Teaching in Japan, Underage and Unqualified: Is it possible?
 

1) Yes your plan is flawed. 2) Please don't use cuss words, 3) this should ~technically~ be in the Japan travel section, but it's not a big deal so I guess we'll forgive you that one.

You should have no real trouble in Tokyo or Yokohama at least with getting around. I hear there are now even english language job centers for those with working holiday visa.

This would really depend heavily on what work you got (and it's recommended people budget for one month without work anyway) where you lived and what kind of lifestyle and expenditure you work with anyway, so I can't really quote a figure.

I believe changing visa type (I'm guessing you mean from tourist to working holiday?) in Japan is very difficult. They only give out so many working holiday visas per year, so they tend to be finickety about it. They may only be able to issue it in your home country. It is ILLEGAL to work on a tourist visa. If you're caught, it's serious.

Tokyo is saturated with native english speakers, usually with degrees and qualifications, and schools don't like to hire off a working holiday visa anyway (why hire a teacher for 3 months?). You might strike lucky in a small school, but without knowing where they are, (and you're more likely to need japanese language ability there too) that's a relatively slim chance. You also may struggle to find work for 3 people as well.

Vastly competitive and very very picky.

You would have to register with a language school to get the visa and have them provide you with a certificate of eligibility. This (as long as the schools policy allows it) would permit you to work up to 20 hours per week. Bear in mind if you don't turn up to class, and consequently get kicked out of school, they can and will revoke your visa, making you subject to deportation. This is no laughing matter in Japan. You could be banned from the country for up to 10 years and at the very worst case scenario, spend some time in jail, especially if you overstay.

I'm afraid I don't know. Consider contacting them in advance to explain your plans and situation and see what they say. You're only there 3 months, no quals and underage, when the job market is flooded with job-seekers in a much better position, so realistically the answer might be, 'we can only do so much'.

I've not done this on a tourist or working holiday visa, but you can get reentery visas in Japan. Contact the Japanese embassy in australia or visit the australian governmental travel website, they should provide you all the visa information you need.

A holiday visa is for those wishing to simply travel in Japan. It is 90 days and no work is permitted at all.

A working holiday visa is essentially an extended holiday visa ( up to 1 year) that permits work. You do not need to show proof of planned employment on application but you DO have to show proof of a return ticked home or sufficient funds to purchase one (currently about £2000 for British applicants). It permits you to work in Japan if you are under 30 and the work is ~incidental~ to the holiday. This means you should not have pre-arranged work before you depart and work is not the sole purpose of your trip. It is not renewable.

A work visa is anything from 1 year to 5 (or more?), permits any hours of work for any age of person, but requires proof of employment before departure.

For full, up-to-date details check the Japanese embassy website.


All on the embassy website. The working holiday visa is a special dispensation Japan gives to certain countries in limited amounts per annum, hence why only 805 were issued.

No idea, sorry.

So that's all the bad news; some other possibilities to consider:

1) wait until all 3 of you are 18 and get working holiday visas. This could make life much easier for you, even if it doesn't solve all your problems. Try and think of things you could do other than English teaching too; Japan isn't Africa, they're not struggling to find teachers.

2) Go out on a tourist visa (which is about your 3 months anyway) and WWOOF (look it up). You won't earn money, but you can substantially cut your costs with the fact that wwoof placements provide free accommodation and usually some of your meals in exchange for work. They aren't all stuck out in rural places, and it would be a really good way to see more of Japan than just Tokyo, which while interesting, isn't anything like the majority of the country. Downside is finding consistent placements for 3 people.

3) Go somewhere else; the rest of SE Asia is pretty awesome too and much more accommodating for backpackers. You needn't get stuck in the tourist places either, if you plan. Hop to Japan, do a week or two for the sights and then go elsewhere. I sailed from Japan to China and from there was able to work overland to Singapore; it's easily do-able and cheaper than flying. I budgeted around £2000 for just over 4 months including transport and that was ample.

You seem intelligent enough to probably have figured out the number one rule (that is posted everywhere in this forum as well as any site that deals with teaching english in Japan), and that is you MUST HAVE a 4 year university degree to legally work in Japan. That is, if you don't go the other routes such as marriage.

I am sure other veterans here will have more info on the other stuff, but, again, "legally", what you're asking is probably not the best route. If you don't mind the risk though, I am sure there are opportunities out there for you.

Columbine, are you saying there are schools that will hire 18 years olds with no university degrees for three months to teach English, when there are thousands of college graduates who want those jobs and will sign long-term contracts?

Columbine, even in China we will ask for at least a bachelor in language and/or teaching. I know, cause I know people who have taught french and english there.

I didn't say it explicitly in so many words, but no, I'm not. Not schools anyway.

However, I did know exchange students in Japan who had no qualifications, no degree (yet) and no experience who picked up english teaching work via mysensei and just through introduction to language clubs in the local area for a few months. Paid work. It's not the traditional route, it's not easy, in some cases it's not legal and it's not likely for someone on a tourist visa...but it's not impossible either.

You wish! I personally know people who have taught in China without actually having degrees. Albeit they were studying at University, but this was not through a university exchange and their degrees were in everything BUT language and/or teaching (psychology, maths, law and even ~physiotherapy~ that I can recall). They just signed up to some summer teaching program and rolled right on in there.

really wow? so there is hope for me if I wish to teach french or english in China even if i'm studying business... great! :) You've given me hope.

Like I said, it's nothing like a permanent working position and I don't know if it applies outside of Britain, but you can definitely fund yourself for a few months traveling with it.

I know, and I wasn't directing the question necessarily to you as much as to the OP. Indeed, it probably isn't hard for a student to pick up some tutoring work for an handful of hours a week, but that's pocket money, and not rent.