Job Discussion Forums

Pinpin · Joined: 11 Oct 2004 Posts: 10 Location: vancovuer, bc

hi everyone, i'm a total newbie interested in working in taiwan. After surfing thru most of the posts, i can kinda get a image of what to expect in taiwan. despite some negative things, i'm not that worry since i'm a native taiwanese that immigrated to canada in 1990. i was wondering if i can actually apply to some of the positions i found online but with my taiwanese passport. then i don't have to go thru the hassle of getting a visa. also, i've heard in taiwan, ppl usually prefer someone with a non-asian face, if that's the case, then i'm worried!!!!

another alternative would be to return to taiwan and look for a job without going thru the intermediate steps of recruiters etc. but i should go thru an agency for my first job

Any suggestions?

Pinpin · Joined: 11 Oct 2004 Posts: 10 Location: vancovuer, bc

by the way, i'm a recent BA and just completed the TESL program.

Taylor · Joined: 24 Oct 2003 Posts: 384 Location: Texas/Taiwan

Hello Pinpin,

If you are a male, you had best make sure you are (somehow?) exempt from your military duty to serve for about 2 years.

I suppose you could get the 'best of both worlds' but you will need to really make sure you take care of all the details.

Best wishes.

Taylor

Pinpin · Joined: 11 Oct 2004 Posts: 10 Location: vancovuer, bc

thanks for you reply, but no, i'm not a guy so guess i have an easier road to follow. after searching some random topics on the forum, i'm totally paranoid about being Chinese Canadian. is it true most taiwanese prefer non-asians? Hell, i've been in Canada since i was grade 2 so even though english is not my native language, i'm still pretty well off.

Desperately need more advises!!!!

wombat · Joined: 18 Jun 2004 Posts: 134

Arriving on, and applying for work through, your Taiwan passport and Taiwan ID is a definite advantage. As Taylor mentioned, guys need to worry about compulsory military service, but girls are lucky here.

The fact that you are asian will be a disadvantage in some regards, but applying for a position on your Canadian passport will not overcome this so go for the Taiwan passport. You will need a Taiwan ID, and if you don't already have one you can get one within a couple of days I believe, but you will need your household registry (which is somewhat similar to a western birth certificate).

As you don't need an ARC you will be able to legally take the positions in elementary and high schools that most of us cannot take. You will also find other opportunities. Just try to ignore those obvious application refusals based solely upon the fact that you are not white.

Aristotle · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1388 Location: Taiwan

Your best bet is to apply for Kindergarten teaching positions in central and southern Taiwan.
Please read this,

http://www.geocities.com/taiwanteacher2002/Success.html
Good luck,

A.

Dr_Zoidberg · Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:56 pm Post subject:

Hey Dave, when are you going to start charging this guy for advertising his website?

Pinpin · Joined: 11 Oct 2004 Posts: 10 Location: vancovuer, bc

anyone have any idea where i should start? currently i have the company where i got my TESL certificate email my cover letter and resume to different recruiters and such. but seeing as some of you think recruiters are not reliable, i'm starting to take the matter into my own hands and do a little job hunt myself. but i'm totally clueless not to mention i don't have any real significant teaching experience. (only some spring break and summer camp leadership.) that's a total disadvantage, but i guess i have to start somewhere, right?

any help will be much appreciated!

Aristotle · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1388 Location: Taiwan

wombat · Joined: 18 Jun 2004 Posts: 134

colin conway · Joined: 10 Oct 2004 Posts: 4

Xenophobe · Joined: 11 Nov 2003 Posts: 163

A friend and co-teacher of ours had this problem while teaching in Kaohsiung. She was born in Canada, as were her parents and grandparents, but she was of Chinese ethnicity. As a result she made NT$ 100 less than the rest of the foreign staff who were all of European ancestry. She also had problems in the airport (Hong Kong, Taipei and Kaohsiung) when she flew home to Canada with her children. You see her husband was a caucasian and her children looked like caucasian children.

Aristotle · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1388 Location: Taiwan

TaoyuanSteve · Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 1028 Location: Taoyuan

Er...I wouldn't blame the Government of the Republic of China for Hanyu pinyin. The ROC has mostly supported to use of the Wade-Giles system. The Taipei government has more recently began consistently using the hanyu system exclusively (thank god). In other parts of Taiwan you can see two, even three, systems in use symultaniously. Is it xinchu or hsinzhu; Keelong or Jilung? My street on two signs offers two different pinyin spellings. This can get confusing after a while. However, let's be clear: the current DPP government is opposed to the mainland China Hanyu system while the more China friendly KMT Taipei government is in favour of it. Even in something simple like spellings Taiwan's political strife is expressed.