Just wondering, I wouldn’t want to apply for something that’s clearly a red flag.
I’m sure it’s highly dependent on the job’s location – but if someone could just give me a general base to go by at first (like “if countryside, probably this – if city, probably this”) then I’d appreciate it.
And if you have any other red-flags to look out for, then please let me know. I’m applying from overseas, so it’s not like I can directly visit the company before deciding.
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When you’re starting out, assuming you’re looking at your first gig (non jet, just no-name eimaiwa or alt) here’s some general advice I would follow.
Pay:
If rent is covered (“free”) then you could accept as low as 220,000 and not starve but you won’t thrive.
If they offer you 220,000 for inaka and still expect you to pay rent, kindly refuse that.
250,000 I think is a decent starting point in general (non-city)
300,000 is a good start for non-jet.
(For reference, I started at 275,000 in inaka.)
Generally, anything higher than 285,000 is pretty competitive at entry level in this economy.
Hours:
You generally want to look at the teaching hours. Nearly all english teaching gigs full time will expect you to warm a desk 8 hours or so a day.
I would say if you want a non-stressful gig, look for under or around 30 teaching hours a week. Less for ALT. This will give you time to lesson plan and hopefully learn transferable skills.
Also, I generally refused any job that doesn’t give 2 consecutive days off, and nowadays I refuse stuff that wants me to stay past like 7pm.
(I’ve worked 2pm to 9pm gigs at eikaiwa it was fine cause i was younger. And ive worked sunday+tuesday off and hated that.)
Note: the “good” jobs outside of JET are going to expect you to apply from wothin the country. You may have to accept a middling position first to get in and apply for a better gig.
For ALTs probably 230,000
For Eikaiwa probably 280,000
ALTs working hours are pretty much fixed. But Eikaiwas however can have significantly varying hours with some going on pretty late. Also if they advertise high salaries, like 350,000 per month, they may be expecting a lot of overtime or weekend/holiday work.
Honestly all of the pay’s bad. That said, more than a decade ago I wouldn’t have even considered less than ~250k a month. To me that was the absolute limit for what anybody shoulda accepted…
I wouldn’t consider anything lower than 250,000 as a starting point. When I first started out 20 years ago, the absolute minimum pay to qualify for a visa was 250,000. I guess they lowered it or got rid of that requirement since a lot of teaching positions I hear on this sub pay below 200,000 now days.
When you don’t have any experience, don’t have a teaching license, and don’t have any TESOL qualifications, you really just have to take what you can get.
ALT and eikaiwa work are the equivalent of working retail or fast food. It’s a “a take it or leave it” situation where you don’t really get to pick and chose between jobs or negotiate your salary. Essentially it’s unskilled work for people who want to take little vacay to play around in Japan for a few years before getting a “regular job” “back home.” At least, that is how most of the people who come here see it, and that’s how the schools see it.
My advice would be to recognize this fact, and reconcile yourself to not having a lot of choices and not making much money before you come here .
If you want more than that, then I’d suggest getting all the prerequisite quals before coming over.
For eikaiwa expect around 250,000-270,000 /month starting out.
For non-JET ALT starting out expect around 210,000-240,000 /month.
The ALT pay ceiling is higher than eikaiwa. Will take 2-3 years’ experience and a change of employers.
In general, location won’t affect your pay. It can affect your rent, massively.
You don’t want to be living in Tokyo making that kind of money. You can live comfortably in a spacious apartment in the countryside making that much though. If your heart is in city livin’ make your way there after you plant your feet in the country.
I wouldn’t pay any mind to glassdoor reviews for ALT dispatchers and chain eikaiwas. Lot’s of perpetual screwups and baby-faced-never-worked-a-day-in-my-life-before people in the McEigo industry. Most of these complaints are about their specific workplace/manager. Do check out the reviews for the small privately-owned eikaiwas, though.
I would not take a job for less than 250k
160,000 a month is Nova’s guaranteed wage (ie, if you teach no students). So below the poverty line.
Be careful of listening that say “up to ¥(amount)” these listings usually include bonuses at the highest possible/almost impossible to get amount and working 7 days a week. If you take about ¥40,000-¥50,000 off those amount that’s what you’ll probably be getting if you’re not over working yourself.
Anything that pays under 250000 a month. Other red flags to look out for are not paying transport, reduced or no wages during holidays, not paying health and pension contributions.
Below the local minimum wage is a definite no-no.
I know it isnt entirely related, because im a Korean ‘eikaiwa’ teacher, but I watch this sub because I am seeing a Japanese girl and I consider jumping over somewhen if the right opportunity arises,
But even in korea my salary is around 325,000 jpy PLUS a good two bedroom apartment. Probably 380,000 including housing.
It’s probably unobtainable, but I wouldn’t even consider accepting a job for 300,000 (and I’d fully expect to pay my own flight etc and save rent by sharing with the girlfriend).
The Japan esl scene seems pretty bad compared to Korea, and you havnt even seen how much the ESL teachers in Korea complain on our sub reddit already lol.