Job Discussion Forums

[nonsmoker]

[DNK]

Since we're back on this subject again, I just had another potential employer asking me to work illegally, and when I asked them about it they effectively said, "everyone's doing it."

My question is this: how prevalent is this in Japan? From my limited experience it doesn't seem like everyone is doing it, but a fair share do appear to be. Maybe that's off, though?

[J.]

It's a REALLY bad idea to come without a work visa. Not only are you vulnerable to the penalties of fines and deportation, but I hear detention is no picnic either. And if immigration are suspicious they may not even let you in, but turn you back at the airport.

Aside from that you will be totally at the mercy of whatever your employer wants to do, which in my experience (things I have seen) means springing surprises on you like changing the terms of your contract, surprising you with a reduced "training salary" with little to no training, sticking you with a split-shift schedule teaching lots of preschoolers,or putting you in a sub-standard apartment with high rent. Believe me, the list of things is endless. I have never seen such an ingenious interpretation of work conditions/contracts as bosses of Eikaiwa come up with.

And you won't be able to complain because you will be working illegally. No, everybody isn't doing it, only those desperate for a job or employers desperate for another warm body, quick, probably because they have driven the last employee to flee or they are too disorganized to have found someone in the notice period given.

There's enough to cope with in adapting to a new culture and language and learning how to do your job, which in all likelihood will be teaching a wide variety of students of all ages and reasons for studying, without coping with a bad working situation too.

So my best advice is insist on the visa before you come.

And no matter how tempting the excitement of immediate gratification, DON'T DO IT!

[Glenski]

DNK wrote:

[bearcat]

I'll answer 3 folks things here:

[DNK]

Thanks for the replies.

First, by no means am I taking the employer's word on this, hence the post, and a rather large amount of suspicion to go with it.

Well, I suppose I wouldn't play Russian roulette if everyone was doing it, but I would jump off a bridge if it wasn't too high and otherwise I couldn't get work... point being I wasn't sure which was the case here. I'll take this as the final just don't do it, and, well, just not do it.

My problem is that I'm having a devil of a time finding work now, as most postings for out-of-Japan applicants have dried up, and so many that are there are for preschool/kindergarten teachers. Don't get me wrong, I like kids, but 25 hours a week of them is a bit much. Plus, AEON won't even return my e-mails. I'm not sure if I should be relieved or depressed about that one, though... Still, getting into a legal, etc, mess is hardly worthwhile, so I'll keep looking for now, I suppose.

[nonsmoker]