Job Discussion Forums

Ki · Joined: 23 Jul 2004 Posts: 475

No, I think it is more sarcastic than hostile. No, I'm not a recruiter. And I don't tell people that everything will be fine. And I'm quite happy thanks. It is you who is here spreading rumour. Teachers being deported for working illegally is not new. Do you even have a point?

twinkletoes · Joined: 05 Jan 2005 Posts: 76

My point is that I see a lot of people and schools getting in trouble, and I want more information. I think people who have degrees should get them notarized. I think people should make sure their passports aren't going to run out. It's much easier to do these things, as I pointed out on my original post, before you leave your home country rather than after. Sharing information that I know to be true is not spreading rumors. I do indeed see an increase in problems lately, and my boss believes that things are going to get much stricter in the near future.

I hope that people who actually do have valuable information to share, unlike you, should contribute it to this thread. Unless you have something to contribute other than "I don't know anything, therefore it doesn't exist", maybe you should leave this thread alone.

Ki · Joined: 23 Jul 2004 Posts: 475

Of course it exists. It has always existed. People do on occasion get into trouble for working illegally and the authorities do have a tendency to get things wrong. You are not pointing out anything new at all. 'I heard about this story from a friend of a friend' rumours are NOT contributing anything. Doing something like making sure you have more than six months remaining on your passport is one of those common sense things that applies to going to any country. And it really isn't that difficult to get a new passport overseas anyway.

But if you want a factual contribution. In my experiences with the authorities here I have found them to be quite helpful. They have even given me a couple of small breaks. Which is in contrast to a lot of the recruiters and employers here who seem more often than not to create more hassle. But of course this is only a generalisation made from my own observations, and that of my friends, here. That said, I wouldn't want to piss too many people off or get in the middle of any major disputes. Oh and I guess the authorities are supposed to be doing their jobs once in a while, whether I agree with it or not.

Information you know to be true? You mean that foreigners are getting deported for teaching illegally and having fake degrees (which also entails teaching illegally)? Thank you. That was most helpful.

Serious_Fun · Joined: 28 Jun 2005 Posts: 1171 Location: terra incognita

Dr_Zoidberg · Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 12:24 am Post subject:

Long story short:

If you work illegally, you take your chances and have nobody to blame but yourself if you are caught.

If you work legally, you've nothing to worry about.

twinkletoes · Joined: 05 Jan 2005 Posts: 76

http://www.taiwan-taipei.com/cgi-bin/taiwan/cms/news/general/taiwan_taipei_news.pl

Taiwan government imposes tough fines for hiring illegal foreign labors
Taipei March 21, 2006 Starting next month companies who hire foreigners without the appropriate working permits and visas will face the possibility of being find 750,000NTD. This is five times the current fine of 150.000. The council of Labor Affairs (CLA) announced the new regulation yesterday. The (CLA) estimates that there are about 20,000 illegal workers living in Taiwan. Until now, it has been impossible to bring this number down because many foreign labors simply run away every month. Labor Minister Lee Ying-Yuan stated the fine of 750,000NTD is the maximum possible amount that they could stipulate according by the Employment Service Law.

gordogringo · Joined: 15 Jul 2005 Posts: 159 Location: Tijuana

What is it with Canadians and pot?Taught in two schools in Taiwan only three Americans in one two in another.We were the only ones not toking regularly.Now teaching in Mexico it is the first drug free workplace I have had in my teaching career.No Canadians work here.

watingfortomorrow · Joined: 19 Apr 2006 Posts: 7 Location: North America

What do you mean by Canadians and pot?!? I am not a drug user and I am Canadian. There are also many American pot smokers.... and European pot smokers and African pot smokers... and the list goes on and on. In fact the American Hip Hop Culture glorifies the use of marijuana more than any Canadian culture does.

There are numerous Canadians who occasionally smoke pot. I am not sure if you are aware that it is almost legal here (similar to teaching kindergarten in Taiwan: its illegal, but not enforced). Please don't assume that all Canadians smoke pot.

One question I do have for you: Were they forcing you to join them? Were they jeopardizing you in any way? If yes then of course I can see your problem. If not, if they offered to be polite and kept it to themselves then why do you have a problem?

Union Jack · Joined: 09 Jul 2005 Posts: 15 Location: Taiwan

Well Twinkletoes your posting is quite interesting. I must say however that the situation here in Taiwan is not that bad. All you need to do is stick to the law and you will be fine. I would also like to mention that the situation for preschools is getting a lot hotter in terms of raids. So if your in a preschool just watch out and get your running shoes on.
In terms of paper work it is very much other countries. If you stick to the rules and requirements you will be fine. There are infact some quite helpful people in the goverment. For example when I was getting my APRC the woman at Taipei's main police station was very helpful.
With respect to the drug problem i do not have any sympathy for those people. Everyone should remember what you are told before you land in Taiwan. It is a capital punishment. Furthermore the newspapers in Taiwan have not really been running this story that much and it has all died down.
Overall I think it is not that bad here in Taiwan. If you think it is bad why don't to try the tax office in the UK. When you have been there you will think that the applying for your visa in Taiwan is just like a stroll in the park.

Have fun.

Pop Fly · Joined: 15 Feb 2003 Posts: 429

Re: The fella that got busted last year. He hasn't been sentenced yet, so where the poster upthread is getting his info is as mysterious as Matty's fate is right now.

He is due back in court any day now and the sentence will be handed down then. What really sucks, if things didn't suck enough all ready is: no credit for time served. He's almost finished a year, and regardless, his eventual sentence will not be deducted from.

Just bad joss all around.

And Twinkletoes, love the name. Don't fret too much. It's good that you want to keep folks on their erm, toes. But I haven't really seen or heard of too much in the way of hardships for qualified teachers. Jobs are plentiful. Salaries vary, but not that much. Hiring practices can be racist, but generally aren't. Contrary to what some of the more passive-aggressive types are fond of spouting off, anyone with a native accent and above average command of the language can be offered a job. From then on, it's completely up to the individual. Jump thru the hoops as they come up, do your job and you get a decent paycheque to live very comfortably in Asia's most westernized country (and Taipei holds true on the municipal scale as well). Jump thru the hoops on time and you never have to do a visa run.

Like I said, meet the requirements and get offered a job. Exceed them and keep the job. It ain't rocket science. It's English.

But don't run off TT. We may be a small group of posters, but we are more than fair when dealing out both the kudos and the klonks. YOu aren't running around all Aristotle Little screaming, "The bombs are falling, the bombs are falling...." Incredilbly fair, when compared with some other sources availbale to the Taiwan web surfer.