Tracey Said:

can a 57 year old man find a job in toronto?

We Answered:

This 57 year old man has a couple of things going against him. First, he has no degree that educational institutes would be looking for if they were hiring an English teacher. Second, he is reaching the age when many people are considering retirement, and so no company will want to invest the time in training this person for almost a year to do a job that he may be retiring from within 3-8 years.

If this person needs to get a job (to support his family, or just to feel like he's doing something and is useful), then I would suggest trying to get full time or part time work at any place that interests him. Perhaps a bookstore like Coles-Indigo may hire him as a salesperson, or in a library, or such.

You say he teaches English. Does he know any other languages? If so, he can perhaps find a job as a translator, or work for an organization that assists immigrants coming to Canada. If this is just a part-time thing or to keep busy, perhaps he can start his own business and work out of his home teaching English as a Second Language, or be a tutor for kids having trouble in their high school or university English classes.

What he needs to look at is how he can promote himself so that a company is willing to take a chance on him. Or look at his skills set and see if he has something that would allow him to become his own boss, and start a business offering a service.

Dolores Said:

Teaching English in Japan?

We Answered:

Wow, that's a lot of questions! I'm an American teaching in Japan right now through the JET Programme (though we spell it Program ;-) ) which is fairly reputable. I'll address your questions one by one:

Q: How do I get started teaching English in Japan?
A: If you have at least a Bachelor's Degree, you can obtain a work visa for Japan. You can either go through a dispatch company who will arrange a visa for you before you depart, or you can go to Japan on a tourist visa, find a job, and get your tourist visa changed to a work visa while you're in the country.

Q: Are there certain programs that supply English teachers in Japan?
A: Yes. The JET Programme is one, Interac is another. There are other English conversation companies as well, such as AEON, Geos, and ECC (NOVA is now defunct).

Q: How much do English teachers in Japan earn?
A: Anywhere from 200,000 to 350,000 yen/month on average. It's always enough to live on, though that may just mean subsistence. You may not be able to save or repay student loans.

Q: How much would it cost to live comfortably in Japan?
A: That depends on what you consider "comfortable". If you live in a one bedroom apartment, cook at home (rarely go out to eat or drink), and avoid frivolous purchases, you can really stretch your yen. Though Japan has a reputation for being expensive, it's not too difficult to live here on the average teacher's salary.

Q: Would the government supply me with a house?
A: Are you talking about government or private companies? There are programs which deal with both. For now, it's likely that whatever company you ended up working for will provide you with housing, though what kind of housing they provide may not be acceptable to you. Every situation is different.

Q: How would I obtain a work visa?
A: See above.

Q: Can I get a Japanese citizenship?
A: Yes, but the process is very involved. Japan does not allow dual citizenship, so you would have to give up being a Canadian. I would think long and hard about this one.

Q: Do I absolutely need to speak Japanese to teach in Japan?
A: Not at all, but a lack of knowledge of Japanese will put you at the mercy of your employer, because they'll have to intercede for you for even the most basic things, and it increases the likelihood of them ripping you off without you realizing it. Also, even though English is a required subject in school, the locals can't speak it for ****. Making any kind of effort to learn the language, however small, will dramatically increase your quality of life in Japan.

If you're have any other questions, please send me a PM. I'd be happy to answer them!

Emma Said:

What is the Best Teacher's College in Ontario, Canada?

We Answered:

I have the same "problem." I applied to University of Toronto and York, and got accepted into both. And this is my answer for you. These 2 universities have the best reputation in Ontario. I will likely choose U of T because it's more convenient to travel to, although I have been most impressed with York's "Urban Diversity program." But U of T has something similar called "Inner City program" and they are both prestigious... Anyway, perhaps I'll see you at U of T :).

Rachel Said:

Can you please get me a job in Toronto?

We Answered:

If you have teaching experience I would say University of Toronto or if you want you can research on the internet and see. You can try looking on these websites and see. Toronto is a very diverse and multi-cultural city and you will love working there. Good luck with finding a job there. By the way I am from Toronto but I live in another country hoping to move back there someday.

Jamie Said:

Are there teaching opportunitties in Toronto?

We Answered:

There is a surplus of teachers in ALL of Ontario - especially Toronto. I know people who have several degrees, an MA, a teaching degree, etc. and are doing sub-par inconsistent supply teaching - and have been for years. It's extremely hard to find a permanent teaching job in today's economy. A lot of the older teachers are not retiring or making room for the younger teachers. Your best bet would be to move out West and try there. If not, you'll be stuck working at a tutoring program (i.e. Sylvan, Kumon, etc.) and getting called in for supply work once in a while. That's if you're lucky.

HOWEVER, IF you have a French degree and/or are fluent in French, then forget everything I said. French-speaking educators are in extremely high demand in Ontario (actually, all of Canada). Which is why I am doing one half of my major in French ;)

Good luck.

Jeanne Said:

Relocating to Toronto?

We Answered:

It is very difficult to get a job as a teacher in some areas. I know several graduates in my area who were top students who can't even get an interview. You would have to go through the Immigration process. Once that was complete you would have to get your education evaluated to ensure it meets Canadian requirements. If you are successful with that then I would recommend you apply in more remote Northern areas as you will be much more likely to get a job there.