Instructor Visa Guide for ALTs and Language Teachers

The Instructor visa is Japan's status for foreign nationals who teach at schools — the status most Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) and other school-based language teachers hold. Its scope is precise, and it is easy to confuse with the two neighbouring teaching statuses, so getting the category right is the first step.

This guide explains exactly what the Instructor status covers, how it differs from the Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services visa (used for private language schools) and the Professor visa (used for universities), why ALTs qualify whether hired directly or through a dispatch company, and the requirements and process.

What the Instructor Status Covers

The Instructor status is for language education and other education carried out at qualifying Japanese educational institutions — specifically elementary schools, junior high schools, compulsory-education schools, high schools, secondary education schools, schools for special-needs education, specialized training colleges, miscellaneous schools, and educational institutions equivalent to miscellaneous schools in terms of facilities and organization. In short, it covers school-based teaching outside the university and college-of-technology categories, including primary, secondary, and equivalent institutions, as defined by the School Education Act.

The period of stay is one of 5 years, 3 years, 1 year, or 3 months. As with other work statuses, the pay must be at least equal to that of a Japanese national doing the same work.

Instructor vs Engineer vs Professor: the Teaching Map

Three different statuses cover teaching in Japan, divided by where you teach:

So an English teacher at a public high school holds Instructor; the same person teaching at a private English conversation school holds Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services; and at a university holds Professor. The job is similar — the status follows the type of institution.

ALTs and the Instructor Visa

Assistant Language Teachers at qualifying schools generally fall under the Instructor status. A point that often confuses people: this can be true whether the ALT is hired directly by the local government or board of education, or is placed through a dispatch company. What matters is the actual teaching activity at a qualifying educational institution, while the employment or dispatch contract and placement details must still be documented in the application.

On teaching licences: a person standing as a regular, full teacher generally needs a Japanese teaching licence, but ALTs, special part-time lecturers, and foreign-language teaching assistants are commonly employed without a Japanese licence. The requirement therefore depends on the exact role.

Requirements

A typical Instructor application is assessed on:

• Background for the role — depending on the institution and role, you typically need one of: graduation from a university or equivalent institution; completion of a relevant specialized course at a Japanese specialized training college that meets the public-notice requirements; or a teaching licence for the subject. In addition, for foreign-language teachers, evidence that you received at least 12 years of education in that language is generally required; for teachers of other subjects, evidence of at least 5 years of teaching experience in that subject at an educational institution is generally required.
• A genuine position at a qualifying school, with an employment contract setting out the duties, hours, and salary.
• Pay equal to a Japanese national doing the same work.

Documents and Process

You apply through a Certificate of Eligibility from abroad, or a change of status from within Japan (for example, a graduate moving from Student to Instructor). Core documents include:

• The application form and a photograph
• Your degree certificate or other evidence of qualifying education; where relevant, a teaching licence; for foreign-language teaching, documentation that you received at least 12 years of education in that language; and for non-language subjects, documentation of at least 5 years of teaching experience in that subject at an educational institution
• The employment contract or letter of appointment from the school or dispatch company, with duties, hours, and salary
• Materials about the school and, for dispatch arrangements, about the placement

Certificate of Eligibility review usually takes about 1 to 3 months; a change of status about 2 weeks to 1 month. New graduates can apply before graduation using a certificate of expected graduation.

A 2026 Note for Language Teachers

Frequently Asked Questions

Summary

If you are coming to Japan to teach, the single most important early decision is identifying the right status for your school. Public and other schools mean the Instructor visa; eikaiwa and company classes mean Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services; universities mean Professor. Match the status to the institution, line up a proper contract, and the rest of the process is straightforward.