Teach English in Japan: JET, ALT and Eikaiwa Explained

A bachelor's degree, a clean record and the right paperwork get you into a Japanese classroom. Which door you walk through decides almost everything else: your pay, your hours, how much support you get, and whether you can stay past year one. Japan has three main routes for English teachers, and they feel very different from the inside.

The three routes at a glance

	JET Programme (ALT)	Direct-hire or dispatch ALT	Eikaiwa (private language school)
Who hires you	Japanese government-backed program, placed with a school board	A private company that supplies ALTs to schools, or a school directly	A private conversation school chain or independent school
Hiring window	Once a year, applications in fall for the next summer	Year-round, often spring starts	Year-round
Typical week	Weekdays at one or more schools, weekends off	Similar to JET, with a company managing your contract	Mixed shifts, often including evenings and weekends
Best for	Planners who want structure and support	Candidates who missed the JET deadline	Fast starts and flexible timing

Route 1: The JET Programme

JET is the best-known path, and for good reason. Participants are placed as Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) in elementary, junior high and high schools, where they team-teach with Japanese teachers. A second role, Coordinator for International Relations (CIR), is aimed at people with strong Japanese, around JLPT N2 level or higher.

US applicants must be US citizens (permanent residents are not eligible) and hold a bachelor's degree, or finish one by June 25, 2027 for the 2027 intake. You cannot have taken part in JET since 2024, and you cannot have lived in Japan for six or more years in total since 2017. The 2027 application opens in fall 2026, and applications typically close in November. Interview invitations usually go out in early January, with interviews in late January or early February. Main departure groups for 2027 fly on July 24 and July 31, with some early-arrival ALTs leaving on May 22.

Canadian applicants apply through the Embassy of Japan in Canada. You need Canadian citizenship and a bachelor's degree in any discipline, and the application window opens in mid-October.

Several thousand people apply each year, and roughly half are invited to interview, so a carefully written statement of purpose matters. Prior Japanese is not required for the ALT role, but it helps. A teaching qualification is not required either, though it strengthens your file, which is where a recognized TEFL certificate comes in. The Ofqual-regulated 120-Hour Premier Online TEFL Course for Japan (about $549) is built with ALT, JET and private-school hiring in mind, and the 250-Hour Level 5 TEFL Diploma for Japan (about $849) goes deeper if you want a stronger credential.

Route 2: Direct-hire and dispatch ALT jobs

Not everyone applies in time for JET, and some people do not get an interview. Many Japanese schools and boards contract ALTs through private companies instead. The day-to-day work looks similar: you assist in classes, help prepare materials and join school events. The difference is that a company, not a government program, manages your contract, and conditions vary a lot between employers. Read the contract for hours, commuting costs, holiday pay and housing before signing, and ask whether the company sponsors your visa.

Public school teaching on a work visa falls under Japan's Instructor status of residence, which covers teaching foreign languages at elementary, junior high and high schools. A bachelor's degree is the standard expectation for English-teaching work visas.

Route 3: Eikaiwa

Eikaiwa means "English conversation," and these schools teach children, university students and working adults. They hire throughout the year, which makes them the quickest way in. Weekly teaching hours are commonly in the range of 12 to 30, and shifts can run from morning to late evening. Monthly pay for entry-level school jobs is commonly quoted at roughly ¥220,000 to ¥280,000 (about $1,400 to $1,800 at ¥157 to the dollar), and it varies by employer and city.

Most private-school teachers work under the Specialist in Humanities/International Services status, which requires a degree. Two things to check before accepting an offer: whether the company sponsors your visa, and how many unpaid prep or admin hours sit on top of your teaching time.

Working holiday as a back door (Canadians only)

Canadians aged 18 to 30 can apply for Japan's Working Holiday visa. It is free, and you can stay up to two years in total, as one two-year stay or two separate one-year periods. You need to show at least C$3,500 in funds (C$4,500 for a married couple). Work is allowed to supplement your travel funds, with bars, cabarets and nightclubs excluded. Japan has no working holiday agreement with the United States, so American applicants need a sponsored work visa or a student route instead.

Which route fits you?

If you graduate by mid-2027 and like structure, apply to JET this fall and line up a TEFL certificate while you wait. If your timeline is tighter, apply to dispatch companies and eikaiwa chains in parallel. If you do not have a degree yet, a student route can get you into Japan first: language study at a school like I.C.Nagoya builds your Japanese, and our guide to working in Japan as a foreigner covers what the student visa allows. For a wider comparison across countries, see our country-by-country guide to teaching English in Asia and the complete TEFL guide. Considering a break before or after university? Our gap year in Asia guide shows how teaching fits in, and you can browse every online TEFL course we offer.

Next step

Not sure whether JET, a dispatch company or an eikaiwa is the right first move? Book a free consultation and we will map out a plan around your degree date and timeline.