Job Discussion Forums

fluffyhamster · Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 10:57 pm Post subject:

The double expenses and halved income is due to the other thing I mentioned, the not getting the first month's pay until the end of the second month (i.e. the pay is indirect, out-of-synch with the BOE's) - a common problem (i.e. not exactly a bonus) of dispatch work. I didn't mean anything more than living expenses (i.e. not set-up expenses x2!), but even they can add up - rent, utilities, food, commuting etc.

Oh, and I hope Interac isn't still flogging some supposedly cheap private health insurance. First year, "kokuho" (i.e. NHI without employer co-payments, much less pension plans attached) is only around 2000 yen a month, as opposed to the el cheapo 7000 Interac deal, but the NHI has benefits that the private doesn't (namely, the insurance actually being accepted in every hospital; only needing to pay 30% of treatment costs, as opposed to 100% with the possible never-never of being reimbursed later; being acceptable for possible visa-renewal regs - these seem a bit up in the air at the moment, but if the government ever really does start demanding that foreign workers be paying into national schemes, then kokuho will fit that definition).

lenoreelux · Joined: 30 Nov 2009 Posts: 44

They tell you in the PDF file of the hadnbook that they send to new Interac employees the say when the payments happen and how much. They are straight forward with it. I am lucky that I do not need the loan cause I have been saving up to do this for a long long time. Smile

I would not go if I needed loans. I have student loans that I am still paying off, I do not need any more! But yeah, if you need to loan, then make sure you read everything and know when the loans need to be payed back so that you can budget responsibly.

OneJoelFifty · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 463

ShioriEigoKyoushi · Joined: 21 Aug 2009 Posts: 364 Location: Japan

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Mr_Monkey · Joined: 11 Mar 2009 Posts: 661 Location: Kyuuuuuushuuuuuuu

ShioriEigoKyoushi · Joined: 21 Aug 2009 Posts: 364 Location: Japan

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razorhideki · Joined: 19 Jan 2010 Posts: 78

seklarwia: You make some valid points. Sure, an extra degree takes time and money. Sure, the application process for JET is a royal pain in the ***. Yes, there are criteria obstacles for some looking to get on JET. I guess it's just that in a perfect world, if no Westerner would accept eikaiwa/dispatch contracts for about six months, I guarantee that contracts would improve DRASTICALLY.

In the Japan I know, eikaiwa students woud leave in DROVES if Indians and Filipinos started showing up as their instructors!l

seklarwia · Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 9:52 pm Post subject:

Valkerie · Joined: 27 Jun 2009 Posts: 7

This thread made me nostalgic for my 7 years in Japan.... though I never worked for Interac.

I started my EFL career in 2000, served my apprenticeship in eikawa...around January 2003 I got a job at a Saitama JH school. 300.000 a month, every holiday paid... went to the UK for 5-6 weeks that summer.... pity times have changed.

Shiggy · Joined: 27 Jan 2004 Posts: 86

Interac recommends that you bring 500,000 yen. This is, roughly, $5,000 US, correct?

I have my interview next month...

gallerygirl · Joined: 24 Feb 2010 Posts: 12

fluffyhamster · Posted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 11:40 am Post subject:

So, have you got the five grand+ socked away yet, Gallerygirl? Surprised

But sure, setting up here's expensive...though it may beat flipping non-existent burgers elsewhere, and put some pocket money back into your pocket whilst allowing you to "enjoy" somewhere that will doubtless seem less blighted than back home. Cool

In fact, it is hard to think of any sort of work (forget career?) anywhere that doesn't call for a lot of subsidizing - further training, qualifications and expertise off your own dime all the time; endless commuting and relocatiing; and of course let's not forget the high rents those poor long-suffering buy-to-let landlords have to now charge (though Japan doesn't have quite this last problem, AFAIK - I mean, they make enough from all the key money and charges, don't they! [Hmm, methinks somebody needs to oust the one-eyed man who is king in the land of the blind (the UK LOL) ASAP. My personal electoral manifesto would certainly involve investment in - shock horror - public housing. No way a place like e.g. Singapore would let this aspect of, you know, that thing called governing, slide so much, and there they are all actually reasonably well-educated and with better employability and incomes to match!]).

Anyway, glad to know you've found this thread and are scrutinizing the financial aspects (doability) of the venture some more. I always say go for it if you've got the money to subsidize it, but still, it does and will always grate when you don't get paid until the end of the second month, or as much if anything for the summer breaks for example (which mid-year starts up the whole two-month ordeal once again!). Unless of course you actually like eating cheap noodles and nothing else all the time! Very Happy

Oh, and make sure you check out the threads concerning NHI, as Interac as I mentioned above is wont to flog you private insurance that is actually quite expensive comparatively for the first year, and may well prove inadequate for even short-term purposes. Just say no to Interac's PHI if you do decide to get Japanese NHI instead.

razorhideki · Joined: 19 Jan 2010 Posts: 78

gallerygirl: Take it from an ole "EFL teaching in E. Asia(including Japan)" warhorse: Give Interac a miss...a wide miss....

Go to Japan via JET or else go elsewhere....

Solid gold, take it to the bank advice....

Stark · Joined: 24 May 2009 Posts: 35

You don't have to bring the 5k, its just recommended. I brought over 3k and took a 1k loan out when i got here through interac. I had to cut costs here or there for those first two months but i'm still alive. Every pay check they take out about 16,600 from pay to go to my loan repayment. and since august i've broken even this month. another year and i should be able to save up a bit.

But that 5k for startup, basically will cover you for the two months you aren't paid. it takes care of all the necessary apartment crap like key money, deposit, two months rent up front.

Yeah Jet is definitely your best bet for coming to japan. But not everyone gets into jet, not to mention that places like interac are eating up more and more of jet positions. Interac is definitely better then where I would be without it, which is working in a factory or a retail job waiting for the market to pick up again back home, or still on unemployment which I was on when I took the interac position in the first place. I've said it elsewhere, it may not be the best, but its not the worst either.