Job Discussion Forums

japan_01 · Joined: 04 Mar 2006 Posts: 89 Location: Gifu Ken

I am an Australian who is currently being employed as a part-time employer at a junior and senior high school and have a contract until July 31, 2006. I am on a working holiday visa. I am currently being taxed 20% of my monthly salary which is quite a substantial amount. I also am living off the personal travel insurance which I purchased back home in Australia.

My question is: Is my employer required to insure me and am I being taxed the right amount?

womblingfree · Joined: 04 Mar 2006 Posts: 826

That sounds like a huge amount of tax for Japan. Are you sure your boss isn't already deducting insurance contributions?

If you're working 40+ hours a week you should be getting health and the rest. Most employers of foreigners don't subscribe to the national system though even though they should. You should at least be getting an alternative.

If you're receiving no health insurance at all quit and report the boss to a union and the local government office.

japan_01 · Joined: 04 Mar 2006 Posts: 89 Location: Gifu Ken

I am only working 29 hours per week as I am a PART-TIME worker. Does that make any difference?

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

WHV holders should be taxed 20%, so that is legal. Look at the WHV web site. I also think you can get back most if not all of that when you return home.

As for insurance, I don't think anyone who is working part-time (regardless of visa status) is required to be insured by their employer. That's why so many eikaiwas now report your exact classroom time and have adjusted their schedules so that they can claim you as a PT worker, even if you teach 8 or 10 classes a day.

Reisender · Joined: 27 Jul 2004 Posts: 45

WHV holders are usually limited to a maximum stay of 1 year therefore they are taxed at the non-resident rate of 20%. Australians can get an extra 6 month extension to their WHVs and are therefore considered residents from their date of entry and so are eligible for the standard resident rate of something like 7% I believe. You need to make this distinction clear to your employer as it seems they aren't aware of it. You can recoup the extra tax you paid but this will incur some costs in time and money with all the running around required to do that.

In your case, your employer may not need to insure you but many will reimburse a portion of your premiums if you can show receipts. Is none of this mentioned in your contract?

japan_01 · Joined: 04 Mar 2006 Posts: 89 Location: Gifu Ken

Unfortunately, nothing was mentioned in my contract regarding health insurance and when I asked my employer I was told that being in Japan for only year meant I was not legible. If I can find another 6 month contract job, do you think it will be worth my while to try and get back that 13% or so? What are the costs involved to get back the money? Is it worth it?

Appreciative for your comments,

G