Job Discussion Forums

misoji_blue · Joined: 13 Jan 2009 Posts: 6 Location: Kanagawa, Japan

Hi,

I've been searching for teaching jobs from my home country for about 3 months now and haven't had much luck. I figured it might be better to just go to Japan to start looking as I have a free place to stay and it might open up more opportunities. My flight is 15 July.

Yesterday (8 July) I received an email from a school that I'd interviewed with 2 months ago. They offered me a job starting on 30 August and wanted to send me the contract and other documents. I gave them my address in Japan. Here is the response I got today:

"As you worked at xxxxx, I assume you are familiar with a Japan Visa. Normally, in order to non-Japanese person to come to Japan for work, he is required to obtain an appropriate Japan Visa at the Japanese Consulate before he come to Japan. Japan Visa cannot be obtained in Japan. For this, his employer need to apply for a Certificate of Eligibility to the immigration office in Japan. It normally take 4-8 weeks before a COE is issued."

It's a little difficult to understand, but it sounds like he is saying that a COE is only reqiured when applying for a visa in Japan, but not when applying outside Japan. This contradicts everything I've been told by other employers. The job I've been offered is a 3.5 month contract from Westgate. Not the most ideal job, but a decent enough short-term option.

Are visa requirements different for short-term contracts, or for people applying from within Japan?

Regards,

misoji

seklarwia · Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2010 3:42 pm Post subject:

Not surprised you had so litte luck when you were searching just after the main hiring period.

And what your employer said makes perfect sense although based on somewhat dated info.

Regardless of you whether you get your visa stamp put in your passport in Japan or outside, you still need a COE. You're employer must apply for you COE within Japan and then send it to you to exchange for your visa stamp either at immigration within Japan or at an embassy/consulate abroad. So the bit about needing to exchange the COE for a visa outside of Japan is no longer true (and hasn't been for a while now).

But just because you are allowed to get you visa stamp in Japan, it doesn't mean that all employers like the idea of doing it that way.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

misoji_blue · Joined: 13 Jan 2009 Posts: 6 Location: Kanagawa, Japan

Thank you both for clearing that up for me. From the tone of the email, it sounded like the Westgate recruiter was disappointed that I was going to be in Japan so soon. I thought that being in the country would only help my chances of securing a job. Back to the drawing board, I guess.

Cheers.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

You should have said this was from Westgate. The situation might be a little different for them. They may choose not to file for your visa/SOR less than 4-8 weeks before the job actually starts because the job itself doesn't last all that long (3 or 7 months, depending on which slot you're applying for). I would say they are justified in balking at doing such things. Visas rarely get turned down, and people have been known to work without receiving them (that is, work while the visa is still in the process of being issued), but it's still technically illegal, I think. Therefore, Westgate has a right to hesitate.

Their information is still incorrect, but you can't change the way they feel about applying for your visa.

Anyone with Westgate experience know otherwise?

seklarwia · Posted: Sat Jul 10, 2010 5:27 am Post subject: Re: Applying for a Visa in Japan

But he did say so, although it did come near the end of his first post Wink

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

You're right. Sorry about that.