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Gaijinheadpothead
Joined: 08 Sep 2009 Posts: 27
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Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2010 6:15 pm Post subject: JALSS!!! LIED ABOUT VISA RENEWAL |
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A host of excuses for example.....
''The visa application has nothing to do with immigration'' lol
''The person in charge of visas doesn't work on saturdays'' This was on a friday.
''When you signed the contract, that was also the COE'' BULL!!! Nobody ever got a copy of the contract either.
''Don't worry about the visa'' MOD EDIT, HR , JALSS,
After 3 months of inquiring about visa sponsership (and being told that an application was made), with a week left on the current visa, they finally said ''you can't have a visa.'' MOD EDIT, JALSS.
They also suggested that they tell the school that (the person in question) was going home because of a ''family problem'', which (the person in question) refused to say. In the end they told the school the real reason, because (the person in question) was going to tell them anyway.
P.S. The ''person in question'' did not write this post because they don't work on saturdays.
Also, JALSS , will see this post because they have the internet. But, they don't have a printer, hence, employees have to pay for the photocopy of their own gaijin card after travelling about an hour from saitama to collect their tax forms. |
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Glenski

Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2010 11:49 pm Post subject: Re: JALSS!!! LIED ABOUT VISA RENEWAL |
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Gaijinheadpothead wrote: |
Also, JALSS , will see this post because they have the internet. But, they don't have a printer, hence, employees have to pay for the photocopy of their own gaijin card after travelling about an hour from saitama to collect their tax forms. |
Are you actually complaining about spending 10 yen to photocopy your card?
The other statements seem fair enough to complain about, but this one...? |
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TokyoLiz
Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan
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Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 12:38 am Post subject: Scary recruiter company |
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Are you actually complaining about spending 10 yen to photocopy your card? |
I think GHPH meant to give us an impression of how poorly managed the company is. Insult added to injury, so to speak.
One more agency's name goes in the black book. |
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Apsara
Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan
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Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 4:36 am Post subject: |
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While it sounds like a bit of a dodgy agency and I know you are angry with them, I agree that having to pay a few yen to make a copy is not really a major issue.
Some of what you say is a little hard to understand, for example this: "P.S. The ''person in question'' did not write this post because they don't work on saturdays." Who are you talking about here and how is it relevant to the above problems? |
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Gaijinheadpothead
Joined: 08 Sep 2009 Posts: 27
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Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 5:37 am Post subject: |
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Haha, I was a little bit drunk to say the least. And I was feeling real sarcastic! |
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Samurai
Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 57 Location: Japan
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Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 8:15 am Post subject: |
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This is probably the worst dispatch company around. So I understand GHPH's frustration. He could word his post(s) a lot better because for some I'm sure it just sounds like a lot of drivel.
I do not work for this company nor have I ever, but...
...I know for a fact JALSS had two days of interviews recently (March 12th & 13th). The company asked every interviewee to copy every page of their passport...some pages had to be in color the rest were OK in black and white. (And I do mean every page of the passport!).
I have never heard of this with any dispatch company before...the visa page and photo page, yes...but every other page, no.
It would seem that the directive for JALSS asking each potential job applicant for this came from immigration. On the jobvent site it was mentioned that JALSS are no longer allowed to sponsor anyone...if it is true then I can see why JALSS are only seemingly looking for people who already have a valid visa...one that allows the applicant to work...and ideally for a year or more.
Perhaps someone who knows more about this company could clarify this? |
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Glenski

Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 11:02 am Post subject: |
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Don't know about sponsorship, but there is no reason to ask for a copy of every page of someone's passport. In over a decade of living here and watching the forums, I've never heard of any company or school (not just dispatch agency) do that until now.
As for more info on JALSS, read the short blurb in this union newsletter (and pardon what seems to be an obvious typo in the headline):
http://www.generalunion.org/voice/winter2009.pdf |
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maximmm
Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 59
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Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 12:01 pm Post subject: |
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I was one of the people invited for an interview on Friday. There was no interview to speak of. They wanted me to use their photocopy machine to make copies of all documents in my possession including every page of my 52-page passport. Hah, I fell for it. I spent around 370 yen on that alone.
It seems to be a scam of some sort. I wonder if this is the only way for Jalss to make money? Corruption is running high in this land and that surprised the hell out of me.
Anyway, from what I gather, very few schools these days sponsor anyone. I made a mistake of coming here thinking that it would be like Korea, but Japanese schools would prefer to get someone with work-visa/spousal visa and w/o a degree or experience, rather than someone with a degree and experience but w/o visa.
Then again, given how ALT's here have been turned into dictation devices, Japan does not seem to be a place in which people with interest in teaching should ever consider of working. |
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ShioriEigoKyoushi
Joined: 21 Aug 2009 Posts: 364 Location: Japan
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Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 1:00 pm Post subject: |
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Last edited by ShioriEigoKyoushi on Tue Jun 08, 2010 3:45 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Inflames
Joined: 02 Apr 2006 Posts: 486
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Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 2:43 pm Post subject: |
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ShioriEigoKyoushi wrote: |
What should people do to remain in Japan who are left in this position by unscrupulous employers?
Shiori |
If you can prove that something like this, or you've been looking for work, immigration is more than willing to help people. There were people who I know who worked for Nova then the new company once they took over. Contract non-renewals started suddenly happening, so the first person literally got told 1 day before his contract expired. One of my friends got told about a week (and that was after they told him he would get a new contract). They went to immigration, explained their situation, and got 3 months extra to find work (I thought that they were given 3 month work visa extensions but I heard from one person they got changed to tourist visas and given special permission to work). |
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ShioriEigoKyoushi
Joined: 21 Aug 2009 Posts: 364 Location: Japan
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Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 2:58 pm Post subject: |
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Last edited by ShioriEigoKyoushi on Tue Jun 08, 2010 3:43 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Glenski

Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 9:47 pm Post subject: |
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maximmm wrote: |
Anyway, from what I gather, very few schools these days sponsor anyone. I made a mistake of coming here thinking that it would be like Korea, but Japanese schools would prefer to get someone with work-visa/spousal visa and w/o a degree or experience, rather than someone with a degree and experience but w/o visa. |
About a month or so ago, I looked at a major advertising site for teaching jobs here. The vast majority if full-time jobs did not require the applicant to live in Japan at the time of application, nor already have a visa. I suggest you look around a bit further.
As for employers wanting people without a degree, that's pretty ridiculous since it is the most common route to qualify for a work visa.
They just don't usually count non-Japanese teaching as rightful experience. Perhaps this is what you ran into.
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Then again, given how ALT's here have been turned into dictation devices, Japan does not seem to be a place in which people with interest in teaching should ever consider of working. |
ALTs are not the only route to teach here. Your statement above implies otherwise. Perhaps you didn't mean to, or perhaps I just inferred that way. In any case, most newbies to teaching here (perhaps in most countries?) don't have teaching-related credentials, and with no TEFL organization to police these things, what do you expect? Shrug.
ShioriEigoKyoushi wrote: |
What should people do to remain in Japan who are left in this position by unscrupulous employers? It must happen often. |
Call them on it. Report them to the labor standards office or union.
Then, move on to the next job prospect. Don't put all your eggs in one basket. |
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maximmm
Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 59
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Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 1:38 am Post subject: |
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As for employers wanting people without a degree, that's pretty ridiculous since it is the most common route to qualify for a work visa. |
This is simply not true. Work-holiday visa does not require one to possess BA. The number of work-holiday visa holders is also one of the reasons why nearly 50% of work advertised here is for part-time positions. Hiring two part-timers is easier and cheaper for local companies, rather than hiring one full-time employee. As they say, money talks.
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In any case, most newbies to teaching here (perhaps in most countries?) don't have teaching-related credentials, and with no TEFL organization to police these things, what do you expect? Shrug. |
I expected the local boards of education to care more about quality rather than how little teachers/dispatch companies can be paid (from what I gather, JALss has a contract with many boards of education because of how cheap they are). I also expected the teachers to be treated much like they are treated in Korea, where even newcomers have a much greater role in teaching students. Using NTs only for 'listen and repeat' is a waste of taxpayers' money and is not really being helpful to students. If the Japanese teachers are unable to use NT's more effectively and efficiently, then it's a big shame, and it begs one to question the quality of the Japanese teachers. Then again, this is Japan. Who knows why things are done in such a way here? Shrug. |
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Glenski

Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 5:48 am Post subject: |
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maximmm wrote: |
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As for employers wanting people without a degree, that's pretty ridiculous since it is the most common route to qualify for a work visa. |
This is simply not true. Work-holiday visa does not require one to possess BA. |
I think you misunderstood me.
Work visas require a bachelor's degree or at least 3 years of related work experience. Most people take the former route.
Yes, WHVs don't require degrees, but that's not what I meant above.
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The number of work-holiday visa holders is also one of the reasons why nearly 50% of work advertised here is for part-time positions. Hiring two part-timers is easier and cheaper for local companies, rather than hiring one full-time employee. As they say, money talks. |
WHV holders are not the only people who can work part-time. So can work visa holders who want to supplement their FT jobs, or those who are on self-sponsorship. Others who can work PT include those on spouse visas, PR status, student visas, and cultural activities visas.
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In any case, most newbies to teaching here (perhaps in most countries?) don't have teaching-related credentials, and with no TEFL organization to police these things, what do you expect? Shrug. |
I expected the local boards of education to care more about quality rather than how little teachers/dispatch companies can be paid |
Think again. BOEs use dispatch companies to pay less for their teachers/ALTs and to avoid the hassles of hiring/firing. Less overall salary (plus benefits) is attractive financially. Being able to tell the agency to send a different ALT next week is nice, too, instead of waiting for a direct hire's contract to expire.
That doesn't mean the quality of the dispatch worker is any better, nor that the BOE really cares about quality.
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I also expected the teachers to be treated much like they are treated in Korea, where even newcomers have a much greater role in teaching students. |
Nope, why should they? ALTs are not in charge of the class; the JTE is. Most newcomers here have zero to little experience in teaching and a degree unrelated to teaching.
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Using NTs only for 'listen and repeat' is a waste of taxpayers' money and is not really being helpful to students. |
Not a total waste, as who else can you get to speak realistic English? As for being a waste, that has not stopped anyone. They are not thinking of saving taxes, only their own salaries.
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If the Japanese teachers are unable to use NT's more effectively and efficiently, then it's a big shame, and it begs one to question the quality of the Japanese teachers. Then again, this is Japan. Who knows why things are done in such a way here? Shrug. |
It's a long story! |
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maximmm
Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 59
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Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 6:55 am Post subject: |
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Well, in some ways you've only confirmed what I've been saying. I will say that there are dispatch companies that do have a good reputation, since they stand by their teachers/employees in case of need.
JALss has a very bad reputation and one doesn't need to look hard to find out all of the hard facts about its malpractices. Of course, much like you said, the fact that JALss is contracted by many BOE also says a lot about BOEs in Japan.
I've canceled my last scheduled interview (GEOS which are said to be the next sinking ship) and will look for a job in another country.
More than anything else, I feel relieved now that I have made that decision. Not getting a job here is most likely a blessing in disguise. Obvious corruption in the educational industry as well very poor long term prospects make me think that staying here would not have been all that wise on my part.
Cheers! |
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