Job Discussion Forums

[rontaylor2]

I will be married this April to a Japanese citizen in Vancouver Canada and then we plan to get married again in Japan. How easy would it be for me to teach English conversation or Tutor in Japan. I have no degree but I have taught English conversation to students for over two years and still love it. I am wondering if getting married will open any doors. I really enjoy teaching and I love this woman very much so any advice on Visas or Japanese wives would be great. Thank you (This will be my first time to Asia) :

[Glenski]

Just getting married will open no doors, especially if you don't have a degree. If you get a spouse visa to accompany that marriage, you are eligible for any job that the employer sees fit to hire you for.

Read that again. If the employer doesn't accept your qualifications, your spouse visa will open no doors. That visa merely makes you available / eligible to apply for any type of work. It says nothing about what the employers' requirements are.

On top of that, there are huge numbers of foreigners in Japan with degrees (whether with spouse visas or not) vying for the same positions you want. Even with a couple years of teaching in Canada (at what level with no degree, I wonder?), your status in Japan will still be considered bottom rung on the ladder. Eikaiwa work is what you can expect, with some private lessons thrown in on the side. That's not to say it won't be lucrative with the privates, but privates are unstable and not always easy to acquire. They certainly aren't quick to acquire. Plus, they afford you no paid vacation time nor health insurance benefits.

Advice? Think long and hard about coming here. I have a list of pluses and minuses of life/work in Japan if you are interested. Send me an email. I'd say start learning some Japanese now, and read all you can about the culture, whether on discussion forums like this, or from books/Internet sources.

[Gordon]

Ron,
I think you should be able to find work, there are enough employers desperate to find teachers in some places. Not having a degree is a problem because you won't be able to get a work visa. You're probably going to be looking for p/t work at different eikaiwas and privates, like Glenski mentioned. Where will you be living in Japan? Good luck, BTW I'm also from Vancouver.

[guest of Japan]

A spouse visa will enable you to get a full time job, However, as Glenski said there is competition for those jobs.

[rontaylor2]

Thank you for your quick responses Glenski,Gordon, and Visitor of Japan.
I will think long and hard about this. If and when we go it will be to Tokyo where my future wife lives. I really would like to go simply to know more about her culture. I know that my understanding will be limited but I want to know everthing about her. Thank you again for your help. I can be reached at [email protected]. cheers!!!!