Job Discussion Forums

[Pitarou]

I've been offered a job at an eikaiwa from overseas. The school I've applied to seems to believe I can only obtain a work visa from the Japanese Embassy in my home country. I want to be in Japan some time before the school gets round to organising my visa, so this could be a real nuisance.

As has been pointed out to me, once I have my Certificate of Eligibility I can obtain my work visa at an Immigration Office in Japan. My problem is, how do I convince the school of this?

My first thought was to find something authoritative on the English language sections of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Immigration Office, but I couldn't find anything useful there.

Maybe I should try phoning the Japanese Embassy?

Has anyone else had this problem? How did they solve it?

[fluffyhamster]

My guess is that you won't find anything conclusive (though there may be a suggestive link or two from searching for 'COE' with me as author), that more or less spells out in black and white that people have any absolute right to enter Japan in order to look for work (rather than immediately start work that has been duly set up through the usual, "proper" channels); that is, the granting of permission to work would indeed seem more discretionary when applied for from within rather than from outside Japan i.e. needs a fair amount of "reading between the lines" by prospective applicants (and as you've discovered, employers, if not Immigration (certain ~ officers) itself (?)). And of course the Japanese government is "perfectly entitled" to operate things in whatever manner they choose (that is, we can all "appreciate" the reasons for whatever murkiness and the seemingly case-by-case basis in "unusual" circumstances - it might be better than less controlled immigration, eh).

Anyway, what could be a REAL nuisance is arriving in Japan and not being granted that COE/permission to work for whatever reason - and that reason could have more to do with the company applying for it (their financial state, their definitely deciding upon meeting you in the flesh to continue with the hiring process etc) than with Immigration not liking the look of things. I'm not trying to cast aspersions about the company that you're applying to (don't know who they are, or really care to know!), and certainly not about you, I'm just saying that there have been horror stories of people ending up unemployed and without permission to do any sort of work...at least if you get the COE prior to entering Japan, your entry to the country will be assured, and you will be able to change jobs if the worst comes to the worst, plus it will give everyone a much clearer idea of exactly where they stand, probable start dates etc etc.

I know it is nice to have some time to explore Japan prior to starting work, and you'll likely have little time and/or leave (money wa?) once you are working, but I really think that this could be a case of 'If you scratch their back, they'll then scratch yours'.

But good luck with finding something authoritative if that's what you still want (and maybe post a link here if you find something good?)!

[Pitarou]

Found something, but it not what I was expecting / hoping for.

Application for Change of Status of Residence

[Glenski]

Easy answer. Tell your employer to contact immigration.

They speak and write in Japanese.

Case closed.

[Pitarou]