Joytalk – Public School ALT Positions in Japan

Joytalk has been recruiting foreign staff for more than 43 years and their operation revolves around the continued education of people of all ages, in languages other than their own.

They pride themselves on providing high-quality Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) for high schools, junior high schools, elementary schools, kindergartens and nursery schools as well as Language Consultants for companies and universities, in the Kanto and Tohoku regions of eastern Japan. They also operate three private Foreign Language Schools for children and adults in the northern Tochigi area, with their first school opening in 1982.

Joytalk is now accepting applications for Assistant Language Teachers in Japanese public Junior High schools, Elementary schools and Kindergartens.

If you are looking for stable employment and a stable income, Joytalk is the place for you. Apply now!

About this position

Location: Tokyo, Chiba, Tochigi, Saitama, Ibaraki, Gunma, Fukushima, Miyagi, Yamagata & Iwate prefectures in the Kanto and Tohoku regions of eastern Japan

Position: Assistant Language Teacher (ALT)

Start date: Starting from April 2026, with training in late March prior to the start of the school assignment.

Students: Public junior high school(s) and / or elementary school(s)

Teaching schedule: From Monday to Friday with the starting and finishing time, as well as break time, varying slightly between 8:00am and 4:30pm.

Benefits

Joytalk prides themselves on providing quality and personal assistance to their foreign language staff. They provide visa sponsorship, paid holidays, discounted car rental, rental accommodation for their teachers if necessary and provide 24 hour support or assistance where needed.

• The salary will depend on the position, as well as location, qualifications, teaching experience and Japanese language skills and as such, will range between 210,000 and 250,000 yen per month, which equates to 2,446,500 yen to 3,000,000 yen per full contracted year. A stable monthly salary will be set, which is not a daily pay system.
• They pay a capped monthly transportation allowance that will vary depending on work conditions. This is paid on top of the salary, not included as part of it.
• They offer paid leave from the start of employment, if the contract is longer than 6 months.
• They have the flexibility to allow paid leave to be used for sick days.
• They can handle all visa related issues on your behalf at the immigration office so there is no need for you to take time off to be there.
• They enroll their employees in the company’s social insurance system (shakai hoken), including subsidized health insurance and pension.
• They usually pay a full and not pro-rated salary for months with school holidays, such as April, July, December, January & March, while they guarantee at least 65% of the regular salary for August during the long summer vacation. They do not force their employees to take a pay cut in other months to get paid for August. Of course, those that work a full schedule in August get paid a full salary then too.

Joytalk also provides ongoing teacher training with workshops held a number of times throughout the year, including prior to the start of the assignment and reimbursement for work transportation costs. They support their ALTs not only in teaching, but also in all aspects of life in Japan, 24 hours a day, including problems of any size, negotiations, accidents, emergencies, etc.

Requirements:

Applicants must:

• Be native speakers of English
• Have at least a bachelor’s degree from a university
• Be willing to commit to at least the end of the school year at the end of March 2027
• Enjoy working with children
• Be a team player
• Be outgoing with students and teachers taking initiative even in situations where English is not the main language

Applicants would also be highly regarded if they have or hold:

• Education qualifications
• A driver’s license valid for use in Japan & willingness to drive
• Conversational Japanese language skills
• Previous ALT experience or teaching experience in their home country

How to apply

If you are interested in teaching in Japan with Joytalk, please submit your resume along with cover letter for assessment via their online application form.

If you wish to submit a photo with your application, please make sure the subject adheres to professional standards.

Unfortunately, Joytalk is only able to respond to those who pass initial screening. They look forward to hearing from you soon.

If you’d like to learn more about Joytalk and view their available teaching positions, please visit their website.