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Specific questions about teaching at GABA in Japan
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malone76



Joined: 01 Oct 2016
Posts: 10

PostPosted: Mon Oct 10, 2016 8:02 pm    Post subject: Specific questions about teaching at GABA in Japan Reply with quote

I have been reading this forum a good bit, and even though I have found a lot of good information, I have some specific questions that pertain to me.

I am a 40 year old white male from the United States. I have a bachelor's degree in marketing and have worked as a business manager in the healthcare industry for 17 years. I am looking do to a complete 180 and move to Japan to teach English.

I have several reasons for wanting to do this, but the main reasons are I have visited Japan and have fallen in love with country and culture. I love to travel and will use this opportunity to travel in Japan and the rest of Asia as much as possible. I want to learn to speak Japanese for my own personal reasons as well as having this skill for future work in the business world.

I know I will probably end up working in an eikaiwa and this actually suits me for several reasons. I have done a lot of research and specifically have picked out GABA as a likely company to work for. I like the idea of being able to set my own hours, thus being able to travel more. Money is NOT a motivating factor for me and I just want to make enough to pay rent and basic living expenses. My money for travelling will come with me from the US.

From people who have worked at GABA, can you really set your own hours? I hear that early mornings and weekends are prime times and I have no problem working these hours.

Most importantly, if I get a sponsored visa from them, how many hours do I have to work to keep it? I've read differing things about this, but it seems you have to make a certain amount of money to qualify. (I read 240,000 a month, is this accurate?). If this is the case, can you actually lose your visa in the first year if you don't work these hours? (For example for the first two months I make the minimum, but then take off significant time for the following two months and don't, can they pull my visa?)

Thanks in advance!
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currentaffairs



Joined: 22 Aug 2012
Posts: 828

PostPosted: Mon Oct 10, 2016 10:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

GABA is a pretty dodgy employer and Japan is an expensive country. You are going to be going through money quite quickly. Your plan sounds okay but if you are not making much money then you might find yourself struggling a bit. Does GABA guarantee a certain amount of hours?

If you have saved a pot of money and are going over almost as a working holiday for a year then maybe this is an option.. I would probably go for a proper full-time gig to start off.
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TokyoLiz



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 1548
Location: Tokyo, Japan

PostPosted: Mon Oct 10, 2016 11:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

GABA has caused employees a lot of grief in the last few years by using itaku contracts, hiding sexual harassment, not providing a safe workplace, etc.

See the General Union website for the history of labor conditions with GABA.

GABA doesn't provide a workweek, and some employees say they don't get enough hours to live on. You probably won't earn enough to have discretionary income for traveling. If you're prepared with funds for a year so you don't have to depend on GABA for income, good on you.
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malone76



Joined: 01 Oct 2016
Posts: 10

PostPosted: Mon Oct 10, 2016 11:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I will be more clear. I have saved some money and will bring about $10,000 USD to use to get started and travel. Of course this lasts differently for different people, but I travel light and don't spend much money at all. It is more about time for me.

I do only plan to stay a year and just want to make enough to live on and not save any money at all. (I have a 401-k in the US for that). Also, does anybody know about how much health insurance would cost for me (healthy, 40 year old white male)? I know that GABA specifically won't pay for it.

Also, anybody know about the visa requirements as far as working enough to keep it for a year? I am American so I can't get a working holiday visa.

ETA: I will post this from GABA's website. This is what I find particularly tempting about working for them:

"You decide the hours and days of the week you teach. Submit a schedule of as many lessons as you can comfortably teach factoring in your other commitments.

Upon deciding a schedule for the month, instructors submit their requested hours for publication on GabaWeb. Once posted, clients freely choose when, where and with whom to study.

Gaba instructors teach a wide range of different schedules – a reflection of their diversity. Many instructors have separate work or study obligations, so they choose a Gaba schedule to fit around them. For example, instructors enrolled in Japanese language school Monday to Friday might decide to teach at Gaba after classes two or three evenings a week and all day either Saturday or Sunday. Come exam time, perhaps they scale back their availability to get in more preparation.

Need a vacation? There is no vacation request process. An instructor planning to take a break simply doesn't submit a schedule for that period. Get away for a week, three weeks, a month... we only ask that you tell us beforehand.

Gaba's Learning Studios are open early and close late. Weekend hours are shorter but often the busiest days of the week.

Weekday hours: 7:00am - 10:00pm *
Weekend hours: 9:15am - 7:45pm *
Busiest times are first thing weekday mornings (7:00am - 8:30am where available), evenings (5:30pm onward) and all day on weekends and holidays. New instructors are advised to take these peak times into account as working these hours is the fastest way to develop a steady following of clients.

* These times denote the start of the last lesson. Some studios start later in the morning."
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HLJHLJ



Joined: 06 Oct 2009
Posts: 1218
Location: Ecuador

PostPosted: Tue Oct 11, 2016 12:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I worked for them a couple of years ago. If you have your own visa, and have other means to support yourself, it works exactly as you describe. You set your own hours and can take time off as and when you feel like it (without pay, obviously). I only opened classes during peak times, and I was always fully booked.

However, if you are on their visa it's different. You will be put under immense pressure to make your hours, and if you aren't making your target you will be expected to be there pretty much constantly until you do. I did know a couple of people who banked massive numbers of hours during their working months, in order to take a couple of months off and still make the average overall. But there were definitely the exception, and had usually been there long enough to have built up a loyal following of customers so they were able to put in a significant number of hours outside of peak hours.

If you don't bank enough hours overall, you will lose the job, but as far as I understand it, not the visa.
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malone76



Joined: 01 Oct 2016
Posts: 10

PostPosted: Tue Oct 11, 2016 12:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks HLJHLJ so much for your reply, it is exactly the info I was looking for. I didn't realize that they would necessarily care about my hours. Apparently they have some sort of pressure put on them if they sponsor the visa.

As you have worked for them, any other relevant info you think I might benefit from would be greatly appreciated.

Are there any other companies that work similarly to GABA as far as working your own schedule? I haven't found any yet.

I really don't like the idea of working 12 to 9 or 10 at night as seems to be common with a lot of eikaiwas. Working early mornings and weekends would work great for me if I can take off a few weeks here or there to travel as they say. It would actually be ideal!

Now I have to ask if there are any other ways to get working visas. You mentioned having my own visa. Is there any way to get one without having a job before I come over?

Thanks
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HLJHLJ



Joined: 06 Oct 2009
Posts: 1218
Location: Ecuador

PostPosted: Tue Oct 11, 2016 1:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm not aware of any other companies that have GABA's flexibility. I was a dependent on my husband's visa, with permission to work. I forget the exact details but I think it was about 25 hours per week, with an annual earning limit as well. I mostly worked at a university, and then used GABA to make my hours and money up to the limit. I had no issues with them, and I enjoyed my time there, but I was genuinely a contractor with no fixed schedule.

You would almost certainly not be able to make full time hours only working mornings and weekends, and would have to work split shifts (morning & evenings) during the week.

Personally, I don't think they should be allowed to have people on sponsored visas and an itaku contract, the two are mutually exclusive.

You might also want to look at Westgate. It's a very different setup, but you might be able to make it work. You will work like a dog during term time, but then you get the extended university vacations off.
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marley'sghost



Joined: 04 Oct 2010
Posts: 255

PostPosted: Tue Oct 11, 2016 1:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

[quote][
Quote:
quote="malone76"]
Are there any other companies that work similarly to GABA as far as working your own schedule? I haven't found any yet.


I don't think you will. It's my understanding that to sponsor your visa, a company has to prove to immigration that they are paying you a regular, living wage. A standard GABA "work when you want" contract won't do that.

Quote:
I really don't like the idea of working 12 to 9 or 10 at night as seems to be common with a lot of eikaiwas. Working early mornings and weekends would work great for me if I can take off a few weeks here or there to travel as they say. It would actually be ideal!


You like kids? Take a look at ALTing. You'd be an assistant language teacher, working in public schools. The best gig is the JET Programme, but as it's a government thing, the application process is onerous. There are all sorts of dispatch/temp-agency/bloodsucker companies that will sponsor your visa. Interac and Altia are two of the biggest. Not a "work when you want" job, but I've never done a lick of work during school vacations or weekends during my time.

Quote:
Now I have to ask if there are any other ways to get working visas. You mentioned having my own visa. Is there any way to get one without having a job before I come over?


Get married?

Very Happy
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malone76



Joined: 01 Oct 2016
Posts: 10

PostPosted: Tue Oct 11, 2016 1:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the replies. I am surprised that there is not at least one other company with a similar model to GABA. It seems like other schools would want to offer early morning classes, etc.

I have thought about ALTing, but I just can't get away from GABA's ideal setup. Of course, I may not get a job with them, so I certainly need to have other options.

GABA does offer to sponsor working visas. I just found this on their website:

"Must have a bachelor's degree (or above) from an accredited university where English was the medium of instruction OR three years of verifiable full-time ESL teaching experience
Newly sponsored instructors should be available to teach with Gaba for the duration of the initial visa
Must meet the minimum earning requirements of 250,000 yen per month
Must show proof of enrollment in National Health Insurance at time of contract signing"

Any other suggestions or advice is appreciated!
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HLJHLJ



Joined: 06 Oct 2009
Posts: 1218
Location: Ecuador

PostPosted: Tue Oct 11, 2016 1:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, they do sponsor visas, but you are still on an itaku (contractor/freelance) contract. Clearly, you can't be both freelance and sponsored. I think a lot of people would like to know how they've been allowed to pull that off. If other companies could pull the same stunt, they would probably offer similar deals.

The point is, if you are on a sponsored visa, then no matter what it says on the website or in your contract, in practice you are not free to pick and choose hours because you have to meet your target hours.

I'm not sure what else I could add really. Do you have any specific questions?
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malone76



Joined: 01 Oct 2016
Posts: 10

PostPosted: Tue Oct 11, 2016 1:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I do have a specific question about health insurance. I've heard it can add up working for GABA as they do not pay for it. I am also 40 years old and worried I might have to get the "nursing" insurance also. Any info on what I might have to actually pay is appreciated.
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HLJHLJ



Joined: 06 Oct 2009
Posts: 1218
Location: Ecuador

PostPosted: Tue Oct 11, 2016 1:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm sorry, I have no idea, as I was a dependent on my husband's health insurance. Hopefully someone else can help you with that.
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victory7



Joined: 22 Mar 2016
Posts: 68

PostPosted: Tue Oct 11, 2016 4:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

malone76 wrote:
I do have a specific question about health insurance. I've heard it can add up working for GABA as they do not pay for it. I am also 40 years old and worried I might have to get the "nursing" insurance also. Any info on what I might have to actually pay is appreciated.


Malone, you need some straight shooter talk here and I'm going to give it. I don't come from one of the ol cowboy states in the US for nothing .....

GABA and the other exploitative 'English Language Institutes' like one that has branches over Tokyo and starts with EV need one major change - they need as many foreign employees as possible to just hightail it out their nasty little enterprises. DO NOT feed these openly bragging about it exploiters of native English teachers and non native English teachers by joining them. Period.

This is an ugly trend in English teaching - no security for people who have come across the world, sometimes with surprisingly good resumes, no base salary. Just sign up and get screwed over. I have talked in detail to some of these kinds of employees this year thru a friend, and the only way to go is to refuse to have anything to do with these employers.

One of these kinds of schools this year forced its teachers onto contracts of less than 6 months. Many of those teachers had contracts well into the next year but they are humans who have bills to pay and lives in a foreign country. They gave in and signed the 4 month one.

DO NOT work for GABA, EV and their kind.
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malone76



Joined: 01 Oct 2016
Posts: 10

PostPosted: Tue Oct 11, 2016 4:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the input victory7. Do you have any personal experience working for GABA or a similar company in Japan? It seems people either have good experiences (read above) or hate them. Tell me about your experience.
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marley'sghost



Joined: 04 Oct 2010
Posts: 255

PostPosted: Wed Oct 12, 2016 2:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Health insurance info
http://www.nenkin.go.jp/international/english/healthinsurance/employee.html

And a bit more straight shooter talk. GABA's "ideal" setup is bait for suckers. If you are already here in Japan with your own visa and don't want to take the trouble of rustling up your own students, good enough. Hang out at GABA and let them come to you. But if you take their work visa, you will be working like a dog to make that 250000 a month.
The qualifications in the advert read "MUST meet minimum earning requirement of 250000 a month. " not "salary", but "earning requirement". I don't see indentured servitude at GABA aiding you in your travel goals.
If you want to travel, travel. Tourist visas are good for 90 days. If you want to work, there are better outfits that will sponsor you than GABA. Their "ideal" setup is really just the worst of both worlds for their employees.
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