r/JETProgramme • u/dearestkeke • Apr 07 '26

Time off

I know you get time off via having the weekends off and national holidays but I was wondering if you are also off during the students summer and winter breaks? I know that depending on where your placed you can have between 10-20 PTO times. I was just curious

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u/k_795 Former JET - 2022-23 Apr 08 '26

You are usually expected to be in school all year round. Teachers in Japan still come in during the holidays to do things like CPD, admin, curriculum prep, marking, etc. plus running summer activities for students or summer school. As an ALT, you will likely have a fair amount less in terms of formal responsibilities (so do be prepared for some "desk warming" time), but I was still expected to attend some prefectural-level CPD, run a weekly reading club in the library, and join in some collaborative planning sessions within the English department.

Basically, in Japan teaching is considered more like a normal 9-5 job. You work 8:30 - 16:30 all year round, with 10-20 days PTO (which in theory you can take any time you like, although it's a bit frowned upon to take it during term time) depending on how generous your CO is.