Foreign College students working in Japan,

[Fukuoka_Drifter]

I am planning on going to TUJ this spring semester. Before I make this jump, I would like to know what other foreign students do for a living while going to school in Japan...

 

[Glenski]

It probably depends on your level of Japanese. Can't really be a store clerk or waiter/waitress if you don't speak/read the language. Does TUJ have a job service center?

And, you know, of course, that you have to get special permission to work on a student visa, right?

 

[Fukuoka_Drifter]

I can meet the special criteria for working part-time. Mmm...

 

[dblbstrd]

And, you know, of course, that you have to get special permission to work on a student visa, right?

Getting that permission is a matter of filling out a form and turning it in to the school, then waiting a few days.

Most of the students in Japan from places like the US don't usually do the typical part time jobs.. a lot of them are on one-year exchanges on the JASSO scholarship or something similar, which is for the most part enough to get by.
You might be able to have some success doing private English lessons under the table, or you might even find a small English school that will employ you part time. That is where you will make the most money.

I've seen foreign students (all non-westerners) working in fast food joints, convenience stores, and the likes, but I can't recall seeing any westerners doing it. You can easily make 2000 yen an hour (or more if you're good) teaching or tutoring English, or you can make 900 yen an hour working at McDonald's. Not a difficult choice.

 

[Glenski]

Getting that permission is a matter of filling out a form and turning it in to the school, then waiting a few days.
Most of the students in Japan from places like the US don't usually do the typical part time jobs.. a lot of them are on one-year exchanges on the JASSO scholarship or something similar, which is for the most part enough to get by.
You might be able to have some success doing private English lessons under the table, or you might even find a small English school that will employ you part time. That is where you will make the most money.

Be careful about doing this without permission from immigration! Why risk your student visa status when a simple matter of paperwork will make you legal?

 

[dblbstrd]

Be careful about doing this without permission from immigration! Why risk your student visa status when a simple matter of paperwork will make you legal?

That is fair, and very true, but I didn't explicitly say anything about working without the proper paperwork in place. If you are ever working at an actual established place, they should ask for it anyway.
If you're just doing one-on-one lessons with somebody in a cafe, it's kind of grey-area, there's nowhere for the paperwork to go through on that end since you're not on any payroll kind of thing. Doesn't hurt to fill out the form and turn it into your school either way.

 

[Glenski]

That is fair, and very true, but I didn't explicitly say anything about working without the proper paperwork in place.

Then what did you mean by this statement, if not working illegally?

"You might be able to have some success doing private English lessons under the table,"

If you are ever working at an actual established place, they should ask for it anyway.

Should, but it doesn't happen in every case. There are some unscrupulous employers who get foreigners to rush here on tourist status, string them along with false stories about "delays" or "mistakes" in visa processing, and have them working at lower wages until they have overstayed, and then kick them out with no legal recourse.

If you're just doing one-on-one lessons with somebody in a cafe, it's kind of grey-area, there's nowhere for the paperwork to go through on that end since you're not on any payroll kind of thing. Doesn't hurt to fill out the form and turn it into your school either way.

It's not gray. Working without the proper visa permission is illegal. Want to do private lessons? Get permission. It's just not that difficult.