Job Discussion Forums

[stevenbhow]

Today I went to the immigration office to get the paperwork for PR. While I was there I was told to be sure and return all of the paperwork by the end of the month because in August the PR process will be changing. I knew they were going to change the visa process in April 2010, but I haven't heard about any changes taking place next month. Does any one know what they were talking about?

[Noor]

Maybe this.


Immigration revision set to be passed
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20090619a1.html


Point system eyed to attract foreign experts
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20090622a6.html

[stevenbhow]

Yeah, maybe that's what she meant, but I didn't see anything in there that would change the application process other than renewing my alien reg. at the immigration office instead of the ward office.

[Rooster_2006]

Since I will be living in Japan starting next year or the year after that, I'm very curious about this new "point system." Curious in a good way. Does anyone have a point sheet for the new system? I wonder what it looks like.

Maybe it's something like this (I love to speculate because I'm bored):

JLPT Level:
Level 4 -- 5 points
Level 3 -- 10 points
Level 2 -- 15 points
Level 1 -- 20 points

Age:
Under 25: 15 points
25-30: 10 points
30-40: 5 points

Degrees:
Associate's: 5 points
Bachelor's: 10 points
Master's: 15 points
PhD: 20 points

Funds to Support Oneself of 1,000,000 yen or more: 5 points

Income:
Over 200,000 yen a month: 5 points
Over 400,000 yen a month: 10 points
Over 600,000 yen a month: 15 points
Over 800,000 yen a month: 20 points
Over 1,000,000 yen a month: 25 points

Length of Stay in Japan:
3+ years: 5 points
5+ years: 10 points
10+ years: 15 points

And if you get 60 or above, that's permanent residency? This is pure speculation, I'm just making up a hypothetical points system based on what I've seen on England's point system.

I wonder what the REAL points system looks like. Anyone got an idea?

[Glenski]

The article on the point system is dated June this year. It clearly states that this has not been made official yet but is only on the drawing board.

"A Justice Ministry panel will begin mapping out the new system soon."

Soon = ? Nobody knows.

[Rooster_2006]

[Glenski]

A generic BA vs. a degree in IT, is that it?

You're going to need more than either one to get your foot in most non-teaching doors here.

Japanese language ability is most often cited (JLPT 2 minimum).
Experience at the job (i.e., what can you do that a local cannot?)

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

In any point system, IT will probably not get you any points in this country. Point systems for immigration award points for ability to do high need jobs (like nursing or English education related things- not ALTing, or eikaiwa, but university, test companies, probably editorial- things that you need an MA in Applied Linguistics or TESOL for normally [I realize that 'high need' and 'English education' seem to be mutually exclusive in this country, but there is an international image to keep up, and as Glenski put it, 'what can you do that a local cannot?'])

Japan is not in dire need of people who can use computers. It IS in dire need of medical professionals, and care for the elderly (an area which will continue to grow at an alarming rate in this country for some time).

Eventually, they may come to decide that they need "salaryman"s if (or when) it becomes apparent that the education system in this country is churning out far too many people who got through the education system and possibly even though a junior college program who are basically uneducated beyond the level of a first year junior high school or last couple of years of elementary school student (but that's what you get for having a system in place with absolutely no consequences so long as the parents can pay enough for a private high school and junior college).

Japanese language skills will be very important, although if they do end up increasing immigration in this country (something they'll have to do to keep their economy at the level it is) then probably furigana will become the norm (meaning that, like European countries, Korea, and every other country with a syllabry or alphabet only, people can just look a word up in a regular dictionary instead of messing around with kanji dictionaries) , there may even possibly be more JSL (Japanese as a Second Language) teacher jobs (probably only through private schools, because otherwise the government would have to pay for it), as well.

ETA
As for PR changes now, I think I read on this board or another that somebody was asked to see proof that they were all caught up on local taxes.