So got offered the job at NOVA, got the COE, I have booked my appt at the Japanese embassy to convert it to VISA. I have also booked my flight to Japan on the 1st of October as they said I would have an October start date but when they sent me the questionnaire it only had September dates available for training so I said sorry I said I would start in October because I have to work my notice at my uk job as I have handed my notice in… since then I’ve not heard anything?!
What would happen if I got to Japan and had my visa with my COE but no formal job?
Does anyone have any advice I am not sure what to do! Like I say I’ve handed in my notice in the uk and I am certainly coming on the 1st of October but I need confirmation because if they don’t confirm should I not just apply for a working holiday visa instead? Argh!
9 comments
When did you send this message? And how long has it been since they didn’t reply? Right now is summer vacation for many businesses, so they’re probably out of the office if it’s only been about a week
Don’t worry, sometimes the person incharge of you either goes on vacation or they change the management around. Just send them a fresh email again, also try to use a universal email for nova, and not just the one for your one contact person.
Nova is terrible at getting back to people. Especially with the holidays. It’s a chance your emails have been buried, send another politely and chase up, but don’t sweat. The other advice in this thread is great, they will get back to you.
Back in 2016 it took Nova something like a month to reply to an email. As far as I know, their HR ‘department’ is still one person, so I doubt it’s changed.
Getting ghosted by NOVA and having a COE is the universe looking out for you. Come out
Relatable experience, I’ve also been hired on by NOVA. I’ve got the COE, visa, a September 11th start date, and my official placement at 2 locations in Hyogo.
They’re slow to respond. It took a week for me to get the info I needed for my visa after my COE was confirmed at the start of September.
I think you should be fine so long as you’ve received a placement offer and confirmed it. They’re just in a rush to fill positions for this semester and busy dealing with it.
Even if there’s some fluke and they give you the ol “new number, who dis?” you should be fine with the 10k savings you mentioned in another comment. Finding a job teaching English is *much* easier when you’re currently living in Japan with a valid work visa. And plenty of people break contract during the year to return home or change jobs so there’ll be opening for quick replacements.
Nova are fucking dicks to teachers when it comes to this but with that said, you’ve got nothing to worry about. Obon is coming to a close. They’ll get back to you when it suits them.
I have been offered a job with Nova’s sister company. I was also given September start dates (when I didn’t even have my visa yet, still waiting on my new passport) but I submitted all of my other documents to them for pre-approval. I had no response for over a week. I started freaking out because this is a major life decision and there’s so much i have to coordinate back here. I had another contact at the company so I emailed them and as sanely as possible told them that I wanted to confirm that everything was a go, and that we’re just waiting for my passport so I can get my visa. I expressed that I need confirmation because I have to tie up so many loose ends here. After a few days, I got a response saying everything is good and I still have a job 😅
Yeah. NOVA are like that. I was told after my interview that I was successful and that they’d be searching for a position for me. That was a year ago. Never got back.