Job Discussion Forums

[bish]

Hi. This is my first post on this board. I am a CELTA qualified teacher with experience in both China and Korea. I am seriously considering coming to Taiwan to teach in March or February and would like to ask a few questions.

1: Would it be better come to the country and then find a job or find one now and come afterwards? If I was to come on a tourist visa and find a job then would it be easy to change to a working visa?

2: Let's say I find a job earning between $60-65000 per month in Taipei. How much would I expect to be paying out on renting shared accommodation on a semi-decent place?

3: Would a working visa allow me to work part time at another school or do privates to make more money? If not, could I get written permission to do so?

4: Which usually has better working conditions? A public or private school. (I taught in a public in Korea and loved it).

5: What is the savings potential in Taiwan on a $60,000 per month wage in Taiwan? Would it be feasible to save a third of your wages per month?

6: What is the current economic climate in Taiwan? Since the British pound crashed the wages seem attractive but is Taiwan also on the verge of a slide?

7: Where would it be best to find schools to approach without using a recruiter if I was to start searching from home?

[MyTrunkshow]

Your timing is bad...best time of year is near summer's end. Some employers who are hiring in March are hiring for summer or fall. Others who are hiring have had someone leave.

1. It's best to come here and meet the people who you will see each day at work. Visa is changed by your employer..Can be amazingly painless or a pain, depending on the employer.

2. $60-65k/mo. in Tpe. Semi-decent, sharing with 1 other. 10-15k/mo.

3. Visas allow additional job(s), up to a maximum of 32 hrs/week. But in practice, privates pay well if you have experience

4. Public or private. Pay and benefits are better at public or international school. Conditions are affected by supervisor more than public/private schools...but the answer to this question depends on numerous factors.

5. Savings potential is grim because you want semi-decent housing in Taipei... Taipei has lots of good distractions...booze, eating out, cinemas, scooters, shopping, nightlife, ... It is feasible to save 1/3 of wages, but then one has to cut down on other things. Every one has a different answer to how much can one save. I saved lots but I worked hard and play hard...I don't play hard anymore, I just save.

6. Current economic climate in Taiwan is fantastic, unlike the rest of the interlinked global economy. More jobs are created each day. The money never ends. Gold pours out of YangMing instead of sulpher. No schools are closing. Taiwanese will ring your mobile to come work. The TAIEX has taken off. There's no stopping Taiwan's ecomony.

7. DO NOT USE A RECRUITER. (The best piece of advice on this post.... partly because recruiters moot points 1-5 above) If I could have 2NTD for every horror story about recruiters, I could buy an 85'C franchise. Go to TEALIT.com or forumosa.com Also, post your resume with a picture if you have it on TEALIT or ESLCAFE


mts.

[bish]

Thanks very much for the reply. Would you say that it's not worth coming in February or March or just that the timing isn't perfect?

I'd be planning on working hard and playing reasonably hard for my first year. Do you think that with an extra part time job or a few privates that saving $20,000 per month is reasonably realistic?

[JZer]

Remember you will be paying 20 percent tax for the first six months.

[MyTrunkshow]

So what? Your post seems cautionary. Has something changed to the tax laws?

More than 183 days in a calendar year in Taiwan, a taxpayer falls in to the progressive tax system that is VERY fair and reasonable by many standards. If one has residency in Taipei City, then one can even do one's taxes (once every 5 years only) and get a refund upon leaving employment on the island.... even if it's not tax season.

There is a pinch in the butt if one arrives after mid-year and gets automatically put into the 20% tax bracket.



mts.

[JZer]

[BigWally]

Coming in Feb or Mar is a terrible time. It's just after CNY and many schools are not hiring at this time. There is little to no sub work because many cash-strapped teachers returning from CNY vacations are eager to work. As it's been said beginning or end of summer are good times...but it seems like windows of opportunity are changing all the time.

[yamahuh]

[citylightsruralcalm]

Then again I live in b*mf**k nowhere and there is NOTHING to do.
[/quote]

Care to share where?

[JZer]

[yamahuh]

[BigWally]

i miss the HSR. i wish they had one from Toronto-Ottawa.