Before you scold me, I am passionate about teaching so for me this is not just a loophole from a very bad situation. Therefore, I’m also willing to excel in my teaching career no matter where I am. But I was wondering whether Japan would be an upgrade or a downgrade from a country where teachers are severely underpaid and very overworked. I’m talking salaries ranging between 200-400 USD. Sometimes that wouldn’t even cover rent for some people over here. Not to mention the hyperinflation, lack of electricity and clean water. I have a lingering anxiety in the back of my mind and scared things might go wrong. I see a lot of people complaining about the Education field online in Japan so I was wondering if I’d be making the right choice moving there. I also have to mention that if I do decide to move to Japan, I wouldn’t have a home to come back to so this has to be a long term thing.
19 comments
Yes, Japan bas a better quality of life than an undeveloped country on the verge of economic collapse. But if you’re not from a country where English is your native language it can be very difficult to get a job, and you need a job to have a visa. Naturalization is a lengthy and difficult process so you will be depend on a job to stay in the country long term. What is your education background? Do you have a masters degree?
I ignored the “dancing monkey” and other insults from the westerners on reddit and switched from my $200, 12h night shift job (I have higher education, people who don’t were paid $70 at the time in my country) to ALTing in Japan.
It was a great upgrade, I could finally afford basically anything that I wanted, started living a significantly better life than the people who I grew up with. All Japanese people treated me with respect, unlike when I moved to the UK. I find school system here to be very organised, kids are very well behaved and and overall, schools have a pretty good atmosphere. Are you thinking about being an ALT of do you want to teach a certain subject?
Basically, you’ll definitely make more money and live a better life overall even if you’re just an ALT, if you’re from a 3rd world country like myself, but the problem is, it’s not guaranteed that you will like and adapt to the local culture
Yes, that’s why everyone is flocking there.
Yes, it would. As long as you can get a visa you’ll likely be better off.
Temporarily
Japan has been in a period of economic stagnation for 30 years now.
The demographic changes Japan is experiencing makes financial, and even social, crises very likely over the course of this Century. Depending on how “long term” you’re planning I don’t know that Japan is your best bet.
But in the present and short/intermediate term it’s leaps and bounds better than the situation you’re describing and would be a huge improvement if you were able to make it work.
Basically I think it’s a valid strategy, but you should be aware that Japan is on course for a very troubled 2nd half of the 21st Century and if you plan to settle there permanently some of these problems, or possibly worse ones, could emerge.
Short term it will probably be better situation, but in the the long run it won’t be. A few years ago it was the 2nd largest economy, but it was overtaken by China. The economy has been stagnate since the bubble burst in the 90s. There hasn’t been a real wage growth since. How can the economy grow if Japan has the fastest aging population in the world and the population is falling every year. Someone will have to pay for all the social programs for the aging population. Everyone will have a higher tax burden to support all of these seniors. I don’t know if the devalued yen is permanent, but it dropped 30% in the past year. The price of things have become more expensive with the weak yen since Japan doesn’t have much natural resources and has to import things like natural gas, gasoline, etc. I think places like China or South Korea has a better economic outlook if you want to be an English teacher.
It’s definitely an upgrade from economically collapsing countries like the UK (my home country). Just be aware that if you’re planning on moving here for life, there is the issue of the aging population. But that will affect all first world nations at some point so it’s not unique to Japan.
Honestly i think upgrading pay is a good reason to move to any country
Yes. Pay is way better here if you put it on yourself to make private lessons for more money, people are nice, and the cities are clean. Just make sure you take the time to learn some Japanese when you have a job set up because it will aid you a lot.
From the point of view of spoiled westerners on Reddit who think they’re economic experts and fortune tellers, it’s a bad move. For those of us from the developing world, it’s just fine. Whatever chaos may erupt in Japan is nothing compared with a week back home. Many developed countries have bad population demographics and while Japan may have substantial government debt, its creditors are largely domestic bond holders. Inter generational family wealth is also substantial here. Much of the Yen weakness we’re experiencing is a result of domestic investors buying the dollar (USD holdings by Japan are in the trillions) to achieve higher returns which will later be repatriated. If you can master the language, I don’t see why it’s a bad idea. Cost of living is also manageable compared with many first world destinations. Worst case scenario, you spend a few years here and move on to the likes of Canada etc
I often meet teachers that moved to Japan from The Philippines. They say that moving to Japan has been an amazing benefit to them. As an example, one women and her friend came as teachers, so they share a 1K so all those bills are shared. They both make about 200,000 per month teaching. They think it’s a definite up.
On the other hand, people from countries like US, AU, UK – came when usual ALT jobs paid a starting of 280,000 and wages increased annually…until they started going down. Some are capped at 310,000 and others find each year they annual contract going down and they are making 220,000 after 5-8 years. (Are there people that snagged a full-time perm job at 410,000? Yes there are, but those jobs are limited in number. Plenty of schools doing the “renewal max 3 years / renewal max 5 years” and paying 220,000-270,000 for “Monday-Friday 8:30-4:40pm.” These people don’t have or want to share a 1K with another human to cut down bills. It’s simply not an “up” for them. For these people, Japan is not an ideal escape.
I’ll also note that as Japan knows they can hire some fairly decent teachers from The Philippines, and jobs know that those workers are so grateful, that they will put up with doing free work outside job description, will just say “Yes sir” and “yes maam” to requests and bullying at work, the system of paying less will continue. Who needs ALTs from Canada or New Zealand when those people will hope for 280,000 to start and be aiming for 350,000 in future…when a person from a more emerging country will start for 180,000 and be grateful for an increase to 210,000 over 4 years?
I’m curious where you are from OP?
My friend from Jamaica just gave up her citizenship to become Japanese… I know it’s quite common now to come here from developing countries and thrive.
I have a friend also from Mexico (I’m dual citizenship so not similar to his case) and he was working as a bento box maker before and he worked his butt off to improve his English and work ethnic and Japanese and now he is working as a principal of an international school in Tokyo.
Anything is possible.
As for me: I was living and working my butt off in California, I was an ESL teacher and had to take 2 side jobs to be able to afford cost of living and rent. It got to be too much and I left to South Korea and now in Japan teaching. I live better here than I did back in California
I have friends here from turkey and Venezuela, and of course this is a much better place for them to live and work. It might not be the perfect job, but at least (for now) your salary will be able to buy you groceries the next week.
Japan is safe, predictable, solid. You could maybe make more money somewhere else (China for example) but may not be as predictable, if that’s whats important for you.
It can be lonely and alienating, but you’re going to have to face that wherever you move, but you also dont have a common lamguage here.
If you’re going to be lower class in any country. Japan is a good country to be lower class in. Even at minimum wage you’ll make enough money to afford rent, food, utilities, household goods, and save a little bit each month. If you’re married or have roommates you’ll save even more. If you’re motivated, extroverted, and adaptable there’s usually plenty of room for advancement if you network and pursue new opportunities. Japan’s declining population is creating a decent labor market.
To succeed you’ll have to independently work on achieving N1 Japanese language skills (bilingual, native level). That’s honestly the biggest obstacle for most people. But if you can spend 6 months to a year practicing everyday for an hour or so, you should be able to get there.
A move to Japan for you would probably be good. Actually this is the exact reason h to Erebus such massive downward pressure on wages for English job.
So many people from places like Philippines willing to earn 200k JPY a month because compared to where they are from its massive – and life in a fully developed nation.
I am from the Philippines and life is definitely much better in Japan. And this is from someone who has had a pretty good life in the pH.
I definitely don’t get paid peanuts. I work 17 hours a week and can pay rent in Japan and live with my son.
I work remote… completely . I’m traveling in Vietnam now with my son . We’ll be here a month . I started a yt channel to chronicle it ( as a proof) if you’re interested.
Last year I worked only 6 months ,max of 19 hours a week and traveled to the US for a month and then Bali in December. We travel every 6 months. I love the lifestyle freelance English teaching affords me. I’m not going back to full-time .
I am not from a rich family in the Philippines by all means but I don’t need to send money home like many others . My family comes to visit often – 18 family members came to visit 2017 for example . In July this year 9 family members came. My mom, before Corona ,used to visit 6x a year.
I did study here at a university so my Japanese is pretty good. I’ve been here in Japan 15 years now. I became an adult in Japan 🗾
I teach at an electronic/entertainment company and teach their engineers english. I absolutely don’t beg for work and not a yes (wo)man. I dictate the hours and tell them where and how I want to teach. I have been fully remote three years now. I decided I don’t want to teach kids and not anyone under 25. I gave up my part-time university gig because they wanted me to go back face-to-face.
Recently another company wanted to continue with me and they changed their schedule so I can teach them. There are a lot of other teachers they could choose from -including white blue eyed males, but all of them chose only me. So yes racism does exist but once you break through the barrier and show good work ethic, they will love you and stay with you .
Life can be good here.edit – there in Japan not here in Vietnam lol 😂
Plus healthcare is amazing.
I think it’s just harder to come here on a passport from a developing country. Especially to teach English. The main people hired to teach English here are American, Canadian, Australian, English (well, UK), New Zealanders, south African or Dutch. But it’s not unheard of for people from other countries to teach English here at EIKAIWA or even as ALTs. What country are you from OP?