Hello,

I recently accepted a position with interac and will be starting this fall. I was wondering what type of drug test they have you do during the training. I haven’t been able to find any recent info on this topic.

I am well aware of the 0 tolerance of marijuana use in Japan as I lived there previously. When I moved back home to the states I started using it recreationally again but I do plan to quit again at the start of next month.

If anyone could tell me or know what type they use I would greatly appreciate it.

Discuss the state of the teaching industry in Japan with your fellow teachers! Use this thread to discuss salary trends, companies, minor questions that don't warrant a whole post, and build a rapport with other members of the community.

Please keep discussions civilized. Mods will remove any offending posts.

I'm planning on applying for university/college positions in Japan and would love to hear any advice people might have for increasing my odds of being hired.

I'll be looking for employment either as a philosophy professor (I am not above temporary non-TT jobs) or as a philosophy postdoc. I'm American and my native language is English. I am JLPT N2 certified but cannot lecture in Japanese (I can handle everyday tasks though, like communicating with administrators, emailing, attending school meetings, etc.). I have two publications in reputable journals and by the time I obtain my PhD, I'll likely have at least one more. I have significant teaching experience in philosophy and a TEFL certificate as well. I can graduate as early as summer 2025, depending on whether or not I'm hired somewhere ABD.

Note: I'm not naive enough to think this is a sure thing, and I will be applying to jobs in the US/UK/AUS as well. If you think my odds are low, no need to tell me about how low you think they are; just give any advice you might have for increasing them, even if you think they'll still be low after I implement the advice.

Many thanks!

I have to teach a student with down syndrome. I don't know how to go about it. I'm definitely not a qualified English teacher and have no formal training in teaching kids with special needs. I'm honestly in the Eikaiwa business just to stay here in Japan. Any advice would be appreciated.

Hi! Any Filipinos here working at Amity Japan? Would love to know your experience so far especially regarding your monthly salary. Are you able to save and send money home? Thanks!

I’m currently working for Borderlink, and I have an interview with Interac in a few days. I’ve been speaking with a current Interac employee, and it seems like the pay is a bit better – though it’s not life-changing or a great wage overall.

From what I’ve gathered, one key difference is how transport costs are handled. Borderlink includes your transport costs in your total wage package, which means your actual wage is lower than what you see on paper. On the other hand, Interac gives you transport money on top of your base wage, so you don’t have to worry about those costs eating into your paycheck.

Another difference is how you’re paid in August. With Interac, you get paid your full salary, even if there aren’t many tasks or hours to work. You may have a meeting or be called for a small task, but overall, you’re still getting paid your full wage for the month. On the flip side, Borderlink doesn’t provide you with anything in August unless you choose to have 10,000 yen per month taken out of your wage throughout the year to cover that month. However, that money is taxed, so it doesn’t exactly help much.

I’m trying to figure out if this small boost in pay with Interac is worth making the switch, especially since I’m aiming to progress with both my career and education. Does anyone have experience with both companies? Is the extra transport payment and full salary in August worth it in the long run, or should I just stay with Borderlink?

Thanks for any insights!

Tried to look more into reviews and opinions on working for this place, but there's virtually no data. For those that may have known someone or personally worked there, what's it like?

Hours aren't listed, just the salary and I see remote positions are offered as well. It seems to be an after school English academy aka cram school that ranges from Kindergarten to HS. I'm wanting to specialize with junior high and high school and get some experience creating materials catered for exam preparation and teaching students to help them for such examinations so it seems like a good fit, but there's hardly any information about them which makes me worried.

I am currently an ALT but have been applying to jobs to work at international schools and private schools for next year I have secured a second interview with a private school but they are now requesting two references.

I was hoping you someone could provide any advice on who to use at my references. I am a little worried about using any of my current teachers or faculty members that I work with as there are still a couple months left in the school year and I fear it would look poorly on me.

Any advice or experiences would be very much appreciated!

I am leaving Japan at the end of my contract. I came here in August and always wanted to be here for a short amount of time. I studied in Tokyo before and speak Japanese. I came here to see more of Japan, get more into teaching and to try to learn as much Japanese as possible. I was in a similar position in Spain and wanted to come here to Japan to do the same before returning to the UK. My school is really nice as are the people. However, I never really connected with my town here and realised that I don't think living here for long periods of time is for me anymore, I would rather come here to visit instead. It was quite risky to come here, especially as an ALT with Interac wondering where you might end up.

To cut to the chase...

My final day of work is March 24th and I booked my flight for April 1st. I did not want to book another month for my apartment and did not want to spend more money to find a hotel in somewhere like Tokyo since moving here and seeting myself up has taken nearly all of my savings. like my school

I know that you are usually supposed to tell Interac a few weeks in advance of leaving, but seeing as I just filled in their Google form to say that I intend to leave, I was wondering if it is worth contacting them to discuss moving out procedures now in advance. I will have March and a whole week free in that month to move out and I want to make sure it goes smoothly.

Would it be ok to notify them and talk to my supervisor about my plans?

My husband and I are planning to settle down and start a family in Japan. However, before that happens, I need to find a job there. I plan to pursue a career as an English teacher and teach in both schools and online.

The first step is to enroll in TEFL.org and complete a TEFL Diploma, which will take 6–7 weeks. I want to ensure that this investment is worthwhile. Is it true that English teachers are in demand in Japan? Tysm!

P.S. My husband works in the IT field in the US and has the flexibility to work overseas. We are currently living in the US, and I am pursuing a teaching career to obtain visa sponsorship in Japan.

I am wondering if you get to pick your location for Nova as an independent contractor. I have heard all of the stuff about how it's worse and they will try to screw you and I get that. However I have a partner in Aichi/Nagoya who will put me up free of charge and pay my bills until I'm settled. Given I won't have any expenses rent wise, does anyone know if I would be able to pick my location with this job? I'd rather take a hit on the earnings for flexibility of living in an area with a support network. (I could also live in Kyoto for free). My plan is just to get here on a visa. All help and experiences appreciated!

I have an interview for a direct hire ALT position next week and I was wondering if any of y'all here had any advice for the actual interview. Do's and Dont's and whatnot!

I worked in different unrelated jobs in Japan for seven years. Now an ALT for a few years now so I could spend more time with my family.

I am currently filling it out and have some questions about certain parts.

I haven’t got my university degree yet, but I will within the next six months. So for the ‘<<Latest Education Info.>>’ section should I put in my high school information or my university degree information?

If it’s my high school information I’m supposed to put in, what should I put for ‘Field of Study’?

Where and who should I address my cover letter to?

33M here. I've recently cleared the interview process with Gaba and will/should be presented with their independent contractor agreement soon.

I’ve read through a lot of Reddit posts about Gaba, and there’s definitely a recurring theme of the work being described as dehumanizing, especially since the Nova takeover. I’m curious to hear from anyone with recent experience—what’s the current situation like at Gaba? Has anything changed for better or worse in the last 12 months?

For context, my situation is a bit unique. I moved to Osaka with my Japanese wife two months ago (so no visa issues/limitations), and I’ve spent the last 11 years working in the sports management industry across India and the UK. In addition to teaching at Gaba, I’m planning to work with sports teams in the Kansai area as a sole proprietor while attending Japanese classes 1-2 times a week. My long-term goal is to go from sole proprietor to starting a sports market research business in the next 2-3 years once I’m more settled and proficient in the language.

A few other details:

• I interviewed with Gaba mainly because the work is flexible, the pay is decent, and there are two centers within a 10-15 minute radius of where we live.

• We're living rent-free in an apartment owned by my wife’s family, and she has a stable job where she eaens between ¥5-7 million annually.

• I’m aiming to earn ¥150K-¥180K (after tax) monthly to fund my consulting work and language learning plans. I’m an early riser and should be able to work mornings and weekends.

Would really appreciate any thoughts on what the work culture at Gaba is currently like and if you think my current situation (with all the other stuff I have going on) is probably suitable for a role at Gaba that seems quite flexible.

Thanks in advance!

How do you socialize with other foreigners / English teachers? Do you use fb? Or any other social media platform?

What about with locals?

I am in Shizuoka prefecture and it is a bit of a challenge to make friends.

Hey everyone!

I was recently offered an Assistant Professor position at a private university here in Japan, but, as usual, they didn’t mention the salary in the initial offer (classic Japan).

I have a PhD and 5 years of postdoc experience, and I’m trying to get a sense of the average salary range for this type of position at private universities. I know it can vary depending on the institution and location, but any insights or personal experiences would be super helpful!

English textbooks can be pretty crazy sometimes with their scenarios and word choice. What's the most ridiculous thing you've seen in an English textbook?

I got an email for a job interview for FlyNexia Global. I applied through career cross. I have only found 3 reviews on Glassdoor but nothing else. They said they are a new English school that focuses on English and programming. On the other hand, I have another email from Borderlink. I have heard pros/cons of Borderlink, but it feels less ominous than a school with little to no information.. please and thank you! Ps. I did try searching through the subreddit and Internet, and got nothing!

A little nervous because I haven’t worked in a while but will be getting an English teaching certification so I might look for a job in that area, any tips adjusting to the work culture in Japan, being early to work and common work phrases etc? Thanks! What a day looks like in a job of an English teacher assistant?

Haven't ever heard of them, and my searches aren't bringing up many if any results. Anyone have experience with this company?

I applied for a job at a juku/after school program in Toyosu and I have some weird vibes to say the least. I have had some bad experiences in the past so I might be a bit paranoid but I wanted to ask just to confirm if I am or am not.

The interviewer was American and very nice but I have a feeling he didn’t read my CV. He only asked me two questions; first to describe my background (education and work) and what’s my future plans in Japan.

By the time he was done talking it was about 15 minutes into the interview. He naturally asked if I had any questions and I of course did. How many people in the company, what does a regular work day look like, and how many days off in a year. The only question I feel like should have had an answer more than a minute or so was the explanation of the school day. However all of his answers were extremely drawn out. I had more questions but at the 27 minute mark he ended the interviewing due to him having another right after.

I feel a little nervous he didn’t know how many employees there (he alluded to there being majority part timers), not knowing exactly how many annual days off in a year. I had a lot more questions but it was cut off before I could ask.

Basically I’ll describe what he was able to disclose:

-Maybe 20 people in the company, -Maybe 120 days off a year -PTO (“about”) 5 days a year (I mentioned the usual is 10 and he said it was because it was a contractor agreement so it’s less) -A work day will be 11:30 start, 1 hour lunch at 12:30, students will arrive around 2ish, we hang out with kids till 4, lesson will go till 6 (one part English, one part STEAM) we have a 30 minute dinner break and then have an online 1 on 1 lesson with a student. There is visa support

Things I wanted to ask and will send in my follow up email: -Salary (job listing had a wide range) -Why the position is available -Substitute teacher situation (what happens in emergency/someone is sick -Turnover rate -Potential for pay increase/bonus -Overtime expectations (I know it will not be paid if it’s a contractor position) -Transportation allowance

Any additional questions you suggest? (Not just for this job but in general is also appreciated)

Also what is your take on this whole thing ? I personally don’t have a great feeling. I’m not in a position where I’m desperate but I also don’t want to be a total pessimist due to past poor experience. It also could be a case of the guy just not being great at interviewing but I have a feeling the weirdness of his lack of questions and his bad pacing might be a symptom of the position I’m applying for not being so great.

Thank you in advanced :)

I'm currently in charge of English classes for an after school program for elementary school students. It's primarily a daycare so I have free range to do what I want with the English classes.

Since I got kind of thrown into things I selected English for Everyone Junior as a curriculum guide and have been modifying that to suit my needs, but as April is coming up I'd like to make the switch to something else.

The classes are divided into grades 1-3 and 4-6. English skills are all over the map within the classes as well. Class size can vary anywhere from 5 to 20 kids depending on the day.

We have some "Let's Go" materials so that would be the easiest switch but I'd like to hear some other suggestions.

Has having CELTA certification ever been the "in" for anyone?
I don't have the time or money for a full on Master's. Internet says CELTA is an adequate certification for someone looking for something that can at least get ya an interview. True??

I just got an offer letter from interac and I would like to go, however I’m thinking that I would like some more time to prepare. Is there anyway I can defer my acceptance until the next recruiting session? Should I accept and then defer, or just email them back saying I’m interested but not for the start date included?

Hi everyone, I hope you are all well. I’m dipping my toes into some early research on teaching English in Japan. I have a Diploma of Education behind me that I attained whilst studying to be a Primary School Teacher, I’m single and have nothing holding me back. Japan is peaking my interest heavily lately due to property market and culture. I am also a fully qualified Electrician so there is a chance I could also educate at a trade school. I basically want to know, where do I start? I googled it and there is an overwhelming amount of information out there, so I thought I would turn to the reddit family. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

For those who have/are teaching in Japan (as an ALT), how easy was it for you to make friends? Either locals or other foreigners? I know Japan is pretty introverted in their social culture at times, but I’m hoping to make at least some friends when I go in March!

Hello. This is primarily pertaining to the 12 year enrollment in a school where English was the main language of instruction.

I don't know if I should Apply regardless or whether it will be a waste of time for both the hiring side and myself. I speak Native Level English, but I only:

-Graduated High School in the United States (Junior and Senior Years only)

- Graduated University with a Bachelors in Arts

- Worked over 5 years in the USA.(non teaching roles)

- I have recently obtained a TEFL certifications (Jan 2025)

I still do not meet the 12 years requirement. So, Should I just skip or do they overlook this?

How Teaching English in Japan destroyed my life.

[Please note that this may contain distressing content]

I've posted a few times on TeachingInJapan, but I want to speak more honestly about my experience. Because I didn't just hate it, I've been left with regular panic attacks, depression and self harm. Recently, I had to go to the hospital in my own country, because of what's happened. I really just don't care about any risks of future unemployment, or bounty placed on me, because other people's well-being must come first.

I was overjoyed when I got the email with an offer of a teaching position 'in Japan'. I got my visa done, booked the tickets, all seemed great, I could not have been more happier. But when I got to training I was struck by some things, all the management seemed like complete bulldogs, two, the complete lack of respect management had for us, often telling them about their luxurious lifestyles, PR, their family and mansions. These managers were bulldogs dressed as sheep. Nice, smily, polite on the surface, but only for their own gain. Underneath, were vile disgusting people who you could tell, were completely void of humanity.

Over the course of 6 months, I was degraded by management and customers on a frequent basis. Despite the Japanese philosophy of working hard leads to respect, instead I was treated like dog mess, since the foreign managers use an American performance based system to judge your work. I worked so, so hard but management don't care about it. Customers constantly complained over the tiniest details, often or not complaints conflicted each other you were subjected to degradation, one way or the other.

If you spoke up at work or caused a seen with your boss, their boss would step in, roast you and tell you that if it happened again, or you're fired.

So what actually happened, is that I wanted to move to a different part of Japan. In my circumstance, I was told that I had to meet the performance requirements to get the transfer. So what did I do? I started working harder and harder to get those standards, but things got worse.

A few months later, I found out that I was being involuntarily transferred to another school 30km away. It would cost me an extra 20,000 yen per month.

I lost all of my regular customers and I couldn't build up a new customer base. I remember how I had made a small comment about another teachers, teaching in the presence of one of the lower level management. Then as already described, the bosses boss, roasted me again and it turns out the lower level manager made up some petty bull tush to get me into trouble. Then I was told that I would be involuntarily transferred to a new location around 400km away

This was 400km further from the location I was working so hard to get there, since that is were my girlfriend lived. I was dumped by her a few days later. As a result of all the pressures, I had a mental breakdown and slashed my arms and face. I never bled or cried so hard in my life. I remember verbally abusing myself over and over 'stupid man', 'stupid, stu-pid man'. Customers hated me, management hated me, my once lover hated me, everyone in Japan hated me. I then got on my bike and attempted for the station. I don't know what would have happened after that, I had thoughts about suicide so if it wasn't for the person who stopped me from going further, I probably wouldn't be here now.

I ended up getting sectioned into a secure unit, no phone, no money, no key, no nothing, for 18 hours or so, sharing a room with 4 other random Japanese people in a mixed ward. Thankfully, the really crazy people were away, but I could hear them in the distance.

The next day, the highest ranking level of management visited the hospital as they were apparently the only person who could decide whether I could leave the ward. So I was whisked off from the ward, taken to the nearest branch and fired immediately on the spot, in the most softy soft way possible through a 'resignation'. I didn't really have a choice, otherwise I would not have got my remaining 10 days paid holiday, 2 weeks to leave my company owned apartment and no doubt the company would have roasted any future background checks for future jobs. This top boss, walked me out of the branch with his slouchy 'bad man' walk that he had, the type that gave you the impression that he knew he was The boss and got pleasure in making other know it, while the low level management were always high as a kite on energy, just to make sure nobody got promoted any higher than their entry level positions. We said a few last words, I walked off, looked back one last time. Boss never looked back.

Now was a countdown timer to leaving Japan. All was over, until I found out that my ex-girlfriend had complained about me to the police and I was summoned to the police station, having missed their attempt to take me right from my apartment. I got to the station, where I was searched, had my passport/ residence card details taken and made to sign by thumbprint, a written document. If I made any further contact this person, I was told in firm terms about 4-5 times “you will be punished under Japanese law”. In simple terms, I would have faced hostage justice, a prison sentence and then deportation, resulting in a ban from entering Japan.

So there I was, I had crash and burned and yet still, I was treated as something so low, I don't think dog mess, even justifies it. Absolutely everyone had turned my back on me in an instant in the most evil of ways, even the person I had loved so much, who could not have cared less, seeing me lose my job and banged up in a Japanese prison. I can't really put it into words, satanic might be a start.

I went from a smiling, happy person to completely broken, soulless and financially broke. Right now I have less than $30 in my bank. I've not left my parents house for over half a year. For about 2-3 months, self harmed everyday. My Father tried to commit suicide himself. I have been left feeling worthless and unable to do work. I've been unemployed for months and so I've now got to explain a huge gap in my CV, which employers will just toss. Even as recently as a few days, I've been self harming and had severe panic attacks resulting in hospitalization.

Anyone who is thinking about coming to Japan, because they are so desperate or because they have some kind of baseless dream, really needs to think about what could happen to them. I have no clue at all, what I'm going to do with my life now.

At this very moment, my 'dream' about Japan is one with a glossy, shining bright surface, full of satanic vileness underneath.