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snatchiw
Joined: 18 Oct 2004
Posts: 11
Location: Canada
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 Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2005 6:57 pm Post subject: Finding work in June? What about the tax... |
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I am planning to head to Taiwan for a year once I have recieved my diploma. I had been planning to go in February but have since changed my mind after reading some of the posts (specifically about needing the diploma to recieve an ARC and work legally).
I will be recieving my diploma in June (although I technically have a degree now) and plan on leaving shortly afterwards. I was wondering if June is a good time to arrive or if I should wait until September or July or any other time.
I know that arriving after June means I will be unable to reclaim the tax I have paid for the second part of the year. These are all considerations I am trying to balanace out.
Any advice on a good time to arrive and about the tax laws would be much appreciated.
Thanks |
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clark.w.griswald
Joined: 06 Dec 2004
Posts: 2056
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| Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2005 12:29 am Post subject: |
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The exact rule is that you need to be in the country for at least 183 days before December 31st. If you leave the country for a few days for a visa run, or go away on holidays then these days are not counted.
Therefore to ensure that you make the 183 days, you probably shouldn't arrive after about the middle of June.
Personally, I think that the best bet is to come before the middle of June, or alternatively hang out until toward the end of the year. There is little sense coming in July as you will lose so much in non-refundable taxes. |
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snatchiw
Joined: 18 Oct 2004
Posts: 11
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2005 10:00 pm Post subject: |
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If I arrive in mid June are there going to be any job openings?
Also I am going to want to sign a full year contract, do schools offer such contracts during the middle of an academic year?
Would schoool want me from June to June or maybe shorter than a year or longer?
I am generally concerned about arriving at a time that is not commonly known as a good time to get a job, coupled with the fact that I will be under pressure to find a job in time to qualify for the 183 day minumum in order to reclaim my taxes.
I fear this will give the schools an advantage in the hiring process as they will surely be aware of these realities. Do you think this will compromise the type of position I will be able to find?
Thanks again for the last response. |
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clark.w.griswald
Joined: 06 Dec 2004
Posts: 2056
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| Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2005 2:11 am Post subject: |
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All good questions snatchiw.
| snatchiw wrote: |
| If I arrive in mid June are there going to be any job openings? |
There are pretty much job openings all year round, although recently some people seem to have been having trouble securing good jobs with adequate hours. The minimum for legal work is 14 hours a week, but some people want more than this. Although most jobs can probably offer more than 14, many schools may want to start new teachers out on the minimum until they are sure the teacher is ready to take on more classes.
| snatchiw wrote: |
| Also I am going to want to sign a full year contract, do schools offer such contracts during the middle of an academic year? |
Assuming that you are not seeking work in universities, international schools or some government schools, then you needn't worry. Classes run pretty well year round with most of the private institutions. The minimum legal contract term is one year and this is what most schools want, so if you start in June you need to work through to June. If you are a reliable teacher that teaches well then you can expect that the school will want to keep you on indefinitely.
| snatchiw wrote: |
| I am generally concerned about arriving at a time that is not commonly known as a good time to get a job, coupled with the fact that I will be under pressure to find a job in time to qualify for the 183 day minumum in order to reclaim my taxes. |
Actually, just prior to, during, and just after the summer are the best times to look for teaching work in Taiwan. Kids don't take a break from their studies just because school is out, and in fact the fact that they don't need to go to school just means that they have more time to study - hence more classes for foreign teachers.
The 183 days is calculated from your arrival date, not the day you start working. Provided that you arrive in June, and don't spend too much time out of the country prior to December 31st then your passport will show that you were in country for 183 days of that tax year and you will qualify for a tax refund. Visa concerns aside, you could theoretically start work on December 30, work one day in that tax year and still qualify for a tax return, provided that you had been in the country for more than 183 days prior to December 31st. Therefore, the tax factor is not one that schools can really use to their advantage.
The sooner you arrive before the cut off date the better as it will give you more time to look around. If you are having trouble getting here sooner then the alternative is to forget about the 20% rule and just arrive towards the end of the year. You will forfeit taxes paid until the new year, but the later you arrive the less you will lose. I would still go for a June arrival if I were you. |
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snatchiw
Joined: 18 Oct 2004
Posts: 11
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2005 9:51 pm Post subject: |
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Excellent and highly appreciated info Griswald. You have put my mind at ease a little and now that I understand the system a little more, I think I'll be able to make this work.
Thanks a lot for all your time. |
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