Japan
Back in the ’90s, teaching English in Japan was a very lucrative and easy job. Anyone could arrive and earn a fortune. Now, that’s not the case. Japan is still a good place to teach English but salaries are not as high as they were even ten years ago and there is a glut of English teachers there now because NOVA went bankrupt last year. Moreover, Japan is also pretty expensive to live in but if you stay a long time, you will be able to save a lot and the culture is phenomenal.
Basic Japan Information: Japan has a very high standard of living. Everything from transportation to food to apartment rentals may be way over the limit of some individuals. A lot of expatriates work in big cities like Tokyo and Nagoya to help pay the bills. In big cities, don’t expect to save a lot of money where living expenses can eat most of your budget.
The food in Japan can be expensive, especially fruits and vegetables,especially if they are imported. Moreover, drinking is also expensive. However, there are many cheap places to eat if you know where to look. One can find fair prices of noodles, bread, fruits and vegetables at markets and grocery stores. There are a lot of 100 yen ramen and sushi shops around.
Salaries in Japan: Salaries in Japan tend to be pretty uniform throughout the country. Typically, most people earn about 280,000 Yen a month ($2,800 USD). Sometimes one can find a job for 300,000 yen or if you have been in Japan longer, a little more. Though that may sound good, living expenses are not usually covered and the high cost of living in Japan. If you work in an international school, or do private tutoring, you can earn well over 350,000 Yen per month. The longer you stay in Japan, the higher your salary will get as most of the good jobs are by word of mouth only.
Job Requirements in Japan: To teach English in Japan, you will need a BA from an accredited university and need a TEFL degree. You don’t have to have experience for the JET program or many of the language schools.
JET Program- The Jet program is the Japanese government’s teaching English program. You apply in your home country and go through an application and interview process. If chosen, you are assigned a place to live in Japan and are under contract for one year. You must be in your home country to do this as visas and interviews are required to be conducted from there. If you are looking for a good way to get into Japan and a guaranteed job for a year, the JET program is probably for you.
Visa Rules for Japan: The visa rules in this country are pretty standard. You need to be sponsored by a company in order to obtain a work visa and permit. Note that the visa is company specific and it’s technically illegal to have a second job. Additionally, you will need to get your work visa in your home country.
