If you go abroad as an international student, you can work part-time as it is, depending on visa regulations. If you have a student visa, your main business is studying, so you have to study hard. However, basically, you can work part-time under the regulation of several hours as long as it does not interfere with your studies. If so, what is the most popular part-time job among international students coming to Japan?
Teaching languages
Part time job on the campus
At the university, we may be looking for a part-time job in the form of TA (Teaching Assistant). If you have a faculty of foreign languages or other faculty of studying a foreign language, or if you are a foreign language university, there are cases where international students are appointed as TAs and efforts are being made to teach them that language.
At the university I attended, there was a room where international students could get together and learn various languages. Basically, Japanese is prohibited in the room, and not only English but also German, French, Chinese and Korean lessons were held every day of the week.
If you are a university that can study a foreign language, you may have the opportunity to work part-time. It is also a popular part-time job, so if you study abroad in Japan, check with the university.
Job to teach language outside of campus
Teaching a language is, of course, not unique to the university. Recently, even English conversation schools are not in business if they teach only English, so the number of schools teaching various languages is increasing. There is also a way to work part-time as a language teacher at such a school.
However, in order to work off-campus, you need to be able to speak some Japanese. However, especially Japanese people tend to stick to native speakers, so if you can speak Japanese to some extent, it is a good idea to work part-time in your own native language.
Restaurants
Some jobs don’t require Japanese skills
In fact, the work of restaurants and coffee shops is popular with international students. This is because, especially when working in the kitchen, high language proficiency is not required. You only have to learn the food, and you don’t have to worry about having to talk to someone to wash the dishes.
Of course, when it comes to customer service, the story is different. Even if you work in the same restaurant or coffee shop, if you work as a waiter or waitress, you need conversational skills. However, many international students are fluent in polite Japanese, so some stores are actively hiring international students.
Restaurants provide lunch or dinner
If you are a student who goes to your parents’ house, you don’t have to worry too much, but if you live alone, a part-time job at a store where you can get a meal will become popular. The same applies to international students.
In the case of a part-time job where meals come out, it is possible to raise the cost of meals. I am grateful to international students who live at a limited cost. Also, the meals can be luxurious in their own way, so sometimes it’s fun. In addition, there are discounts for clerk, so even if you eat there, it may be cheaper.
Another advantage is that you can have leftovers after business hours are over. Of course, this is not the same at all stores, but if you work part-time at a bakery, for example, it is possible that you will be given extra bread when you go home after closing the store. I’m grateful for students living alone.
Evaluation for part time foreigners
Their service is dedicated
International students who work part-time at convenience stores and restaurants may be asked to evaluate “Japanese is polite” and “customer service is polite”. The spirit of Japanese hospitality is being recognized around the world, but in reality, there are many students who have a strange Japanese language or no smile even after working part-time. Meanwhile, there is also an evaluation that international students can serve customers properly.
By all means, it is wonderful to see foreign students mastering polite honorifics and serving customers. There are no customers who look unpleasant to those who treat them politely.
Troubles because Japanese doesn’t work
Of course, even among international students, the ability of Japanese is different. There is no problem if international students who can use Japanese as it is serve customers, but they do not understand Japanese, often do not understand it, or even though they can speak Japanese, they speak fast. There is also the problem that Japanese customers cannot communicate because they are not speaking clearly. It cannot be said that there is a possibility of causing trouble for that reason.
If you have any trouble, you need to call a colleague or boss who can speak Japanese immediately. If you have trouble with Japanese, it is important to apologize and call someone who can understand the language in order to fulfill your responsibilities.
You have to respect VISA regulations
When a student in Japan works part-time, it is set to be within 28 hours a week. This is because my main business is studying, so I am allowed to work part-time to the extent that it does not interfere with it.
Certainly, there may be an idea that “if you don’t say it, you won’t get caught.” However, if you do a part-time job anymore and get exposed, you may not only lose your position as an international student, but you may not be able to return to Japan. Make sure you follow the regulations so that you don’t lose the temptation of the moment and affect the future.
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