Job Discussion Forums

chingao327 · Joined: 20 Jun 2007 Posts: 6 Location: California

what the hell do i do with it? I still have my COE, my visa's good for a year... any suggestions?

Since Nova is washed up, I'm sitting pretty I guess.

Hoser · Joined: 19 Mar 2005 Posts: 694 Location: Toronto, Canada

Are you in Japan already?

benshi · Joined: 16 Feb 2007 Posts: 48

If you have some money to get by on, you could get your visa (assuming the embassy will give it to you, since they know NOVA's gone belly-up.) and come to Japan to look for work. Your work visa will be good for a year (probably) starting from the day you set foot in Japan. Who sponsors your visa won't be an issue until it comes time to renew it, if you stay for longer than a year. At that time, you will need a letter of release from NOVA or whatever is left of it.

Otherwise, if you don't have any cash socked away, you'll be better off to toss the COE in the circular file, and start applying for work from wherever you are. You'd need a good 5000 USD or thereabouts if you were looking for work in the country, because you wouldn't see any money for about 6 weeks even if you were hired the day you got off the plane (which isn't likely).

Also, remember that there are about 5000 ex-NOVA teachers currently in competition with you for available jobs. . .

Good luck!

Maaku · Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 14 Location: Tokyo, Japan

I was under the assumption that the certificate of eligibility in itself doesnt constitute a visa. When you come to Japan, I believe your visa is then placed in your passport, you get the gaijin card, etc. Ironically, I forgot.

Its possible that if you arrive in Japan, you might be denied a working visa in humanities, since your sponsor is now defunct and you have no job to sponsor you. But I can be wrong.

stillnosheep · Joined: 01 Mar 2004 Posts: 2068 Location: eslcafe

Ring the Japanese Embassy and ask them.

They know.

We don't.

drifter13 · Joined: 27 Mar 2007 Posts: 124 Location: Fujisawa

I would definately be cautious. Calling your nearest Japanese embassy is a good idea. To be honest though, if you're still at home, I'd find work over there even before you left the country. I'm here now and things are not looking good at the moment. Line up some work before you get on that plane, with a company that will set you up with a Visa you know will be good.