I'm a Malaysian and was wondering if there is a way for me to work as an ESL teacher in Japan?

Question

I'm interested to get some overseas work experience and earn some extra cash so was thinking of working as an English teacher in Japan. Can i do that? If yes, what kind of Visa do i apply for?

Answer 1

Working in Japan as an English teacher is no problem. You need to have at least a bachelors degree. If you have that, you can look for a sponsor to sponsor you for a working visa. That is the visa you would need. But you wouldn't be the one applying for it, your sponsor would be the one applying for it for you. You would have to get all the documents to prove that you have your BA, and you are qualified to teach in Japan. Your sponsor would have to prepare their documents to submit to immigration. Once the visa is approved, they will send them your Certificate of Eligibility. The sponsor would then send you the CofE. You would then go to the Japanese consulate/Embassy with the CofE and get your passport stamped with the visa.

But the thing you would need to do first is to find a sponsor. You would search for English schools that need teachers. You can find tons of them advertising on the Internet. You can try places like Dave's ESL Cafe. There are posts for job openings.

Searching for a sponsor is best done in Japan. Come on a tourist visa and find one in person.

Best of luck to you!

Answer 2

First you should find a Japanese company that accepts you. Don`t be discouraged by the fact that most of them looc for native speakers, if your English is good enough that is all they need. After that find the requirements for a working visa to Japan from the site of the Japanese Embassy in Malaysia. The money is good and the experience is nice so it is worth the shot.

Answer 3

I am a Malaysian myself and currently working as an English Instructor here in Yokohama. I have a few contacts with a couple of local private English schools so, do drop me a line at [e-mail]. I`ll see what I can do. btw..just fill me in the loop...do you possess a degree or a teaching certs? that would help heaps.