Job Discussion Forums

stacers · Joined: 09 May 2007 Posts: 8 Location: Toronto, Canada

Hi there,
Here is an odd scenario.
My boyfriend and I both have our TESOL certificates from a school in Canada and would like to teach abroad. Sounds easy enough, but here is the issue. While I have a university degree, he does not. I know often times couples are preferred when applying for positions, but will we encounter difficulties seeing that he only has high school? Is there anyone out there who has been in a similar situation but has been successful in Japan, or in any other country?
Thanks. Advice would be greatly appreciated on this one.

furiousmilksheikali · Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 2:02 pm Post subject:

This situation is not as rare as you may think. I believe there have been a number of threads on this. If your boyfriend is Canadian then he should be able to get a Working Holiday Visa (providing he is under 30).

Yes, you will probably encounter difficulties because most companies are either too small to provide two placements at once or they simply don't hire those with Working Holiday Visas. NOVA would be your best bet under most circumstances but they are currently going through some major difficulties.

My advice is for you to have a look through some previous threads by searching for "working without a degree" and some ot the recent threads on NOVA itself.

canuck · Joined: 11 May 2003 Posts: 1921 Location: Japan

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

Even with a WHV, I believe NOVA requires that people have at least a year or two of college. So, a WHV alone is not always the solution.

If you get married, and if you get a job, he can come on a dependent visa to work PT. That way, he can stay longer than the 12 months allotted by a WHV.

Or he can come on a student visa or cultural visa (without you two getting married) and still work PT.