日本語教師募集 in Melbourne

Working as a Japanese Teacher in Melbourne

Moving to Australia to teach Japanese can be an exciting opportunity, but employment practices in Australia may be quite different from those in Japan.

If you are coming from overseas to work as a Japanese teacher in Melbourne, understanding your basic workplace rights and knowing what to look for in an employer is important.

Your Visa Does Not Remove Your Workplace Rights

One of the most important things to understand is that visa holders and migrant workers generally have the same workplace rights and protections as other employees working in Australia.

Whether you are in Australia on a Working Holiday Visa, student visa, sponsored work visa or another visa with work rights, an employer still needs to follow Australian workplace laws.

Your employer also cannot cancel your visa. Only the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs has the authority to grant, refuse or cancel a visa.

Be Careful With ABN Arrangements

Some teachers arriving in Australia may be asked to obtain an ABN (Australian Business Number) and invoice a school as an independent contractor.

Having an ABN does not automatically mean you are genuinely a contractor.

A true independent contractor generally operates their own business and has greater independence over matters such as how they perform their work, their working hours, their clients and their financial risk.

If a school decides your regular working hours, directs how your work must be performed, provides the teaching environment and expects an ongoing employment relationship, you should understand why you are being engaged as a contractor rather than an employee.

Incorrectly representing an employee as an independent contractor can amount to sham contracting, which is against Australian workplace law.

Don’t be afraid to ask an employer:

“Will I be an employee or an independent contractor, and why?”

A professional employer should be able to answer this clearly.

Training and Meetings Are Part of the Job

Starting at a new language school usually requires training.

Teachers may need to learn the school’s curriculum, teaching methodology, classroom procedures, student management systems and administrative processes.

If you are an employee and training is required as part of your job, the time spent completing that training must be paid. Compulsory staff meetings can also count as working time and need to be paid.

Be cautious about employers expecting significant amounts of unpaid training before or after you begin employment.

Be Careful With “Internships” and Unpaid Work

An opportunity to gain Australian teaching experience may sound attractive, particularly when you have recently arrived from overseas.

However, don’t assume that you need to work for free simply because you don’t yet have Australian teaching experience.

There are limited circumstances where unpaid placements, work experience or brief work trials can be lawful. If you are actually performing productive work as an employee, however, you generally need to be paid.

Nunawading Japanese School does not offer unpaid teaching internships.

We believe teachers should be rewarded for the contribution they make and supported as they develop their teaching skills.

What Does a Good Japanese Language School Look Like?

When considering a Japanese teaching position in Melbourne, don’t look only at the advertised hourly pay.

Ask about the complete working environment.

A good employer should be transparent about your employment status, expected hours, training, meetings, preparation, administrative responsibilities and how you will be paid.

You should also consider the support available to you.

If you are new to teaching, will experienced teachers help you? Is there structured training? Are teaching materials provided? Is management available when you encounter difficulties? Are expectations clearly explained?

A supportive workplace can make an enormous difference, particularly when you are adjusting to both a new country and a new teaching environment.

At Nunawading Japanese School, we believe that happy, supported teachers create better classrooms.

We do not believe teachers should have to work for free to prove themselves. Our aim is to provide a positive working environment where teachers receive training, ongoing support and recognition for the work they do.

For teachers coming from Japan or elsewhere overseas, our recommendation is simple: understand your rights, ask questions before accepting a position, and choose an employer that genuinely values its teachers.