These are the notes from the 2005 Ishikawa JETs Returner's Meeting by Justin Tobias. Handouts from the meeting are available for download here in .pdf format. You will need adobe acrobat reader to view the files. It can be downloaded for free at the adobe website.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask one of the Prefectural Advisors.

Relevant Files

Life After JET checklist(.pdf)

The majority of JETs are issued with 3 year visas and if you have been here 3 years and you plan on staying on once your contract has expired, then you MUST apply for an "Extension of Period of Stay". In most cases, extension of period of stay visas are issued for a length of 90 days.

For those JETs who have been here only a year or 2 years and plan on staying on once you have finished your contract, then technically you do have to apply for a "Change of Status of Residence" visa but it is not really required if you are simply staying on for travel purposes. If you are transferring to a different job, then you can get the appropriate paperwork to update your status to reflect your new situation.

Both "Application for Change of Status of Residence" and "Application for Extension of Period of Stay" cost 3000 yen to obtain and can be obtained at the Kanazawa Office of the Nagoya Immigration Bureau located on the first floor of the Ekinishi Godo Chosha Building in Kanazawa.

Map to the visa office
(Located in the Ekinishi Godo Chosha building North of Kanazawa Station)

Relevant Files

Application for Change of Status of Residence (.pdf)
Application for Extension of Period of Stay (.pdf)

JETs who successfully claim the Lump-sum Withdrawal Payment for the National Pension and Employees' Pension Insurance will have that refund subject to a 20% flat rate tax, but may qualify to receive a full refund of that amount.

To apply for this 20% refund, you have to nominate a person in Japan to do all this paperwork for you and the form you have to fill in before you leave Japan is called the "Declaration Naming a Person to Administer the Taxpayer's Tax Affairs". The 20% refund will be paid into a bank account in Japan, usually the account of your tax representative. Your tax representative will then forward this money to you.

Relevant Files

Declaration Naming a Person to Administer the Taxpayer's Tax Affairs (.pdf)

These are just some things you should be aware of when finishing up and before leaving Japan.

Relevant Files

Pre-Departure Procedures (.pdf)
Declaration Naming a Person to Administer the Taxpayer's Tax Affairs (.pdf)
Shipping and Postage (.pdf)

So you've been working on JET for a year, 2 or 3 years or for some of you lucky people, 4 years! And now it's time to do that one thing that on average people do 7~8 times in their lifetimes and that is to find a new job, or new career or new whatever. We here on the Ishikawa JET Team are no experts when it comes to career counselling or job counselling but we've gathered some information when it comes to finding a job. So take a look at what's provided, use it at your own discretion and by all means, if you have any other useful sources, let us know so that we can add it to the list.

I mentioned it at the recent returners' conference for Ishikawa JETs and I'll mention it again here but there is a great book by Richard Bolles titled, "What Color is Your Parachute" and it has been published for the last 30 years. Common phrases such as "informational interviewing" and "transferable skills" were all born out of this book. Great resource covering everything needed to find a job. You can also check his website for starters: www.jobhuntersbible.com

Relevant Files

Where are you in your job search? (.pdf)
Checklist of Transferable Skills (.pdf)
How to write a good CV or Resume (.pdf)
Passing Interviews (.pdf)
10 Commandments for Job Interviews and 10 Greatest Mistakes Made in Job Interviews (.pdf)
Former Ishikawa JETs talk a little about their post-JET period (.pdf)
Reverse Culture Shock 1 (.pdf)
Reverse Culture Shock 2 (.pdf)
Writing a good cover letter (.pdf)

A list of some websites you might find useful. Also, please see the "After JET" portion of the links section.

Useful Websites (.pdf)
Interpreting Career Field Websites(.pdf)