Job Discussion Forums

yamahuh · Joined: 23 Apr 2004 Posts: 1033 Location: Karaoke Hell

Is it normal for an employer to demand that you pay for and apply for the ARC yourself? We were told today that we had to go to Taipei before Friday to start the ARC process in person and would be required to pay 3,000 out of our own pockets.
Can't we just get the school to send the relevant documentation away?
Also, in China the school generally paid for the Work / Residency Permit, so this begs the question who owns the ARC? If I pay for it does that mean the school I work for can't cancel it if I leave before my contract is finished?
I'm guessing not...but can somebody shed some light on this subject for a newbie to Taiwan?

Thanks.

dangerousapple · Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Posts: 292

It sounds like your boss is a cheapskate. A school should take care of everything for you, or at least pay for it. Is the school going to reimburse you after 6 months? Some schools prefer to do it that way.

Toe Save · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 10:15 am Post subject:

blateson · Joined: 12 Mar 2006 Posts: 144

I assumed most school pay for it all. But last year when I did an interview at David's English School they said I'd have to pay for both work permit application and ARC, which I decided not to. While I never plan on having to pay, I would say that judging by the fact you are overseas I wouldn't even consider doing it until at least you were here already.

dangerousapple · Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Posts: 292

Hmm, sounds like I was mistaken. All I can say is the schools I worked for in the past paid all my fees, and I pay the fees for my teachers now.

yamahuh · Joined: 23 Apr 2004 Posts: 1033 Location: Karaoke Hell

Dr_Zoidberg · Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2007 7:55 am Post subject:

I'm with dangerousapple on this one. I've never heard of a school making the teacher pay for his ARC, and making the teacher take it all up to Taipei by himself is certainly not done.

Here is a scenario that should not be discounted:

You are not the candidate the laoban really wants, but he needs a white face, so he hires you and continues to search for his ideal foreigner. Once he finds what he's looking for you will be on the other side of the door.

It's happened to me, and to many others I know.

craigzy · Joined: 20 Mar 2006 Posts: 87 Location: taichung

i have to pay for mine. that 'going to taipei' thing is really weird, though.

yamahuh · Joined: 23 Apr 2004 Posts: 1033 Location: Karaoke Hell

I just asked for some clarification re: the whole trip to Taipei thing.
1st let me tell you that we are only about 45 minutes from there by train so it's not a huge undertaking.
2nd the reason for the trip is to get our resident visa not the ARC.
Apparently they are different documents (?).
Like probably most of you we entered Taiwan with 60 day visitor visas and I guess this is the next step since we have been OK'd for our work permits. Seems kinda convoluted to me; having to apply for a resident visa, and THEN an ARC...

Oh well, not my rules but does this sound strange to anyone else?

Toe Save · Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 2:51 am Post subject:

This is all natural. When you get your work permit, you use it to change your Visitor Visa into a Multiple Entry Visa. Then you use that to get your ARC. A lot of red tape to be sure, but that's SOP around here. Having you make the trip yourself is understandable as the only other way to do it would be to relinquish your passport to your school. Not usually a problem, but it is your passport. Maybe your school doesn't want to be responsible for it.

Hope that helps.

Oh yea:

Work Permit issued by Central Labour Administration

Multiple Entry Visa issued by Ministry of Foreign Affairs

ARC issued by Foreign Affairs Police

dangerousapple · Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Posts: 292

visa issues are now handled by the bureau of immigration, which, thanks to the government's policy of spreading out government departments, may or may not be in a convenient part of your city.

yamahuh · Joined: 23 Apr 2004 Posts: 1033 Location: Karaoke Hell

Thanks for clarifying Toe-Save.
Good info there.

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

There is no rule as to who pays, but in my experience the employer generally pays. It seems that many others have different experiences however so if you like the school then it looks like you are going to have to bite the bullet. Perhaps one option would be to make a deal with the school where they pay the costs upfront and deduct them from your first pay.

If you do pay for the documents yourself that does not give you the right to use these once you leave that employer so that does raise an interesting question. If your employer lets you go prematurely then they really should cover the costs but I doubt that they will.

Have a look at this for the process of getting legal as well as info on the relevant government offices:

http://www.buxiban.com/Legislationview.asp?cde=1&subcde=13&itmcde=393

enoch83 · Joined: 02 Nov 2007 Posts: 69 Location: Taipei, Taiwan

KoJen made me pay. Wall Street made me pay. My current employer makes me pay.

Based on my experience, I'd venture it's more the rule than the exception.[/quote]

what are your thoughts about wall street? quality job or what?

BJ · Joined: 03 Dec 2003 Posts: 173

In my experience the answer is yes, from busibans through to Uni. Actually never had an employer pay. It used to be the town Police HQ that issued them, but I hear it has changed with the opening of a new Foreign affairs and something department (sorry i dont remember the name. I went to change my address at the police station and they told me they no longer deal with these issues this new department does.

Most employers used to make you pay, Frobel, Hess, GES, Gloria, Davids, most small schools/kindergartens if they were legal and were getting you a work visa (work visa needed for residence, with a few exceptions missionary work, spouse etc). At most schools there were no paid holidays or Bonuses.

Things change of course, some employeers now pay for some or all and even give paid holdiays and CHinese new year bonuses (typically 1.5 to 2 months pay).

Medicals cost around 1000 (may have gone up) work visa collection used to always be outsdie of Taiwan, and the actual residents part was from the police (600 dollars last time I needed one)