Job Discussion Forums

[JohnSearle]

Hello,

I'm a Canadian who has hooked up with a Finnish girl, and we were looking into teaching abroad in Asia somewhere (preferably Japan). So I was wondering what are the chances that she'll manage to get a position somewhere. I think we were planning on applying to the big three in Japan (Nova, et al.)

She is obviously a non-native English speaker, but she speaks fluent English, and she actually has a grasp of English grammar far beyond me. She has a university degree in Anthropology (social and cultural) from Helsinki University, and no other qualifications. If looks matter, she's a tall attractive red head.

Any advice or help on this matter would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

- John

PS: I did attempt to find a similar thread using search, but to no avail. Please forgive this question, if it is all too common.

[Glenski]

Her looks and hair color mean nothing. She is fortunate enough to have a bachelor's degree, but being a non-native speaker may be bad. In Japan, anyway, immigration is king, not the employer, and immigration tends to look at non-native speakers in a negative way unless they can show they have 12-13 years of their ecucation totally in English. Perhaps your friend can show them a test score to prove her fluency?

Network, schmooze, do whatever it takes, but it will be an uphill battle for her. Easiest route is to marry you if you have a job, then she can get a dependent visa and work PT (with permission from the government).

Visa eligibility comes first here. If the employer wants to hire her, but immigration says no chance, then it's no go. So, she will have to not only look for a willing employer, but a way to sway them and immigration.

Have her look into Berlitz if nothing else.

[gugelhupf]

Obviously there is a much smaller market in many Asian countries for native speakers of other languages, but I doubt that Finnish is in much demand. If your partner had a teaching certificate/teachers' licence then in some countries (but probably not Japan) she may be able to find work as a regular school teacher.