Job Discussion Forums

[tulkas]

Hmm. I was planning to get sponsorship overseas from one of the large chain schools or Jet, rather than go on a tourist visa. I guess I'd have to talk to immigration directly to find out what I can do. Pretty complex system.

I guess my plan for now is:
1. Apply to Jet
2. Apply to large eikaiwa's
3. Get EFL cert
4. Pray

If I'm able to find work, then I can start looking into how I can best accomplish my other goals after my contract is up.

Anyway, I'm off to sleep for now. Thanks for taking the time to discuss this stuff with me, PaulH. I really appreciate it. This thread has given me a lot to think about.

[ryuro]

Ok, here's what I know about this whole "changing visa" broohaha (having been trough it on a few occassions).

Generally, if you have a valid work visa (ANY KIND OF VISA), most employers don't care diddly and squat about the kind. Even if you started on a specialist in humanities visa for teaching and then changed to say... a head hunting position or joined a company. Most companies really don't care at the point of hiring you what you're visa status is- just that you have a valid work visa.

When it comes to re-newing the visa, that's where most people says it can get "sticky" with immigration, but in my own personal experience, I've NEVER had a problem.

I came here on a specialist in humanities- left my teaching job to work freelance (most of the work non-teaching) and then renewed it under self-sponsorship. Took a job with a huge Japanese company and... I'm not sure what the status was when I renewed it, I'd have to dig up the old passport, but it wasn't teaching. Then got a job at a college. When I renewed my visa with the college as my sponsor I was changed to an Instructor visa. Just renewed my visa, yet again, this past year and got a 3 year specialist in humanties- again.

The only "flak" I ever got from immigration was if I renewed the visa and my sponsor/status had changed during the validity period of my last visa. Because TECHNICALLY whenever your sponsor or visa status changes, you are required AT THE TIME OF THE CHANGE to re-apply to immigration for a change of status. It doesn't matter if you're got two years left on a three year visa when you change the status or employer/sponsor, they still want you to go back to immigration and do the whole process again.

Obviously NO ONE follows this procedure and now with three year visas being handed out willy-nilly who in their right mind is going to go back to immigration one year into a three year visa just to reapply to change the status from a spec. in humanities to an Instructor if they land a high school or college job.

Immigration knows this. So although NO ONE follows the correct procedure they don't seem to care and the most I've gotten is a gentle admonishment from the attending immigration officer- something like this...

Immigartion, "You changed your sponsor and now you must change your visa status? When did this change occur?"

Me, " Two years ago."

Immigration, "Why didn't you come in at that point and change the visa status as you're supposed to?!"

Me, "Terribly sorry, I didn't realize I had to do that."

Immigration, "Well, yes, that's the law. Please see that you do that next time."

Me, "Yes, of course, what an idiot gaijin I am- so sorry."

End of story.

So what's my point in all these ramblings? There are the rules as laid out on paper and then there are the rules as they're practiced in reality. If you've got a work visa, a reputable company to sponsor ya- immigration really won't give a wit about status this and status that. I wouldn't worry about it.

Cheers,
ryuro

[Lynn]

Sorry to intrude. Here's my two cents about the JLP test. I passed the level 2. When I apply at Japanese employment agencies in New York City, some of them are aware of it, yet others aren't. They always aske the same exact question when they want to test my Japanese. "Where did you learn Japanese?"(in Jpes) Somehow they seem to gauge my level from this question alone.

Oh by the way. I head the JLP test format will change in the future. Right now it is pass or fail, no? I heard it will change to a points system like the SATs. Furthermore, I heard level 1's content will change, too. When I lived in Japan the content was classic Japanese grammar (like Shakespear in English). I heard they will change it to the kind of language used in Japanese newspapers.

[shmooj]