Did you apply with a Dependent?

[mrspotter]

Do you have a child? Or a wife? Or a Husband? Are the odds of getting into the program less because one has a dependent?

[marbotic]

I really don't think they'd discriminate applicants with dependents unless there were more dependents than could reasonably survive on a JET salary. Just one definitely won't hurt your chances, probably not even two would.

[ume no hana]

I don't they are supposed to discriminate against applicants with dependents...

but, they might ask you a question regarding them during the interview....

[NYC2011]

I applied last year with a spouse dependant and got accepted. And I have met several other married/family JETs. They even had a workshop session dedicated to JETs with dependants at Tokyo Orientation this year.

Just be prepared to answer questions about what your spouse will do if you get placed in a small village with no way for them to find work and how you would repsond if they couldn't handle culture shock and wanted to leave or how you would handle your child being bullied at school because they were foreign. I think almost a full third of my interview was spent on my spouse.

[ume no hana]

Thank you, NYC2011 for the insight!

[mrspotter]

Yes, NYC, your post was very informative. Thank you!

[pnksweater]

There is a facebook group for JETs with dependents (legally recognized and otherwise). If you can’t find it on your own PM me. There is not a huge number of us, but every year a portion of the applicants are married/have kids/ or a partner. I wouldn’t sweat it too much, but be prepared to answer questions regarding your dependent if you make it to the interview stage. After all, the last thing they want to do is hire someone who’s going to leave mid contract when his/her spouse looses it in rural Japan.

[mrspotter]

oh boy pnks, I don't even know how to send a message on here. Could you please PM me the FB information? Thank you :3

[andrewf]

I don't they are supposed to discriminate against applicants with dependents...

but, they might ask you a question regarding them during the interview....

Something to bear in mind is that there will be BOEs who specifically request single ALT, without dependents, so if you don't mention it in your application, and then show up with a dependent, then there could be problems.

On a similar note, if your BOE decides that they're dropping out of the JET programme as of the following year (as ours have just told us - less than five months into our first year!), you might find that your JET experience will only last a year, if they can't find a suitable BOE that will take an ALT with a dependent (which is our situation).

So, yes, having a dependent does limit your options, in a way. However, it shouldn't affect your application - just your placement.

- A.

[ume no hana]

Something to bear in mind is that there will be BOEs who specifically request single ALT, without dependents, so if you don't mention it in your application, and then show up with a dependent, then there could be problems.

On a similar note, if your BOE decides that they're dropping out of the JET programme as of the following year (as ours have just told us - less than five months into our first year!), you might find that your JET experience will only last a year, if they can't find a suitable BOE that will take an ALT with a dependent (which is our situation).

So, yes, having a dependent does limit your options, in a way. However, it shouldn't affect your application - just your placement.

- A.

On the application, you HAD to list your dependents, so I think it would rather hard to hide them (there's also the issue of them needing a visa unless they are Japanese citizens)....

Why is it that some BOEs request a single ALT without dependents? Is that legal? I mean, it's not like the BOE has to pay anything extra for ALTs with kids/spouses, right? Is that what happened to you? Can you transfer to a different BOE then? I'm sorry to hear that...
Do they tend to place ALTs with dependents in the cities then?

[Jen_KyotoPA]

Why is it that some BOEs request a single ALT without dependents? Is that legal? I mean, it's not like the BOE has to pay anything extra for ALTs with kids/spouses, right? Is that what happened to you? Can you transfer to a different BOE then? I'm sorry to hear that...
Do they tend to place ALTs with dependents in the cities then?

I believe it mostly has to do with possibly giving them extra working--finding a larger place to live, needing more assistance with education/health care, visas etc.

I don't think it's necessarily that many BOEs though, and I doubt it's particularly more so in cities or in rural areas. And some BOEs may be happy to have someone with dependents if it means they are older/more reliable, etc.

The only possible financial burden would be if COs are contributing to health insurance for dependants--I'm not sure what the situation is there. But I doubt it would be enough to make a big difference.

[ume no hana]

I believe it mostly has to do with possibly giving them extra working--finding a larger place to live, needing more assistance with education/health care, visas etc.

I don't think it's necessarily that many BOEs though, and I doubt it's particularly more so in cities or in rural areas. And some BOEs may be happy to have someone with dependents if it means they are older/more reliable, etc.

The only possible financial burden would be if COs are contributing to health insurance for dependants--I'm not sure what the situation is there. But I doubt it would be enough to make a big difference.

Jen_KyotoPA: thank you for the info Yeah, it's hard to paint a broad brushstroke when describing BOEs since ESID....
I just was surprised that BOEs can choose what kind of ALT they want....Nationality; Marital Status, Gender, Kids,....after a while it just seems a bit too personal

[Eigen]

If it helps, my BoE placed me in a family sized apartment where my pred had a wife and kid. I learned later that my placement was helped along because I stated I was travelling with my girlfriend (not married, which was interesting and fun to explain). It sounded like the school wanted someone that had a dependant with them because of how isolated the town was.

[Chucklol]

Will the JET programme allow my future spouse and I to apply for ALT/CIR positions? will it dampen our chances of being selected? In my head, I figure it would save the BoE money to place us in one living facility, but what are the chances of a BoE needing both of us? or perhaps a chance of us getting separate BoEs, but living in the same household.

If anyone has applied with their spouse for both being JET Applicants, please reply, even anyone who has heard of something similar. Is it possible for us both be in the JET programme and live in the same household?

Thank you

{EDIT: I just read

I am applying with my spouse. Will we be placed together?
If both you and your spouse apply and are selected, efforts will be made to place both of you in nearby contracting organisations, however such placement cannot be guaranteed. Please fully consider that you may not be placed near each other. Although we will make every effort to place couples near each other, it is also important to note that Japan gives no recognition of common-law marriages or boyfriend/girlfriend relationships, and that legally married participants will be given priority.

But any success stories of this happening would be motivational and uplifting for me, I would appreciate it.

Thanks again

END EDIT}

[ume no hana]

If it helps, my BoE placed me in a family sized apartment where my pred had a wife and kid. I learned later that my placement was helped along because I stated I was travelling with my girlfriend (not married, which was interesting and fun to explain). It sounded like the school wanted someone that had a dependant with them because of how isolated the town was.

Eigen: thank you for the info.