As of October, 2012, some notable changes have been made to the JET Programme to better meet the needs of participants and local authorities in line with the goals of the program. JETs who join the program in or after 2012 should expect some differences between their contract and those of JETs from previous years. Some notable changes are explained below, but please contact the JET Coordinator or see the JET Canada webpage regarding specific details.
- Applicants who currently hold a degree may opt to be considered for April departure. These applicants will be considered to fill urgent vacancies. They must be available to depart on fairly short notice any time after April 11th, and submit all documents (including police and medical checks) with their application package, or by the time of their interview in February at the latest. Applicants who are not offered an early departure position will remain eligible for the regular departure in July/August.
- The JET salary has been adjusted as an incentive for excellent JET participants to remain in the program. The new pay scale is as follows:
Year in Programme |
Annual Salary (Japanese yen) |
1 |
3,360,600 |
2 |
3,600,000 |
3 |
3,900,000 |
4-5 |
3,960,000 |
- The above salaries are gross, before any tax deductions. Canadian JETs are not exempt from Japanese income tax, however, all income earned under the JET Programme is exempt from Canadian income tax.
- Applicant must not have declined a position on the JET Programme after receiving notification of placement in the previous JET Programme year. This restriction does not apply to participants who declined a position within the 80km radius disaster area around the Fukushima nuclear power plant.
- Applicants may apply while living in Japan, but should note that it is not possible to change some visa types within Japan (notably, but not exclusively, “Temporary Visitor,” or tanki taizai, visas). Holders of these visas will have to return to their home country at their own expense and apply for a new visa before joining the JET Programme.
- Applicant must not have lived in Japan for 6 or more years in total since 2003.
- Applied Bachelor Degrees now fulfill the education eligibility criteria for the JET Programme.
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