How to Get a Job Teaching English in Japan
The information out there about how to get a job teaching English in Japan is vast and confusing. For this reason I wanted to provide some of the first things you need to think about after making the decision to teach English in Japan.
Who’s Hiring English Speakers?
One of the first things that you need know is the difference between the two main groups of employers in the English teaching industry. The first group are Japanese schools looking for ALTS (Assistant Language Teachers). The second is Eikaiwa – private schools in Japan that teach English conversation.
If the terms ALT or English conversation school are new to you, please check out my Teaching English in Japan Glossary blogpost.
Also, you might want to check out my post about working at Nova. I worked at Nova – English conversation school for four years.
If you think that being an ALT might be for you, you probably want to consider the JET Programme.
The JET Programme is not the only supplier of ALTs to Japanese schools, but they certainly supply the large majority. Some alternatives to JET are: Interac, Altia, and Heart.
If the JET Programme is for you, you’re away into the application process.
For those of you who are still undecided, the next important thing is to familiarise yourself with the job boards and forums about living and teaching in Japan. There are a lot to choose from. I have had the most success with Gaijin Pot for questions I have had and Ohayo Sensei for actual job listings.
Here are some other popular job boards:
https://metropolisjapan.com/jobs/
https://www.yolo-japan.com/en/
How Can You Legally Work in Japan?
It is also very important to know how you are legally able to work in Japan. If you are working as an ALT through a programme (such as JET), this is not so important because the visa details are sorted out by the programme.
If you are not going to Japan with a programme you have two choices. Firstly, to try to get a job from your home country, get visa sponsorship from the company in Japan that employs you, and enter Japan on a full Working Visa. Or secondly, to get a Working Holiday Visa to Japan and give yourself a year to find suitable employment.
Are You Eligible for a Working Holiday in Japan?
Be aware: Firstly, not all countries have the agreement with Japan that allows a Working Holiday. Secondly, to get a Working Holiday Visa you have to meet a number of criteria.
Coming from New Zealand, I had to:
- Be thirty years old or younger
- Show that I planned to see a number of places in Japan (as that is the purpose of the Working Holiday Visa)
- Prove that I had sufficient funds to do that, because the Working Holiday Visa only lets you work part time.
They were quite insistent on the point that the Working Holiday Visa was to travel around Japan and holiday. It was not to be used for the main purpose of working.
Here is a section of the eligibility criteria:
You must also agree that your main reason for visiting is to holiday and that any work should be casual/temporary to supplement funds. If your main purpose is to engage in activities for income/remuneration, you will be asked to apply for a work visa.
I add this just so you know what to expect when applying for a Working Holiday Visa from your country. My advice is to look closely at the eligibility criteria for your country
Click the link to check if your country has an agreement with Japan that allows a Working Holiday.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan – The Working Holiday Programme
Finally, I have always found this website very helpful as a guide to Visa and Immigration in Japan.
https://www.juridique.jp/immigration.php
A Job Teaching English in Japan – Where does it leave you?
So, where does that leave you in your goal of getting a job teaching English in Japan?
If the options, going through an ALT Programme, or getting a Working Holiday Visa, are not right for you, it’s time to start going through those job sites.
You’re looking for a job either at one of the following places:
- an Eikaiwa (English conversation school)
- a Japanese elementary school, junior high school, or high school that chooses not to employ from the JET programme
- an international pre-school or kindergarten
Once you’re in Japan with a Working Visa and gaining some experience, more opportunities will open for you.
So, go and do it. It’s possible and it’s done all the time, so there’s no reason that you can’t. Firstly, search Gaijin Pot and Ohayo Sensei. Find those employers looking for staff, and more importantly get your resume together and contact them.
Click here to go back up to Job Listings.
Good luck with your search! Finally, check back here for more information about working as an ALT or as an instructor at a conversation school.
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