Korean Job Discussion Forums

[isitts]

[judoka]

I'll take a trip to Korea later this year. If there is anyone who wants to sort-of have an exchange deal by showing me, I dont know, your daily life in Korea, I will happily do the same in Japan for you. PM me if interested.

[judoka]

If anyone is interested in the JET Program, it is possible to apply while in Korea. You would just need to go to your home country for the interview at around February. This has been done before.

[Setaro]

[Chimie]

I don't really know what people mean when they say Japanese are less shy. I know everything here is anecdotal, but having gone to HS and Uni in Japan, I'd say the people there are much more uninviting to foreigners, quite often racist too.

If you're there to visit or for a few months, they'll show you courtesy and kindness enough. After the newness of the silly foreigner wears off they ignore you. Plan on staying there or integrating into their country/society and that kindness disappears fast and changes to quite the negative reaction. Many may not realize it though due to language barriers or rose colored glasses. =/

Again, personal opinion, take it as you will.

[bluethree]

[judoka]

[hagwonnewbie]

1 Japanese yen = 15.3321555 South Korean won

so 250k yen is like 3.75 million won per month. Even after accomodation you're making over 3 mill. So you're making at least 400 dollars more per month in Japan.

[Shimokitazawa]

Japan is more lucrative for most EFL teachers, contrary to those here reporting otherwise. Also, Japan is just an easier place to live and work and the Japanese people easier to live with. The culture is more interesting, the cities are cleaner and modern and transportation system great.

Another significant plus to teaching EFL in Japan is that Work Visas are NOT tied to a teacher's employer. One can quit a school, walk across the street and get hired by a new school all in the same day without any trouble. Furthermore, the work visas are valid for 3 years.

Part-time work at other schools is totally up to the teacher, s/he can work at as many different schools as they can fit into their schedules. Private English classes are taught out in the open, in public in coffee shops and restaurants. No one cares.

Maybe even more importantly, contracts in Japan are inviolate. Japanese schools do not rip off their teachers and most contracts are honored. Unlike in Korea, where midnight runs by dissatisfied teachers are not uncommon. Midnight runs are rarely, if ever, heard in Japan by TEFL teachers.

Japan, without a doubt, should be considered as a step up in one's TEFL career if they are coming from having taught EFL in Korea.

[Riker]

As someone who pulled a midnight runner from a public school in Korea I would carefully consider the post above mine before coming to Korea.

[midnightpariah]

I am currently living in Japan and I have been here for 3 years. Insurance and taxes are very expensive after your first year here. I pay about 30,000 yen a month for health insurance and 40,000 yen every other month for my ward taxes. My rent is 73,000 yen a month and utitilies, phone, and Internet run me around 40,000 yen a month. Food is rather expensive, but you can find good deals if you have several stores nearby (I only have one). I pay about 30,000 to 40,000 a month in food. Public transportation is way more expensive here than in Korea. I spend around 1100 yen one way to get into the nearest city (Sendai). When I lived in Yokohama, my expenses were higher. If you live in a big city, expect to pay a lot. The job market here is not very good right now especially if you are living outside Japan.

Oh, I work for an International school.

[TheUrbanMyth]

[Shimokitazawa]

In Japan, you can quit your job and take another one all in the same day without having to file any papers at immigration. Teachers keep the same sponsor. The sponsor only changes when the visa runs out and a teacher's new school becomes the new sponsor.

But, and this is another significant feature of the work visa system in Japan for EFL teachers, one can self sponsor their own visa. There are thousands of teachers in Japan who do not use a school to sponsor their work visas. Japanese immigration laws allow for teachers to do something unofficially referred to there as a self-sponsored visa.

I didn't mention this in my earlier post, but there are no Criminal Record Check requirements for English teachers in Japan. No fingerprints, no FBI checks, no medical checks. None of these inconveniences that we have to deal with in order to get a TEFL job here in Korea exist in Japan.

Anyways, once a teacher has his/her "Specialist in Humanities" work visa, they are good for 3 years and can work for as many different schools as they like.

[Garciua]

Removie please..

[TheUrbanMyth]