Irish teachers in Japan just got a little extra backup: TEFL.ie is part of The TEFL Institute Group, which is now a corporate member of the Ireland Japan Chamber of Commerce (IJCC). That is the organisation connecting Irish and Japanese business, and yes, our name now sits in their members directory alongside some seriously grown-up companies. If Japan is on your teach-abroad shortlist (it should at least be on the longlist), here is what the membership means, why it matters for Irish teachers specifically, and how the Ireland-Japan route actually works.

Our Chamber Membership at a Glance

Detail	Information
Member	The TEFL Institute Group (tefl.ie, teflinstitute.com, premiertefl.com, tefl.ai)
Membership type	Corporate Member
Organisation	Ireland Japan Chamber of Commerce (IJCC), Dublin
What the IJCC does	Promotes trade, business and cultural links between Ireland and Japan through events, networking and advocacy
Where to verify	IJCC members directory and the official IJCC welcome announcement
What changes for you	Stronger Japan-focused guidance, better employer connections and a formal seat in the Ireland-Japan business community behind your TEFL course

Source: Ireland Japan Chamber of Commerce membership records, as of 2026.

What Is the Ireland Japan Chamber of Commerce, and Why Did We Join?

The Ireland Japan Chamber of Commerce is the bridge between two island nations that have always got on well: Irish companies doing business in Japan, Japanese companies with operations here, and the events and networking that keep it all moving. For a TEFL provider, joining is a trust signal with substance. Anyone can put “Japan specialists” on a website. Being accepted as a corporate member means a recognised chamber has vetted us into the Ireland-Japan business community, and it holds us to the standard you would expect from that company. It also puts us in the room with employers and institutions who actually hire and host English teachers in Japan. It sits nicely alongside our existing credentials too. If you like checking receipts (you should), our TEFL accreditation and regulation standards page lists the rest.

Why Does the Chamber Membership Matter for Irish Teachers in Japan?

Ireland has a genuinely good hand when it comes to teaching English in Japan, and plenty of Irish teachers in Japan will tell you the same over a pint of something that costs slightly too much in Shibuya:

• The JET Programme is open to Irish citizens. Japan’s flagship government scheme recruits Irish graduates every year through the Japanese Embassy in Dublin, and it remains one of the best-paid entry routes.
• The Working Holiday Visa covers Ireland. Irish citizens aged 18 to 30 can apply for Japan’s working holiday visa, which lets you live in Japan and take on work, including teaching, while you find your feet.
• A degree plus a 120-hour TEFL certificate is the standard employer ask. Our 120-hour TEFL certification for Japan guide breaks down exactly what schools want to see.

Our chamber membership strengthens the connections behind all of that: the employers, the institutions and the people shaping Ireland-Japan links. When we advise you on Japan, it is now advice backed by membership of the community where those decisions happen.

What Are the Main Routes to a Japanese Classroom?

Irish teachers reach a Japanese classroom through one of four main routes: the JET Programme, dispatch ALT companies, private eikaiwa schools, or international schools and universities, each with different pay and entry requirements. The table below sets out typical monthly pay and who each pathway suits best.

Pathway	Typical monthly pay	Best for
JET Programme (via the Japanese Embassy in Dublin)	¥280,000 in year one (about ¥3.36 million per year)	Graduates who want the best-supported, best-paid entry route
Dispatch ALT companies	¥230,000 to ¥270,000	Getting into public schools outside the JET intake
Eikaiwa (private conversation schools)	¥250,000 to ¥280,000	City life, evening hours, year-round hiring
International schools and universities	¥300,000 to ¥600,000	Experienced, qualified teachers

Salary ranges as of 2026, drawn from JET Programme published terms and current employer listings. Not sure how Japanese pay stacks up against other destinations? Our guide to what Irish teachers earn abroad puts the yen figures next to everywhere else, and if you are starting from zero, our guide to moving abroad from Ireland covers the practical bits (bank accounts, flights, telling your mam).

Are There Other Japan Job Connections Beyond the Chamber?

Yes, the chamber seat is not the only Japan connection we hold: we are also a trusted partner of Jobs in Japan, one of the country’s longest-running job boards for foreign workers, which means our graduates get a direct line to real, current teaching vacancies rather than recycled listings from 2019. Chamber membership for the connections, a job board partnership for the actual jobs. Between the two, the route from an Irish sitting room to a Japanese classroom is shorter than it has ever been. And no, you do not need experience to start: our guide to teaching English in Japan without experience explains the entry-level reality.

Frequently Asked Questions