EEducation in Japan

Filipino English teachers/ALTs in Japan

  • September 29, 2025

Hi!

To those who are already teaching in Japan and came from the Philippines, I just have a few questions:

  1. What was your timeline like—from submitting your resume to the day you got hired? Did it take long?
  2. Is it true that direct hiring is now prohibited, and that I can only be granted a work visa if the application is done through an agency?
  3. Are you happy with your experience? Or is it more like, “It’s okay as long as I’m not in the Philippines,” haha?
  4. How’s your accommodation? Does your company assist you with it?
  5. I don’t have a formal background in teaching—just some experience tutoring two students. Do I still have a chance? I do have a master’s degree, though it’s not related to education.

Thank you!

by hemmO08

3 comments

  2. 1. I submitted my resume on Feb 1st, 2023, and the PH agency replied to my email the next day… I arrived in Japan in March 2024. So yeah, it takes a long time to get here. It’s not the agency interviews that take forever. It’s securing all your documents and getting the COE. In my experience, getting my high school and university documents took way longer than expected.

    2. Many BOEs still do direct hiring, but they usually interview people who are already in Japan. So you basically have to get here first before trying to apply for a direct-hire position.

    3. It has pros and cons. I’m very aware it’s not a well-paying job and Japan isn’t perfect. But overall, I like it. My life here is more peaceful than back home.

    4. The company helped with housing. After training, when we were assigned to our towns, someone from my company assisted me with moving in. You can move out after a year, especially if you want to find something cheaper.

    5. Your chances depend on the agency you apply to. Chesham (Interac) is very strict about what degree you have because the Instructor Visa that ALTs get only accepts certain degrees. I’m not sure about the other agencies. As for teaching experience, Chesham says tutoring experience is fine as long as you’re actually teaching English, not just speaking English to teach other subjects. Some Filipino ALTs worked in online ESL companies to gain experience and qualify.

  3. Can I just say, as a fellow ALT, every single Filipino person I have ever had the pleasure to meet has been the most wonderful, kind, and helpful person in the world.

    I’m so grateful that being in Japan gave me the opportunity to meet them.

    Good luck out there!

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