so inclined), but if you file for special permission to work, you could do so part-time.

I'm going to assume that he will get only entry level work, which means 250,000 yen/month. That is not enough for a couple to live on, in my opinion. If you do, it will be extraordinarily tight, hence my reason for suggesting a DV with permission to work. The DV permits practically any type of work, as long as the employer feels you are qualified. Since you will have a degree, you could even get a FT job and a work visa instead, but non-teaching jobs almost always require fairly high fluency in Japanese. Of course, anything you choose to do under the table out of your home (teaching dance or cooking, for example) is up to you and doesn't require a visa.

Employers will hesitate to hire him if they know you are coming along for the ride. Housing is pretty small, and they may figure you two will not be able to live in it. You can, but it's a challenge and a big change! As long as they know you and he are willing to accept whatever is provided and that you aren't looking to them for any assistance (in finding a job, for example, or in sponsoring a visa), they might feel more inclined to hire him.

If you don' work, what are you planning to do in your spare time? He will likely get a conversation school job, which means working from noonish to 9pm and getting home at 10. You can do whatever you like. Watch boring TV. Take a language class. Teach knitting to housewives. Learn about your neighborhood. Whatever. Depends on you and the location. An American friend of mine is married, and his wife teaches cooking and dancing on the side, but she also has so much free time that she has made a name for herself in the community just by being around so much. She has also had more time to learn more Japanese than him.

Quibby is right in saying that if you choose to rent your own apartment, you will have to pay quite a bit just to move in. Usually the key money and deposits total 2-5 times a month's rent, and you move into a place with nothing in it. No furniture, no appliances of any kind, no draperies, bedding, utensils, light fixtures, etc. You can furnish some of that through 100-yen shops and secondhand or recycle shops, but to do that from day one is quite a task and only adds to your setup costs.

[ostrinomical]

[Gordon]

[Venti]

[Glenski]

[ostrinomical]

Thanks for the info. I think we are going to look at both of us teaching, so long as we are living together or him teaching here for a few years, then trying to get an international school position (I'm really doubting that substitute teaching will count in their eyes).

Which companies are better to look at as far as accomodating married couples that both want to teach? I suppose that would also give me a year of work experience before trying to find a "real" job at home.

Also I'm not sure what hostess work is, but I see how much trouble non english speaking people have trying to communicate with the public here, and I would not want to go through that.

[Glenski]

I've posted this many times before. Places that advertise for couples to teach there.

MIL
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=12480&highlight=mil+m+i+l
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=7395&highlight=mil+m+i+l
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=2033&highlight=

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=2033&highlight=mil+m+i+l
I worked for MIL for a year. It is all-around a stable and fair place to work for. I really have no complaints about them. The only thing that bothered me during my employment with them was that I was accommodated in a pretty aged apartment and the rent was still 53,000 yen a month. Not much to complain about.
Generally speaking, you will travel to roughly 3 or 4 different school locations each week. They have two headquarters: one in Kita Narashino and the other in Kastudai. You will live in one of these two cities. Commuting costs are covered by the school. Usually travel time is no more than one hour, and in some cases are only 10 minutes away.
Salary was always deposited on time. They pay all apartment fees, and in some cases even gave advances on wages. They get you all required papers to be working there legally... insurance card, resident card, bank account etc.
The owners are nice people, and the admin has been with them for numerous years so there are not many problems that cannot be solved. Their foreign staff liaison (John C.) has been with them for just over a year now.
However, MIL used to be a small company and employee opinions mattered. But, over the past few years, they have doubled in size in both school physical locations as well as their staff. They just opened another school location last year. Staff has gone from a dozen to 25 plus. By doing so, they have removed some of the properties that made them a joy to work for.
They seem to be becoming more motivated with profit and accordingly have adjusted their business model. No sin in that, but changes the taste of the coffee you make. Some of the staff that was with them for 4 -5 years left in the spring of 2002.
I highly recommend them to you. It is an excellent place to begin your teaching experience in Japan.



NOVA
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=14109&highlight=couple+couples
My girlfriend and I both depart for Osaka in two weeks. After doing alot of research on various companies we did accept positions with Nova. Throughout the process we made it clear we were applying as a couple and wanted to be accommodated as such.
We are working for the same company, although at different branches. Our living arrangements have been set up so we will share the same apartment as well. Are you looking at coming over with one of the big four, or a smaller company? The reason I ask is that since you qualify for a full working visa, and he can get a working holiday visa, a company such as Nova could possibly place you the same as they have done in our situation since they offer employment for both visa types.

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=14109&highlight=couple+couples
I'm working with Nova and they accept couples. They'll even put you up in a couples apartment (much better than a singles one!)

ECC
Jan.23, 2004
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=7469&highlight=couple+couples　
My husband and I were in the same position as you only a couple of months ago. We both wanted to teach English but wanted to be at the same school or at least with the same company. So, we sent our resumes to companies via email, wrote one cover letter and attached both resumes to the email. We also set up a website to display both our resumes and reference letters. We made it clear that we were a "package deal" in our cover letter. Some companies never responded but ECC offered us interviews and we were hired. At the interview, they had questions regarding small living spaces, how we handle stressful situations together, how long we have been married, where we stand on having kids, etc.

We have been guaranteed by the company that we will work in the same area but not necessarily in the same school - but that is OK with us.

If you have any more questions you can email me
[email protected]

Fifth Wings
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=12923&highlight=couple+couples
I am wondering if anyone can tell us about the company "Fifth Wings". They are interviewing us over the phone this week for teaching positions and we have been able to discover little about them on the web. Their main branch is located in Ashikaga City in Tochigi Prefecture.

Peppy Kids Club
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=313&highlight=mil+m+i+l
My boyfriend and I are going to Japan with Peppy Kids Club. They have no problem with the fact that we want to live together and that we are not married. They can give us jobs in the same city. They seem to be a reputable school (more so than NOVA).

Unitas Language Academy in Kofu, Yamanashi.
A small school, and if people don't quit mid-contract, best time to apply is February, beginning work in April. (Like many schools).

JET Programme
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=8273&start=0
The Jet programme will also place "engaged" couples together. Once again, you have to request larger cities where there is an opening for 2 teachers.

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=14109&highlight=couple+couples
My husband and I came on the JET programme, and in our city there are 3 JET programme people who brought dependent spouses. There have been no problems with couples living together or for the dependent spouses finding work. I would definitely recommend looking into it.

As for hostess work, PM me for some details. Otherwise, read these (with a carload of salt).
http://www.hostessjapan.com/common_questions.html
http://akasenkuiki.homestead.com/files/babies.html
http://clubnet2000.tripod.com/
http://pub26.ezboard.com/frealdiscussionboardfrm14.showMessage?topicID=121.topic
http://www.streettalk.com.au/hostess.htm

[ostrinomical]

Hostessing is a huge, definite no for me. Me, catering to a man? No, not ever. Thanks for letting me know what it was though.

I'm thinking more about teaching. I guess I am interested, just really nervous, not having been anywhere foreign except Mexico. If you can even count that.

Thanks for the links though. Being together is the most important part in our decision to go, so that's really helpful.

[seastarr]

Hello,
I went as part of a couple and worked for Nova. If you are planning to go together, in my opinion, you are going to want to have a job. It's a huge adjustment living in Japan and having other people besides your partner to talk to and spend time with is really important. I had a really hard time for the first month or so before I had made any good friends. It can be quite lonely. Work breaks up the day (and provides you with the money to do the fun stuff that makes Japan enjoyable). Knowing other English speaking people through work makes the experience great, as making good Japanese friends is sometimes diffucult if you don't speak the language. The best way to meet other people is through work. It's a great (but sometimes overdone) conversation topic. If your soon to be husband is the only one working, its a sure bet that he will make friends faster and adjust to life before you do, which could create a bit of a rift. It is taxing enough being out of your element in a strange country, without having problems with your partner to deal with. If you have any other couple questions, feel free to PM me.

[sparknjpn]

Avoid the Unitas schools. They are poorly managed, the current manager is a HUGE drama queen(married to a japanese woman) and heinous to work with. Arrogant, pompous, and very unprofessional. They will not help you with any problems, and the japanese front office staff on the english side of the operation is run by this ego maniac who is less than unhelpful. They are downright dishonest and will not meet the terms of or in any way honor the contracts you have with them. They charge teachers 8,000 yen a month more than their foreign students (studying Japanese) have to pay for the exact same apartments, effectively lowering their pay rate. My opinion, but is it a wonder they have a double didgit monthly average on their turnover rate for teachers???

[Quibby84]

There are PLENTY of fish in the sea (as far as schools go) and you being a couple might be nice for a smaller school because they can hire two at once! That is how we got in. I will also say that being here with my husband makes any bad part of japan (and the job) bearable. You also always have a buddy to travel with.
Japan is very expensive, but you could live on one salary (as someone else has mentioned). I am trying to put aside my salary every month and for this first month (we are not full time yet) it will be hard not to tap into savings. But we pullled it off. We share the tiniest apartment known to man (a leopalace) that is about 50,000 yen a month, that seems ok until you get your bills. Our electricity is 8,000 yen and so is our gas. It is pretty much insane. We are trying to conserve now, but I almost vomit when I think about how much I am paying for one room that is 10x10 feet. BUT it is furnished and it comes with furniture.
So what I am saying is that you can live off of one salary but it will be tight and you will probably be bored solid. When my husband is not home I would rather be teaching than at home sitting on the floor surfing the net or reading a book (the tv is in japanese). There is only so much you can do for fun by yourself in the daytime while everyone else is at work.
I say try to teach, it is actually kind of fun. And you will see that with both of you working the money will be rolling in....