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Visa QuestionSubmitted by Koi on Wed, 2008/04/16 - 18:09.
I have a question about the legality of our 3-year visas after we finish JET. I'm only staying for one year, so when I finish, my visa still has two years on it...I hope? But I've heard differing things about the legality of staying on that visa. I want to get another job closer to Tokyo as an English instructor, but most companies require you already to have a legal visa. For example, GABA said I would have to get some kind of letter from my previous company saying I could stay on the visa, and they said that sometimes doing that for Instructor visas proved problematic. But I have no idea what that entails! Will my supervisor know? And most importantly, does JET allow it? Or do I have to change my status to visitor again and then try to find another job that will issue me a completely new visa? If you know anything about this, please help! Everywhere I've looked tells you about getting a visa from scratch, etc, but nobody talks about what to do in this situation! (And my predecessor said she just used the same visa to come back to Japan, where she found work a few months after she went back to Canada after her JET term ended - was that legal?) ~Amy |
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As far as I know the visa is
As far as I know the visa is still good BUT if you change the
type of job you are doing the visa type must also be changed.
Right now you have an instructors visa, if you teach at an eikaiwa then you must apply for a change in visa type. In most cases JETs don't have much of a problem with doing this.
I would like to just say that working for a dispatch company can be very shady and not as "on point" as a JET job will be.
My new co-worker is a "dispatch" alt and he has so many stories of crazy stuff they put people through. So make sure wherever you start working is legit and has a good rep!
good luck.
Technically if you quit JET
Technically if you quit JET it's 'illegal' to stay on your instructors' visa because you don't have anyone sponsoring it anymore. However, it's one of those things that's impossible to check and people do it all the time, so there's no real harm in staying on the visa issued by JET. But like Phill said, if you change fields then you will have to change your visa and work with a company willing to sponsor you accordingly. A word of wise, basically reiterating what Phill said again, generally if a company is not willing to sponsor your visa, then they aren't the most legitimate company. A company that hires foreigners is legally required to sponsor the visa but many shady English school/organizations don't so they don't have to share liability and can say you're working illegally if trouble between you and them arises. So just be careful to do your homework before signing on.
Hyakuman wrote: Technically
Technically if you quit JET it's 'illegal' to stay on your instructors' visa because you don't have anyone sponsoring it anymore.
Just to note, I can't offer firm advice, so don't take my word as honest truth in this case - but I was under the impression that your visa would still be valid unless your BOE submits the paperwork to revoke it - basically their original paperwork sponsors you for three years, and if you leave early they're supposed to revoke it. However, as it's more paperwork, and your visa will eventually expire ANYWAY, they usually don't bother doing this (they have nothing to gain from doing it, it isn't like sponsoring you costs anything).
.
That being said, I was told this before I came to Japan - and ESID always applies when concerning BOE policy.
Brett Collins
GAJET Pres 2007/08
Legally, you have to change it.
Legally you have to change your visa if your sponsoring organization changes. So, if you get a job with another company, the JET Programme is no longer your sponsoring organization.
It is unlikely that you would get in trouble for not changing your visa if your type of job doesn't change (most JETs are on the INSTRUCTOR visa). However, I have heard of ex-JETs having complications from not getting their visas changed when their job-type changed. The JET books have information about this as well, and they all clearly state that it is illegal to continue working on JET sponsored visa when at another job.
So, while your visa is still a valid visa, it is illegal to use it to work for a different organization from the one who sponsored the initial visa.
-Bahia
ALT Advisor
Gunma Prefecture
sm-bahia at pref.gunma.jp
bahia wrote: So, while your
So, while your visa is still a valid visa, it is illegal to use it to work for a different organization from the one who sponsored the initial visa.
-Bahia
.
Yeah, thinking back, this is how it was phrased to me. I was asking about tourism after finishing on JET, as opposed to getting another job.
Werd up!
Werd up!
Proceed with caution!
Any reputable company would be willing to sponsor your visa application. Once your BOE submit paperwork cancelling your position on the JET programme, you are then in a gray area. You are required to change your visa type if you change jobs, and in Japan if you don't do things properly it can backfire on you. However, it may be necessary to finish as a JET before you can change your status, so a small time in the gray zone would probably be tolerated. But, make sure you have in writing from the company offering you the new job, that they will sponsor your new visa application. Any company wanting you to use your existing visa sounds dodgy! Also, if the new company is any good, they should be willing to provide information and/or set up the visa change. Information is important, so make sure you consult with people who can give you definate answers. My advice is get conformation from someone who has done what you are about to do!
[PS] I'm on JET and sticking for the 3rd year, so my knowledge is based on a friend who transfered to a private company and is now working in Iberaki Prefecture.
Indeed.
A company that is willing to sponsor your visa must give you the proper documents to support the visa sponsorship. That means that they have to give you a copy of their business profile/plan and a profit/loss statement so you can submit those with the visa change application. This goes for most visa types in Japan, so I wouldn't fully sign on until the company has given me the appropriate forms for my new visa.
OR you could get married and
OR you could get married and all these problems go away
Visa Question
Amy, I've asked a few other PAs about your visa questions.
If the new job is under the same status of residence, then you'll need to get a Certificate of Authorized Employment from the Immigration Bureau to certify you are allowed to work. All the info for that procedure should be here:
http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/english/tetuduki/index.html
But if the new job requires a different status of residence, you'll have to apply for a change of status. Work at most eikaiwa companies won't fall under the "instructor" visa but rather by the "specialist in humanities" one, since these are companies, rather than "educational institutions." Maybe that's what GABA meant about instructor visas being problematic. You should definitely be sure to ask any prospective employers to confirm which status their employees are working under.
I've never actually heard about this letter process. But if it is legitimate, you should find out exactly what kind of "letter" this is. How official does it need to be? What kind of information does the letter need to contain for it to be valid? Who needs to sign or hanko the letter?
If you can, try to get more details from the company. The more specific the information, the better.
Judith
CIR/PA
Gunma
Found a possibily helpful article...
I read this from the Daijob.com newsletter, and while not being legally endorsed, has some good insight into your situation.
http://www.daijob.com/en/columns/terrie/article/1657