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Yumiko
Joined: 22 Jun 2010
Posts: 2
Location: Yokohama
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 Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 7:31 pm Post subject: Visa Requirements (Berlitz) |
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Hey there!
I hope to get a bit of enlightening in line with my husband's situation. I'm half-Filipino, half-Japanese, has dual citizenship. I was raised and practically stayed in the Philippines my whole life, married a Filipino, then my husband and I both decided to move here. My mother,by the way, sponsored his temporary visitor visa.
A few days ago, he applied at Berlitz, filled out the online application, answered the questionnaire and got a response asking him if he can go to their Tokyo office for an interview.
Im a bit concerned about the visa requirement, according to Berlitz: "Berlitz Japan can sponsor employees on our Instructor Contract for an SHIS visa. In order to qualify for this visa, you should have a Bachelor's Degree from a university in a native English speaking country. You must also have 12 years of education in a native English-speaking environment. The immigration office must see your original university degree and will not accept a copy, so please provide your original when requested by our recruiting managers.
Applicants from non-English speaking countries should provide detailed information on degrees held and proof of 12 years of education in a native English-speaking environment."
My husband has a BA degree in International studies,
even though he's a Filipino (thus will be considered as a non-native speaker) he considers himself a native speaker (he learned English when he was a kid, and has been using the language ever since), he has 14 years of education using English as the primary language, and he also worked as an assistant manager for a BPO company(an outsourced call center, servicing United States) back in Manila for 4 years. He doesn't have any formal teaching experience though.
My questions are:
1. How would you provide a detailed info on one's degree?
2. What kind of proof would Immigration need that he indeed had 14 years of education with English as the primary language? A certificate from all the schools he attended perhaps?
3. What are his chances of getting hired?
4. Will he be offered a lower salary since he's from the Philippines?
Sorry if Im asking a lot of questions. I just want to help him out by getting inputs from "the experts" 
Thanks much! |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 9:55 pm Post subject: Re: Visa Requirements (Berlitz) |
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| Yumiko wrote: |
Hey there!
I hope to get a bit of enlightening in line with my husband's situation. I'm half-Filipino, half-Japanese, has dual citizenship. |
Although your message was about your husband, I wanted to point out that your dual citizenship will not last forever. Legally, you cannot hold it past age 22, so be careful about how you spread this around in front of employers.
| Quote: |
| Im a bit concerned about the visa requirement, according to Berlitz: "Berlitz Japan can sponsor employees on our Instructor Contract for an SHIS visa. |
As long as Berlitz has him teaching eikaiwa classes, the SHIS visa is appropriate. The term "instructor" is probably just a Berlitz one, but I also just wanted to point out that if he is asked to teach as an ALT in a public school, there may be issues with that sort of visa. If ALT work is most of his responsibilities, he needs an Instructor visa. If ALT is only part of his job, he should probably get special permission from immigration to do that on a SHIS visa.
http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/english/tetuduki/zairyuu/shikakugai.html
| Quote: |
| In order to qualify for this visa, you should have a Bachelor's Degree from a university in a native English speaking country. You must also have 12 years of education in a native English-speaking environment. |
Actually, the description for the SHIS visa reads as follows:
The following conditions are to be fulfilled, unless the applicant is to engage in business related to representation in association with the procedures for an international arbitration case, and falls under Article 58-2 of the Special Measures Law Concerning the Handling of Legal Business by Foreign Lawyers (Law No. 66 of 1986).
1. In cases where the applicant is to engage in a job requiring knowledge in the humanities, he must have graduated from or completed a course at a college or acquired equivalent education majoring in a subject relevant to the knowledge necessary for performing the job concerned, or have at least 10 years' experience (including the period of time spent obtaining the relevant knowledge at a college, college of technology (koutousenmongakkou), upper secondary school, the latter course of a secondary educational school (chutokyouikugakkou) or during a specialized course of study at an advanced vocational school (senshyugakkou)).
2. In cases where the applicant is to engage in a job requiring specific ways of thinking or sensitivity based on experience with a foreign culture, the following conditions are to be fulfilled.
a. The applicant must engage in translation, interpretation, instruction in languages, copywriting, public relations, overseas transactions, fashion or interior design, product development or other similar work.
b. The applicant must have at least 3 years' experience in the relevant job, except in cases where the applicant who has graduated from college is to engage in translation, interpretation or instruction in languages.
The description for the Instructor visa is this:
1. In cases where the applicant is to engage in instruction at a vocational school (kakushugakkou) or an educational institution equivalent to it in facilities and curriculum or in cases where the applicant is to engage in instruction at another school in a capacity other than that of a teacher, the following conditions are to be fulfilled. In cases where the applicant is to engage in instruction at a vocational school or an educational institution equivalent to it in facilities and curriculum which is established to provide primary or secondary education in a foreign language to the children of those with the status of residence "Diplomat" or "Official" given in Annexed Table I (1) of the Act or "Dependent" given in Annexed Table I (4) of the Act, only requirement a) need be fulfilled.
a. The applicant must have graduated from or completed a course at a college or acquired equivalent education, or must hold a license to teach the subject that he intends to teach in Japan.
b. When the applicant is to teach a foreign language, he must have acquired education in that language for at least 12 years. When the applicant is to teach other subjects, he must have at least 5 years' teaching experience in that subject.
http://www.moj.go.jp/ENGLISH/information/mopca-01.html
So, if you ask me, they are trying to hire him under the Instructor visa, not the SHIS type. Be very clear about this.
| Quote: |
| The immigration office must see your original university degree and will not accept a copy, so please provide your original when requested by our recruiting managers. |
Actually, they will accept a copy. People have done it with certified copies, and transcripts help prove that it's valid.
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| Applicants from non-English speaking countries should provide detailed information on degrees held and proof of 12 years of education in a native English-speaking environment." |
Well, what exactly does Berlitz say they want in the way of "detailed information"? I'd say get something from his university to vouch for the degree at least, plus the transcripts. As for 12 years of education, get something signed by his former schools, a certificate as you wrote.
| Quote: |
My husband has a BA degree in International studies,
even though he's a Filipino (thus will be considered as a non-native speaker) he considers himself a native speaker (he learned English when he was a kid, and has been using the language ever since), |
I realize this situation, and yes, Japan often/usually considers people native English speakers only if they come from the US, UK, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand. Stupid, but you have to play by their rules.
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3. What are his chances of getting hired? |
Nobody can say.
| Quote: |
| 4. Will he be offered a lower salary since he's from the Philippines? |
He might, but according to immigration regulations, he shouldn't. |
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