I work full time for a dispatch company that just doesn’t pay much at all so I’m extremely tight on money…
I’d like to apply for an Eikaiwa to work on weekends. If this is possible, I’m concerned about the tax implications. At the moment the dispatch company I work for wants to submit the “final tax” docs by December.
This is where I’m befuddled. After reading info online, Japanese tax law says that part time income doesn’t need to be reported if it’s less than 200,000 yen. I think realistically I’d only make between 40,000 to 60,000 by the end of December 2023 (depending on how fast I can find a gig). So, I wouldn’t have to report anything at all, right? If I were to continue working the side gig in 2024 and go over the 200,000 threshold, then I would definitely need to report that income to the tax office by March 2024…?
I’ve never done Japanese taxes on my own before so I’m trying my best to understand the process by reading info online but I’m honestly still so lost.
And another thing—my company allows part time work as long as it doesn’t interfere with my duties, but if this part time work doesn’t even exceed 200,000, I don’t even need to report anything at all to my company, right? (Not notifying them I have a side gig and no need to provide income info). I don’t plan to stay with them beyond February 2024.
Thank you if you read this wall of words and for your guidance. Any advice in general is really appreciated.
10 comments
Many ALTs do side work working at Eikawas/private lessons
You’re *technically* supposed to report to immigration if you get an extra part-time job. However, many ALTs don’t bother and nothing happens to them
I should note that if money is tight, you should start looking for better jobs/leveling up or you’ll be stuck living paycheck to paycheck
You could just find your local tax office and go and ask them. In my limited experience they’ve been very good at slowly but surely understanding my questions and getting me to understand their answer.
I’ve a friend who does a Saturday job alongside his ALT work and always has to self report his tax and hasn’t reported any problems.
ALT as a dispatch is worse than Eikaiwa. As the ladder goes from worst to best-
Dispatch ALT (They run you around many schools, take a large chunk of the school’s payment, and do everything to stop you from getting a direct-hire offer)
Eikaiwa (not great. Better than dispatch ALT)
Direct-Hire ALT (One jobsite. Bank hours. Decent pay by Japanese standards)
JET program (better pay that direct-hire, though you risk being put out in the middle of nowhere)
University Job (best teaching gig, you either need a great resume or to have great connections)
For a part time job if you have a work visa, you’ll need to get something put on your visa that allows it. So you’ll have to go to immigration.
Unless it’s private 1-on-1 tutoring in cash, then they don’t care.
The eikaiwa company will have to report you as an expense on their taxes and you’ll receive an end of year ticket showing how much you earned that year.
If you use your main job to report income through their portal, there’s a spot to add the amount you made for the year from your part time work. Just put in the number.
It affects your taxes for the next year. They’ll be slightly higher.
Eikawa is a different visa type, so you need to report and apply to immigration.
ALT is Instructor
Eikawa is Humanities
It’s weird I know, but it’s best to check with immigration first.
Be careful.
Way back when I used to work a dispatch ALT job during the day and eikaiwa some weekday evenings or Saturdays. It’s safe to assume you’re on an Instructor visa which isn’t the same as the eikaiwa instructor’s have, so you’ll need to apply for permission to work out of your visa restrictions (and annoyingly have to renew it every year if you continue on)
I think you can probably get away with not paying tax on it this year as it’s so little.
File taxes yourself instead of having your alt company do it for you. Take your end of year gross income / taxes paid slip from all your jobs down to the local city tax office. The workers there will help you fill everything out and do your tax return.
Are you sure you can work at eikaiwa on your visa?
Do a few private lessons and don’t get involved with any eikaiwa companies.
You want advice? Get a job which is not ALTing or working at an eikaiwa, or work on your skills/networking so you can.