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JZer
Joined: 16 Jan 2005
Posts: 3898
Location: Pittsburgh
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 Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 8:23 am Post subject: |
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| Korea tax rate is 3-5%. I seen Taiwan changes and can be up to 20% |
The rate in Taiwan is 6 percent. Fourteen percent is returned when you file your taxes. Furthermore the 20 percent only applies to the first 180 days in Taiwan. |
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Modest Mouse
Joined: 09 Jun 2008
Posts: 28
Location: Taiwan
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| Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 9:02 am Post subject: |
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| JZer wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Korea tax rate is 3-5%. I seen Taiwan changes and can be up to 20% |
The rate in Taiwan is 6 percent. Fourteen percent is returned when you file your taxes. Furthermore the 20 percent only applies to the first 180 days in Taiwan. |
Actually, if don't live in Taiwan for 183 days in a year, then the tax rate stays at 20% and you don't get any refund. |
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Modest Mouse
Joined: 09 Jun 2008
Posts: 28
Location: Taiwan
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| Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 9:13 am Post subject: |
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| kasa wrote: |
Well, I teach in Korea and and thining of renewing in Taiwan. I wanted to point out how you said you get a refund on return flight.
Lets say Taiwan gives 1,000 US dollasrreturn, as Korea would. And maybe a 500 dollar bonus for attendence.
This is whatyou get in Korea.
Complate paid ticket: I be nice and say it is 1,000. Usually its about 1300-1500.
2nd: Severence bonus like above = 2.3m won "one months salery" lets say 2k
Pension 50% so 1k
Tax refund: 1,500
So at the end of the year in korea you make 6-8k at the end.
Korea tax rate is 3-5%. I seen Taiwan changes and can be up to 20%
Taiwan you can do privates though and if you get certification, move into management. So if you play the cards right, long tern you can earn more in Taiwan. Short term Korea, if yo udont plan on moving up the English ladder. |
You won't get any paid flights into or out of Taiwan, unless you are a certified teacher and sign a contract before arriving in Taiwan.
Attendance bonuses are rare and usually not too much money.
There is no severance pay in Taiwan that I know of.
Paid holidays are very rare and the only real holiday you get is Chinese new year - one week long.
You are not allowed to teach privates in Taiwan, however some people take that risk.
I don't see how you can make more money longterm in Taiwan. Moving up the ladder is only possible in a tiny percentage of schools. Not very likely! |
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yamahuh
Joined: 23 Apr 2004
Posts: 1033
Location: Karaoke Hell
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| Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 1:54 pm Post subject: |
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You're right; for the most part there are no fully reimbursed flights when teaching in Taiwan however we received a 20,000 NT flight reimbursement worth about $700 of money we hadn't spent as we were already in Taiwan anyways.
Our attendance bonus isn't much and if we take a sick day or personal leave we lose a portion; however if we don't it's worth $10K NT ($330 Canadian) at the end of the year with a contract completion of $30K NT ($1000 Canadian) upon .... errrrm ...completion of the contract.
We get one week paid at Chinese New Year and an additional week paid at any other time of the year, in addition we can take up to one month of unpaid leave at the discretion of management.
I still think you could probably save more cash in Korea but there are relatively decent positions here too. |
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nicam
Joined: 17 Mar 2009
Posts: 15
Location: Hermit Kingdom
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| Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 5:41 am Post subject: |
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If money is your priority stick with Korea. My boyfriend and I moved to Taiwan last August and we have already blown through all or most of our savings from the prior year in Korea getting set up here.
On top of that it's been damn near impossible to find work (my boyfriend still isn't working and is now going into debt, which Korea had just allowed him to eliminate).
If you are looking to stay 3-4 years in a place then by all means, come here. The struggle in the beginning will be well worth it in the long run if you are planning to stay a few years.
Taiwan is a truly wonderful place. None of the weird racism and xenophobia Korea is so famous for. Imported good are widely available and affordable. Great variety of restaurants, entertainment, etc. People are warm and friendly. It's like a real place! But, like any other real place it's tough and expensive to get set up. Also, I wouldn't want to live anywhere but Taipei (maybe Taichung I guess, but...) and rent is damn expensive here!
If you are thinking 1-2 years then stay in Korea... go to Seoul or Busan and save save save! |
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JZer
Joined: 16 Jan 2005
Posts: 3898
Location: Pittsburgh
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| Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 11:33 am Post subject: |
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Or like most people who try to save, you don't blow money you don't have. That means getting a furnished apartment or not buying furniture until you start earning some money.
The first 6 months can be difficult since you are taxed 20 percent. Of course some might say that is free savings since you will not have the opportunity to blow that money.
Last edited by JZer on Tue Nov 10, 2009 10:24 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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yamahuh
Joined: 23 Apr 2004
Posts: 1033
Location: Karaoke Hell
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| Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 5:17 pm Post subject: |
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| JZer wrote: |
Or like most people who try to save, you don't blow money you don't have. That means getting a furnished apartment or not buying furniture until you start earning some money.
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My god!! Sound advice....You sound like you could be a parent...
For once I actually find myself agreeing with JZer. This is our 3rd place in Taiwan and we found a school near Hsinchu that pays more than an average wage and a 3 bedroom apartment for $10K. It needed some work I must admit - it was F***in* filthy before we moved in but when you're spending less than 8% of your wage to live somewhere you don't mind a bit of cleaning. |
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yamahuh
Joined: 23 Apr 2004
Posts: 1033
Location: Karaoke Hell
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| Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 5:31 pm Post subject: |
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| nicam wrote: |
I wouldn't want to live anywhere but Taipei (maybe Taichung I guess, but...) and rent is damn expensive here!
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Get OUT of Taipei! there is a whole other Taiwanese world out there and rent is CHEAP!!! |
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JZer
Joined: 16 Jan 2005
Posts: 3898
Location: Pittsburgh
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| Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 10:24 pm Post subject: |
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Get OUT of Taipei! there is a whole other Taiwanese world out there and rent is CHEAP!!! |
There are decent places in the suburbs for 8,000NT to 10,000. People who usually advertise in Chinese usually charge higher rent. Maybe they are looking for people who are at their mercy due to not being able to speak Chinese.
I have a 15 ping apartment that only cost 8,000 and includes water, internet, and cable. But my students mother helped me find it. |
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JZer
Joined: 16 Jan 2005
Posts: 3898
Location: Pittsburgh
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| Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 3:47 am Post subject: |
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| There are enough teachers in Taiwan. Most schools will not touch a teacher unless you are in Taiwan. The only exception might be if you are a certified teacher. There are less jobs in Taiwan. Public schools in Taiwan do not usually employ foreign teachers. Many Korean public schools have foreign teachers. |
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nicam
Joined: 17 Mar 2009
Posts: 15
Location: Hermit Kingdom
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| Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2009 12:34 pm Post subject: |
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Quote:
Get OUT of Taipei! there is a whole other Taiwanese world out there and rent is CHEAP!!!
There are decent places in the suburbs for 8,000NT to 10,000. People who usually advertise in Chinese usually charge higher rent. Maybe they are looking for people who are at their mercy due to not being able to speak Chinese.
I have a 15 ping apartment that only cost 8,000 and includes water, internet, and cable. But my students mother helped me find it. |
We are in the suburbs, sort of... well, up a mountain anyway in a beautiful 35 ping apartment for 18,500 (split 2 ways so that's a little over 9 each which is cool I guess).
It's more about the work situation here I guess. It seems to take a LONG time to find a full schedule. I've never even seen a kindy job advertised. If I had I'd probably throw myself on their doorstep or beg them or something humiliating even though it's not even legal to do. It's true what Rooster says about everyone wanting you at the same exact time on the same exact days! I can't seem to get more than 16.5 hours a week, and I consider myself lucky knowing a lot of folks whose schools won't give them more than 10 hours a week...
Also, every interview my boyfriend has been on he's been competing with 100 other eager teachers in desperate need of work. The school will be like, "oh, we're just going to interview another 10 or so people and we'll get back to you". Sometimes you go and there are several others there at the same time as you competing for the same job.
Also, with security deposits, visa costs, furnishings, airfare, visa runs if you can't find a job within 2 months, not getting paid for long holidays (my school is closed 3 months out of the year during which I will not be getting paid) if you are on hourly pay, not getting a severance or pension at the end of the year it just doesn't come anywhere close to Korea money-wise.
A kindy job would change everything though. Yes, indeed. And some private tutoring. But I guess these things take A LOT of time here. I just hope things happen soon enough so we can stay. I didn't plan on staying here for the rest of my life and a year seems like a long time to just scrape by while building up a decent work schedule. *sigh* |
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JZer
Joined: 16 Jan 2005
Posts: 3898
Location: Pittsburgh
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| Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2009 1:26 pm Post subject: |
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| A kindy job would change everything though. Yes, indeed. And some private tutoring. But I guess these things take A LOT of time here. I just hope things happen soon enough so we can stay. I didn't plan on staying here for the rest of my life and a year seems like a long time to just scrape by while building up a decent work schedule. *sigh* |
| Quote: |
| I've never even seen a kindy job advertised. |
That is probably because they are illegal. Why would a school advertise to immigration that they have illegal teachers?
I think it is the same as in Korea. People don't usually advertise for private English tutors in Korea since it is illegal. |
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Rooster_2006
Joined: 24 Sep 2007
Posts: 984
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| Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 6:01 am Post subject: |
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| nicam wrote: |
| Quote: |
Quote:
Get OUT of Taipei! there is a whole other Taiwanese world out there and rent is CHEAP!!!
There are decent places in the suburbs for 8,000NT to 10,000. People who usually advertise in Chinese usually charge higher rent. Maybe they are looking for people who are at their mercy due to not being able to speak Chinese.
I have a 15 ping apartment that only cost 8,000 and includes water, internet, and cable. But my students mother helped me find it. |
We are in the suburbs, sort of... well, up a mountain anyway in a beautiful 35 ping apartment for 18,500 (split 2 ways so that's a little over 9 each which is cool I guess).
It's more about the work situation here I guess. It seems to take a LONG time to find a full schedule. I've never even seen a kindy job advertised. If I had I'd probably throw myself on their doorstep or beg them or something humiliating even though it's not even legal to do. It's true what Rooster says about everyone wanting you at the same exact time on the same exact days! I can't seem to get more than 16.5 hours a week, and I consider myself lucky knowing a lot of folks whose schools won't give them more than 10 hours a week...
Also, every interview my boyfriend has been on he's been competing with 100 other eager teachers in desperate need of work. The school will be like, "oh, we're just going to interview another 10 or so people and we'll get back to you". Sometimes you go and there are several others there at the same time as you competing for the same job.
Also, with security deposits, visa costs, furnishings, airfare, visa runs if you can't find a job within 2 months, not getting paid for long holidays (my school is closed 3 months out of the year during which I will not be getting paid) if you are on hourly pay, not getting a severance or pension at the end of the year it just doesn't come anywhere close to Korea money-wise.
A kindy job would change everything though. Yes, indeed. And some private tutoring. But I guess these things take A LOT of time here. I just hope things happen soon enough so we can stay. I didn't plan on staying here for the rest of my life and a year seems like a long time to just scrape by while building up a decent work schedule. *sigh* |
I agree, I have been the same way for most of my stay in Taiwan -- 16 teaching hours. When I started at Hess, they had me on a probationary 16-hour schedule. Then I got fired for no disclosed reason, and I held 6 hours at Kaohsiung Korean School and Amigo School (11 hours there). Great, so when you factor in cancellations (which happen all the time), 16 hours again.
I finally got desperate so I interviewed at a kindy, and it was really professional (an actual English kindy, not a 30-minutes-at-a-time pull-out kindy like I did in Korea) and not surprisingly, one of the other seven people interviewing beat me out...
Then I eventually realized "I only have my associate's degree and a CELTA, this is a golden opportunity to upgrade to a bachelor's degree." Not that any employer in Kaohsiung knows or cares about the difference, but just for personal growth and to be able to teach in more countries.
I'm now doing 11 hours a week (barely enough to scrape by), but hitting the books hard. All this money I was supposed to make in Taiwan, I'll just make in Saudi Arabia at twice the pay rate.
Still, if I had dependents, or if I didn't have a huge pet project, this would really suck. |
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JZer
Joined: 16 Jan 2005
Posts: 3898
Location: Pittsburgh
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| Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 12:32 pm Post subject: |
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Rooster_2006,
Well, I hope that you will finally find a kindergarten job if you want one. |
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nicam
Joined: 17 Mar 2009
Posts: 15
Location: Hermit Kingdom
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| Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2009 1:14 am Post subject: |
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Good for you, Rooster. Studying on a work permit here is a great way to go. I thought about doing a masters here since it doesn't seem like I'm going to make any progress in the saving money department. Hurts to go home empty handed.
I don't want to have to work illegally in a kindy, but I don't see any other feasible way to make another 30,000 a month. The money I'm making now is fine for just getting by comfortably (nothing too extravagant), but I won't be able to save one measly dime on 16 hours.
Getting illegal work is a complete crap shoot. I know people in Korea who hoped for privates for 2 years to no avail, and others who had so many they were pawning them off on me.
It's gotten really competitive here is my guess. I bet it was a breeze to fill up a schedule and save $1,000 a month a few years back, but with 20 (no exaggeration in Taipei) people showing up to interview for each job slot it's not a teacher's market anymore, that's for sure. |
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