Job Discussion Forums

Drizzt · Joined: 20 Feb 2005 Posts: 229 Location: Kyuushuu, Japan

Hi everyone.

I'm about to finish my master's in applied linguistics this May, after which I plan to move to Japan to teach. My wife is Chinese (met her when I was teaching in China) and she's going with me (we're currently in the US, and she has a greencard, but no U.S. citizenship).

The plan is for her to teach Chinese in Japan. Her undergraduate degree is unrelated (graphic design), but she is returning to Shanghai this March to do a 2-month TCSL (teaching Chinese as a second language) course.

I'm wondering if this is a feasible plan? Are spouses of foreign workers allowed to work in Japan?

Thanks for any input you can provide!

pnksweater · Joined: 24 Mar 2005 Posts: 173 Location: Tokyo, Japan

GambateBingBangBOOM · Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 2021 Location: Japan

Your wife could also work under her own instructor or humanities visa if she has a full-time job teaching Chinese.

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

Spouse visas are for foreigners married to Japanese. As you have learned, what your wife will need is a dependent visa (at the very least), but she can't get it until you get a work visa first. Be careful about her income. If she has the DV, and earns more than 1.1 million yen per year, you cannot claim her on your taxes.

If she is the first one to land a work visa, then you could be the one with the DV (or get your own work visa).

You plan to come here in May? Bad time of year. The main hiring will have already taken place. What kind of job were you hoping to get?

Drizzt · Joined: 20 Feb 2005 Posts: 229 Location: Kyuushuu, Japan

Thanks for all the information everyone.

Glenski,

Actually I'm taking the advice you gave me before about trying to get into the market through the Westgate University Program, and then begin searching for a university position for the following academic year. I graduate in May, but I am going to continue teaching in the IEP program at my university here until August, so my hope is to land a job with Westgate for the fall and arrive around late August or early September.

GambateBingBangBOOM,

That's useful to know. So I suppose it's not an issue converting a dependent visa to a working one as long as she can find a full-time position?

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

No, it's not an issue provided she meets the criteria for the working visa.

Drizzt · Joined: 20 Feb 2005 Posts: 229 Location: Kyuushuu, Japan

Thanks Apsara--that's exactly what I needed to know.

GambateBingBangBOOM · Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 2021 Location: Japan

Keep in mind that you usually need three publications to get a university job here (maybe not so much in very rural prefectures- where the demand for Chinese teachers will likely be nil).