Minimum Size of English School to Sponsor Visa?

[hanibi]

I have been doing some English teaching in a "cram school" for
middle school students in deep-countryside Japan for a few
weeks every year when on vacation there, volunteer. The school
owner, and its only qualified teacher, is my friend. She has
4 part time workers helping her, but they are just
housewives that correct the most easy papers, 10 hours/week.
Many years ago, she asked Japanese Immigration if she could
hire me and sponsor me for a Visa. They said something discouraging
to her to the effect that her little business/school wasn't big
enough to get a Visa for one foreigner. Her school has about
65 students, about 100 man-yen/month revenue, about
20 man-yen/month profit. These days, is her school big enough?
What are the limits, guidelines, or common practice? Is it best
to try for an "Instructor" Visa, or a "Specialist in Humanities/
International Services" Visa? 1 year or 3? If it matters, I am a
US citizen, and have no certifications in English or teaching. (But
I do have a Bachelors and a Masters [MBA] from a very famous
US Univ.) Will NOVA's collapse affect my application? If any reader
of this posting owns an English school, I have a good offer for you.
Thank you! I appreciate the help and advice.

 

[Glenski]

Is her school big enough? I don't know. Ask immigration (or have her ask). She will have to provide certain details about her business anyway.

Instructor vs. Humanities visa.
The former is only for teachers who work in public schools. The latter is for practically anywhere else, including eikaiwas. http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/04.html

1yr vs. 3yr? You have no choice in the matter. You get what immigration gives you. Perhaps on the renewal form nowadays you can request a 3-year visa (I'm on PR, so I haven't done that in a while), but requesting and getting are 2 different things.

Your BA is the absolute minimum required for a work visa. Anything else may be gravy to an employer, or it may even be detrimental, depending on what they think. Prestige of your American school probably doesn't play a role. It's eikaiwa, not a university position, you are looking for.

Will the NOVA situation affect you? Yup. Thousands on the streets right now, some teaching for food. Who do you think they will hire -- someone already here and with experience, or someone outside the country? (Of course, some employers will only look outside of the country.)