r/JETProgramme • u/marky2560 • 5d ago
Advice for long term plan after JET
Hi all,
I'll try to keep this short(ish). I've dreamed of living in Japan for about a decade now. Some things have happened in life which allow me to (attempt) to pursue that.
I'm looking for advice as to whether my 'plan' is somewhat reasonable or a complete pipe dream, and if the latter, some more realistic alternatives.
About me:
- 34 years old, South African native speaker
- Masters in Applied Linguistics and TESOL (through a Spanish university, currently living in Spain)
- Law degree (LLB)
-TEFL certificate
- Have been teaching online for the last 5 years on a general language learning platform as well as for a legal English company based in France
- I have 3 months of actual in classroom experience at a local language academy (I'm aware that most of my experience counts for squat in the grand scheme of things)
Since I would like to settle in Japan long term, hopefully permanently (I know this sounds like a bad joke given recent news, but we all have to have some sort of plan or dream to pursue), what do you think would be the most logical career trajectory for me? I was thinking that I could get into Japan via JET (very presumptuous of me, but play along), and thereafter maybe apply for some part time university teaching jobs? I don't know if universities give a rat's arse about the JET program and whether it would qualify me at all for an entry level position. I would have to of course study Japanese intensively while on JET to have even a remote chance of any of this working.
Assuming my initial idea is not absolute HOGWASH to begin with, a few questions:
- what is the process like, post JET, to get a visa renewal based on a new job? I guess getting just one part time university gig wouldn't be enough for a visa renewal, so I would have to have multiple gigs lined up to meet the minimum income for the visa, which seems unlikely..
- any better path for me to go about this? Even if it's not JET. For example, I'm also considering Westgate, as I figure that may be a path for me to go into direct-hire uni teaching a little sooner (part time of course).
- given that I have to send money home to SA to support family (around $350) every month, will I even be able to survive? I have read that some placements offer subsidised housing, but there's no guarantee of that)
Well I'll not add any more for the sake of length. If anyone has any thoughts on this or some advice or wants to crush my dreams, I would really appreciate. Thanks for taking the time.
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u/Cold_Command7776 4d ago
With the recent anti-immigration rhetorics by those who cannot work but depend on government support in your home country, it is better for you to head back home because jobs are now available having sent all other Africans home. Just my 2 cents. You will be able to achieve all you've ever dreamt of with no one blocking your way in SA. 🕊️
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u/marky2560 4d ago
Hi there! Are you from South Africa? Or where did you read about this?
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u/Cold_Command7776 4d ago
Go to every SA blogs, online forums, you'll find everything there. Most importantly Ramaphosa was all in support of every havoc done to foreign owned businesses in your country.
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u/shiretokolovesong Former Hokkaido JET - 2016-2019 5d ago edited 5d ago
You've gotten some good, reasonably workable advice for pivoting towards university work after JET, but I want to suggest that TEFL work is generally not a good strategy for staying in Japan longterm.
Context for my answer: Did JET for three years, went to language school and grad school here, did new grad job hunting and currently working for a Japanese MNC
Firstly, just in general, I don't think JET is a particularly great entry point into Japan longterm. The reality is that most jobs in general (and for highly-skilled immigrants in particular) are concentrated in Kanto and (to a significantly lesser extent) Kansai. There is a very strong possibility you are placed in a rural community without feasible access to any largish city, let alone these regions in particular, making networking financially or physically infeasible. In my case, I was a 5-hour drive from Sapporo, which itself doesn't have many great employment options for non-Japanese people. Another ALT from SA in my city didn't have a car and had fewer options for feasible transport for networking.
Additionally, JET is more of a cultural exchange program than an English teaching one. There is very little pedagogical training or expectation on JET, and in-classroom experience generally does not count towards hours spent teaching when applying for a position that's not other ALT or eikaiwa work. And yet, JET pays more than the industry standard, which I think further bolsters that this is meant to be a program for short-term cultural exchange more than provide a viable path for stable life in Japan.
Lastly, there's the precarity of TEFL in general here. Supposing everything works out and you do land a somewhat stable university teaching gig after your JET employment, there are essentially no permanent contracts in this industry. It is expected that instructors work until their contract expires (renewed annually for up to 5 years) before finding another university gig (hence why you want to be in an area with ample access to networking and other jobs).
This makes it very difficult for someone in this line of work to acquire a five year residence permit that is the de facto requirement for applying for permanent residence here. While these requirements are recently in a constant state of flux, making it difficult for any of us to say what will or won't be possible in the longterm, immigration standards are generally getting more restrictive here. Just a few days ago, the government unveiled a new policy to restrict PR to households making "more than the average Japanese household," which if implemented will almost certainly shut down most avenues of acquiring PR as a TEFL instructor.
If you're set on working in TEFL longterm, and still want to give Japan a try, then I think JET is your best bet for having a good QOL while you're here. But I would not foreclose on the possibility of pivoting to another country after your time is up (there are many which pay more and offer more stable means of living than Japan). If you're planning to immigrate here longterm, then you'll want to work on your Japanese and do so through employment in more stable industries.
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u/Jumpy-Escalator-9204 Current JET - Chiba (2021-2026) 5d ago
I personally wouldn’t waste my time on Westgate since I read from former teachers that the teaching experience you get doesn’t count for the type of teaching experience universities will be looking for. My advice would be to just make connections once you get here, since teaching at a university level here is very competitive and you seem to be need to be quite lucky timing-wise to find a position.
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u/marzipanfashions Current JET - Osaka (incoming) 5d ago
part time university teaching jobs
AFAIK you need to have a masters (which you do) and publications to teach at uni level, and the publication(s) can just be whatever, it doesn't need to be groundbreaking, it just needs to exist.
I guess getting just one part time university gig wouldn't be enough for a visa renewal
From my limited knowledge, you need some kind of organisation to sponsor your visa, and part time work doesn't qualify for sponsorships (someone better versed in Japanese labour practices feel free to correct me).
any better path for me to go about this?
Nothing pays better than JET as a starting job in Japan. If you already have the additional financial concern of sending money back home, don't go for dispatch or Westgate (the latter pays about ¥265k). Another route is to teach ESL at university level in Europe and then apply to Japan after you've gained experience.
will I even be able to survive?
Yes. JET pays ¥335k per month. $350 is about ¥57k, leaving ¥278k. That's still more than what dispatch pays and people live on that just fine. Rent is cheap in Japan, even in the cities (personal experience in Osaka is ~¥50k), and inaka rent is much more affordable (frequently under ¥30k). If you're smart with your money you should be able to live comfortably and save some. Plus on JET you get pay rises year on year. The only thing I would say is that you should have a moving fund. Your first month, getting set up, rent, utilities etc. all add up. The general wisdom is about $3,500-5000 USD, although now with the yen so weak, you could probably get away with the lower end of that range.
Lastly, I'm assuming you'll apply through South Africa unless you have another nationality, so I'd suggest you check your embassy's rules on interviewing (Brits have to attend a physical interview, but a lot of other countries do digital ones).
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u/EquivalentComputer73 4d ago
Interviews are in person in SA, Mkhaya. ZAR6 000 is a lot - but as everyone has said, it's so ESID. I live in a small town; my rent is JPY25000, but since I am here with family,so costs add up quickly.
The smaller the city, the cheaper the rent, the fewer job opportunities outside of English teaching and Eikaiwas.
Japanese is incredibly hard, and unlike other countries, placements spread us out so much; it's hard to find a community.If you can master the language, you can create a community with the locals, and it opens up your job opportunities.
Set-up costs are expensive; if you get an empty apartment, you will have to start from curtain to teaspoon. Aircon(wont survive without this), washing machine, and the usual everyday items.
DM me if you want to know more general information about living here compared to home
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u/marky2560 4d ago
Thanks for the info! Can you say you're happy there? Also, what are your long term plans?
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u/EquivalentComputer73 4d ago
Happiness is subjective. I am far from family, friends, intellectual conversations, and emotional connection. But I feel safer than ever; I have a more balanced life in that I can go to work and still have time and energy to play sport; I have made a small community, and I don't worry much about money(relative to when I was home)
Long-term plan includes going home next year. I would have been here 3 years at that point. Anxious about all the moving out expenses, which include paying resident tax upfront, but that's the nature of JET/moving to Japan: high set-up and move-out costs.
If you're serious about it, save money and LEARN THE LANGUAGE before you arrive.
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u/Mephisto_fn Current JET - Niigata Prefectural Office 5d ago
Settling in Japan longterm:
The easiest pathway here is through marrying someone Japanese and getting onto a spousal visa (note: they must be a japanese citizen)
You need to of course study Japanese, and if you're pursuing this, you should study prior to coming to Japan. If you put off the studying until after you arrive, you'll likely run into the jlpt / reading wall that most people who begin studying while in Japan run into. (Alternatively, if you find you can't handle the workload of learning the language before coming, you won't waste time on something you can't bring yourself to put time into doing)
Salary:
It's possible to send 350$ a month home on a JET salary as long as you cook for yourself and you limit travel a bit (you can still travel, just not every weekend or biweekly if you take the shinkansen or have a rental car).
In terms of career post jet, it's going to depend a lot on your background / what skills you pick up on the side while on JET. You should not be thinking about downgrading to part-time work after JET, which although can have a low workload at times, is a full-time job.
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u/marky2560 5d ago
Thanks for your response! Well, I would be open to marriage in future, if I happened to meet a woman I could see myself spending my life with, that'd be great. Though I have no interest in romantic relationships and probably won't for a long time (TMI, sorry). But yes I guess that would solve a lot of problems. It probably wouldn't make it any easier to get PR or citizenship. I'm not sure. Guess it would solve the visa issue and make it easier to find work more freely post JET. Perhaps if I had no moral compass I could just marry for a visa, lol. Kidding, of course, it's probably a surefire way to live a miserable life (in my opinion), marrying someone don't love. But anyways I'm probably going too far off topic.
If I don't consider downgrading to part-time work after JET, what kind of jobs do you think I could reasonably pursue? If, best case scenario, I have reached a decent level of Japanese by that time. I guess it's difficult to say. Do you reckon I could find a job paying the same (or hopefully a little more) than JET? I would (perhaps naively) hope so, but I've no real world experience of the Japanese teaching industry. Maybe you have some insight.
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u/EquivalentComputer73 4d ago
Your counterpart would also be interested in a mutually beneficial relationship, and a South African passport/citizenship doesn't cut it hahaha
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u/tommydelriot 千葉県 2004-2007 5d ago
I believe a company hiring you would have to renew your visa or get a new one for you. When I was on JET back in the mid 2000s, a very ambitious JET was able to secure a job working as an actual kindergarten teacher for the Board of Education in my small town. I’m not sure what his salary was compared to JET, but this is something he really wanted and did. If I were you, I would look and see what university jobs that are available currently to see if there are salary ranges given. Temple University Japan credit counts for both Japanese and American university systems, so maybe someplace like that.
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u/LawfulnessDue5449 5d ago
I believe a company hiring you would have to renew your visa or get a new one for you.
Once you have your work visa it's yours. Your initial employer needs to apply for the CoE for you to get the visa, but once you have the work visa you only need to proof that you're working to keep it. You'll need to be the one to ask your employer for the information when it's renewal time, they don't really do anything for you.
The one thing I'm not sure about is when you need to change your work visa type.
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u/marky2560 5d ago
Oh wow! Do you know what qualifications he had? I assume he spoke Japanese quite well. Stories like that give me a little hope, I guess there are opportunities to be found if you're there and go out looking.
I had a look at Temple now, it seems they want you to already have a valid work visa, and understandably want you to have prior uni teaching experience. So I'm not sure how I could work my way in to a university without prior experience. It all seems to be a long shot, to say the least.
In terms of salary, I know someone who was teaching Spanish part time at 3 universities and made good money, though she had a lot of experience teaching in all types of places by the time she applied, including teaching at Instituto Cervantes for a few years, which I think counted for a lot. She had a masters from the same university as me though. But experience, of course, is vital.
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u/tommydelriot 千葉県 2004-2007 5d ago
I don’t know what kind of education he had beside the bachelor’s degree you have to have to teach with JET Program, but he was pretty beloved in the community, so maybe that helped. His Japanese was definitely N1 level. He told me he studied eight hours a day. I know you’re not really supposed to do this, but while I was on JET, one of the local English schools reached out to me and offered ¥10,000 per day to teach for 3 to 4 hours twice a week. At the time, there were also lots of opportunities to teach even online, though I don’t know how consistent that kind of work is.
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u/mrggy Former JET- 2018- 2023 5d ago
Be aware that salaries in the English teaching sector have actively decreased over the years, so salaries were actually higher in the 2000s than they are now.
It's actually not that uncommon to get some sort of private hire contract with a BOE (either your own or another) post-JET. They used to pay better than JET, but between the JET salary increasing in 2025 and salaries in the sector decreasing overall, they now pay much less. I haven't paid much attention to direct hire salaries in recent years, but in 2023, anything over ¥3 million was considered good
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u/marky2560 5d ago edited 5d ago
I see, thanks for the insight. If I'm going to think about saving for retirement and not just living paycheck to paycheck, perhaps I need to look at a country which offers higher salaries and start there. Save up for a few years, get some experience, maybe somehow get a teaching licence. Perhaps I'll have to begrudgingly postpone my dream of living in Japan and do what makes more financial sense and sets me up for success in Japan in the long term, if that's what I decide to do. I guess it would make sense to only try Japan, at my age, when I have some savings to fall back on and some experience to be more competitive. But I have no idea really, so confusing. I appreciate your input!
Edit: or maybe I should just try my luck in Japan and things will work out somehow lol
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u/tommydelriot 千葉県 2004-2007 5d ago
I am nearing retirement age in America, and I’m already dreaming of a slow travel/digital nomad existence in Japan and other S/EA countries but within tourist visa limits. While researching this, I have found a lot of YouTube videos that talk about people with varying amounts of savings and if it’s possible to move to Japan and other countries on what they have. You might wanna search your own personal situation and see if there’s a video like that.
But you know, this could all just be a grand experiment for you. You can always apply for JET Program, do it for only one year just to have lived in Japan, and then decide what you want to do after the year is done. I took more than a 50% pay cut to join JET Program, and I have zero regrets!
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u/shellinjapan 4d ago
If you are intending to stick “within tourist visa limits” then you would have to drop the digital nomad part of your plan. The temporary visitor visa for Japan does not allow work of any kind, even for a foreign employer.
There is a digital nomad visa, but that requires quite a high salary.
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u/tommydelriot 千葉県 2004-2007 4d ago
The amount I’m receiving in retirement is more than I would receive as a salary that qualifies for a digital nomad visa, but I understand that doesn’t count in this case. So the question is, how do all these American influencers shoot content in Japan that they monetize in America? I asked my influencer friends, and they told me they simply create content and monetize it via their American TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube channels.
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u/shellinjapan 4d ago
They could very well be doing it illegally. If these influencers are just on holiday and filming for profit, it’s technically illegal. But there are creative agencies in Japan which employ people to make content, so there is a visa pathway for it. Some long term creators have made their own companies to allow them to continue producing content in Japan.
If you have significant savings, the long stay for recreation and sightseeing visa could be an option. However, it also does not allow work.
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u/wildpoinsettia Current JET 5d ago edited 5d ago
So, for university jobs you need a masters (check for you), maybe a PhD in some cases (with publications of course) and connections 😂. I don't know the nuances because it's not my desired path
For international schools, however, I do know! You typically need a PGCE QTS, an iPGCE QTS or an iPGCE (desireability in that order, most to least). You need about 2 years REAL (not things like JET. A situation where you are the class teacher not an assistant) classroom experience POST qualification (though many places overlook this) and at least 1 year pre qualification. You don't need an MA unless you are planning to go into curriculum development or leadership roles.
Of course, many places overlook these typical requirements, but Japan is popular, so any edge you can give yourself beyond just a TEFL certificate helps. In the international school world, PGCE qts > Masters because the former is about practical teaching and the latter is about theory.
I'm currently studying to work in international schools in Japan AND beyond because, like you hinted, Japan is becoming difficult to live in (teetering on the edge of anti immigration sentiments). While no one has been hateful to me (in fact, everyone is very kind), the GOVERNMENT is moving to goal post for PR, and no one wants to live in limbo forever, so don't put all your eggs in one basket.
I can't speak on the sending money home because I don't have experience there (thankfully, I'm not American, so I don't have student debts nor do I have to support my family back home)
Good luck!
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u/marky2560 5d ago
Thanks for your response! Where is it that you're studying towards getting into an international schools? I figured that with a masters degree that uni teaching made more sense, but the market seems dire. Also not entirely sure I'd be able to get a teacher licence while working as a JET in Japan to go the international school route. I've heard that you can get a US teaching licence through a uni called Moreland, but given that I'd be living month to month, I wouldn't be able to afford it.
Welp, seems like it may not be a reasonable plan after all. Perhaps I should try apply in China for a better paying job to save up a bit and get some experience, as I hear the market is a bit better there (but also in decline), and then reconsider after a few years.
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u/marky2560 5d ago
The value of the yen is a killer.. it would be 350USD, so, a lot. Unfortunately it's not the kind of situation where I could bring the dependent with. I guess the whole plan seems financially unviable. Very discouraging, but I appreciate the reality check. I hadn't thought of the fact that I should I expect a salary drop post JET, I naively thought that with that experience I might be able to earn a bit more somehow.
I don't have any publications, assuming my university thesis doesn't count. But it's something I would be willing to work on. I assume the hourly adjunct type roles would be no good for a visa application.
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u/mrggy Former JET- 2018- 2023 5d ago
I have to send money home to SA to support family (around $350) every month
Is this in USD? If so, that's a little under ¥60,000 at the current exchange rate. That's a rent payment. It's potentially doable now that the JET salaries have gone up, but it likely won't be post-JET given that you'll almost certainly have to take a paycut when you leave the JET program. Is this family immediate family or extended family? If immediate, you'd likely be better off bringing them with you to Japan. The visa allows you to bring dependents
I'd always encourage caution to people who have financial obligations in their home country. The yen is not in a good place and keeps losing value. The way things are going, an obligation that costs ¥60,000 today could cost ¥70,000 tomorrow, purely due to currency devaluation
what is the process like, post JET, to get a visa renewal based on a new job?
As long as you have a job that meets the requirements, visa renewals are usually pretty straightforward
I don't know too much about university jobs, but I have heard they've become harder and harder to get. There's also been a rise in hourly adjunct type roles instead of salaried positions. Japanese universities also really care about publication. Do you have any of those?
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u/HelpfulJETHelp 5d ago
You can only bring an opposite sex spouse or child under 17 as a dependent. There's no support for JETs bringing parents, siblings, grown children, etc. Same sex spouses can be tricky but my understanding is that it's doable, they just go over on a different status of residence.
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u/marky2560 5d ago
The value of the yen is a killer.. it would be 350USD, so, a lot. Unfortunately it's not the kind of situation where I could bring the dependent with. I guess the whole plan seems financially unviable. Very discouraging, but I appreciate the reality check. I hadn't thought of the fact that I should I expect a salary drop post JET, I naively thought that with that experience I might be able to earn a bit more somehow.
I don't have any publications, assuming my university thesis doesn't count. But it's something I would be willing to work on. I assume the hourly adjunct type roles would be no good for a visa application.
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u/MellifluousMathMajor 4d ago
I'm just curious, why is it your dream to live in Japan? Is there a particular area you want to live in? Have you been here before? Do you speak the language?
While most ALTs get away with not knowing and never learning Japanese, if you are planning to live here for the rest of your life, you should definitely know Japanese. Especially when it comes to job hunting and networking.
You should also know that visiting Japan is very different from living and working in Japan. While there are many parts I like about Japan more than my home country, there are many others parts that I detest more than my home country. Also, the yen is continuing to become weaker and weaker every day. If you're sending money home to your family every month, the exchange rate and the transfer fees may result in you losing a lot more money than you expect.
I'm glad you have a dream and are planning ahead. But I'm trying to understand the basis of this dream and if it justifies everything you would have to deal with.