Assistant Language Teachers in Japan

As an ALT (Assistant Language Teacher) in Japan, you'll be working alongside a Japanese teacher in an elementary, junior high or senior high school.

You may be assigned to two or more school levels - the most common pairing for an ALT to be teaching is at elementary schools and junior schools, with a greater emphasis on junior schools.

You may lead your own class, accompanied by a Japanese teacher to help manage students, or you may be supporting the Japanese teacher, depending on the lesson.

ALTs are more than teaching assistants – they encourage children to develop a more international worldview, interacting with students outside the classroom at extracurricular events like sports days or festivals. An ALT’s job combines a language instructor and a cultural ambassador. These aspects of an ALT role are inseparable.

As an ALT, your employer is Interac. Although your daily work is at a school, you are not a member of that school’s staff, and all employment-related matters (salary, schedule, holidays) are managed through Interac. You can reach out to the staff at your Interac branch for support whenever you need it.

TEACHING SCHEDULE

You'll teach around 25 classes a week, each 40-50 minutes long, and typically between 8am and 5pm.

Weekends, evenings, and public holidays are normally free for ALTs. Occasionally, there may be special events on weekends or holidays that require attendance, such as being assigned to help out at a school’s special events, such as a Cultural Festival or helping with Sports Day.

Positions start year round and are 12 month (renewable) contracts.

- Gross annual salary of approximately ¥2.4 ~ ¥3.0 million per year, paid monthly.
- Enrollment in National Health or Pension schemes, Employment Insurance and Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance
- Paid holidays
- All work-related transport expenses reimbursed monthly
- Support from Interac throughout your contract

- University graduate with at least a Bachelor’s degree in any major. (If you are graduating in the next six months, you can still apply ahead of time)
- Native-level English speaker (please see below)
- Team player, professional, flexible, open-minded, cheerful and energetic
- Under 60 years of age
- Flexible and open to different locations in Japan, including cities like Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, as well as more rural areas
- Driver's licence and prepared to drive (please see below)
- Can evidence having at least 12 years of education where the language of instruction in all courses was English
- Able to provide a clean criminal background check

NOT REQUIRED BUT WILL HELP YOUR CHANCES:

- TEFL certificate
- Teaching experience
- Can speak some basic Japanese, or show that you have started learning
- Studied a second language at school or university

NON-NATIVE SPEAKERS

If you are a non-native speaker, that's fine - we have ALTs from over 80 nationalities working with us. However, in order to secure a visa, you must be able to demonstrate that you have at least 12 years of education where the language of instruction in all courses was English.

DRIVING LICENCE

The role requires driving, and so you must have a valid driving licence, and be willing to drive, to be considered. We will help you obtain an International Driving Permit to use in Japan.

Please fill out the form below. We'll assess your eligibility and get in touch for the next step.