Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Typical Jobs Part 1


English teaching

Assistant Language Teacher (ALT)

A foreign national serving as an assistant teacher in a Japanese classroom, particularly for English.
It is also known as Assistant English Teacher (AET), English Language Teacher (ELT) and Native English Speaking Assistant (NESA). ALTs assist in teaching English in schools in Japan. Some ALTs do teach other languages.

ALTs are required to be university graduates, but they are usually not certified teachers like their Japanese colleagues.


JET program

This is a Japanese government initiative that sends native English speakers who are university graduates to Japan as either an ALT, Sports Education Advisor (SEA) or a Coordinator for International Relations (CIR) in capacities in local governments or boards of educations. This program draws candidaes from more than 40 countries.

Eikaiwa (English conversation schools)

These are privately operated English conversation schools with the major chains being ECC, GABA, Nova, GEOS, AEON, Berlitz.

Many people find full time jobs with them or supplement their income with doing part time teaching.

 

 

Types of Visas


Working visas

Professor (Examples: university professor, assistant professor, assistant, etc.)

Artist (Examples: composers, songwriters, artists, sculptors, craftspeople, photographers, etc.)

Religious activities (Examples: religious people such as monks, bishops, missionaries, etc.)

Journalist (Examples: newspaper journalists, magazine journalists, editors, news cameramen, announcers, etc.)

Business manager (Examples: company presidents, directors, etc.)

Legal/Accounting services (Examples: attorneys, judicial scriveners, public accountants, tax accountants, etc. certified in Japan)

Medical services (Examples: physicians, dentists, pharmacists, nurses, etc. certified in Japan)

Researcher (Examples: researchers, investigators, etc. at research institutes, etc.)

Tsukuba University is well known for hiring many international researchers as it is attempting

Instructor (Examples: teachers, etc. at elementary schools, intermediate schools and high schools)

Engineer/Specialist in humanities/International services (Examples: scientific engineers, IT engineers, foreign language teachers, interpreters, copywriters, designers, etc.)

Intra-company transferee (Examples: people transferred to the Japanese branch (head office of the same company, etc.)

Entertainer (Examples: musicians, actors, singers, dancers, sportspeople, models, etc.)

Skilled labor (Examples: chefs specializing in the food of a foreign country, animal trainers, pilots, sports trainers, sommeliers, etc.)

 

General visa

Cultural activities (Examples: unpaid internships, people studying the tea ceremony or Japanese flower arranging, etc.)

Student (Examples: college students, pre-college students, etc.)

Training (Examples: trainees in a local government, etc.)

Dependent (Family stays) (Examples: The spouse and children of a foreign national with working visa, etc.)

General visa: Technical intern training (i)(a)/(b) (Examples: Technical intern)

 

Specified visa

Spouse or child of Japanese national (Examples: spouse of a Japanese national, biological child of a Japanese national)

Spouse of permanent resident (Examples: spouse of a permanent resident)

Long-term resident (Examples: persons with Japanese ancestry, Indochinese refugee settlers, the spouse or children of Japanese nationals left behind in China, etc.)

Designated activities (Examples: foreign nationals who wish to enter Japan as personal help privately employed by diplomats, etc., foreign nationals who wish to enter Japan for a working holiday or for paid internships, candidate nurses and care workers who wish to enter Japan based on an EPA, etc.)

Designated activities (Long Stay for sightseeing and recreation)

 

Diplomatic visa

Diplomat (Examples: diplomatic agents, diplomatic couriers, etc.)

 

Official visa

Official (Examples: administrative and technical staffs of diplomatic missions and members of the service staff, etc.)

Thursday, September 15, 2016

Overview of Japan Visa System

Certificate of Eligibiligy (COE) application, switch to work visa

What is a Certificate of Eligibility?

 
A COE is issued before a visa application by a regional immigration authority under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice as evidence that the foreign national meets the conditions for landing in Japan, including the requirements that the activity in which the foreign national wishes to engage in Japan at the time of the landing examination is not fraudulent and is an activity that comes under a status of residence (excluding Temporary Visitor Status) stipulated in the Immigration Control Act. Application for the COE by a proxy in Japan is allowed.

 
 
Japan Visas

For most visas, a degree is necessary. Companies may choose to sponsor potential employees if they have the requisite skills and experience for the position. Such positions typically are found in the technology or computer related industries, including animation, 3D, games, programming.

For more info:
http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Working in Japan part 2


The common stereotype and perception is of a native English speaker, typically from the United States, England, Canada, and other western countries, teaching English at an eikaiwa (English conversation school) or in other English or language related venues.

 
My experience is not dissimilar to that of many foreign nationals living here in Japan. I have lived and worked in Tokyo for the past decade, and I have experienced a wide variety of professional occupations prior to coming here. While in Tokyo, I have had the fortune of having had two professional jobs and I have never taught English. I first worked at an international financial institution with its headquarters in New York.  In this role, I barely used any Japanese and conducted my work exclusively in English as I interacted with clients and colleagues from all over Japan, Asia, and the rest of the world. Unfortunately, such roles these days are rare and increasingly non-existent.

 
The reality of the situation is that if you don’t have fluent Japanese language skills, the odds of you finding a fulfilling and challenging position is low. Improving your Japanese skills to Level N2 of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) will work wonders in helping you find a position with a company. This will indicate not only your communication skills, but also your desire to pursue a lengthy career in Japan. As job hopping is not common and even frowned upon in Japan, employers are seeking a person who can communicate and has the mindset of staying committed to the company for the long term. Now, whether you agree with this or not, what is most important is to get the job and the visa first, and then if you are not interested in staying for much longer, then start searching while being employed concurrently.

Monday, September 12, 2016

Working in Japan

Working and living in Japan is a desire that many people share. In this ever increasing globalized world, an overseas experience not only helps one’s life experience but also can prove beneficial to a professional career. Japan has become extremely popular recently with the proliferation of the manga and games industry, as well as the Cool Japan initiative promoting cultural aspects of modern Japan. Japanese pop music along with lifestyle trends populate popular magazines all around the world, and people have gravitated to this. Not to mention, the traditional culture of the country also attracts an older, more professional group who are looking to explore and experience the tranquility and famed politeness of the society. There is no shortage of reasons to live and enjoy Japan, but the main issue is how exactly to do so? We will answer a few of these questions. Unless you are married to a Japanese national, holding a college degree is a requisite in obtaining a working visa. There is the exception for non-Americans from countries including the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, etc. to come to Japan on a working holiday visa which allows such individuals to work in Japan for a limited period of time.



Start Your Life in Japan does a good job of summarizing the main points of how to find a job and move to Japan. Check it out.

Michael Page Japan

Michael Page Japan is another basic, run-of-the-mill, terrible recruiting company. From their website, they are a British company with about...