Every company website says the same thing: “supportive staff,” “competitive salary,” “comprehensive training.” So let’s skip that and look at what actual ALTs say instead.
The short answer on the best pick: ALTIA Central, then everyone else. But it depends on where you want to live and what you’re willing to trade off. Of course the Jet Programme is the best, but that is not a dispatch company and it operates very differently from the companies on this list.
Here’s the full breakdown.
What Is an ALT Dispatch Company?
A dispatch company is basically a middleman. They hold contracts with local Boards of Education (BOEs), hire foreign teachers, and send them to public schools as Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs).
Here’s the thing, though: the school is not your employer. The company is. So the school tells you what to do day-to-day, but your pay, visa, and contract all come from the dispatch company. That distinction matters a lot when things go wrong.
The alternative to dispatch is the JET Programme, a government-run program that pays around ¥335,000/month with full benefits. It’s more competitive to get into, but it’s the gold standard. Most dispatch salaries are noticeably lower.
A Quick Note Before the List
The ALT community has a phrase: ESID — Every Situation Is Different. Your school, your city, your branch coordinator, and your Japanese Teacher of English (JTE) will shape your experience more than any company policy document.
That said, some things are worth asking every company before you sign:
- Do you pay a full salary during summer? Or is it prorated?
- Are you enrolled in shakai hoken (social insurance)?
- Is there a renewal bonus?
These three questions alone will tell you a lot.
ALT Dispatch Companies in Japan, Ranked
#1 — ALTIA Central
Community verdict: The best non-JET option, consistently
Glassdoor rating: 3.7/5 (151 reviews) | 75% would recommend
ALTIA Central comes up first in almost every Reddit thread about dispatch companies, and for good reason. The benefits are structurally better than most of the competition.
What stands out:
- Full salary every month, including summer. No proration during school breaks, unlike some others on this list.
- Enrolled in shakai hoken (social insurance) from the start.
- Supervisors are former ALTs, so they actually get what you’re going through.
- Annual renewal bonus that grows with tenure.
The Glassdoor score of 3.7 sounds average, but in context it’s the only dispatch company here that’s competitive with employers broadly, not just other dispatch companies.
The caveats are real. ALTIA is concentrated in Chubu and Kansai (think Nagoya, Gifu, Hiroshima area). Almost all placements require a driver’s licence. And like every dispatch company, you don’t get to pick your school.
The community ranking that keeps appearing on r/ALTinginJapan is: JET → ALTIA Central → Interac → everything else. That hierarchy has been stable for years.
Bottom line: If you can drive and you’re open to the Chubu/Kansai region, this is the obvious first choice.
#2 — Interac
Community verdict: Mixed, but still the default entry point
Glassdoor rating: 2.7/5 (766 reviews) | 43% would recommend
Interac is Japan’s largest ALT provider, founded in 1972, placing around 3,200 foreign staff across 13 regional offices. It’s the most discussed dispatch company online, and the most polarizing.
The two complaints you’ll see on every forum thread: low pay, and the summer proration issue. During school breaks, your salary can drop significantly while Interac keeps collecting its full BOE fee. And career progression is basically nonexistent.
That said, the visa process is reliable, the support network for newcomers is useful, and it’s genuinely one of the easiest ways into Japan if you don’t qualify for JET. Most positive reviews focus on the school experience itself, not the company.
People on Reddit often describe it as a vehicle to get to Japan. What you do once you’re there is up to you.
Bottom line: Solid entry point, just go in with realistic expectations on pay. Experience varies a lot by regional branch.
#3 — Joytalk
Community verdict: Workable short-term, don’t expect much
Glassdoor rating: 2.3/5 (89 reviews) | 23% would recommend
Joytalk operates mainly in Tohoku and Kanto. The most consistent complaint is communication, with one former employee describing their email system as a “black hole” managed by one person who checks it occasionally.
Glassdoor reviewers flag dishonest upper management, training sessions that feel redundant, and salaries that are low even by dispatch standards. There are positive accounts too, usually about individual coordinators rather than the company as a whole.
Reddit communities generally treat Joytalk as a one-to-two year stepping stone before moving to a better company or going direct-hire.
Bottom line: Fine as a starting point, but don’t plan to stay long.
#4 — Heart Corporation
Community verdict: Last resort territory
Heart operates mainly in eastern Japan. Its very low barrier to entry, which it often promotes as a selling point, gets treated as a warning sign by the community. Pay is lower than Interac, there’s no travel cost coverage, and the support structure is minimal.
r/ALTinginJapan threads tend to group Heart with the lower tier of companies. It’s not considered predatory, just weak across the board.
Bottom line: Only worth considering if you’re already in Japan and need something quickly.
#5 — Borderlink
Community verdict: Consistently poor across all forums
Borderlink is the second-largest national provider, with a strong presence in Kanto. It also has one of the worst reputations in the community, described on Reddit threads as lower pay than Interac, no travel cost coverage, and high staff turnover.
Forum veterans from r/japanlife and r/teachinginjapan are blunt about it. BOE contracts in some cities reportedly don’t get renewed after a Borderlink stint, which isn’t a great sign for job stability.
Bottom line: If Borderlink holds the contract in the specific city you want, weigh the tradeoffs carefully. Otherwise, there are better options.
#6 — AtoZ Corporation
Community verdict: Almost no community presence, but quietly positive
Glassdoor rating: 3.4/5 (19 reviews) | 63% would recommend
AtoZ is based in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, and is essentially invisible on Reddit. Only 19 Glassdoor reviews makes the data thin, but 63% would recommend it, which is the second-highest rate on this entire list after ALTIA Central.
The lack of online chatter probably reflects small hiring volume rather than bad experiences. For teachers specifically targeting Nagano or the surrounding area, it’s worth looking into precisely because it flies under the radar.
Bottom line: Not enough community data to say much, but the limited signal is more positive than most.
#7 — OWLS (One World Language School)
Community verdict: Regional monopoly, poor reputation
OWLS dominates ALT contracts in Kitakyushu and parts of northern Kyushu, winning major prefectural tenders. Despite the market presence, forum veterans describe it as worse than Interac, which is saying something.
One documented issue: OWLS has been flagged for advertising ALT positions before BOE contracts are finalized. Teachers go through the whole process and then discover the job doesn’t exist if OWLS loses the tender. The Tozen Union, which is Japan’s main labor union for ALTs, has flagged this as a form of false advertising.
Bottom line: If you’re set on Kyushu and OWLS holds the relevant contracts, go in with very clear eyes.
#8 — RCS Corporation
Community verdict: Oldest company, worst labor record
RCS is Japan’s longest-running ALT dispatch company. That longevity hasn’t translated into quality. Glassdoor reviewers describe it as offering probably the lowest salary in the dispatch industry, with no paid vacation and forced unpaid “working days” during school holidays.
The Tozen Union has documented successful labor cases against RCS, including withheld August wages, and an illegal absence penalty of ¥15,000 per missed day that exceeded what teachers actually earned. A Labor Standards Office ruling ordered RCS to repay over ¥1,000,000 in back wages.
Bottom line: The labor record alone is worth paying attention to. There are better options at every level above this one.
What to Ask Before You Sign Anything
Before committing to any dispatch company, ask these questions directly:
- Is my summer salary prorated, or do I receive full pay during school breaks?
- Am I enrolled in shakai hoken (social insurance) from day one?
- Is there a renewal or tenure bonus?
- Who is my point of contact if I have a problem at school?
And know that the Tozen Union exists. They’re a labor union specifically for ALTs and have successfully represented teachers against multiple dispatch companies on this list. If you ever find yourself in a contract dispute, they’re a legitimate resource.
FAQ
What is the best ALT dispatch company in Japan?
Based on consistent community feedback across Reddit, Glassdoor, and ALT forums, ALTIA Central is the best non-JET option. Full summer salary, social insurance, and former-ALT supervisors put it clearly ahead of the competition.
Is Interac good for beginners?
It can be. The visa process is reliable and the support network is useful for first-timers. Just know that pay is low and summer months can be lean. Think of it as a door into Japan, not a long-term career move.
What does ESID mean?
Every Situation Is Different. It’s a phrase the ALT community uses a lot, because your actual experience depends heavily on your specific school, city, and branch coordinator, not just the company’s overall reputation.
Is JET better than a dispatch company?
Generally, yes. JET pays around ¥335,000/month, includes full social insurance, and comes with more job stability. The tradeoff is it’s more competitive to get into and you have less control over placement. If you get into JET, take it.
Can I pick my placement location?
You can usually state a preference, but there’s no guarantee. Most companies place you based on where they hold BOE contracts. ALTIA Central, for example, is mainly Chubu and Kansai. If you have a specific city in mind, confirm before applying whether the company actually operates there.
