Job Discussion Forums

kr575m · Joined: 08 Jan 2006 Posts: 6

I have been offered a job in Japan but I need to wait 1 1/2 months before the contract can be made. The company would like me to come ASAP and start working before the contract is made. Is this a smart move? Is it possible to make a contract and get a visa once you are already in Japan on a tourist Visa?

Kyle

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

Don't come. If you teach illegally, you forfeit any rights you might have. If the visa takes 6 weeks, that is the school's problem. Tell them you wouldn't feel right about it. What if the school is not telling the truth and you work 2, 3 months and still no visa and then they decide they don't want to pay you? What recourse will you have? Zip.

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

It takes 1.5 months to MAKE the contract? B.S. Why did they advertise the job without having a contract ready to be signed? Red flag.

Come right away and start working? Well, perhaps someone bailed out on them (a minor red flag in itself), so perhaps the suddenness is justified, but as Gordon put it, you might just be walking into a problem. We've seen people who have been rushed here, only to be left with nothing but promises of work visas which turn into "delays" and "mistakes in processing" (as the employer says), and then into a sudden firing without a last paycheck after the foreigner has overstayed his visa, so there is no legal claim against the employer.

Come right away? Hmm, you don't have to even mention hesitancy about doing the "right thing" for a work visa. Tell him it'll probably take you 6 weeks just to put your life in order at home (stuff into storage, selling unnecessary items, canceling an apartment lease, etc.). If he begs for you and can't come through with more than this lame excuse, he isn't seeing things reasonably.

Zzonkmiles · Joined: 05 Apr 2003 Posts: 309

Let's think about this for a second:

You are considering flying halfway around the world for a job where the contract and its terms aren't even guaranteed or finalized?! And on top of that, you wouldn't even be legally eligible to work because you don't even have a proper visa?!

I hope it only takes you "a second" to figure out what you should and should not do in this situation. Don't set yourself up for disaster. Get a contract and a visa first. If that's too much to ask of your employer, then stay far away from them. And if you still decide to go down this potentially dark path with this employer, then frankly, you deserve each other.

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

Man, I missed the part about the contract not being finalized. It is bad enough without a visa. No contract? So what exactly are you coming for, your employer doesn't even spell it out for you. It takes about 1 hour to write up a contract, even if they have never done one before. Total B.S.

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

Just think, you can have immigration in Japan issue you a work visa in a shorter time than it takes a potential employer to whip up a work contract on his PC, both Japanese and English version.

canuck · Joined: 11 May 2003 Posts: 1921 Location: Japan

shuize · Joined: 04 Sep 2004 Posts: 1270

Just to echo what's already been posted. Six weeks to write an employment contract?
Total B.S.

I've closed on property in less time than that. Seriously.