I’m currently working as an ALT here in Japan, so I have an Instructor Visa. I tried applying for work on Upwork to earn additional income, but the job I got was as a Virtual Assistant. Since Upwork required me to verify my account, I used my Japanese residence card as my ID. Because of this, my account location was changed to Japan.
Now, when I try to open my account in the Philippines, I get suspicious activity warnings. What I’m worried about is the payout. I’m scheduled to get paid this week, and the recommended options are a Japanese bank account or PayPal.
However, I heard that with an Instructor Visa, you’re not allowed to take work outside of teaching-related jobs. My concern is: if I connect my Upwork account to my Japanese bank, will they track my payments? Could I get into trouble for this?
I also researched about PayPal, and it seems that the government could still find out about Upwork income since it needs to be declared for taxes in Japan. I’m not sure what’s the safest option. I hope someone can help me. Thanks!
by Far-Statistician8733