TLDR: should I change my 3 year SHIS visa to a 1 year instructor/Professor visa for a job that I see as a stepping stone
I was applying to a University position through Westgate in Tokyo (I currently live in Osaka). And I’ve finished most of the online process. But I was sent a separate e-mail that asked for a few things before continuing. One of them being to change my current SHIS visa into Instructor/Professor Visa.
I’m hesitant for a few reasons:
1. My SHIS visa was a 5 year visa (which I’ve been told is rare to obtain in Japan. I originally had a 3 year visa that ran out, that I got removed for 5) and I’ve used 2 years of it. I like being able to not have to worry about my visa for 3 years.
2. The 1 year visa is for an instructor/Professor Visa. So I’d have to cancel my old visa and renew it which I would have to do again the following year.
3. I’m not particularly motivated to teach English as a career. I would like to move on from it. I wanted the University job because I thought it would look nice on my resume. And maybe other possible (non-English teaching) university jobs could open up for me. It could be cool and exciting, but I’m not expecting to love this job. Maybe 7/10 at best.
4. The SHIS visa seems very flexible for looking for work. And like I said prior, I’m interested in pontentially trying other career paths, which is a reason for me moving to Tokyo.
My current goal is to just get a job in Tokyo that I can live off of and save some cash while searching for other stuff locally. Teaching is the easiest (I have experience teaching at Kindergartens and conversation schools) and I’m not worried about finding a teaching gig. But I thought maybe if I do teach again, I should try something a bit different that could look better work wise on a resume (or give me some sort of unique work experience).
But at the same time, I don’t want to do something like change my visa which could become a headache to deal with when it comes to changing it again.
7 comments
As many of us do that have work both in one visa category and another do, is just apply for “permission to engage in other activities.” Then you get a stamp in your passport that indicates you have additional permission to do instructor activities.
If the university job becomes your main source of income the you have to change your visa status. If you are working a couple of classes part-time then you just need the ‘permission to engage in other activities’ stamp on your current visa.
Westgate is the university dispatch company, right? The compensation they offer compared to regular university teachers isn’t great. Basically an attempt to gut out the only place for English teaching professionals to make a decent living.
Food for thought:
https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Westgate-English-Instructor-Reviews-EI_IE256848.0,8_KO9,27.htm
>I’m not particularly motivated to teach English as a career.
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Instead of doing “teaching English” with Westgate and trapping yourself even further in the “English teaching” bubble, maybe do something for your resume for whatever career you want to do?
I would never unless I was desparate. People have a hard time getting cellphone contracts and opening bank accounts on instructor visas.
“teaching” english as an ALT or eikaiwa worker (westgate included) is not a “stepping stone”. That has to be the biggest myth among young foreigners along with “Japanese girls like foreigners”.
Westgate **does not count as experience**. They are a temp service company that provides warm bodies to fill seats when a low level school can’t find someone qualified to do the job. They will do everything possible to prevent you from making connections including moving you every semester.
You **will not** save any money in these fake teaching jobs, especially these days. The pay is minimum wage or very close. Westgate is going to require you live in their apartment and they will take close to half your check for that. Refuse company housing and they stop offering you contracts.
Changing your visa is easy. Just drop off some forms and buy a stamp. Don’t be lazy.
“a 1 year instructor/Professor visa”
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Aren’t instructor and professor visas different?
In the long run fanatically it might be the best option. Sometimes people don’t think about the money, only the adventure, but the future requires the money.