Job Discussion Forums

[Jared]

Hello. I heard an odd rumor that if you go to Taiwan and teach on a student visa, it's still legal to do so. Now I was also told that recently they changed the law and it's no longer legal. If it still is legal (or if it ever was) to be able to teach on a student visa, would you only be able to work part time? And would you have to attend your mandarin lessons? How does that all work? Thanks.

[Ki]

No, actually the opposite holds true. Even if you get a work permit then you are probably still working illegally. You just have to put up with a little less crap than otherwise.

Maybe you are thinking about the working-holiday visa. This is quite new and poses a lot of various constraints such as limitting the number of hours that you can work. Not sure which countries have allowed this.

You can work illegally on a student visa, like so many others do. You don't even have to attend the classes. But be weary of doing this for too long. If you have been here for a couple of years and you still don't know any Mandarin it may look a little suspicious. You will also still need to do a visa run every six months.

[Aristotle]

Unfortunately the laws on this matter are unclear and it comes down to the individual officer assigned to the case to make the determination as to whether or not students who teach on the side are in violation of the law. There is no judicial oversight of these decisions and the police have the authority to arrest and deport non Chinese without trial.
The government on Taiwan tends to error on the side of oppression and discrimination in these matters.
On Taiwan consistent central polices do not exists. Many issues regarding non Chinese living and working on Taiwan are simply ignored by the government on Taiwan. Taiwan signed reciprocal agreements with several countries to allow students the right to work while studying. Unfortunately the government on Taiwan has once again errored on the side of oppression and deceit by refusing to enact legislation or make decrees allowing this. Taiwanese students who go to real countries to study however are granted rights as equal human being and allowed to work an live unharassed.
Interpretation of the laws pertaining to this type of work change by region on Taiwan.
Currently places like Taichung tend to be a Mecca for students that support themselves by teaching simply because the Universities there have their act together and are quite proficient in obtaining student ARC's for foreign students wishing to study Chinese.
Other places such as Toayuan and Taipei county actively harass and deport students who are teaching even part time.
Good luck!
A.