ALT companies desperate for foreigners

 I came across an article on Mainichi Shinbun regarding the effects of the CCP virus on companies that largely rely on employing people from overseas. This article covers the impact on the Japanese Exchange and Teaching program (or as it is more commonly known as the JET program), where foreigners will come to Japan and help teach English as an ALT to elementary, junior high, and high school students, while at the same time taking the opportunity to learn more about Japanese culture. The catch with this program vs. working for a ALT dispatch company, is that you can only stay in the program for 5 years max, as this is never intended to serve as long term work - only a "cultural exchange". 

I have heard from other people also that ALT dispatch companies are feeling the pinch, and - if rumor is true - Interac is apparently not doing so well in terms of retaining or recruiting foreigners. The fact that the Japanese government has effectively locked out foreigners that aren't permanent residents from entering the country, has forced ALT dispatch companies to look within the country for prospective candidates. Most cases though, foreigners living in Japan will probably already have a good job, or at least hold on to the current job, especially given the stress that comes with moving to another part of the country. My current employer has also been pushing on us to recommend anyone to sign up with them, but I always give the same answer: I don't know anyone (or at least, anyone that would want to sign up with them)

I will need to submit my resignation some time soon also, so it will be interesting to see how this plays out. My coordinator has made it clear that they would like me to stay on in my current city for one more year, and upper management has finally got its act together in interviewing me and trying to train me up for a position at one of their offices. Fortunately, the pay they're offering is significantly less than the company I'm choosing to jump to, but I still need to confirm some things about this training before dropping the bomb on them.