Job Discussion Forums

vanland · Joined: 18 Sep 2006 Posts: 6

Hello,

I was recently looking into my first teaching stint in Japan and was suprised by the amount of schools that require people to reside in Japan and / or have a visa already? Does this asume that someone residing in Japan already has a visa?

Can someone enlighten me as to why they don't sponsor? I did read that it doesn't cost anything to sponsor people, so why do employers want people already in Japan? I could probably guess a few reasons, but not all of them.

So if I come to Japan as a tourist, without a working visa, will the schools asking for people who 'reside in Japan' consider employing me / someone? (including sponsoring a work visa??)

Thanks

callmesim · Joined: 27 Oct 2005 Posts: 279 Location: London, UK

I'm guessing here but it could be time constraints. As you will discover when you get to Japan, the public service lives under a mountain of paperwork. It can take up to 2-3 months to process a visa from scratch.

If someone's already in the country, there's no wait obviously. And to renew a visa only takes about a week.

markle · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Posts: 1316 Location: Out of Japan

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

Time constraints is a good example. With a visa in hand already (from previous work, or in the form of other types of visas that allow you to work), they can start you immediately.

Whether they want you to have a visa or just want you to be in Japan, that implies you have made a commitment more than the guy who is sitting in his homeland hoping for something to happen. No offense to those who are too financially strapped to make it here to job hunt; it's just one way of looking at it.

If you already have a visa, preferably a work visa, you probably already have some work experience. That doesn't guarantee you are a stellar employee or that you haven't suffered culture shock, but again, it's more appealing to an employer than someone who hasn't even set foot on Japanese soil. You at least know something of what goes on in teaching EFL here, and in living in Japan.

Moreover, some employers are just plain ignorant of what it takes to sponsor someone's visa. They may think it costs them money, or that there are huge responsibilities or a mountain of paperwork to go through.

vanland · Joined: 18 Sep 2006 Posts: 6

Thanks for the replies.

So, I should probably have a far better chance by lobbing up in Japan and taking it from there (provided I don't go for the big companies???)

Thank you.