EEducation in Japan

Paying Dispatch Companies

Am I the only one who sees it this way? We’re essentially paying dispatch companies to secure positions for us. I’ve heard that the BOE doesn’t always pay fees to these companies for providing teachers. Is that accurate? What are your thoughts?

12 comments

  1. What do you mean the BOEs don’t pay fees? Dispatch companies are taking a huge chunk of the salary, id say that’s like fees

  3. The BOE pays them XXX and then the dispatch agency pays the teacher XX. They skim between 25-35% off the top for themselves and then offer you what is left.

    You can look at it as “you” are paying them monthly to have a job, as the BOE could indeed pay YOU the XXX – or you can look at it as the BOE gives the agent a budget of XXX to pay themselves and a teacher.

    Either way, the percent they can keep is disgusting. If they kept 10%. Sure. Whatever. 15%. Meh….well, whatever. More? It’s gross?

  4. BOE pays dispatch company for each ALT > dispatch company takes most of it > ALT is left with the scraps. Simple as that

  5. I kind of wish that were the case, but if that were so then we are giving the dispatch company a pretty hefty cut. From what I understand they pocket 50-60% and give us the rest…. Maybe.

    I also think the dispatch companies have a pretty arrogant belief around the relationship between the Company, ALT, and the BOE. There is no reason that the dispatchers couldn’t have been, at one point, mostly a go between with ALTs and the BOEs, but at some point it developed the corporate infection and has been festering for years.

  7. It’s more like the BoE is paying the dispatch company to handle all of the ins and outs of hiring ALTs and the dispatch company adjusts their wages as low as they possibly can while still getting enough recruits.

  8. When I was a dispatch ALT I remember one colleague mentioning that their vice principal told them the BOE paid ~400,000 yen a month to the dispatch company; the ALTs made ~215,000 pre tax. The BOE rate was consistent the whole year while the ALTs made half pay over August which rubbed it in even more lol

  9. Big bank eat little bank.

    At the end of the day, if you aren’t aggressively learning new skills or formulating long term plans, expect to keep paying them that much (with the cut they take getting higher and your purchasing power going down due to inflation).

    You don’t have to leave the industry, there are plenty of ways to make a livable salary teaching. But if you’re working year in and year out for a dispatch hoping that they one day see how ‘unfair’ they’re being and decide to pay you more….good luck.

  10. Just look at the JET salary. Then look at your salary. That difference? That’s what they are taking.

    You’re getting paid less, for more work at multiple schools and no desk warming or vacation. Gg.

  11. My thoughts are that most ALTs can’t speak, read or write Japanese enough to save their lives, let alone walk in to a BOE (whose staff can’t speak, read or write English) and get directly hired.

    A company has hired you, and markets you as a product to the BOE. The BOE pays the company, and your salary is a company expense.

  12. Most of you I can see have never run a business. Even existing as a business requires a certain income, and if 30% if all that a dispatch is getting, it’s not very profitable. Probably spending most of the income on salary and overhead, not putting away ¥¥¥ after tax profits in huge numbers.

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