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Jobs In Japan... 2017/9/5 05:18
Hey, Forum!

I'm writing to help me in my queries into a job in Japan (hopefully next year)
My girlfriend is in the running for a job in Japan, as a Postdoctoral Scientist of Biology, and I'm hoping to follow her on her next adventure...
I'm currently serving in the Royal Air Force in the U.K, and have done so for about 7 years. So, as you can imagine, all my qualifications surround Security or Defence. I've done Special Forces training (which may open a few doors) but I'm not having much luck in my search!

I fear that if I don't get my act together, leave the military (which now takes an entire year to do) find a trade, and find a job, I'm going to really struggle. Tips, Tricks and any advice, I'd greatly appreciate!

I hope you guys can help..

Adam.

by Adam (guest)  

Re: Jobs In Japan... 2017/9/5 08:52
Easiest job someone outside Japan can do finding a function for English teaching.
It would be easier to find a job once you are in Japan and have the required visa, preferable spouse visa.

by justmyday (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Jobs In Japan... 2017/9/5 15:03
His girlfriend is not Japanese (by the sound of it), so spouse visa is not possible. In fact, since you are not married, the only options are a working holiday, student, and work visa. The work visa will be very difficult, even as an English teacher, since you would need to get all the qualifications in 1 year.

If her postdoc is only one year, and since you're from the UK, a working holiday may be the best option, but you have to be under 30! Alternatively, if you get married, you can get a dependent visa, with which you can apply for permission to work up to 28 hours per week. The same goes for a student visa, but you will have to study at a potentially expensive school.
by 88Tim rate this post as useful

Re: Jobs In Japan... 2017/9/5 15:06
There's no "boyfriend" visa. If you were married, you could get "dependent" visa (not "spouse" as someone else mentioned - spouse is for people married to Japanese citizens [unless your partner is Japanese]), otherwise you need to get your own visa sponsorship.

Military stuff is likely a dead end. Unless you speak / read / write Japanese at near-native levels, most other jobs would be difficult. And trade jobs wouldn't qualify you for a visa. You need to be able to provide a skill that can't be found locally. As mentioned, teaching English is the entry level job for most.
by Dainichi Heater rate this post as useful

Re: Jobs In Japan... 2017/9/5 16:11
You need to be able to provide a skill that can't be found locally.

Goodness, are we really never going to be rid of this old canard? Reading that, you'd think Japan is unable to produce skilled programmers, graphic designers, photographers, financial analysts, and so forth--any job anyone has ever obtained a work visa for.
by Firas rate this post as useful

Re: Jobs In Japan... 2017/9/5 18:44
Agree with Firas, and would also like to kill this old myth as well:

Unless you speak / read / write Japanese at near-native levels

Pleeaaase! Lots of international firms here hiring foreigners that can't even read hiragana! Not all of them, I agree, and if you speak japanese your possibilities do open up, but in this age and time is no longer impossible to find a job in japan without speaking the language! writing near native level.... haha even my japanese coworkers forget how to write kanji on the whiteboard
by again with the same (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Jobs In Japan... 2017/9/5 21:56
Firas; of course they can produce programmers. But clearly not enough. There is a shortage - hence the need to import more.

Other guy; sure, there are jobs out there which don't require Japanese ability. But they are what, 1 in 100 jobs out there?

if you want a legalistic standpoint, you guys are right. Give yourselves a big pat on the back. But in the real world, it is important to play to the numbers. You are unlikely as a foreigner to be employed in a job where there is a large pool of local talent, and given that this is Japan, most jobs require a solid grasp of Japanese.
by Dainichi Heater rate this post as useful

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