[jasonbvr]

Are not working holiday visas only six months? Plus being an ALT technically you should have an Instructor's Visa.

There are some cities now that are totally skipping the whole process of liasing with JET or eikaiwas and hiring ALTs direct. This is in the end the best route for the city and the teachers. It saves thousands of dollars. Wait...millions of yen. But when I say some, I am really talking about only a handful. The biggest obstacle the advancement of this trend faces is the boards of education. English teachers can be a lot to handle their first few months adjusting, and the ALT directors love being able to delegate responsibility elswhere.