Direct-Hire ALT Jobs in Japan: Frequently Asked Questions

Direct-hire vs dispatch ALT: what's the difference?

The difference is who employs you. In a dispatch job, a private company employs you and places you at schools under a contract with the Board of Education. In a direct-hire job, the Board of Education employs you directly, rather than through a company. Direct-hire roles are public-sector positions, usually posted as a fiscal-year appointed employee, with pay set by the municipality. The support also differs: a dispatch company helps you settle in, with things like housing and paperwork, while a direct-hire Board offers little beyond sponsoring your visa, so you relocate and run your daily life yourself. Dispatch jobs are easier to find and common for first-time ALTs; direct-hire jobs are fewer and expect some experience. Neither is simply better. Dispatch is an easier entry point, while direct-hire means more independence and a closer relationship with the employer.

How much do direct-hire ALTs get paid?

Pay is set by each Board of Education and listed in full on its own posting, so the most accurate figure is always the one on the role you are looking at. Direct-hire positions are salaried public-sector jobs, with pay and conditions fixed by the municipality.

What qualifications do I need to become a direct-hire ALT?

A direct-hire ALT generally needs:

• A university or college degree in any subject (especially if visa sponsorship is needed)
• Native or near-native English, often from a country where English is an official language
• Some prior ALT experience, since training is often not provided

A few specialized roles ask for an education-related major or a teaching qualification. A TEFL or TESOL certificate helps but is not required.

Direct-hire vs JET: what's the difference?

JET is a government programme that recruits ALTs from overseas and handles your relocation, salary, and support, but assigns where you go. Direct-hire is a job you apply for yourself, directly to a Board of Education, so you choose where, but with no programme behind you. Since Boards want people already in Japan with some ALT experience, many start on JET and move to direct-hire once they are settled.

How much Japanese do I need to be a direct-hire ALT?

It varies by Board of Education, but as a general rule you need daily-conversation Japanese: enough to communicate with school staff and run your own daily life. Some Boards ask for a JLPT level like N3; many ask for none.

Where can I find direct-hire ALT jobs, and how do I apply?

You apply directly to each Board, through its own city or education website. ALT Direct helps you find the openings and links to each official posting, but the application itself always goes to the Board:

• Find the posting and open the Board's official page
• Apply through that Board, using the documents it asks for: commonly a Japanese-style résumé (the rirekisho), degree copies, and reference letters if requested, often by post or fax
• Pass a document screening, then an interview, part English and part Japanese, sometimes with a short demo lesson, usually in person but sometimes by video call

When do direct-hire ALT jobs open?

Most direct-hire jobs follow a yearly cycle for an April start. It runs roughly:

• Postings open: autumn into winter
• Deadlines: late autumn to winter
• Interviews: winter to early spring
• Job starts: April

Timing varies by Board, and smaller openings can come up at other times of the year.

How long is a direct-hire ALT contract?

A direct-hire ALT contract usually runs for one year, following the school year from April to March. Most are renewable year to year by re-appointment, as long as both you and the Board want to continue. Some municipalities cap how many years you can renew, often at around five.

Can I get a direct-hire ALT job from outside Japan?

Realistically, this is very difficult from abroad. Boards usually want applicants already settled in Japan, with some ALT experience and the ability to handle daily life on their own. They do sponsor your work visa once you are hired, but they rarely take applicants from abroad and do not cover relocation, so the move and the interview, usually held in person, are at your own expense. Most people get into Japan first, through JET or a dispatch company, then apply directly to the Boards they want.

Is ALT Direct free, and how does it work?

Yes, it is free. Finding and applying to direct-hire jobs costs nothing, and ALT Direct never takes a cut. Boards can post their openings free too. It is not an agency and does not handle applications. How it works:

• Maps the Boards across Japan that have hired ALTs directly
• Lets you follow the ones you want and track their hiring in one place
• Links you to each official posting, where you apply directly to the Board
• Includes listings shared by the community