Job Discussion Forums

haopengyou · Joined: 02 Mar 2009 Posts: 197

Does Japan have an age limit for working visas? How about schools - do a lot of Japanese schools have (relatively young: 35-40 yrs old) age limits on hiring?

Mr_Monkey · Joined: 11 Mar 2009 Posts: 661 Location: Kyuuuuuushuuuuuuu

I've never heard of an age limit for work visas in Japan (which doesn't mean it doesn't exist).

As far as recruiters preferring younger teachers goes, I'm the youngest part-timer at the uni I work at at 34, and in the middle at the eikaiwa I work at - the youngest there is 25, the oldest is, I guess, in his 50s. I'm not saying this is the norm, though.

I do seem to half-remember an age limit for tenured positions at universities, but I'm not certain, and there are other posters better-placed to comment on that.

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

It might be simpler if you just tell us your age. Some people think falsely that they will have no chance of getting a job teaching here if they are over 35.

No age limit on work visas.
Some employers prefer a younger teacher, but legally they cannot enforce that. Mainstream schools have a salary policy based partly on age, which is one reason you will eventually have to divulge it.

So, how old are you?

More importantly would be your qualifications and nationality.

haopengyou · Joined: 02 Mar 2009 Posts: 197

I am from the U.S and am 51 I have a bachelors degree in business administration, a teachers license from the state of California and TEFL certificate from the University of California at Los Angeles. I will be getting my CELTA cert this January in Shanghai and plan on pursuing the DELTA training in a couple of years. I have been offered a job teaching in the Middle East. If I taught there I would be able to save enough $$ to pay off my present student loan, get a masters degree and then move on in about 4 years...so maybe 55 is the age that I am asking about. I have often thought that Japan would be a good place to spend my last working years as a uni teacher. To be honest, I wouldn't mind spending 3 years in the Middle East and doing some traveling about while there...but that is secondary to my objective. The ideal masters program will have blended opportunities so that I can take classes online and then take classes onsite - hopefully during the summer - so that I don't have the stigma of having an online MA.

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

haopengyou · Joined: 02 Mar 2009 Posts: 197

Thanks! I appreciate the honesty. I have read a number of stickies..but I have been reading so many websites that it is easy to miss one or two things here and there. I also have 3 ft years of experience teaching high school in the U.S., 6 years of ft experience in adult ed, a year of pt experience in a community college and 12 years of assorted experiences in China - I know that these are not likely to be counted, though I can put them together in a convincing way on a resume. I will continue to read and look. It sounds to me that if my 5 year goal is to get a uni job in Japan, if I can get "into the system" in Japan now, i.e. get any job, and then take my education as I work there, I will be better off then if I take a job in the middle east that pays lots of money and can get my education done more quickly...gosh, can you tell that I speak Chinese a lot now??

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

haopengyou · Joined: 02 Mar 2009 Posts: 197

Thanks! So I better get writing!

timothypfox · Joined: 20 Feb 2008 Posts: 492

Some schools prefer more experienced mature teachers. I was hired last april at a private high school at the age of 40. My colleague was hired at age 45. They were looking for teachers who were mature and would stay more than a few years...

I can gurantee you that a PTA at private international schools would prefer a teacher older than in their 20's so that the teacher could be more like a parent (in terms of age) to their children.

haopengyou · Joined: 02 Mar 2009 Posts: 197

Thanks! Is there a preference in Japan for masters degrees from North American schools or Europeans schools? or Southeast Asian schools? I have heard about a couple of uni's in Malaysia that offer masters degrees for about US $5,000...would be nice if I could get into Cambridge or Oxford but...dream on Smile

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

Speaking in very general terms, I think Japanese unis look at degrees from native English speaking countries with more comfort. After that it's Europe. Those from SE Asia may not be viewed as on par with the level of excellence as in Japan, as viewed by J reviewers.

But there are so many other factors involved.