Everything You Need to Know About English Teaching Companies in Japan ll 2022/2023

[@KatiePrescott]

Thanks for the video, really interesting to compare different companies! I'm on JET at the moment, so just to clarify a few points: - JET contracts are determined by your contracting organisation, so they do vary. Therefore, not everyone gets 20 days PTO - I know some ALTs who only get 10. - Similarly, some COs will subsidise rent but not all. Mine does not subsidise our rent. - JET does provide a basic online Japanese course, but it's kinda terrible so yeah not really a replacement for proper classes.

[@ChefinJapan]

Ahhh it's good to know that the PTO varies and that there are at least some sort of Japanese lessons...😆 Thanks so much for the first hand info!

[@TacticalAshiGaramiTV]

As a fellow new yorker and resident in Japan I salute you.

[@danifordphoto]

Just some updated information on Altia, their pay has gone down from 2.8 to 2.4 this year. About the time off, you don't truly get the whole month of August off. Your expected to do speech practices and contests with junior high students for at least 2 weeks. So you only end up getting 2 weeks in August off. You do get 5 PTO days. Also be aware that if you can't speak N4 level Japanese, they will tell you during orientation not to worry and they will help you, but when you ask for help they'll say they can't help you. It's quite frustrating. With driving the car, if you choose to be able to drive it only to school to save money, you're not allowed to stop anywhere not even the conbini. If you do the plan to be able to drive somewhere their are strict limits on how far you can drive from your placement town, they pay no gas and you'll have several appointments you'll have to go to for maintenance. It's just not as freeing as it sounds. Also be aware that the apartments are quite claustrophobic and the towns you're placed in are so small that you will need a higher level of Japanese to try to get an apartment, but in small towns it's common for many places not to rent to foreigners. It's quite difficult and the company will not help you. Also if you leave before the contract you have to give them a set amount of money for each month you won't live in the apartment. They trap you in many ways, this is just one example. Just be careful and really ask the right questions during interviews is my advice.

[@ChefinJapan]

Thanks for taking the time to write this! I do think a lot of the details largely depend on the school though. My friend who is currently working for Altia does get the entire whole month of August off and her company secured her apartment so her. She paid more for the car rental to be able to freely drive it too, but it's good to know that these things are not always the norm. The downgrade in pay is important info as well. I'm surprised it wasn't updated on the website. Thanks so much for sharing!

[@Quranpak.693]

@@ChefinJapan hi ma'am, how we can contact with you in case of inquiry

[@marsfuture]

Thanks so much for this additional real life input, Dani - super helpful for me with my current research. Hope you've managed to perhaps move on to some better conditions by now than those "offered" by Altia (which don't sound great, unfortunately...)

[@americanedokko2782]

💯 Gtfo of Japan…you get ZERO respect and you’re just a 外人派遣社員。Seriously, unless you want to retire flat BROKE…gtfo. Been there, done that, got out in the nick of time. You’re a permanent TEMP employee with ZERO benefits and lousy pay…forever.

[@gektoast4968]

Why the hell would you work there without even N4?

[@ryle1732]

I'm currently teaching in Korea, and I landed a not so good job. I get 3 sick days and they make you feel guilty as HECK if you have to take one. We get 2 weeks of fixed vacation, and it is a friday-thursday, so you can't even use that last weekend. I was pretty naive when I was looking for work and was always told not to ask about vacation time. That is something at the top of my list now. Now I just need to decide on a country or attempt Korea again. Thanks for this information!

[@ChefinJapan]

Ahh yes, a lot of jobs in Japan can be like that too so you really have to find the rare ones that offer vacation time… best of luck!!

[@staninjapan07]

Good job! Can I add a couple of minor things? JET isn't a company in the same sense that the others are. At least it wasn't many years ago when I considered it as an option. It was considered to be more of a cultural exchange organization, and it had the very best package overall. It might have been worthwhile to mention the basic difference between the eikaiwa (English conversation school) companies and the companies whose prime business is ALTs, but I am not sure whether you have had experience of both. Anyway, good job.

[@ChefinJapan]

Thanks for sharing the additional info, it’s helpful! ^^

[@jbird845]

Hi Amber.its uncle Joe.Great video. Hope to see you soon! Xo

[@gabimezencio5996]

These salaries may look few money for American, but I live in Brazil and is complete different reality. I'm an architect & urbanist looking to go to Asia to live or get experience of different countries living and not as a tourist (I think I prefer, and is also not affordable for me). And in Brazil I live with a salary of 500 USD/monthly. So I think 200,000 yen/monthly is quite a great salary for people that don't live in a developed country like US. Also, usually in Japan and other Asia countries you don't need to worry that much with transportation because cities are differently from US well connected through public transportation system. Another thing I think makes teaching also a deal is that usually companies pay (subsidized in Japan case as you said) for housing. I wanted to share mainly the comparison of the salary with ours (Brazil) reality.

[@ChefinJapan]

Thanks so much for sharing this perspective! It’s really useful informations for people coming from Brazil and other similar countries ^^

[@florebesong]

Thanks so much for this great information.

[@mapclicker]

Thank you for this informative video!!

[@rickdeezy07dj]

From what I’m told, Jet is highly competitive so it probably makes sense to apply to a company not paying as much first to get the experience then look into Jet you want to make a little more money

[@ChefinJapan]

That’s true! Something to note though is JET only hires from abroad so you’d have to go home after your first job before applying to JET ✈️

[@AbeyantHeroAspires]

Thanks so much for the info updates- I haven't heard of a few of these companies 🤞🤞🍀

[@ChefinJapan]

I'm glad to hear it was helpful! ^^ Thanks for watching~

[@Jabrieyapod]

I’m currently living in Japan and after the drama with the school I am at. I don’t know if I want to be here in the long haul anymore. Especially hearing that what I went through is pretty common… I really don’t know what to think anymore besides all of the money I wasted moving here.

[@kokolouna4619]

Can you please elaborate more about the drama that happened with your school ?

[@pikachu7013]

I find it very useful as I was looking for the same thanks a lot for making this video ❤️🙏 Love from India

[@ChefinJapan]

Ahh I’m glad it was useful! Thanks for watching!

[@matthewwalker8135]

Loving the videos! I want to move to Japan myself so this kind of information is extremely helpful

[@ChefinJapan]

I'm so glad to hear it was helpful, thanks so much for the comment and for watching! Best of luck with applying to Japan jobs and things~^^

[@Oversurge_]

Still looking? I hire for a ALT company

[@Naiceratops]

@@Oversurge_ still hiring?

[@Oversurge_]

@@Naiceratops The company is. But now I work for a different company in Tokyo.

[@akemhenaomi9567]

​@@Oversurge_how did u get the job

[@Rebecca-bz6ph]

I did JET and after that I worked for 2 different eikaiwa companies before finally getting out of teaching English to work in a Japanese company. My experience with JET was great but eikaika was absolutely horrendous. They’re horrible places just focused on sales trying to get rich off the backs of foreigners while showing them no respect. I always tell everyone I ever meet never go work in an eikaiwa.

[@ChefinJapan]

I think that is sadly the case for a lot of eikaiwas, but personally I had a great experience with mine and I have friends who had great experiences as well. I think it really depends on the company, location, specific school, and co-workers 😅

[@eaglesix6585]

what kind of Japanese company? I want to know what kind of job it is.

[@edwinvincent90]

Hello please is there any website where I can apply

[@CKM522]

I’m from the Hudson valley in New York I’m planning on moving to Japan and hopefully doing this type of job

[@ChefinJapan]

Ohh a fellow New Yorker! Hii and good luck with your applications~ ^^

[@markcreamer6179]

Thank you!

[@perfectcows404]

Interac I got to choose the prefecture I’m being placed! But I don’t leave until March so can’t speak to anything else about them

[@perfectcows404]

NOW I can speak more about them, they suck so bad LOL

[@laynebrantley5158]

@@perfectcows404 Mind filling me in on why?

[@NehaSingh-xs4iu]

How did you get this job?

[@unscripted_Japan]

Hello hope you are doing good. Can you share details of Border link ALT’s position.. About their housing etc

[@jdskates.69]

Thanks for the info. I'm a medic contracting in Japan, and once my contract is finished, I'm looking to teach in Kobe Japan so I can stay in country. This was very informative. 😊

[@Ggsodapop]

Your a medic in Japan? How does that work!?

[@xavierrodriguez8994]

Is it ok o apply for multiple at a time so that you can have backups?

[@zaddyzathog4087]

So NOVA actually does pay for your flight(s) but there a bunch of restrictions. its 100,000yen and its split between your first and last paychecks. this money is also only for those outside Asia and only for one type of contract you sign. as for Japanese lessons, I asked about this and they give a 50% discount to take the lessons, so they aren't free.

[@belquisblack9643]

hey, is Nova actually worth it ?

[@anthonettemaemagalso8777]

Thank you so much ❣️

[@ChefinJapan]

Thank you for watching!^^

[@shizuokaBLUES]

I was teaching back in 1995 , at a small independent eikaiwa, for 3.2 million yen per year and a subsidized apartment (45,000 per month). After a year I had overtime for another 40,000 a month and the apartment was fully subsidized. But still….. that was a step down for me as a Canada high school teacher. Yes the responsibility was less and there were no report cards or parent teacher meetings etc. Now here we are 29 years later and these Japanese companies are still offering the same low pay. Prices have gone way up and the yen is much lower to most currencies. So I feel that teaching English in Japan is no longer worth it. Not by a long shot.

[@ChefinJapan]

Omg it was so much better in 1995! Salaries have sadly mostly gone down from that 🥲 I still do think it’s worth it for people who really want to move to Japan though. It is a good foot in the door and once you’re here and have a visa it will be easier to find the next full-time job since most companies only hire people already in the country. You’re totally right though, Eng teaching here is def not a good long term gig :(

[@isakso89]

Thanks a lot for the video! God bless ya! I am working on going to Japan as well and teach English! Super excellent info! And @danifordphoto, thanks a lot for sharing those details about Altia, it opens my perspective a lot, and helps me to understand how thinga can develop. Gid bless ya too!

[@ChefinJapan]

I’m happy to hear the video was helpful. Thanks for the comment and the blessings!~ Best of luck to you!^^

[@aleksabroad]

I’ll be honest I feel like those salaries are atrocious. I lived in China for seven years and came there in 2014 x 2015. I was making double your salary living in a tier 2 city. I’m not bragging here but I’m just trying to figure out how does one survive in Japan where the cost-of-living is astronomically higherbut the pay is not so good

[@gibbz1244]

thank you for this video

[@ChefinJapan]

Yess it’s hard to not fall in love with Japan, thanks for watching!~ ^^

[@ルユク-h3h]

On nova they kick you out and get mad at you , especially the managers and students when you take days off. They want you to work always and they wont grand you long holidays. The payment is always different every month. Holidays are not paid and you always struggle

[@ChefinJapan]

Ooff that sounds awful 😞 Thanks for sharing your experience as it’s helpful to others~

[@theanimecompletionist]

Hey there, pretty good rundown. You did leave out arguably the best/most stable Eikaiwa companies though. Both Berlitz and ECC were not mentioned, however, it’s pretty rare for them to recruit fresh off the boat people. I work at Berlitz on weekends for some extra pay and they’re pretty good people, albeit everyone’s 10 years older than me or more.

[@ChefinJapan]

Ahh thanks for sharing! That's good to know!

[@Withbackpack]

The JET Programme is not a company. It's a program run by the Japanese government. I don't think they do subsidized housing, in general. I did have a subsidized apartment when I worked in the JET Programme and paid about $60 a month for rent. But, not everyone gets that. The apartments are for public school teachers, so all my neighbors were teachers. But only a few of these apartments were set aside for foreign English teachers. There were many more JETs who did not live in the subsidized housing than ones that did. I'll say the apartment complex had about 24 apartments and 5 of them were foreign English teachers...

[@yusufkader599]

Thanks for much for this info! Any chance we could get a video on your monthly expenses teaching in Japan/Tokyo and how much you are able to save every month?

[@ChefinJapan]

Totally! Thanks for watching and for the video request! It’s super helpful to know what people want to learn about/see on here! 🙏🏻✨

[@yusufkader599]

@@ChefinJapan thanks to you for the valuable info you give on your vids we appreciate it! 🌻 do you maybe an instagram account I have some questions if you don’t mind at all?

[@ChefinJapan]

@@yusufkader599 Sure! You can message me at @AmberRose_O (I may not reply right away, but I will as soon as I can!)

[@thecopywritingtitan]

Hi Amber. Sorry for jumping out of blue in one of your old videos. I really like your content and channel regarding TEFL Japan thing. I have a question for you. What was the category of your teaching visa at Japan? And after is it considered as an HSP visa leading to residency?

[@ChefinJapan]

Hello! My visa was the specialist in humanities one. It is a working visa in which you can work a wide range of jobs. Sorry I’m not familiar with HSP so I’m not sure about that part 😅

[@thecopywritingtitan]

Thank you for your response Amber@@ChefinJapan

[@Daaaanbanana]

Thanks for this, got a job offer from one of these places and I'm... eh, nervous tbh. Used to be at one you didn't talk about and it was fairly good with holidays, and had a fixed salary, so might wait until they're recruiting again.

[@ChefinJapan]

Ahh best of luck with the new job! If you don’t mind sharing, what was the name of the one you used to work at?

[@Daaaanbanana]

@@ChefinJapan I worked at Shane for a couple of years. It has a reputation but I've had far worse teaching jobs tbh.

[@ruthbarnes1660]

what I'm wondering is if there's Saturday off (for religious reasons)

[@ChefinJapan]

There is no Saturdays off for the eikakwa school I worked for. You’d have weekends off if you worked as an ALT (assistant language teacher) in a school though!

[@nicoleirl1813]

Thank you for the videos ☺️ the original one you did really helped me last year and now I’m here working! This isn’t really related so please don’t feel like you have to answer. One thing I’m struggling with is finding friends and having a social life outside of school (especially with covid). How did you find your people?

[@nicoleirl1813]

Also with Altia you get 5 days PTO which you can use as sick days. I don’t know if that’s helpful for anyone wanting to know! The housing is not subsidized but the areas where Altia schools are located are generally in the countryside where rent is fairly inexpensive. Lastly there are no Japanese lessons but I believe if you pass the JLPT whilst working for them, you get some kind of bonus at the end of the year.

[@ChefinJapan]

Thanks so much for sharing your experience! It's good to know about the PTO and housing things. As for making friends in Japan, I'm going to make a video on that soon, but in short, joining groups that interest you (for me it was local yoga classes) is useful for meeting people. I also found online language partner apps like HelloTalk and Tandem helpful. I did also make a few friends indirectly from Tindr 😆

[@fightman_records]

Wow thank you. Do you have any info about ECC?

[@ChefinJapan]

Sorry, I haven't heard of them!

[@World_Overcomer]

Hi Amber Thank you so much for such an informative video. I would like to find out when does AEON pay your first salary? Is it at the end of the month you started working on (e.g. April work paid at the end of April) or do they pay on the following month (e.g. April work paid in May) as I've heard other dispatch companies do...I'm not sure if my question makes sense🙈

[@ChefinJapan]

Hi yeah, that's a good question actually! Aeon pays the following month that you start working, so it's important to bring enough yen to survive the first month on!

[@sftp4cye]

Are these companies 100% protected? I know JET for sure is but with the other ones, are they also protected? (Getting pay on time, getting paid what they say they will pay, etc.) or are they like other private institutions where they can be a 50/50 shot? Please let me know. Thanks!

[@ChefinJapan]

I can only speak for the one I worked for (AEON) which did things exactly by the book/according to laws. They’re owned by a huge company called KDDI so they do not mess around.

[@sftp4cye]

@@ChefinJapan Sounds good. Thank you for letting me know 😊

[@JinseiPalm03]

I've been looking at AEON lately, but I feel I'm better off elsewhere. Have you ever heard of anything about Berlitz Japan? I see many comparable reviews, comparable pay, and more holidays and career growth opportunities. What's your impression of Berlitz? Or is there something terrible about it I'm not aware of?

[@ChefinJapan]

I haven’t heard of Berlitz actually, I’ll check it out though!

[@MrK.A]

Hey. Great channel. Thanks for the information. I want to apply for a job now but do i have to wait until September for hiring season?

[@ChefinJapan]

For Eikaiwas you can apply anytime, but ALT companies usually have certain hire date’s specified on their websites. Best of luck!

[@MrK.A]

@@ChefinJapan Great. Many thanks!

[@justincooper1626]

Nova is back?

[@hectorzer0ni]

I’m a college student working part time and I made 24k in one year and I live in Florida! Those salaries are horrendous😭

[@ChefinJapan]

They're horrendous if you convert them to USD, but when you're living in Japan it's actually a pretty normal salary and you're able to live a normal fulfilling life and even travel within the country. It becomes a problem when you want to visit home though as the value of the yen is awful right now. 😆

[@OX-kid]

For Jet or Altia, what could you expect your work schedule to be? Is it feasible to work full time while being a full time student in a Japanese language school? Thanks.

[@ChefinJapan]

Hello! JET or Altia would likely be something like 8-4pm Mon-Friday. As for being a language school student, you’re only able to work part-time on a student visa (up to 28 hours).

[@NappingNaomi]

So when applying, do you need to have a degree? I get a lot of mixed answers that you do need one or you don't

[@ChefinJapan]

You do need one for a working visa

[@EricaInTokyo]

I’m currently in the interview process for an eikawa job (I find out mid-July if I got the job!). You are paid per lesson with this job. The main reasons I chose this program vs an ALT or some other eikawa companies are: - from my research, every if not all ALT programs base you in countryside/rural areas, or areas that are not considered major cities. I have no desire to live outside of a major city, and the company I’m interviewing with is only based in major cities and there’s a very good chance I could live/work in Tokyo. - you are paid per lesson, which is a little scary as you said, but the way lessons are often scheduled are early morning or evening (after 5pm), and on weekends and holidays. This means mon-fri I would have practically all of midday off (approx 11am-5pm) so I could shop, study, sleep, whatever. I’m a night owl so working late is better for me. - an ALT job would require me to get up very early 5 days a week, AND potentially teach a class of children, which I’m not interested in. I can’t wake up super early and I don’t like kids. The eikawa I’m interviewing with said the majority of students are adults. - I think the one on one teaching style sounds a lot more interesting and effective to me vs classroom teaching - I’ve been told that many schools don’t have air conditioning, but all of the eikawa offices do - as you said some companies provide housing which can have pros and cons. For me, every ALT I looked into provided or had preferred housing, and because of this they all told me I could not bring my cats. I’m not going to abandon my pets to move to Japan. The eikawa I’m interviewing with doesn’t care if I bring my pets because finding housing and getting my cats to Japan (I’ve already started the process for their international travel should I get the job) is on me. One thing I don’t think you touched on which might be of interest to some people is the contract type. The eikawa where I’m interviewing hires independent contractors vs salaried employees. So, doing taxes will be a lot different. I also think (though haven’t really looked into it) that because I would be an independent contractor, I could potentially get a second job if needed/wanted (at least that’s how it works in the states).

[@EricaInTokyo]

Also I just looked at some of your other videos and I’m vegan too!! That has also played a role in my desire to live in a city vs countryside

[@FarrelAlvieri]

Excuse me, where did you apply to?

[@KasaiFreeccs]

Where did you apply too?

[@okumuracosplay8316]

I’m interested as well

[@EricaInTokyo]

@@KasaiFreeccs I applied with Gaba and Aeon. And, I got a job! Just waiting for my visa. I’ll be moving before the end of the year!

[@MrK.A]

Hey there. Thanks your reply to my previous message. One last question. I've applied for AEON. If things go well o should start in a few months in about August/September. I just couldn't wait for Jet as it takes too long and is very competitive. I do however want to work for jet after my year contract is over. My question is should i apply for the jet problem this year? 😅

[@ChefinJapan]

I think it’s best to complete your year contract with AEON, it will look good for your resume on JET. You can start your application for the following year though, I’m not sure what the application dates are but they should be on the JET website|

[@BrandonMhlangaAnimation]

Are you still working for AEON - How do they feel about these Videos? I mean I love these because I working for the #redflags.

[@todobelen]

Thank you so much for the info! I would just like to know if non-native English speakers are also considered. I have a bachelor in English teaching and a master’s degree in English Linguistics. I would love to apply but I have heard that we might get paid less. Is that true?

[@ChefinJapan]

I’m not sure about the paid less thing, but I do know that only some companies higher non-English speakers, so you’ll have to check with the company before you apply. I think having a masters in. English will definitely help your education though!

[@ChefinJapan]

Application ***

[@YasminYoruba]

How hard is it to teach English? Is it Monday to Friday with homework?

[@ChefinJapan]

No homework! The company I worked for provided all of the materials and training so it wasn’t too difficult, the days were Tuesday-Saturday 11:45am-9pm though….

[@ricoplatz5844]

Please, can someone talk about JIEC. I'm finding it difficult to navigate their website. Any reviews?

[@ChefinJapan]

Sorry I haven’t heard of them 😅 Good luck tho!! Hope they’re a good one 🙏🏻

[@greatteacherjah3623]

Do you need to be in person for these companies, or can some be thought online

[@ChefinJapan]

You do need to be in person for these ones. There are some online companies, but usually those don’t provide visas.

[@cynthiaconstantino140]

Hi..is there a company name springwell kindergarten japan?

[@ChefinJapan]

Sorry I’m not sure about that one

[@jamiefox3205]

Thank you very much for the video :) I saw somewhere that if your rent is paid for or subsidised that it actually comes out of your wages. Is that true, or do companies like JET actually subsidise your rent, and then proceed to pay your full wage?

[@ChefinJapan]

Hmm maybe there are some companies that do that, but the one I worked for actually subsidized part of my rent.

[@jamiefox3205]

Ok, that sounds good! :) Thanks for the reply

[@うさぎ-i6w]

For the Aeon part of flight payment is it like so let’s say if a flight is 1,000 and Aeon pays for 700 of it would u have to pay 300?

[@ChefinJapan]

Exactly, it’s super helpful to have that $700 discount since flights to Japan are usually expensive, but also it would be nice if they covered the whole thing….

[@KikiMac-dy3xn]

Good day, I hope you are well? I am interested in teaching English in Japan. I am from South Africa. How do I go about doing an extensive course and getting the necessary certifications?

[@ChefinJapan]

You don’t need any certifications if you’re from a native English speaking country, you can just apply. I have some videos on how I applied on the channel ^^

[@sunako_nakahara1]

Hii do you know by any chance which program allows people that are not from native speaking countries

[@ChefinJapan]

I heard possibly Gabba accepts non native speakers.

[@mzakria824]

I'm a government school teacher here in Pakistan. I have taught two years at secondary level in government sector on temporary basis, now I'm working as an elementary school teacher here in our country. How can I become a teacher in Japan please, share all the terms and conditions

[@brightestnerdofherage3604]

hi and sorry to bother you! Im myrto and im from greece and i would LOVE to move to japan! After my research on the subject i decided that im going to get a bachelors degree on english, learn japanese and then get a tefl and move. However, since im not a native english speaker do you think from your experience that ill be able to find a job ? Im pretty good with languages and i am confident that ill speak japanese good because i also watch tons of anime and manga etc. Thank you so much in advance !!

[@Ektuma]

if you intend on going the English route get your Masters degree first, get TOEFL and JLPT N2 at least. Also other educational certificate and experience will be helpful. Save up money during your college and university days. You might ask why all this? So that you can further your career in japan as an English teacher and live comfortably with a good paying salary. Yes being an Alt with an average salary looks really good with the requirements of only a bachelors degree but don't think short term, look ahead in your life do you want to stay in Japan and live with a salary that barely pays the bills or do you want to live in Japan for more than 5 years and buy all the anime figures and manga that you dream of while living comfortably.

[@brightestnerdofherage3604]

@@Ektuma of course ! Im planning on getting Tefl and any other certificate that will help me. Before i move i want to also have the N1 certificate as im planning to live there permanently. And yes i will definitely keep the money saving thing in mind because as a big anime and manga fan i want to make the most out of japan :) thank you so much for the response !!

[@isserious8188]

I’m looking at applying towards the end of my degree, with the hopes of transitioning into another career in Japan whilst I’m there to sponsor my visa. Is this possible?

[@ChefinJapan]

Totally possible! I recommend completing you’re 1 year teaching contract before starting your next job though, but you can certainly start looking beforehand~

[@isserious8188]

@@ChefinJapan Amazing! Thanks for the advice :)

[@robinwoods8814]

A big thing about NOVA is that they don't hire you as an employee, but rather as an independent contractor. This allows them to rob you of your rights to paid leave and and any kind of benefits. In Japan if you work more than 20 hours a week and if the total work force is above 500 (maybe), then the company must provide you with health insurance and pension. It used to be 30 hours or more for this, but it was changed recently to 20 hours. NOVA used to offer employee contracts alongside independent contracts, but they rigged it so you worked 29 hours to rob you of health insurance and pension benefits. So nowadays it seems NOVA only does independent contracts to avoid all their obligations. You get NOTHING working for them. When I was there I had to pay THEM to take a day off because I was an independent contractor. It was 500 yen per lesson off, so 8 lessons a day means 4000 yen per day. So my advice is stay far away from them.

[@ChefinJapan]

Oh wow that sounds awful…. I can’t believe that’s legal 😆 Thank you for sharing your experience to warn others!

[@noobgodxen8661]

I have some questions regarding to this topic 1. Do I have to have a degree in English to get the job? 2. What are the criteria to get a job there as an English teacher. 3. Can I get PR or citizenship by working there? I hope you will answer my questions miss, thank you.

[@ChefinJapan]

Hello! Let me try to answers these... 1. You do not need a degree in English though you do need a degree in general to qualify for the visa. 2. Each company is different so I recommend checking the website for the company you want to apply to. It will have the qualifications listed in detail. 3. You PR and citizenship is super difficult to get and takes many years but you can get a temporary visa for this job that is renewable. My first visa was 3 years long so I had to renew after that. Hope this helps and best of luck! ^^

[@i.j.5384]

hi!!! do you know if in the event of getting a job like this with housing / housing assistance, if you'd be able to bring / have pet(s) along with you to the apartment, or would it have to be pet-free?

[@ChefinJapan]

It’s usually “no pets allowed” situations unfortunately :/

[@kellym5227]

Do you teach 12 month? In the states school is not 12 months

[@ChefinJapan]

Yes, even when the kids are on summer vacation teachers are expected to come into school for most companies. There are a few that allow the foreign English teachers to have off for the summer vacation (which is one month long in August). One of those Companies is Altia.

[@romanecatteau9508]

Hi there, very interested in getting a job with Jet! Do you know if they provide families with visas or is it only for individuals? My partner works online and we have a 5m old. We'd love to do a year or so in Japan but wondering if this is suitable for us...

[@ChefinJapan]

I think JET does hire people with dependents actually! I’m not sure about the details of it though 🤔

[@ShaunyKnuckles]

Hi, are these companies for online teaching or face to face?

[@ChefinJapan]

Face to face ^^

[@sockmc3088]

Thank you for the information, I plan to study Japanese in uni but because it's a 4-year, hard course, I wasn't going to do anything else on the side. To work in Japan, are there any classes I should pick for after-school? Also with these programs, should I apply to them while in my final year of uni or after?

[@ChefinJapan]

If you're interested in teaching English, there are a ton of opportunities in Japan for that. Having experience or certifications in English teaching isn't necessary, but will widen your opportunities even more, so I think it's something worth considering!

[@kunaldebnath3879]

Ma'am, I'm currently doing PhD in English Literature from India. How to become an assistant professor of English Literature in Japan?

[@ChefinJapan]

Hii I’m sorry I don’t have experience getting professor jobs here so I’m not sure. Maybe check the website of the school’s you want to apply to? 🤔

[@edmundmoons3086]

is it 5 day work week????????????

[@ChefinJapan]

Yes ^^

[@angeliquetee1049]

Do any of these companies accept couples together ?

[@ChefinJapan]

Yes! JET does!

[@Pqeditsbts]

Ma'am, I completed my post graduation in English literature. Is there any chance for me... if there.. How can I apply ? Please kindly reply 🥹

[@jiawenfeng2840]

Thanks for the video, all the information is helpful for me! I just moved from Oxford to Kyoto and try to find a English teaching job now. Hope we could have a coffee or lunch in Kyoto if possible:)

[@KasaiFreeccs]

Is it possible to have a job like this with no bachelors degree or degree at all?

[@ChefinJapan]

Unfortunately no, degrees are required to be granted the working visa needed to be hired for this job. The only way around it is to be married to a Japanese native or doing this job part-time on a student visa while going to school full-time 😅

[@KasaiFreeccs]

Bummer

[@KasaiFreeccs]

Random but do you know of any art job/internships in Japan possibly

[@ChefinJapan]

I don't know of any specifically, but I know they exist! There are artist residencies in Kyoto ^^ @@KasaiFreeccs

[@Quranpak.693]

Hi ma'am how we can contact in case of inquiry.

[@careydepass130]

Is one still able to save money while working as an English Teacher in Japan? In the 90's, if you had a modest lifestyle in Japan, you were able to save 50,000 to 100,000 yen a month. Is that still possible?

[@nandhinikulandaivel167]

I am working in Tamilnadu.. can I become science teacher in Japan? Why so much vacancy only for English?

[@ChefinJapan]

The English education in Japan is notoriously bad so I think it has to do with the notion that English is best taught by native English speakers whereas science can easily be taught by a Japanese native. Therefore, they would be able to justify providing a visa. I believe certain companies can legally only offer work visas if they’re able to justify that the job is better done by a foreigner than a native Japanese person, in the case of English this is thought to be justifiable.

[@anatoliamudeyi4806]

Hie Amber, which one of these companies hire English teachers from Africa, lm from Zimbabwe, lv a diploma in education, BSc in special needs education and a Masters degree in special needs education?

[@ChefinJapan]

Hello! Sorry I'm not exactly sure which countries each company hires from. I think it's best to choose which companies you're interested and then email them directly to ask before spending the time to apply. Maybe try Gaba... I'm not 100% sure though, best of luck!~

[@szabinahorvath1632]

Hi there! Great vid! 😊 Originally Im from Hungary but having british cirizenship also (dual citizenship). My degree (master in law n political scienses comes from Hungary). Degree from a non-english speaking country is also accepted? What job can i get there? Thank u forward!

[@ChefinJapan]

Hello! For the visa, a bachelors degree from any country works. As for the hiring companies though, it might be more difficult to find one that will hire from overseas from a non-English speaking country. Please let us know if you find any good ones !

[@john83me14]

New Yorker: I'm interested in teaching English for universities in Japan or people over 18. Is this even possible or do they only hire for K-12? 🤔 Oh...I'm from America too, Kentucky.

[@ChefinJapan]

Hello fellow person from America! Yes! It is possible to get a job in a University, though you may need qualifications for that. Also a lot of English University jobs are part-time, so that's a thing to keep in mind too. Best of luck!~

[@BC33714]

It’s possible, but those university gigs are increasingly difficult to obtain. If you have a relevant master’s degree and publications, then you may have a shot. Last I heard, if you don’t already have experience teaching in Japan at the uni level, then those jobs are difficult to obtain. It’s essentially a matter of who you have connections with.

[@dimeloyb951]

What if your a single parent?

[@fabricio4794]

I let the like here, because you have a Beautiful and shining smile...

[@ChefinJapan]

Thank you!☺️

[@onlineacademy9342]

Hi mum i want to be an alt my qualification is ma in english literature language

[@ChefinJapan]

Oh hey! That's a pretty good qualification there! Best of luck on your applications!~

[@gregdettling6693]

Please really be careful of that ALTIA CENTRAL! Lots of red flags ( I’d stay away from them! ) I had a bad experience with them two times I don’t trust the deals they make on their cars or on their August off . After 12 years of working in Japan - and I started out in Nagoya where that one is -- and that one turns out to be really scary! You can also work directly for city and pref BofEs They tend to pay well with lots of NENKYU ( PTO ) set up. Osaka and Kobe BofEs are two examples. There are many! I used LEO PALACE to take care of most of my housing needs while in Japan. ( the Kyoto office is a bit cool or stand off ish but that’s just Kyoto ) Getting a car set up was not too hard.

[@bambamdiaz7477]

Wouldn’t you get in trouble with these companies for this video?

[@joshhfranklinjf]

So any teaching jobs that doesn't require a degree?

[@ALeaud]

A lot of them don't require degrees. You can just do a simple TESOL degree online and then teach if you don't have a university degree.

[@nikolaylungu6537]

@@ALeauduniversity degree it means degree in teaching specialisation?

[@ALeaud]

@@nikolaylungu6537 Nope. Usually any BA is fine as long as it done in English.

[@MuhammadAliGOAT]

Hello, I am in China at the moment.. been here for way longer than I originally had planned. Here we have to do covid tests every single day, show BAAcodes to enter everywhere with a door - no kidding, including car parks, malls, little shops, parks and beaches.. we are made to wear covid masks when entering all these places and even at work (even though they say its not mandatory!) i'm getting real sick of this sh!t now, the pay is way less in japan but I keep reminding myself that people died fighting for freedom - thats how important freedom is, every video I find online about working in japan is bad bad bad and even badder.. I seen one website for japan jobs and they said i had to attend an in-person interview in a native speaking country but thats not possible because i live and work in cn and its only next door to japan, I want to go from here straight to japan.. I already lived in the countryside of china for 2 years and they were the darkest, loneliest and most depressing days beyond my wildest imagination - I spiritually could not suffer like that again, so worried to end up in the same situation in japan or even worse - get slaved and worked into the ground with no balance for a life or fair work hours/fair weekend off.. wish I could contact you privately but I guess thats never happening!. Btw you are serious wifey material!

[@deviantd.6740]

Lmao, u cray cray

[@MuhammadAliGOAT]

@@deviantd.6740 lol, how?

[@khoujiojiokabe2992]

Your very veautyful

[@ルユク-h3h]

What ever you do, do not apply to gaba or nova. They are shit companys and they only caused trouble

[@Mark-fh5lp]

I feel as though the Japanese are racist. I would rather teach in Thailand or South Korea.

[@jw841]

Having worked in Thailand, South Korea and Japan. I would say Thailand is by far the best place to live. The only problem is teaching salaries are low. But if you can make around $2000 per month then Thailand is the place to be.

[@iheartjaeger8679]

Can you please make a video explaining how to pay bills? Rent, utilities, etc. I really want to become a teacher there, and honestly the only thing that scares me, or makes me nervous, is the thought of me not being able to pay my bills because of the language barrier. 🥲

[@ChefinJapan]

Totally! Added to the list, thanks for the video request~ ^ ^

[@Miomunch22]

Thank you so much for this video I am currently a high school student who will graduate in May of this year I was wondering (anyone who has information on this please fill free to reply I’ll take any kind of help) should I work a english teaching job in america first I’ve tried researching (I got really mixed answers) and asking teachers they weren’t much help as many just didn’t have an answer If anyone could help I would appreciate ❤️

[@ChefinJapan]

You don’t need teaching experience to get a teaching job in Japan! Usually the companies will have trainings, some trainings are better than others… but I think it’s easy enough to pick up if you work at it. Best of luck!! ^^

[@Edileiai9280]

Can you write in Yen how much earn in each company please?🥲🙏🏻

[@tshiamokopano]

So informative! Thanks.