Instructor Visa

Hi

I came to Japan last March and was working as an ALT on an instructors visa, in September I changed jobs and now am a full teacher in a conversation school (rather than an assistant teacher)

Do I need to change my visa status at all? if so now?....or will it be sorted when I renew it in March?

Thanks

Yes, you need to change your visa status. Instructor is for the following places:

elementary schools, junior high schools, senior high schools, schools for the blind, handicapped children's schools, miscellaneous schools (kakushu gakko and senshu gakko), or other educational institutions equivalent to kakushu gakko in facilities and curriculum.

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http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/04.html

You need the Specialist in Humanities/International Relations visa for FT work at eikaiwas.

Making the change of status of residence is easy enough.
Immigration Services Agency of Japan
Immigration Services Agency of Japan

Thank you very much that is useful information.

I am slightly confused about the documents I need to take, ....will work provide me with them?and I do not have a copy of my degree certificate with me in Japan.

Also do you know where the regional immigration office is in Tokyo,?

Thank you for your help!

The documentation needed for change of residence status is on that link.

Any further documentation will have to come from your employer (his tax records, for example). Have HIM call immigration to find out what he needs to supply.

You probably won't need your degree certificate since you already provided that to get the first visa. If someone at home can send or scan it for you, that might be nice to have just in case you get an anal retentive immigration officer who doesn't realize that.

Regional immigration offices are listed in Appendix 2 here.
VISA

Once again thank you for all your help, domo arigato.

I was just wondering if the specialist in humanities/international services is only for full time employment in eikaiwas? I ask because I am not currently full time. Work were going to make me full time , but now are uncertain, and so I am looking for other part time employment. If I have two part time jobs do I need the specialist visa or shall I just renew my visa as an instructor visa in March?

Thanks again

One of us is terribly confused.

First you wrote:

I came to Japan last March and was working as an ALT on an instructors visa, in September I changed jobs and now am a full teacher in a conversation school

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Then just a week later you wrote:

Once again thank you for all your help, domo arigato.
I was just wondering if the specialist in humanities/international services is only for full time employment in eikaiwas? I ask because I am not currently full time.

Click to expand...

Which is it?

If I have two part time jobs do I need the specialist visa or shall I just renew my visa as an instructor visa in March?
Thanks again

Click to expand...

It doesn't matter if you are FT or PT. It matters where you work.

Read the links I provided.
Instructor visa lets you work here:
language instruction and other education at elementary schools, junior high schools, senior high schools, schools for the blind, handicapped children's schools, miscellaneous schools (kakushu gakko and senshu gakko), or other educational institutions equivalent to kakushu gakko in facilities and curriculum.

Humanities visa lets you work here:
Activities to engage in service that requires knowledge pertinent to jurisprudence, economics, sociology, or other human science fields. Activities to engage in service that requires specific ways of thought or sensitivity based on experience with foreign culture, such as interpreting, translation, copywriting, fashion design, interior design, sales, overseas business, information processing, international finance, design, or public relations and advertising based on a contract with a public or private organization in Japan.

If you want to retain a FT job somewhere under the guidelines of one of these visas, you can do PT work elsewhere with special permission. Read here.
Immigration Services Agency of Japan
Immigration Services Agency of Japan

Will immigration let you work PT on one of those visas for all of your jobs? If they adhere to the appropriate visa type, yes, but only after you have worked here a year. If they are a mixed bag of visa type jobs, I don't know, and I suspect you'd have to make the majority of your money from the job that fits the visa type. Confirm with immigration and let us know.

Thanks, I originally said I was full time because this was what my job had promised would be happening by the end of Jan, however they have changed their mind, much to my annoyance.

So I am now looking for part time work , at places such as gaba,

So I can call immigration from the contact details provided and they will be able to help? and clarify all this.

This is all new to me, I apologise for the confusion!