Job Discussion Forums

[kita]

I have been working in Japan for the past 3 years on an Instructor Visa. My visa and current job contract will expire at the end of July. I am looking for a new job and have gotten some interest from several schools.

One of those schools is offering what they call semi-full time hours. They are interested in hiring me but say it would be difficult to sponsor my visa due to not working full-time hours. To get around this issue, I have been looking into setting up a self/multiple sponsor visa. I have searched the site, but most of the information seems pretty vague and from 2003.

I am most interested in finding out about the following:

1. I know you can't change a WHV and the like into a self sponsored visa, but is it possible to switch from an Instructor visa to a self sponsored Specialist in Humanities visa?

2. Most people who have self-sponsored seem to already be working and use their current positions and contracts to get the visa. I would be using a contract or contracts from jobs I have not yet started. Would that be acceptable to immigration officials?

3. To self sponsor a visa, I need to show copies of any contracts I have and also a financial statement from the schools I'll be working for. Does anyone know what the name of the needed financial statement is in Japanese? And is there anything else the school would have to do other than provide a copy of the contact and financial info?

4. The immigration website says that processing all the paperwork could take up to 3 months. Should I not get the new visa before my current one expires, would I be able to start work while the visa is still processing?


Any information on the process would be most helpful. I would love to go to one of the Information centers to get answers, but my closest one would be 2.5 hours by train and the phone line is always busy when I try calling. If anyone could offer any insight, I would appreciate it.

[Glenski]

1. I know you can't change a WHV and the like into a self sponsored visa, but is it possible to switch from an Instructor visa to a self sponsored Specialist in Humanities visa?
not sure. Ask immigration. If nothing else, you could at least go for a change in status of residence. Just be aware that the acceptable employers for those 2 types of visas are different, and that you could still get permission to work in either one.


2. Most people who have self-sponsored seem to already be working and use their current positions and contracts to get the visa. I would be using a contract or contracts from jobs I have not yet started. Would that be acceptable to immigration officials?
If they are from employers that immigration feels can actually guarantee the income, and as long as the total income meets a certain (undefined) level of subsistence wages, yes.

3. To self sponsor a visa, I need to show copies of any contracts I have and also a financial statement from the schools I'll be working for. Does anyone know what the name of the needed financial statement is in Japanese? And is there anything else the school would have to do other than provide a copy of the contact and financial info?
I think this is what you need. http://www.keepingpaceinjapan.com/2007/04/self-sponsored-visa.html

4. The immigration website says that processing all the paperwork could take up to 3 months. Should I not get the new visa before my current one expires, would I be able to start work while the visa is still processing?
How much time remains on your current visa, and do any of the new jobs fall outside of its realm?

[kita]

Thank you Glenski. That first link you provided was extremely helpful.

To answer your question, my visa will expire at the end of July and I will pretty much work till it expires. Current visa is an Instructor visa, but I will need a Specialist in Humanities visa. I'd love to keep working as an ALT, but most jobs openings are for eikaiwa positions. I would be sending in the paperwork for a visa extension and a change in visa status while still working at my current position using contracts from the positions I would start after the current visa expires.

[Glenski]

I don't think you will be allowed to send in both an application for extending your current visa and changing your status. Hard to say how immigration wants to work out the timing on such a process. Good luck.

[Apsara]

It's definitely a "change of status" only if you want to switch to a humanities visa. When I changed from a humanities visa to a spouse visa I did not have to apply for an extension of period of stay, only a change of status.