Job Discussion Forums

[Zorak03]

Hello all! I am currently teaching in Guangzhou, China. My contract will be up in a few months and im considering trying to find work in Japan. I feel China has become less welcoming to foreigners lately -- police visits to my home to check my passport; I have heard of bars being raided and random stops on the street for document checks ect.
I have about 2-3 years of ESL experience, but here is the problem. I do not have a B.A. degree. I have a 2 year diploma and a TESOL.
I am considering flying over to Japan for a couple of weeks to look around; am I wasting my time or do I have a chance?

[Yawarakaijin]

I get the feeling you are going to get a myriad of responses to your situation. Let me try and throw out a few you will probably get.

1.) You will probably hear stories of people applying with their 2 year diploma and getting the visa. But be clear about a few things. You will be lying when you fill out your application. I doubt anyone here knows the exact punishment for being caught doing this.

2.) Visa rules do stipulate that you are eligible for a visa if you are able to prove 3 years relevant work experiece. Again, be clear about a few things. Very, very few employers ever go this route. You need to get very lucky or be able to point this out to an employer and hope for the best. I did go this route but I had nearly 5 years experience in a language school from Vancouver, I dont know how they will view your China experience.

My humble advice. Keep your job in China if it isn't so terrible and try to get a job from there. I landed my job from Canada after only a few weeks of searching.

3.) If you are of a certain nationality you are eligible for a working holiday visa. I believe Canada, Austraila, New Zealand and the UK are among the eligible. With this visa you can work for up to 1-1.5 years in Japan. Some have claimed that working holiday visa holders have an advantage because schools dont need to go through any paperwork to hire you. Take that with a grain of salt though.

[Zorak03]

Thank you so much for the reply. My job over here is wonderful, I teach in a highly respected business training center. The salary is almost at the level of most jobs I see posted in Japan and the cost of living is low (I pay 230usd/month for my brand new highrise apartment). The management is great and the students are wonderful.
It is just the pressure from the government lately, it is starting to get to me. One of my co-workers had his home visited at almost midnight last week. They're also giving us problems renewing our work visas, even a teacher with a B.A. and a TEFL was rejected and told to "apply again after the Olympic games." They claim it is all due to Olympic Security, but Guangzhou is a long ways from Beijing and this is overkill.

[Yawarakaijin]

Sounds like you are having just a rough go of it lately. With everything you said about your job regarding salary, management and great students my advice would be to stick it out there. Seems like you have it pretty good, not counting late night visits.

[Glenski]

[Yawarakaijin]

I was not aware that you could combine the 3 years relevant experience with a 2 year diploma. If that is true then it is good news for him and possibly a lot of others.

The only reason I mentioned it being rare to be offered a job based on 3 years experience is because I have not met many people who have made it in this way. Being lambasted (not by you) by quite a few posters when I made it clear that that was how I got in leads me to believe that it is not so common.

I agree that something like westgate might be his best shot. I'm sure if he wants to be here badly enough he will find a way to make it work.

[shuize]

[flyer]

yes, my 2c worth, I would stay in China

costly to get set up etc here in Japan

[Chris_Travel_the_world]

I've been living in Japan for 2 years now and your situation sounds much better than mine (Better apartment, management, etc...)

I live and work in the country side in Japan and I am stopped about once a month for being a foreign person driving a bicycle. It's usually a painless but annoying experience.

I'd stay if I were you. And think about getting a degree if you're planning on teaching long term.

Good luck!

[Zorak03]

To everyone; thank you so much for the advice and information! I think ill stick it out here at least until after the Olympics--maybe everything will return to normal.
I do really love Japan, and if in the future I do decide to give it a go, what would be the best way to job hunt? As mentioned eailer, I only have a 2-year-degree and and my school has high standards; the only reason I was hired was because I was already in China.
My school recently brought over two FT,s from the USA, with BA degrees, and both FT's did not make the probation period and were let go. If I had applied from outside of China, without a BA degree, I would have never been hired. Am I correct in thinking that Japan is the same?
One more question, how common are Police stops, house visits and school raids in Japan? My school only gets visited about once or twice a year, but my home has been visited like once/twice a month by Immigration lately!
Also, I am working on my BA degree via distance learning, but im looking at at least another 1.5 years. I would love to enroll in a local university, but working on a student visa is 100% illegal in China. Studying at a Japanese University would be great too--sadly Im not that rich...

Thank you so much, everyone!

[Tiger Beer]

[Glenski]

Student visas by themselves do not permit work. It's easy, though, to get special permission to work, even if it's only part-time.
http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/english/tetuduki/index.html