Frequently Asked Questions

Many of the positions available to overseas hires (candidates not within Japan) are in rural areas. Many of these positions will require driving. Though we will happily consider any location preferences you may have, Interac is more likely to entertain the application of a candidate who is willing to take any placement and is willing to drive. To ensure a smooth placement, we highly recommend that you are flexible with your location preference, meaning you are open to living in most if not all prefectures and accepting a rural assignment. 

There are times when Interac will not have an opening in an area or type of area where you have expressed a preference; in this case, we will offer a suitable alternative. ALT positions in urban areas like Tokyo, or teaching jobs in Kyoto or Osaka, are very competitive. They are usually filled by domestic candidates who are already living and working in Japan.

One of the biggest sources of frustration for both successful candidates and Interac is that the Board of Education in each potential location can be very slow in confirming its requirements. The Global Resource Management Division at Interac’s Head Office in Tokyo works hard to get your offer of employment to you in a timely manner, but you may not hear about your placement (the location where you will be teaching) until one month or less before your actual planned departure date. This is another reason we ask you to be flexible with your location preference. Click here to find out more about our regular and alternate tracks.

You are required by law to enroll in a health insurance plan recognized by the Japanese government. All new Interac ALTs will be able to enroll in the National Health Insurance (NHI) system, or the Social Health Insurance system depending on their position. More details regarding insurance will be given at the information seminar and interview. Find out more about healthcare in Japan for foreigners, or compare the Japanese healthcare system with healthcare in the US.

Japan is a very conservative country! Interac ALTs must wear business attire during initial orientation and training, on all teaching assignments, or when visiting the office. Clothing standards in Japan are conservative and professional.

For men, a dress shirt, tie, and business-style pants are required.

For women, smart, professional attire, which includes skirts below the knees or business-style suits, is required on all Interac-related business.

Tattoos in Japan are associated with persons involved in organized crime, and are definitely not in line with the image and expectations of a teacher or sensei. As an ALT, there is an expectation that you will take part in school festivals and sports/club activities. In these activities, you may be required to wear shorts and t-shirts, and therefore any visible tattoo must be covered. In addition, living in the communities where you work will require that your tattoos are covered at all times. Therefore, living and working in Japan will prove to be a significant challenge if you have tattoos.

Find out more about the ALT dress code in Japan, and about the ‘Cool Biz’ dress code followed in summer.

We offer two main start times. About 75% of new positions commence to coincide with the start of the Japanese school year. The other main start time is August/September.

We do have a smaller number of positions in other months to fill off-season and unexpected openings. Candidates interested in these positions must be willing to leave on short notice, take whatever position becomes available, and to drive in Japan.

Click here for more details about our recruiting process.

Teaching assignments usually start approximately five to ten days after arriving in Japan and after the initial orientation and training is completed.

Interac ALTs work in Japanese government schools. Most ALT assignments include a combination of elementary and junior high schools. In certain circumstances, you may have the opportunity to teach at a high school. Some Interac ALTs will also teach at special needs schools or work with special needs students.

Please note that there are a limited number of high school placements available. Candidates interested in a high school placement will need to be extremely flexible with location and be prepared to teach at another school level if no high school placements are available.

Generally, Interac ALTs live in their own private apartments. Interac thoroughly assists you in searching for an economical and convenient apartment. If required, Interac will act as a guarantor to secure a place for you to live. ALTs are personally responsible for the moving-in costs, furnishings, rent, and utility charges each month. The setup costs for an apartment range from 250,000 to 300,000 yen in suburban or rural areas to 350,000 in Tokyo or other urban areas. 

Read our dedicated pages on the costs of moving to Japan, and the comparison of living costs in Japan vs the US.

The rent ranges from 50,000 (rural) to 80,000 (urban) per month. These set-up costs include the total amount for the first two months of rent up-front. While some apartments may be listed as “Internet ready,” this does not always mean that there is immediate Internet access. It may take up to a month after moving in to be able to use the Internet. If you are moving your belongings, consider an international removals company to Japan.

Some Interac ALTs travel to school by bicycle, train, or bus. All Interac ALTs are reimbursed for work-related transportation expenses. Most of the positions offered to overseas candidates require driving. In addition to your drivers license, you will need an International Driving Permit (IDP) in order to legally drive in Japan. Please do not apply for an IDP until we have advised you to do so. Find out more about driving licenses in Japan, the Tokyo subway, and the Japanese railway system.

While Interac ALTs may be at school for up to 40 hours per week. The exact number of working hours will be determined by the placement the Interac ALT is assigned to. General hours in a Japanese school day are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Apart from attendance at special school events, weekends and public holidays are generally days off.

Most Interac ALTs teach approximately 20 to 25 lessons per week, depending on the school. The remainder of their assigned work time includes preparing lessons and participating in designated activities with students, such as eating school lunch together. Depending on their school, Interac ALTs may lead the class for the entire lesson time or for a portion of the lesson. During this time, there may be minimal input from the Japanese teacher of English.

All new Interac ALTs are offered a comprehensive initial orientation and training program in which they receive information on adapting to life in Japan and training on teaching and working in the schools. Interac maintains a website where lesson plans, flash cards, and other classroom tools are made available. Ongoing training and periodic observations allow trainers and experienced teachers to give further tips and advice to newer teachers.

There is usually a break at the end of December until early January for the New Year period that starts around December 28th and goes until around January 4th. Actual dates for all holiday periods will be determined by your schedule.

Within your contract, you are also entitled to 5 personal days after the first 90 days of continuous employment. In Japan, we recommend that these days are used to cover days when you are sick.

Most Interac ALT positions start in early April or late August and last until March the following year. Only applicants who are able to commit to the full term of the assignment are considered eligible for employment.

Some instructors have been with Interac since the late 1980s. Most teachers stay with Interac for 2-3 years.

Most Interac ALTs teach at one main “base” school and visit a number of other schools. The average assignment is between three to five schools. Depending on the Board of Education (BOE), some ALTs may work in 15 schools or more. The actual school assignment schedule is usually not determined until close to the start of the academic year in April. It is not usual to visit more than one school in a single day.

Elementary school students are between 6 and 12 years old. Junior high school students are between 12 and 15 years old. High school students are between 15 to 18 years old.

As an Interac ALT, you will most likely receive a gross annual salary of approximately ￥2.4 – ￥2.7 million per year. Under our Standard Compensation System, full-year contracts will usually run from April 1st to March 31st of the following year. Salaries are paid in equal monthly payments. Typically, the first and last months are not a full month of teaching, so your salary will be adjusted accordingly. You can find out more about the salary of teaching English as an ALT here.

Your salary is deposited into your bank account on the 20th of the following month. For example, your April salary is paid on May 20th. When payday falls on a weekend or national holiday, the salary is deposited into the account on the preceding business day. Depending on the starting date, your first salary will be received approximately six to eight weeks after the start of employment.

Although we do not offer lessons directly, we have partnered with a leading E-learning provider to offer online lessons up to N3 level at a significant discount. You’ll be able to get more information once you complete the interview process.