Hundreds of New Zealand teachers face unemployment and eviction from their homes after the collapse of one of Japan’s biggest English language schools.
The Nova group has been in trouble for months and has now closed its doors and called in the receivers with debts of over 500 million dollars.
Nova’s 6,000 staff had already been worried the company was going under.
Many were owed at least a months pay.
Now their worst fears have come true.
As well as no pay cheque many foreign staff face eviction because Nova was paying their rent.
Nova had employed around 500 New Zealanders – but many had already quit after they weren’t paid last month.
The company’s problems began when it expanded too rapidly and then fell foul of Japanese education authorities for failing to deliver on promises made to its students.
Faced with no work and Japan’s high cost of living many foreign staff are expected to head home.
The New Zealand embassy in Japan is offering advice to staff about other possible work or whether they might be eligible for redundancy or unemployment insurance.
http://www.tv3.co.nz/News/HundredsofNZteacherslosejobsinJapan/tabid/209/articleID/37869/Default.aspx