Job Discussion Forums

linzbc · Joined: 04 Feb 2009 Posts: 29 Location: Arlington, VA, US

Just browsing job ads and came across some questions:

Benefits: 1. The school pays a salary of NT 60,000 per month, tax-free. 2. NT 2,000 per month as attendance bonus, tax-free. 3. NT 3,000 per month as housing allowance, tax-free. 4. You will get a total of NT 65,000 per month, tax-free. 5. The school offers an airfare reimbursement up to NT 20,000. 6. 7~14 days of paid vacation. 7. ARC, work permit, health and accident insurance provided.

- What is an attendance bonus?
- What do they mean by a 3,000/month housing allowance? Is that how much they will pay toward your rent? Are there restrictions as far as this allowance goes?
- why are the salary and bonus and allowances tax-free? How is that possible?
- why do they offer airfare reimbursement (doesn't mention tax-free!)? Why not just include that 20,000 in salary? Do you know why some schools do this? I read on other posts that schools who offer airfare reimbursement short change you when it comes to salary...

Why can't they say, hey we're paying you 65,000/month tax free, plus 20,000 taxed, do what you want with it? My theory is that they want to make their salary more livable by addressing common financial issues (how do I get the $ for a plane ticket? How will I afford rent?) hoping that people won't put much thought into the fact that 3,000/month in housing is not much! Neither is 20,000 for the plane ticket (doesn't cover both ways).

Also I've heard people get offers for plane tickets and in the end, never get reimbursed.

Is this the average in terms of benefits offered in Taiwan? (i'm talking about decent jobs, not just the crappy ones posted on the internet)

dangerousapple · Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Posts: 292

The ad you quoted is typical for a crappy school. It sounds like an ad posted by a recruiter for an elementary school job. Some people like those jobs but most people do not.

Elementary school jobs are tax free, but only certified teachers can get them.

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

BigWally · Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 2:33 pm Post subject:

Tax free almost always means illegal. Stay away.

My guess is that you'd never end up seeing these bonuses either.

If you also consider that most schools in Taiwan don't offer airfare, or accommodation then why is this school doing it???

Further more, 65,000 may sound good, but if you have to work 6 days a week is it really that good???