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mick_luna
Joined: 20 Jul 2005
Posts: 115
Location: toronto
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 Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2005 10:50 pm Post subject: degree or not degree, that is the question |
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I'm told one needs a degree in Japan, but i've also heard of people freelancing there on a tourist visa and leaving and coming back every few months. also heard of 'volunteer' positions which pay 200,000 yen a month, and supply shared accomodation.
how does that compare to taiwan? i've heard you don't need the degree there. what about Bangkok or instant online degrees, any experiences with those? i've taught ESL for several years in various countries, don't feel i want to start a four year program now and get myself in loads of debt.
cheers
mick |
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Jizzo T. Clown
Joined: 28 Apr 2005
Posts: 668
Location: performing in a classroom near you!
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| Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2005 10:59 pm Post subject: |
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| Don't look at it as going into debt. Look at it as an investment in your future. You'll be glad you did. |
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mick_luna
Joined: 20 Jul 2005
Posts: 115
Location: toronto
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| Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2005 11:04 pm Post subject: degree |
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beyond the cost, i have always hated my college/uni experiences here in canada, as they are such impersonal and dehumanizing environments. signing up for four years would be like signing up for prison.
m |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2005 12:10 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| I'm told one needs a degree in Japan, |
Perhaps the FAQs need revising. Haven't looked at them in a while, but here's the scoop.
You need a bachelor's degree to get a work visa. One loophole to this is to have 3 or more years of work experience.
You don't need a degree for the following visas, all of which permit you to work:
spouse visa
dependent visa
student visa
cultural visa
working holiday visa
How much you can work, what the qualifications are for each visa, and where you are permitted to work vary from visa type to visa type.
| Quote: |
| but i've also heard of people freelancing there on a tourist visa and leaving and coming back every few months. |
Sure, some people do this, but be aware (and beware) that immigration is clamping down on this type of thing. Penalties are severe.
| Quote: |
| also heard of 'volunteer' positions which pay 200,000 yen a month, and supply shared accomodation. |
Never heard of such a thing in the 7 years I've been here. Care to cite a source? Besides, volunteering and getting paid for it are mutually exclusive.[/quote] |
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mick_luna
Joined: 20 Jul 2005
Posts: 115
Location: toronto
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| Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2005 12:40 am Post subject: 'volunteer' |
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i do know the definition, but NGOs do pay their 'volunteers' stipends or honorariums or whatever. This seems to be something like that, and is listed in the General Int'l Job Forum i believe. Recent posting.
So one can get a Japanese work visa with three years experience then? Cool. Why don't any of the schools seem to mention that? I suppose their criteria for hiring by distance might be different than that for someone in country? |
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GambateBingBangBOOM
Joined: 04 Nov 2003
Posts: 2021
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2005 1:01 am Post subject: Re: 'volunteer' |
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| mick_luna wrote: |
| So one can get a Japanese work visa with three years experience then? Cool. Why don't any of the schools seem to mention that? I suppose their criteria for hiring by distance might be different than that for someone in country? |
Competition. Formal qualifications are important here (in that a university degree is required. As for actual ESL training most people are a little clueless). Visas have very little to do with working at the school. They are just required by the government in order to work here.
In general, Japanese people are not great at the entire 'this isn't exactly the same as I'm used to' or 'My boss didn't tell me exactly how to do this' type thing. It can take up to half an hour for someone at McDonalds to figure out how to give you a double cheeseburger WITH NO MUSTARD. How long do you figure it will take someone to figure out how to process overseas hiree papers without the normal university degree? Hint: they won't even bother.
You ***MIGHT*** be able to find a full time job if you already have a visa, and are in Japan. You most likely won't be able to find a job if you are not in Japan.
Also, there are EFL full time jobs that are paying less than 200,000Y a month (but they are VERY low paying jobs). For Japanese people themselves, many work for less than that (and live with their parents even after they are married). I think your 'stipend' might be closer to 20,000Y (about $200) and in Japan those types of jobs are most likely being taken by the kids of foreign nationals who live here (like the kids of US military personel or dip-lomats). |
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