Salary
¥250,000–¥280,000 per month depending on prefecture and experience, paid monthly against a written contract.
Japan ALT Programme
Teach English in a Japanese school
Assistant Language Teacher placements in public elementary, junior high and senior high schools nationwide. A degree is required; Japanese is not. Visa and apartment are arranged before you fly.
250k–280k
Yen per month, by prefecture
Apr & Sep
Two intakes each year
46
Partner school boards
1 year
Renewable contract
Furnished
Apartment arranged before arrival
What Is an ALT?
You teach alongside a Japanese teacher, not alone
An Assistant Language Teacher works in the classroom with a Japanese Teacher of English. You bring natural pronunciation, conversation practice and cultural context; they lead grammar and classroom management.
A typical week is twenty to twenty-five teaching periods across one to three schools, Monday to Friday, with the school day usually running 8:15am to 4:15pm. Outside lessons you prepare materials, eat lunch with students, and often help with English club or speech contest coaching.
Most of our teachers arrive with no Japanese at all. By the end of a first contract, most can hold a conversation in the staffroom.
The Package
What the programme includes
Terms are set out in full, in English and Japanese, before you accept. Nothing is left to be explained after you arrive.
Accommodation
A furnished apartment arranged before arrival, with subsidised rent and key money, deposit and agency fees covered.
Flights & visa
Instructor visa sponsorship, Certificate of Eligibility handled for you, and a contribution toward your inbound flight.
Training
A five-day pre-service course covering lesson delivery, classroom Japanese, school etiquette and daily admin.
Insurance & pension
Enrolment in Japanese health insurance and the pension scheme, with the lump-sum withdrawal explained on exit.
In-country support
A bilingual regional coordinator, a 24-hour emergency line and a teacher network in your prefecture.
Qualifications
Who we can place
- A bachelor's degree in any subject — required for the Instructor visa; your major does not matter
- Native or near-native English, or an equivalent proficiency test result
- A clean criminal record check from every country you have lived in for six months or more
- Adaptability and genuine interest in Japan — teaching experience helps but is not required
Life in Japan
What your year actually looks like
Most placements are in regional cities and towns rather than central Tokyo — which is where the cost of living works in your favour and the welcome is warmest.
Rent after subsidy typically runs ¥20,000–¥45,000 a month. Transport is excellent, groceries are affordable, and school holidays in summer and winter are long enough for real travel. You will have paid leave, national holidays and a staffroom desk of your own.
Regional placementsPaid school holidaysRenewable contractTeacher network
Application Process
From application to first lesson
Allow four to six months between applying and departing. The Certificate of Eligibility is the longest step and it is outside everyone's hands.
Apply online
CV, degree certificate and a short cover note about why Japan.
Screening call
Thirty minutes with the Japan desk, usually within a week.
Demo lesson
A short taught segment online, so we can see you in front of a class.
Placement offer
Prefecture, city, school type and contract, all confirmed before you accept.
Visa & Certificate of Eligibility
We file in Japan; you collect the visa at your nearest embassy.
Training & arrival
Five-day pre-service course, then your apartment and your school.
ALT Questions
Frequently asked
No. Lessons are taught in English and you will work with a Japanese teacher in every class. We teach survival Japanese during pre-service training — the phrases you need for the staffroom, the bank and the city office.
You can state a preference for a region and for school type, and we try hard to honour it. Final placement depends on school board demand. You will always know your prefecture, city and school type before you accept the contract, never after.
Nothing. Candidates never pay Empres a placement fee. You will have personal costs — a passport, your criminal record check, document translation and part of your flight — and we give you the expected total in writing before you commit.
No, though a TEFL certificate or classroom experience strengthens your application and can lift your starting salary band. Presence in front of a class, patience and reliability matter more.
Yes. A dependant visa is available for a spouse or child once your Instructor visa is issued. Tell the Japan desk early, because it affects the apartment size we arrange and the timing of your paperwork.
Most contracts are renewable annually and around two thirds of our teachers renew at least once. Others move into private language schools, international schools, translation or corporate roles in Japan — we help with that transition too.
Applications for the next intake are open
April and September starts. Early applicants get far more choice of region and school type.