Hi,
Which dispatch agencies, sponsor visas, and contract to universities for English teaching or extra curricular?
Only come across one so far; Westgate Japan.
Also how likely and easy would it be to then move on from dispatch agency to direct hire at a Japanese university?
Is direct hire and visa possible and quick enough at the moment for someone with an MA, CELTA, 3 publications (last one 4 years ago), university lecturing China (10 years ago), 11 years prior experience. Last 5 years arguably unrelated job though.
And how many references do they usually need? Westgate seems to indicate last 3 on their website but that would then be from several years ago or even older. Places close, referees move on, lose touch and so on. What do you do then?
5 comments
westgate is probably the biggest scam in the Japan teaching world. They will deduct half your paycheck for rent that you “can’t” say no to. If you are in one and move, they won’t offer you any more contracts when your current 6 month one is over.
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Direct hire is possible with your qualifications IF your Japanese is good enough to work in a Japanese office.
Westgate professors can’t touch this they don’t have the east and west coast experience that the ackademic diyrectors of a camppus have, they are simply at JoyWanx and Hart tier.
universities don’t normally speak in terms of “direct hire” which sounds like some ALT-lingo to me. There’s definitely no pipeline for dispatch to university here that I’m aware of.
Instead a more common pipeline for ESL types is to start doing part-time work after they get their MA and build up to a full time position through the part-time experience either because the place they’re part-timing at likes them or they apply for jobs on [https://jrecin.jst.go.jp/](https://jrecin.jst.go.jp/) and get hired.
Hiring policies vary but Japanese universities don’t tend to ask for references. They do ask for publications and for you to fill out their specific paperwork (which is often in Excel)
Yes, WestGate is a black company. You don’t want to work there.
A lot of teachers get part-time direct hire work and patch together a decent schedule while they work on their language skills, and network for a full time job.
Your qualifications should be good enough for you to find part time work.
Eh…. you have some qualifications to teach at Uni but others you don’t. We need more info
1. What’s your MA in?
2. Why do you want to come to Japan?
3. What were you doing the last five years?
4. How old are you?
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Basically only Westgate will sponsor overseas but the pay is awful, you’ll be worked to the bone and most importantly, there is no guarantee you can jump to a “direct hire” position.