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A.K.A.T.D.N.
Joined: 12 Jun 2004
Posts: 170
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 Posted: Sat Oct 02, 2004 12:31 pm Post subject: Given the Run-around |
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It's been 30 days now since I've worked for this job and haven't been granted my ARC yet. It's beginning to annoy me, as I think they're stalling. They hold all the cards. Should I look for a new job and bid them goodbye?
I've heard it only takes 7-10 business days to get a work permit. It's a good job, but the lady manager is acting a little fishy to me. In a week I have to split again and renew my visa. They're not paying for anything, not the work permit, the ARC, translation fees or one iota. It's getting me peeved.
Can I get some kind of leverage in this situation? Apparently the school's got 3 South African's working for them, whose diplomas I know are not accepted here in Taiwan. Or at least that's what I've been told. Another guy doesn't even have a degree. One girl just quit. But the place is an elementary school, pays well, and is not like the other zoos here. But then again, it seems to be one of those bastardizations of the business, and I'm running out of patience. |
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Taylor
Joined: 24 Oct 2003
Posts: 384
Location: Texas/Taiwan
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| Posted: Sat Oct 02, 2004 3:10 pm Post subject: |
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The 'boss' and the person responsible for securing work visas may not be the same person. Ask your boss directly who is in charge of this.
Ask this person to write down the steps involved. (Since they may have changed over the years, I really don't know the steps now.)
Ask the person to show you 'where' on the list of steps your application is presently.
Ask him or her what the next step is.
This should give you lots of info. As always, be professional and friendly.
Taylor |
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TaoyuanSteve
Joined: 05 Feb 2003
Posts: 1028
Location: Taoyuan
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| Posted: Sun Oct 03, 2004 2:32 am Post subject: |
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Whoever told you a school can get you an ARC 7-10 days after applying for it was lying. An ARC takes at least a month to get processed. It may be taking even longer now as a different government department is responsible for issuing them now. It's normal for the teacher to bear most of the cost of their ARC processing. Sounds like nothing out of the ordinary. It is also reasonable for you to have to pay for your own visa runs in your particular case. You had another job you got canned from before you went to them and, hence, likely didn't have a lot of time left on your visitor visa when you took your new job. You likely didn't leave them enough time to get your ARC processed before your visa expired. As far as ARCs are concerned, it's too early to start wondering if they're actually getting it for you. I can't say if your employer is totally honest--perhaps they aren't. But if you like the job, cut them some slack.
BTW, I don't know the specifics of the SAs working with you, but South Africa is an approved country as far as English teaching in Taiwan goes. Their degrees are acceptable for ARC purposes. I know South Africans who hold valid ARCs. It's also not unusual for a school to have an "illegal" working for them. If he doesn't have a degree, the risk is mostly his. He is the one who risks deportation and who doesn't get the health insurance. Be a little more patient. This isn't Korea. |
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wood
Joined: 13 Apr 2004
Posts: 202
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| Posted: Sun Oct 03, 2004 2:42 am Post subject: |
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| TaoyuanSteve wrote: |
Whoever told you a school can get you an ARC 7-10 days after applying for it was lying. An ARC takes at least a month to get processed. It may be taking even longer now as a different government department is responsible for issuing them now. It's normal for the teacher to bear most of the cost of their ARC processing. Sounds like nothing out of the ordinary. It is also reasonable for you to have to pay for your own visa runs in your particular case. You had another job you got canned from before you went to them and, hence, likely didn't have a lot of time left on your visitor visa when you took your new job. You likely didn't leave them enough time to get your ARC processed before your visa expired. As far as ARCs are concerned, it's too early to start wondering if they're actually getting it for you. I can't say if your employer is totally honest--perhaps they aren't. But if you like the job, cut them some slack.
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Actually it does only take 7-10 days. Our school has applied for two teachers in the past three months and the turn around time was about a week in both cases. At least that's how long it takes here in Taipei. |
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TaoyuanSteve
Joined: 05 Feb 2003
Posts: 1028
Location: Taoyuan
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| Posted: Sun Oct 03, 2004 8:12 am Post subject: |
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| Interesting. In my particular case, it took the better part of a month. My last renewal took an excruciatingly long amount of time, apparently because of rule changes. I thought I was going to Hong Kong for sure. 7-10 days is an exceptionally short period of time. Oh! I think I know what the confusion is... I think I said ARC when I meant resident visa. Once you have the work permit and resident visa, the ARC can be completed in about a week after you go to the police station. However, I think the original post was talking about the work permit/resident visa. It's not unusual for this process to take a while. I recommend the original poster talk to his employer. I knew someone whose resident visa processing time went into overtime. He didn't have to leave the country on a visa run as his work permit was being processed. He was given an extension on his visitor visa. |
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colin
Joined: 14 Apr 2003
Posts: 45
Location: You mean right now?
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| Posted: Sun Oct 03, 2004 8:55 am Post subject: |
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Once your work permit has been approved it will be sent along with your passport to the foreign affairs office for processing of the arc.
Ask your boss or whoever is doing the paper work if your work permit has been approved and if it has been sent to the foreign affairs to be processed. Hopefully you get a straight answer.
In order for them to give you an arc you must have a valid visa(ie visitor visa) If foregine affairs receives your passport and your visa has expired,then they can not process the arc and you will have to leave and return with a new visa.
So time is of the essence. Hopefully your school has their scat together and can have your paper work in the hands of the fine civil servants of Taiwan on time.
And remember,don't worry about want other people are doing but where your going. |
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wombat
Joined: 18 Jun 2004
Posts: 134
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| Posted: Sun Oct 03, 2004 12:56 pm Post subject: |
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| TaoyuanSteve wrote: |
| Whoever told you a school can get you an ARC 7-10 days after applying for it was lying. An ARC takes at least a month to get processed. It may be taking even longer now as a different government department is responsible for issuing them now. |
It is true that things have changed since the CLA took over responsibility for this from the MOE. However the changes have been in our favor. While it used to take around a month to get your work permit, it is true that the CLA actually process the documentation in a much more reasonable timeframe. You can expect the process of attaining a work permit to now be completed within 7-10 days, which is a big improvement over the previous situation. The fact that it took the MOE twice to three times as long to read an application and write up a work permit certainly shines a very bad light on that department.
| TaoyuanSteve wrote: |
| It's normal for the teacher to bear most of the cost of their ARC processing. Sounds like nothing out of the ordinary. It is also reasonable for you to have to pay for your own visa runs in your particular case. |
Agreed.
| TaoyuanSteve wrote: |
| BTW, I don't know the specifics of the SAs working with you, but South Africa is an approved country as far as English teaching in Taiwan goes. Their degrees are acceptable for ARC purposes. I know South Africans who hold valid ARCs. |
The government maintains a list of approved tertiary institutions. I am unsure of how they come about deciding whether an institution should be approved or not, but once it is accepted as being an accredited institution then it joins the list of accredited universities. This list applies to all of the countries we hail from. If your university is not on the list then you need to petition for it to be included, and I know of one individual who was successful in having this done.
Possibly the SA's that you refer to had degrees from an institution that wasn't on the governments list. Having said that, there are plenty of SA's who are working legally here as their schools are obviously recognized.
The basic process for becoming legal is as follows:
1. You need to have a valid Visitors Visa in your passport, preferably with a validity of at least 30 days or longer. You need your original degree certificate. You need two copies of a medical certificate (best done here in Taiwan - and make sure that you get it done at an accredited hospital!)
2. You give these to your school, but hold onto your original degree, just let the school make a copy of this. Also, make sure you keep your passport. The school will need to copy each page of the passport (even blank pages) and you will need to sign each of these copies.
3. The school applies to the CLA for your work permit, and this should take up to 10 days in most cases to receive. It is a letter written in Chinese that gives you permission to work in Taiwan and will be sent to your school. Give the school up to 14 days for this all up.
4. You pick up the work permit and take it along with your passport to the MOFA to get a Resident Visa placed in your passport. This takes a further 10-14 days.
5. Once you have the Resident Visa you can take your passport to the FAP to get your ARC. The ARC takes only a few days to process, but could be up to a week.
So you should expect everything to be done within a month. If it isn't then there is no doubt a problem with your school. In hindsight it might be a good idea to have a clause added to your contract along the lines of the school accepting responsibility for the cost of a visa run should one become necessary. I have seen this type of clause in contracts here before, and it ensures that the school does the right thing by you.
Question for the original postee:
Do any of the foreign teaching staff at the school you are working at have an ARC through the school? If no one does, then it seems a pretty safe bet that the school is unable to offer one and is just stalling. In that case I think it would be wise to find alternative employment. |
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Taylor
Joined: 24 Oct 2003
Posts: 384
Location: Texas/Taiwan
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| Posted: Sun Oct 03, 2004 2:27 pm Post subject: |
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Great post, Wombat. What does CLA stand for? (Council of Labor Affairs?)
Thanks!
Taylor |
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