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Moving to Japan 2023/10/20 03:27
Hi, everyone
Ifm a senior about to graduate next year summer July 2024 and planning to move to Japan to hopefully get a 2-3 year contract with a good company as my bachelor degree is in business management and Ifm currently doing an internship for Immdef. Is an immigration firm that will also be done on July 2024. Ifm also planning to start applying for companies in Japan next year as Ifm going to go on spring break around April for interviews. Any tips from anyone please help. I do work as a TA (preschool teacher assisting) right now and many of my friends want me to continue to work at preschool or kindergarten in japan teaching kidfs English which is great but I rather work in a good company with bachelor degree I earned with hopefully great salary and benefits that also comes with a visa. Any tips or advice will be greatly appreciated it and will it be a good idea to apply next year and have an interview on April when I go visit for one week and also how will I get a contract with a good company because I am planing to move to Japan by august of next year. Are there good company I can find to allow this process. Ifm also moving with my one toddler I will be enrolling in Japan school along with my one cat. I just really hope anyone can give me advice with any tips or sites I can use to find great company that needs my skills in the degree I will be obtaining. Also any new good friends I can make as a mom also will be great also. Ifm a bit nervous but I have my plans set and I just want the help please.
Thank you!
by Fluffy29  

Re: Moving to Japan 2023/10/20 08:01
Whatfs your current Japanese level?
Most new graduate jobs start on 1/Apr. finding a job that starts in August might be tricky. Japanese who apply for entry level jobs do that about 1 year ahead. There are a lot of job fairs you might want to attend.
Thinking from a company perspective compared to a Japanese graduate what is it that you offer more? Only then a company will be willing to go the long way to get you a visa.

I guess thatfs one of the reasons why your friends suggest to try as teacher first. But I totally get it that you want to do what you studied. I am getting the question if I am an English teacher all the time. Most Japanese (and foreigners!) seem to think that if you are non-Asian foreigner you must be a teacher. Not sure how many of us are, but therefs a life beyond being a teacher. That said, without work experience getting a teacher job (if your mother tongue is English) is the easiest.
by LikeBike rate this post as useful

Re: Moving to Japan 2023/10/20 08:08
Without knowing your Japanese language capability and your business skills but hearing you will be a new graduate right out of university, your best chance of finding employment in Japan will be with English language school. But you have two challenges there - having a toddler, meaning you need to find a child care center that can take in your child immediately (some local moms have difficulties placing their kids in one. Also ENglish speaking, International preschools would be limited in their number and locations, and also very expensive), and having a cat, meaning you need to find an apartment that is ok with pets.

Are you looking only for a few yearsf work experience in Japan?
by AK rate this post as useful

Re: Moving to Japan 2023/10/20 08:35
hopefully great salary and benefits that also comes with a visa
You really need to research how low starting salaries are. As for benefits, you get a job, maybe your commuting costs paid.
You need the visa/status of residence to stay in the country and work. A lot of jobs state upfront that you need the right to live/work in Japan as they are not interested in sponsoring people.
by JapanCustomTours rate this post as useful

Re: Moving to Japan 2023/10/20 09:48
bachelor degree is in business management ... moving with my one toddler ... along with my one cat
What type of work do you plan to find in Japan because you need Japanese language abilities to work in normal 'Japanese company' if you want to continue utilise your "business management" skills .

As your friend suggestion finding English 'teaching' work is much easier, either as an English Instructor in Eikaiwa shop/school or ALT(Assistant Language Teacher) with a dispatch company. Both are low paying entry job, where most freshly graduate use as stepping stone to move in Japan or gap year before pursuing serious career.

https://zoomingjapan.com/life-in-japan/teach-english-in-japan-alt-vs-e...

Bringing child/spouse together create another set of problem, where most of the time you'll might encounter hurdle trying to apply together, since some company reluctant to process application for family member. You need to handle it yourself. And as other said, childcare and school for children can be overwhelming for first time foreigner but there is help from city hall/international association.

Also with cats/pet finding an accommodation that allow pets can be troublesome/extra cost.
https://resources.realestate.co.jp/living/bringing-your-pet-dog-or-cat...

Lastly location vs. job availability vs. convenience.

So first read about types of visa and then work your way through it.
https://www.juridique.jp/immigration.php

Or see if you fit into this newly introduce type of visa J-Find ..
https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page22e_001037.html
https://lawoffice-yokoyama.com/english/j-find/
by @.. (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Moving to Japan 2023/10/20 12:29
Fluffy29, I was in a somewhat similar position to you when I was graduating from college. I had a business degree, and wanted my first post-graduation job to be in Japan...and I ended up taking a teaching job first, then transitioning to work in other fields.

Usually, finding a non-teaching, office worker position in Japan requires some combination of these:
1. Japanese language skills
2. Professional experience
3. Technical/legal qualifications

Being especially strong in some of those can smooth over deficiencies in the other. If, for example, you're a highly talented engineer, lawyer, or certified tax accountant, you might be able to get away with lower language skills. Or, if you're absolutely 100-percent fluent, you might be able to find a company that's willing to hire you without a lot of experience if they feel like they'll be able to communicate well enough with you to train you on the job, over the course of months or years.

Unfortunately, "business management" is a non-technical field, so your Japanese language skills and professional experience become more important in job hunting. As a new graduate, you're unlikely to have much in the way of professional experience. I'm not sure how much, if any, Japanese you speak/read/write, but the unfortunate fact about learning a foreign language is that even if you study it in your home country, it usually still takes a certain amount of time living in the foreign country in order to become proficient in it, especially for business purposes.

As a result, you will most likely not be a very attractive candidate to most Japanese companies, and that's before getting to the really big issue, which is the added risks/hassles of interviewing and hiring someone from overseas and sponsoring their visa. Even if it's for a position that doesn't require technical qualifications or extensive professional experience, you're still competing against local Japanese applicants who present no language barrier issues and who could start the day after they're hired, with no drain on the company's time for visa paperwork or other transitioning-to-life-in-Japan issues.

That's why teaching English is such a common, and for many people viable, gateway into Japan. Teaching as an ALT (assistant language teacher) or English conversation teacher doesn't require a technical certification, but as a native speaker your pronunciation and inherent command of grammar functions like a technical skill that counterbalances a lack of Japanese language skills/professional experience, and so makes you a more attractive job candidate.

Because of this, many non-technical foreign workers in Japan came to the country on a teaching job, then found work in another field after arriving. Many Japanese employers who would not be willing to be an initial visa sponsor are much more willing to sponsor a visa renewal, since it's a less complicated process. Some amount of time spent teaching in Japan also functions as proof that you can handle day-to-day life in the country and aren't going to suddenly decide to move back to you home country because life in Japan isn't like you expected it to be (a not uncommon phenomenon).

All that said, I totally understand that you'd rather work in a non-teaching field from the very beginning, and it's not 100-percent impossible, but you might be in for a long and difficult job search, especially if what you're looking for is "a great salary." Generally speaking, most office jobs for new college graduates in Japan don't pay enough to support a child, so if your goal for when you arrive in Japan is to be stepping into a high-paying business management job, you might need to consider delaying your move to the country until you've got those three key factors (Japanese language skills, professional experience, technical qualifications) covered more strongly.
by . . . . (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Moving to Japan 2023/10/21 03:51
Hi, everyone
Thank you so much for your kind words and advice. I do have beginning level of Japanese as I can speak a little and understand a little since I did took Japanese class in America and I am currently continuing to study the languages since I do know is important to have some knowledge as my skills so I can at least be in the intermediate level. As for my toddler I want to enroll him in kindergarten since he be 4 when we move. Since is April 1st Japanese company start to hiring new hires is actually that month Ifll be going to interview and job fair there during the spring break. I do have a lot of various experience and I am currently doing a 11 monthfs internship working as a paralegal assistant and also doing administration work. I also do translation since English is not the only language I speak I also speak French also. I do have other experiences and yes I have almost two years as a teacher for preschool teaching kids English and math and so on but I also have a lot of experience with kids since I use to be a nanny/tutor. I also have a lot of hospitality experience in term of working in restaurants and experiences working as an an assistant for a property manager for 4 years. I have quite a lot lol. I do have two associates degree in business administration and science. The last degree Ifm obtaining currently is my bachelor like I mention before. I was still going to see what they can give me when I go on April for the job fair and submit my resume and go to various interviews because I am looking to work there in a contract they can give me for 2-3 years. As for my son I did find a great school I wanted to go to visit when I go to Japan on April with him the school is called gFuji kindergartenh (please let me know if this school will allow me a visit) my son also is learning the basic Japanese so when he go to kindergarten there he at least knows the basic. Ifm planning to take that almost two weeks trip to Japan from March 29 -April 7. Ifm glad Ifm going that week since April 1st is new hired and job fair you guys mention. As for my cat Ifm hoping to look at that for a place in Japan that accept my one cat. I know is going to be a challenge. I will still love to know what is the pay technically will be for entry level graduates with experiences. Thatfs why right now Ifm already studying and preparing myself. I even have the app ghellotalkh to get help from other Japanese instructor that will help me with the language. Let me know if thatfs enough for me to get somewhere and if I may get a chance when I go on April to Japan for those interviews and job fair.
Thank you!
by Fluffy29 rate this post as useful

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