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Solana
Joined: 08 Jul 2008
Posts: 30
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 Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 7:21 am Post subject: Private visa for Japan without degree |
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Is it possible to sponsor yourself for a Japan visa without a degree? I know you need a 4- or 3-year degree to get a regular work visa, but what if you're just looking for part-time teaching work, want to buy a school, or just live here for a while? Can you get your own visa in those cases?
The person (not me) who wants to know has an independent income and apparently resources for maybe buying something. He was interested in some part-time work, but he does want to live here legally.
Someone told him you can join JET as something called an "Alternative Language Teacher," working in the "city bureau" from where you visit schools to give instruction for "motivational purposes." They said you don't need formal education and you get paid a good salary.
I've never heard of this. I'm on my third gig here in Japan and looking for another job myself (I have a degree and a visa though it expires soon). I know about JET, of course, but I always thought the visa requirements were the same there as anywhere else here: You need a degree to get a visa. I've never heard of anything called the "Alternative Language Teacher" program. Is there anything to this or is he just talking about their ALT program?
Also, for myself, my contract ends on Dec. 23 and I have to find something else very soon. It'll be hard getting something so fast due to my age (I'm 55) and the economy, but I'm trying. In the meantime, my visa expires on Dec. 11. How do I renew my visa when I have barely 10 days after that in my current job?
Any knowledge on any of this would be appreciated.
Thanks. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 7:54 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| Is it possible to sponsor yourself for a Japan visa without a degree? I know you need a 4- or 3-year degree to get a regular work visa, but what if you're just looking for part-time teaching work, want to buy a school, or just live here for a while? Can you get your own visa in those cases? |
No. You cannot just live here and work part-time from day one. You are either a tourist (no work) or you have a proper visa to work.
It doesn't matter if you are independently wealthy or not.
You can get a work visa without a degree if you have the necessary background and minimum years of work experience, but you will still need an employer to sponsor you initially.
If you want to buy/own/operate a business, you would need an Investor/Business Manager visa.
Want to just hang out and live here? Get a work visa, student visa, cultural activities visa, dependent visa, spouse visa, etc.
http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/index.html
That JET acronym ALT is not alternate, but assistant language teacher, and that job requires a work visa and a degree.
| Quote: |
| Also, for myself, my contract ends on Dec. 23 and I have to find something else very soon. It'll be hard getting something so fast due to my age (I'm 55) and the economy, but I'm trying. In the meantime, my visa expires on Dec. 11. How do I renew my visa when I have barely 10 days after that in my current job? |
You need to have a sponsor for your visa in order to renew it for full-time work. However, if you can line up part-time work that brings in enough money to satisfy immigration (the amount is unspecified and varies from office to office, but you should consider it to be a minimum of roughly 180,000 yen/month depending on location), then you can "self-sponsor" the same work visa. You merely have to prove a guaranteed income (private lessons won't count).
If your current job is not planning on renewing your visa, you need to get hopping to land a new sponsor or enough PT work. |
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Solana
Joined: 08 Jul 2008
Posts: 30
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| Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 10:20 am Post subject: |
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Thank you, Glenski. I was hoping you'd be the one to reply first. You were recommended as very knowledgeable. Of course, all other responses are more than welcome! I'll send the link you included to him. I kind of knew there was no such thing as "alternate" language teachers, but I wanted to be accurate in my advice.
Ok, so you can work without a degree in certain circumstances, but not English teaching, right? I ask this because I've always heard in all my times here that you need the degree to get the work visa.
Also, if he gets a TEFL cert, will that help him get a job even without a degree? And can he get a visa if he does get a job with a TEFL?
I'm doing everything I can to find something else quickly. I may not make it in time, though. It's bad enough my visa expires before my contract does. It means technically my last days here will be illegal. I'm required to stay til the end if I want a good reference (and money's still tight), yet I'll be illegal. Doesn't seem fair.
Thanks again,
Solana |
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cornishmuppet
Joined: 27 Mar 2004
Posts: 642
Location: Nagano, Japan
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| Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 10:54 am Post subject: |
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| Surely if the company wants you to fulfil your contract they should sponsor you for a new visa? |
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seklarwia
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 1546
Location: Monkey onsen, Nagano
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| Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 11:31 am Post subject: |
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To get the visa for an EFL job, he'll need to either have a degree from a recognised uni or be able to prove 3 years teaching experience. Having a TEFL cert will not help him get a work visa.
And even though the Investor/Business Manager visa doesn't technically require a degree it is (quoting Japanese Embassy) "for a person who is transferring to a branch office, representative office or joint venture company in Japan, and who has been employed by the present company for more than one year." So unless he is currently employed at company that has some form of relationship with a company in Japan that would be willing to offer him employment and sponsor his visa, it isn't open to him.
I'm afraid his options are extremely limited.
BTW: I hope you are able to resolve your current visa dilema successfully. May I ask, why is it that your company gave you a contract that out lasted you visa in the first place? Surely they were fully aware of when your visa expired before they hired you. With the high penalties that you are facing, is it really worth risking being caught working illegally for the sake of a little money and a piece of paper? |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 11:43 am Post subject: |
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| Solana wrote: |
| Ok, so you can work without a degree in certain circumstances, but not English teaching, right? I ask this because I've always heard in all my times here that you need the degree to get the work visa. |
You or your friend should read the MOFA regulations. For many work visas, you can bypass a degree by having enough work experience or experience plus study years. That includes the work visas for teaching.
Spouse visa holders don't need a degree to be eligible to work. Neither do student visa holders, dependent visa holders, working holiday visa holders, or cultural activity visa holders. However, that is just an eligibility requirement for visas. If an employer wants you to have a degree, that's different and his prerogative.
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| Also, if he gets a TEFL cert, will that help him get a job even without a degree? And can he get a visa if he does get a job with a TEFL? |
No on the first Q. As for the second, the answer is "not necessarily". He must qualify for the visa to get it, whether the employer wants to hire him or not based on any other credentials.
seklarwia,
It sounds like you are quoting an intracompany transfer visa (which I neglected to mention; some people have reported getting it without a degree, but you must work in the home office for at least a year first). I was referring to the Investor/Business Manager work visa, which is used to set up one's own business. Depending on the type of business, a degree may not be needed:
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Activities to commence the operation of international trade or other business, to invest in international trade or other business and to operate or manage that business, or to operate or manage international trade or other business on behalf of foreign nationals (including foreign corporations) who have begun such an operation or have invested in such a business. The business in question must meet certain conditions of scale. Applicants who wish to engage in business management must fulfill certain conditions concerning work status and personal history.
1. In cases where the applicant is to commence the operation of international trade or other business, the following conditions are to be fulfilled.
1. The facilities to be used as an office for the business concerned are located in Japan.
2. The business concerned is maintained in such a scale as to employ at least 2 full-time employees in Japan (excluding foreign nationals residing under the status of residence enlisted in Annexed Table 1 of the Immigration Control Act), in addition to those who operate and/or manage the business.
2. In cases where the applicant is to invest in international trade or other business and to operate or manage that business, or in cases where the applicant is to operate or manage international trade or other business on behalf of the foreign nationals (including foreign corporations; hereinafter in this section "foreign nationals" is to include "foreign corporations") or who has begun such an operation or has invested in such a business, the following conditions are to be fulfilled.
1. The office for the business concerned is located in Japan.
2. The business concerned is maintained with the scale of employing at least 2 full-time employees in Japan (excluding foreign nationals residing under the status of residence enlisted in Annexed Table 1 of the Immigration Control Act), in addition to those who operate and/or manage the business.
3. In case an applicant is to engage in the management of international trade or other business in Japan, he or she should have at least 3 years' experience in the operation and/or management of business (including the period during which the applicant studied business operation and management at Graduate School) and receive no less salary than a Japanese national would receive for comparable work.
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Solana
Joined: 08 Jul 2008
Posts: 30
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| Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 11:56 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for the responses. If he chooses to just come and hang out for a while, can he leave the country after his 90 days, get his passport stamped somewhere and then return?
As for me, I know my situation is precarious. Unfortunately, it's even more precarious after Dec. 23. I have no home to go to. I wasn't ready to leave Japan this time after only one year. I have so little saved (most went toward credit card payments) that the"little money" you mentioned may mean literally survival for me for a couple of weeks. Also, that piece of paper is the job reference without which I have even less chance for another job.
It's a matter of survival. I'll just have to take the chance and work the last 10 days or so after expiration.
I was hired in late July of last year for this job which wasn't scheduled to start until Jan. 7. This school owner likes to hire early but it sure plays havoc logistically for the teacher. I got my visa in early December because they didn't want me to wait until the last minute during the holiday rush when consulate offices are closed, and she was afraid I'd miss my first day of work by waiting. |
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Solana
Joined: 08 Jul 2008
Posts: 30
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| Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 12:04 pm Post subject: |
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| Also, Glenski, I'm not sure what the acronym MOFA means. But I'll pass on the rest of the info. |
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seklarwia
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 1546
Location: Monkey onsen, Nagano
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| Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 12:20 pm Post subject: |
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| Glenski wrote: |
seklarwia,
It sounds like you are quoting an intracompany transfer visa |
Oops! Sounds like it too. I just copied the description under "Documents for the Investor/Business Manager Visa and the Intra-company Transfer Visa"... stupid embassy site!
But scroll up a little and there is indeed in the section before something much more akin to your description. |
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Apsara
Joined: 20 Sep 2005
Posts: 2142
Location: Tokyo, Japan
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| Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 1:21 pm Post subject: |
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| Solana wrote: |
T It means technically my last days here will be illegal. I'm required to stay til the end if I want a good reference (and money's still tight), yet I'll be illegal. Doesn't seem fair.
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Solana, I hope this doesn't mean you are planning to stay in Japan after your visa has expired. Japan is very unforgiving of overstaying even when it's just a few days- when you do try to leave you will most likely be detained for several days before being deported, possibly fined several thousand dollars, and banned from Japan for up to 5 years- the contract is obviously not worth it. Do not overstay your visa whatever you do.
MOFA= Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
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Solana
Joined: 08 Jul 2008
Posts: 30
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| Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 2:50 pm Post subject: |
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Apsara, are you absolutely sure of this? If so, I find it very hard to believe that no one else has run into this.
Many people only stay a year in a contract. Most teachers, if not all, coming over with visas they got in their home countries have it started from the day the visa was stamped into the passport. They then leave for Japan whether a few days later or even a week or more later. It's inevitable, then, that most people are going to have their visas expire before their contracts do.
Anyone else come up against this? I lucked out my first two jobs. For my first job I managed (or my boss managed to get) a 3-year visa, and I renewed there for 6 more months. When I came back over for my second gig my original visa was still valid and I had gotten a re-entry stamp when I left Japan after my first job.
But had I only had a year visa, and only stayed in the contract for a year, my visa would of course have expired before my contract did. Doesn't this happen for most teachers who do not renew? |
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seklarwia
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 1546
Location: Monkey onsen, Nagano
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| Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 3:10 pm Post subject: |
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| Solana wrote: |
Many people only stay a year in a contract. Most teachers, if not all, coming over with visas they got in their home countries have it started from the day the visa was stamped into the passport. They then leave for Japan whether a few days later or even a week or more later. It's inevitable, then, that most people are going to have their visas expire before their contracts do.
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Actually my visa runs out a year after I set foot in the country, not from when I got my visa stamped into the passport. We were asked to arrive on a specific date for training so the company knew exactly when our visa would expire and thus our contracts do not extend past our visa expiration.
I'm telling you that little extra money and piece of paper really isn't worth it.
Did you not check out what you could be facing before you decided it would be ok to overstay?
I think I read in a debito post somewhere about fines going into the millions of yen and that the banning could last upto 10 years... but that was ages ago and that might have just been another good ol' anti-Japan debito post. |
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Solana
Joined: 08 Jul 2008
Posts: 30
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| Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 4:23 pm Post subject: |
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| seklarwia wrote: |
| Actually my visa runs out a year after I set foot in the country, not from when I got my visa stamped into the passport. |
How did you know your visa would run out a year after you set foot in the country? Doesn't a one-year visa automatically run out a year after its effective date -- which is the date it's stamped into the passport? |
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seklarwia
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 1546
Location: Monkey onsen, Nagano
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| Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 10:07 pm Post subject: |
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No it doesn't. I landed on the 24th of March, and my ARC card says I need to renew by 23rd of march next year.
The visa that got put in my passport just basically said valid for one year and that I must enter Japan within 3 months or its issue or it will become invalid.
EDIT:
Just dug out my passport for you. On the actual visa sticker (the one from the embassy back home with the picture) it says:
Place of issue: London
Issued: 12 Mar 09
Expires: 12 Jun 09
Period of stay: 1 year
Category: (E) as instructor
... followed by personal info.
Then on the landing permission sticker attached by Japanese customs it says:
Date of permission: 23 Mar 2009
Until: 23 Mar 2010
Status: instructor
Duration: 1 year
Issued at Haneda A.P.
I think you should look at your passport again and make sure you haven't just misunderstood. |
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Apsara
Joined: 20 Sep 2005
Posts: 2142
Location: Tokyo, Japan
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| Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 11:44 pm Post subject: |
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| This has happened to lots of people, Solana, google something like "Japan visa overstay" and see what comes up. If your company is in any way reputable they will not want to have an overstayer in their employment, so I can't believe they expect you to actually overstay your visa to finish your contract. Make absolutely certain about the dates, and don' overstay even by one day. Not only would you then have trouble ever getting back into Japan, other countries may also deny you entry. |
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