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02-10-2011, 04:04 PM
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It's just that there's too much to risk by quitting my current job. I guess I should have said that the salary:work:balance ratio would've been impossible to achieve. 
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02-10-2011, 04:30 PM
Hi everyone (first post - this thread got me to sign up)
I'm 37 and I've been wanting to try living in Japan, but I also figured it would be next to impossible. Is finding a job teaching Engilsh really not that hard? Is it best to apply while on a tourist visa as opposed to trying to apply from the U.S.? Is it something that could support oneself in Japan? (Assuming living frugally.) I guess I never thought about using teaching as a way to just "get a foot in the door". I figured if you left a teaching job, you instantly loose your visa. I've been toying with the idea of getting a CELTA or some other TEFL certificate. I've been a web-programmer for a long time now, but have been wishing I could get out of it and try something else.
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02-10-2011, 04:47 PM
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If you got a 4 year degree of next to any kind then getting a job teaching English is a walk in the park unless you're disfigured or dumber than Bush, in those cases it's mildly difficult. The further you live from a city core the less frugal you gotta be to get by on English teachers salary. If you land a decent gig then it's a cake walk wherever you are. I did some programming before I came to Japan, working a social job is like a breath of fresh air honestly, I don't think I could go back to cubical coding. The English certs a plus for sure, but you can get by just as easily without them, I did, still don't have them and I run my own school here. It all comes down to the interview, and they make very little difference for getting your foot in the door. You can change jobs as much as you'd like on that working visa, even if you change job types most of the time they are so lenient with it all it's kind of funny. I went from the standard "Specialist in Humanities" visa that all teachers get to "Investor/Business Manager" with a 6 month leeway, granted I had an awesome immigrations officer. I strongly recommend finding a job from here, otherwise you will end up working in butt-kiss nowhere or with the salary of a burger-flipper with some head hunter counting your yen, or both. If you can do it right (afford it, I mean), imo you gotta take your time to visit the major cities and some token rural places (on a tourist visa) to see what part of Japan you feel suits you most, then look for a job there the old fashioned way, foot and paper. Oh here's a tip I wish I'd heard: don't put any pressure on the employer about having to sponsor you for a work visa, you'll scare everyone away from giving you a job. The fact is that if you have a contract, even tentative, then you can walk into immigrations and use that, along with a few numbers regarding the company, and come out with a work visa.
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02-10-2011, 06:02 PM
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But, with only limited Japanese ability, how easy is it to find places while there? Are there English classified ads in the smaller cities (Kyoto for example)? And, can a tourist visa be converted without needing to leave the country? Quote:
Thanks! Your message is a gold-mine! Greg
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02-10-2011, 07:12 PM
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May I ask why? Also, why would you not want to at least visit first?
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02-10-2011, 09:56 PM
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 Actually, I think the experience of "visiting" (as a tourist) and actually trying to live somewhere (even if only for a few months) are two totally different things, and one doesn't have anything to do with the other. I think it's very possible to really like a place having visited for a week or two, but then dislike it when trying to live there. And the opposite as well. And also, when I think of moving somewhere, I'm not necessarily thinking "forever". I'm very open to the possibility I may not like it after 1, 3, 6, 12 months. In which case, I'll just move somewhere else (without having visited). I "moved to" Argentina a few years ago without ever having visited. I decided it wasn't for me and moved back to the US, although I had a great time for the 6 months I was there, made some cool friends and learned Spanish. But I was open to living there long-term (years) if things had worked out. To sum it up, I guess I'm just a "jump into the deep end" type of guy.
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02-10-2011, 10:11 PM
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I only ask because you tend to come across a lot of people that for whatever reason tend to want to just pack up and move to Japan. As if on some fantasy adventure. Your reasons and approach are very sound, though; and I respect the hell out of them! 
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02-10-2011, 11:19 PM
Regarding applying for work on a tourist visa, I see people recommending that all the time, but just to be clear, it is not legal. A company can not hire someone with a tourist visa, and unless things have changed have changed in recent years, you cannot change a visa from tourist to work visa without leaving the country.
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02-11-2011, 12:08 AM
After my first post, I've been doing some more digging (I haven't looked into all the particulars myself in quite some time), and I came across this page. Which states:
If you are going to go to Japan on a tourist visa, it used to be that you had to leave the country in order to change your landing permit to a working visa. Most chose Korea because of shear proximity and cheap air fare. This has now changed and this requirement is now being waved by officials at immigration. There's actually a ton of info on that site. I'm not sure how "good" any of it is as I've yet to look at any other sites, but it's certainly encouraging.
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02-11-2011, 02:19 AM
That's correct, immigration has been softening up a lot in the last few years, and I think I need to make myself a bit more clear;
You apply for a job on a tourist visa, this is legal. You tell the employer you need to sign the contract but that your start date wont be for another few weeks. During those weeks you go asap to the immigrations office, apply for a working visa. In Kobe I waited 5 minutes after submitting my document, after he checks them over to make sure nothing is missing he stamps your passport to show that you applied for a change of status, (in case your tourist visa runs out before the work visa is approved) so now you're safe to stay in Japan and work until you find out if it was approved or not, which it basically always does if that first guy stamps your passport. If for some weird reason it doesn't it's likely because something was missing and that guy was not doing his job well, which I've never heard of. The company you apply to simple needs to give you a contract stating salary and duration of employment. You need to remember their phone number and address and all that other info. Oh, and size of company, number of employees and yearly income I think. Quote:
Think of the certs as something non-native speakers get to show they can speak as well as native speakers lol. In japan you hardly have to teach grammar or anything really, Japanese people have a great foundation and simply need speaking and listening practice, if you can have a conversation, and correct things that sound off, done. And no change to salary levels, "years of experience" and your age are all that affect that.] It's easy to find a job with no Japanese level. There are English sites, English papers, etc.
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