Job Discussion Forums

janis_ec13 · Joined: 31 Jan 2005 Posts: 19 Location: Taiwan

Hi!
I am currently living in Taiwan. I moved here in November of 2004.
I do not have the documents I should have since I was told I could get by without them. I am now finding out that this is not the case.
I do not have a degree, nor a TESL/TEFL certificate.
I ended up getting a job as soon as I got here, actually it was to replace the friend of a friend. Because I didn't have the 4-year degree they were asking for, we made the mistake of changing my college diploma, and I applied with that. Of course it was rejected, andl I was to submit a TESL certificate. Well I didn't have that either, so we created a fake one. Sure enough, it came back denied as well. The gov't wanted to see a school stamp on the certificate. So again, we changed it to look like the school had stamped it. Once again my application was rejected. Because it was rejected three times, my school let me go. They didn't want to risk being blacklisted.
So now i'm in a jam. I'm not sure what to do next. I really do not want to leave this country, I love it here.
I've had suggestions to take chinese classes and get a student visa. Does that really work? Can i really work legally with one? Do you know how or where I can go about doing this?
I was also told to get a fake degree. I'm not sure I should risk applying again with a fake document. I'm scared I will be blacklisted and kicked out of the country.
I was also thinking I could take the TESL course online and have it legitimately, but I was told that they are not at all accepted here. Is that true?
I do have a visitor visa now, but it expires in March.
I really need some advice here. I'm super stressed and nervous about what i'm going to do.
Please help.
Thanks.

Tsimplyme · Joined: 28 Nov 2004 Posts: 15 Location: Canada

Global TESOL College has a branch office here in Taiwan. http://www.globaltesol.com/ I'd recommend you get your TESOL cert and try again at a different school. Best of luck.

phil82 · Joined: 25 Apr 2003 Posts: 37 Location: Taoyuan

You can sign up for Chinese lessons and get a six month student visa. You needn't even attend these lessons, check out eslisland.com, they have a list of language schools. Then you can get an illegal job on the side teaching English.

You will be legally entitled to stay in the country but working illegal.

It can be done, but it's a risk. One that if it's at all possible to avoid, should be avoided.

Fortigurn · Joined: 29 Oct 2003 Posts: 390

There's a very important lesson to be learned here. This is an extremely useful post, thanks.

clark.w.griswald · Joined: 06 Dec 2004 Posts: 2056

I think it's great that the other posters have given you some useful suggestions. This is what this board is really about!

Now, I hate to play devils advocate but I am somewhat surprised by some of the content of your post. Please don't misinterpret my post as being snide or condascending as this is not my intention. I am just somewhat mystified!

Xenophobe · Joined: 11 Nov 2003 Posts: 163

I know bureaucrats everywhere are a little dense, but I'm sure that you've caught someone's attention with all of these attempts to pass off fake documents Shocked

. If you continue along these lines, you're going to find yourdelf in some serious doo doo. I'm assuming you have at least a three year BA or BSc, so get the TESOL certification and you're not going to have any problems.

hou de chuan ren · Joined: 19 Jan 2005 Posts: 19

clark.w.griswald · Joined: 06 Dec 2004 Posts: 2056

janis_ec13 · Joined: 31 Jan 2005 Posts: 19 Location: Taiwan

thanks to everyone who gave me advice

i do have a diploma from a canadian college. it is a 2 year diploma in business accounting.
i plan on taking the tesol course but i'm just not sure it will be accepted. i'm so worried that it won't work again and i'll have to leave.

will try my best,
wish me luck!
and thanks again.

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

You can get visa advice from a language school (I believe it's called CLI). Look in the English papers in the classifieds section. You pay 4500 nt and they can extend your visa. That also entitles you to attend Chinese classes, if you want to, for 8 weeks. That might give you the extra time you need to sort out your tesl certificate and try to get a valid resident visa.

janis_ec13 · Joined: 31 Jan 2005 Posts: 19 Location: Taiwan

hey,
thanks steve

the school is called tli..taipei language institute.
i went there to try and take chinese classes, thinking i could get a student visa through them. i was told that because they are a private school they can not give out student visas, but that they can extend visas. i told them that mine was non-extendable. they did not mention the fact that if i pay money they will extend it.
do you have more info on this?

thanks again

phil82 · Joined: 25 Apr 2003 Posts: 37 Location: Taoyuan

The school is called CLI (different to TLI) it's on Zhongshan N Road Sec 1, I think. Not too far from the main station. I'm pretty sure they advertise in the China Post. Just go in and talk to them, they know the situation with teachers and will be willing to help you out.

I think, but may be wrong, but you can get an ARC with a 2-year diploma and any TEFL course. Try forumosa.com for more info about this. (use the search facilty)

Ki · Joined: 23 Jul 2004 Posts: 475

I would recommend Pioneer as a good chinese school. It is at 198 Hoping East Rd. Kuting MRT. They are cheaper and sort everything out for you.

janis_ec13 · Joined: 31 Jan 2005 Posts: 19 Location: Taiwan

thanks guys, but are these schools in kaohsiung?
i am in kaohsiung, not taipei

junkmail · Joined: 19 Dec 2004 Posts: 377