Working as an English teacher in Japan

Features of employment in Japanese schools

Good teachers are respected in this country, so even if after a while you decide to radically change your profession, your teaching experience will only benefit you.

Since 2011, English has been compulsory for high school students, and since 2013 for everyone, including elementary grades. There are English schools of one form or another in every Japanese prefecture.

Education begins at the age of 6-7, school education consists of 12 classes: primary (Sho: Gakko: 6 years), secondary (Chu: Gakko: 3 years) and senior (Ko: to: Gakko: 3 years). The younger students are engaged in 4 lessons, while the senior students are in school from 8 to 18.00. The day of a high school student is scheduled by the minute: first, lessons, then kai (circles and electives), then juku (additional courses).

94% of students plan to enter universities, but due to the high requirements and cost, only 45% of the total population study at universities.

Japan's immigration policy is to strictly limit unskilled labor, so before you move, you should take care of education: basic and additional. A qualified teacher will never be left without work, because the coupon for attending courses is considered the most popular gift. Higher education is considered a privilege, is paid and not available to everyone, therefore, especially high requirements are placed on teachers of universities, colleges and high schools.

Almost every Japanese has problems with pronunciation, intonation, expressiveness of English speech, which creates a high demand for teachers and a high level of competition. But Japanese language experts, as a rule, are not your main rivals - in most cases, their methodology is the method of translations, which excludes the possibility of learning correct and fluent colloquial speech. The main competitors are people from the USA, Australia, Canada.

Among the teachers, you can meet people from English-speaking countries, even without a diploma of higher education . But for applicants from Russia and other non-English speaking countries, things are more complicated. As a rule, non-natives are accepted into schools for the position of "teaching assistant", but duties include teaching, extracurricular activities, and administrative work.

Salary also depends on the city. In large cities, wages are higher:

• tokyo,
• Osaka,
• yokohama,
• Saitama,
• Nagoya,
• Kobe.

The salary can reach $5000, however it depends on many conditions. Let's take a look at them.

What is required from the teacher?

• Mandatory presence of a diploma of higher education (minimum bachelor). Specialties that can be at least remotely related to the teaching of English (linguistics, philology, the study of Asian culture, pedagogy) will be given priority.
• Proven experience as a teacher (relevant columns in the work book or the presence of personal methodological developments, programs).
• Certificates (in many educational institutions they are quoted, because they are an indicator that a person has studied the methodology of teaching foreigners).
• Fluency in the language - Proficiency (in some courses, teachers can talk for an hour, and this will be considered an excellent transfer of knowledge).
• A minimum knowledge of Japanese will be a huge plus (many schools have extracurricular classes where you can improve it or start learning it).
• Successful passage of mensetsu - an interview that can last up to 4 hours and include up to a hundred questions: professional, psychological, general.
• The presence of a letter of recommendation, which indicates personal qualities, professional merits, special successes at the previous place of work.
• Successful completion of the test for the teacher - checking vocabulary, grammar skills

If you studied in English: school, courses, university, then this will also be your advantage. You can easily get a job if you grew up in a family where one of the parents is a native speaker of English.

There are several options for obtaining a job in Japan:

1. Passing special certification courses for teachers with subsequent employment.
2. Independent search for vacancies.
3. Moving and searching for "arubaito" - part-time jobs in order to have money for a living and parallel tests in various schools.

In any case, the applicant begins by compiling and sending resume , which must be sent to all institutions, even those that seem “too cool”.

Additional requirements

In the interview, pay attention to the behavior of the person. By the way the future teacher behaves: whether he is relaxed, smiling, whether he is in the mood for communication, you can determine his style of teaching lessons.

Courtesy, knowledge of business ethics, the ability to communicate respectfully, as well as timely bows, appropriate wardrobe are important factors that affect success in Japanese society.

It is important to be able to ask questions and not be afraid to express your opinion. It is better to ask thoroughly about future working conditions and ask to change them than to face unpleasant surprises after the move.

It is important to find out as much as possible about a potential job in order to make suggestions or recommendations at the interview - this will definitely be appreciated. Be sure to visit the school website to get an idea about it.

Consistency is required from the teacher in the lessons, so it will not be possible to use independently developed methods in each lesson - Japanese students do not like surprises. The ideal option for them would be a well-planned lesson in which you go through 3 pages of the textbook, learn 5 new words, watch and discuss the video. The ability to plan classes is a mandatory skill in Japanese education.

A well-written resume is very important. It must be taken if the interview takes place in Japan or sent by mail if you are applying for a job online.

In Japan, the initiative is welcome - if you add additional elements to the educational process that students will like, this will definitely be appreciated.

Men are usually paid 40% more, which is due to the traditions of the country, according to which women are better at raising children and maintaining home comfort.

Legalization of teacher's work

Official registration begins with a successfully passed interview and the conclusion of an employment contract. Then, up to 3 months, the Japanese side deals with a work permit for a foreign citizen. It is issued by the Immigration Bureau, and the employer sends it to the future employee. Shipping and handling costs are covered by the employer.

The next step is to obtain a work visa at the Japanese consulate, which is opened for a certain type of activity. You will need the following documents:

• Valid foreign passport.
• Passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation.
• Color copies of both passports.
• Properly completed visa application forms - 2 pieces.
• 2 photos 3.5-4.5 cm.
• Invitation from the employer company on letterhead with a seal.
• Permission to carry out labor activity, which is sent by the Japanese side.
• Certificate of good conduct.

The current epidemiological situation in 2023 may cause you to be asked to take a coronavirus test or collect additional medical certificates. However, this issue is best discussed in detail at the interview.

Visa processing may take about a week or less. When crossing the Japanese border on a work visa, you need to register with the police and obtain a temporary residence permit.

Permanent residence is allowed only for those who have been in the country for 10 years, for Japanese spouses - from a year to 5 years.

In order not to become a victim of force majeure circumstances, we recommend that you have some cash on your card - $ 2000-5000, in order to feel more confident.

Working conditions

After a successful interview, as a rule, they call within a few days and ask where to send documents for obtaining a work visa.

• The work schedule depends on the place of teaching - there is a time job with a couple of lessons a day, there is a classic schedule from 10.00 to 19.00 with a lunch break. Standard Public School Hours: 8:40 am to 2:40 pm 5 days a week (possible additional extracurricular activities or a busy Saturday) and remote work.
• The minimum leave is 10-14 days + all public holidays (in some institutions, the teacher goes on unpaid leave in August).
• Many language schools can arrange an internship from 1 to 4 months with partial payment or without payment.
• Preparation and planning of lessons takes place after the lessons, but, as a rule, this is included in the workload and is paid.
• In some schools, teachers may be required to conduct creative activities in which students take an active part.
• The payment for a month of work in a public school for a beginner starts from $1500 and eventually reaches $2500-4000. However, in most cases, the personal data of a person, his experience, education, and the presence of a certificate.
• Typically, the employer pays for health insurance and travel expenses, and in some cases provides assistance with housing.
• The salary is increased gradually, which is associated with obtaining work experience (a novice specialist with a higher education receives about $ 1,500 and increases every few years). On average, salaries increase by 4% per year.
• Diligence and overfulfillment of the plan will be positively assessed by the authorities in the form of bonuses.

The main difficulties may be associated with a markedly different corporate ethics, which must be carefully studied before moving. It can be difficult for people from the CIS countries to clearly and patiently follow all the rules, regulations, and traditions. In Japan, a person who works overtime is respected, and laziness is severely punished, up to and including dismissal.

Success awaits those who are ready to work without raising their heads, then it will be possible to gain experience, earn positive feedback from management, and make savings.

What do you need to be prepared for?

The most important difficulties that an English teacher in Japan may face are related to the following factors:

• The need to learn Japanese for career growth and further residence.
• The cost of living is very high (prices for housing, food, things are much higher than in Russia).
• Strict taxation system: if your head income does not exceed $18,500, the tax rate is 5%. If the amount of annual profit is more - 45%.
• Annual mandatory medical examinations.
• Long search for the first job.
• Unaccustomed overtime - a standard week includes 40 hours of core activity, but in some areas, overtime work reaches 15 hours per week.
• The academic year is divided into trimesters and begins in April.
• In the education system, constant shuffling is accepted - you can change the class at any time.
• Difficulties in buying business clothes for tall and overweight people.
• Possible non-standard climatic situations (earthquakes, etc.)

How to search for vacancies?

If you don’t want to risk and go nowhere, then you should try to find a job from home and arrange a remote interview. A good option would be to take certification courses for English teachers, after which you will be helped to find a job. Some schools invite people from other countries to interviews and interviews in hotels - in this case, you should clarify who pays for the airfare and weigh the pros and cons.

What to do to find a job in Japan from home?

• Visit a dedicated Japanese site to post resumes and search for vacancies.
• Look at the Exchange and Training Program (JET Program) for vacancies: international relations coordinator and assistant teacher of English.
• Read the Japanese press: kansaiscene.com, japantimes.co.jp.
• Search online job exchanges: gaijinpot.com, hays.co.jp, hiwork.jp, job.japantimes.com, tokyoconnections.com, careercross.com, careerbuilder.com, workinjapan.com.
• Contact a recruitment agency (the cost of services is about $500).

Employment options can be as follows: online teaching for Japanese students, work in Eikaiwa - English schools in Japan (by type of courses), private adult education. There are also juku - tutoring offices with in-depth study of a particular subject and yochien - a kindergarten for children under 6 years old.

Useful sites for teachers

• The Japan English Teachers Association is a free online club for educators. Here you can discuss working issues, problems and ideas, as well as find out information about advanced training courses, exhibitions, conferences, and other events in the field of education. You can ask for help and even find a new job.
• Useful site Live Work Play Japan, where professionals give up-to-date work advice to those who are planning to become a teacher in Japan or are already working. You'll find articles about your rights and responsibilities as a teacher, buy a guide for teachers in Japan, and listen to podcasts from successful Japanese companies.
• Japanese Association of English Teachers - membership is paid here (about $125 per year), but here you can get acquainted with university teachers, find out working conditions at universities and, possibly, even get a job offer.
• An interesting and friendly site for those who have become an English teacher's assistant in Japan, where the author James has conversations with foreign immigrants, and also shares articles about life hacks for language learning, behavior with children, organization of the educational process in the classroom.
• An electronic magazine for teachers who teach English to foreigners with a mass of fascinating thematic articles on a wide variety of topics related to the field of education.

What to pay attention to?

When you send your resume, be sure to indicate whether you are ready for an interview in Japan or if you are considering only a remote format. Perhaps the pandemic situation will allow you to try yourself as an online teacher for Japanese children.

An important point that should be discussed with a potential employer is who will pay taxes, and if you do, then calculate how much will be spent on them.

The mentality is very different from ours: it is not customary to look into the eyes, gesticulate, shake hands when meeting. You also need to be careful with chopsticks, you can not leave a tip and violate someone else's personal space. These little things are important if you want to settle in this country and work successfully.

The state of education in 2023

Despite the fact that the authorities refused to introduce strict quarantine restrictions, the death rate from Covid-19 is several times lower than in a number of European countries - less than a thousand deaths during the entire epidemic. However, wearing a mask in Japan has been customary for over 100 years, and until recently it was an unspoken rule to wear a mask if you felt unwell.

Thus, if you follow a few rules - avoid crowded places, wear a mask and wash your hands - you will be safe in this country.

The quality of English teaching during the coronavirus epidemic has deteriorated due to the fact that teachers and students are required to wear protective shields and masks at the same time. This impairs understanding, pronunciation and the quality of spoken language.

In addition, self-learning and distance teaching technologies have become relevant. Special training modules dedicated to distance learning, developed training methods can attract the attention of employers.