Job Discussion Forums

[aaron in halifax]

Day All,
the following is a checklist a buddy of mine in Tainan sent me with regards to getting started in the ROC- keeping in mind that I'm a Canadian citizen, native speaker of english, university and short course TESL grad and travelling on a shoestring, will I have covered all the bases if I follow the advice on this list?? Also, my plan is to get started on or around Feb. 1 and be in Taiwan for the first week of march.
thanks in advance, aaron

(quoted material follows)
in my experience, having a contact here made the whole process much easier. In a nutshell, the process is:

1. Get a visitor visa ( http://www.canada-taiwan.org/english/service/visitor.html )

2. (you need proof of a sizable bank balance, ie. bank statement... I got an ATM statement, )

3. note you need to have a return ticket to be eligable for the visitor visa (people I know came on a single ticket and got a 30 day visitor visa- don't risk it, it can get messy)

4. show up. when you get a job, your school will immediately apply for an ARC (Alien Resident Card) It should be processed within 6 weeks, and issued before your visitor visa expires. The trick to avoiding a visa run is to get a job in a reasonable span of time... 2 weeks gives you time to look around, get hired and be processed before the 90 day visa expires.

5. As for contracts, they are a standard affair: you must agree to work for one year. The law changed recently, allowing you to hold 2 ARCs; get any part time job when you arrive, then get another legal job when you want the hours

6. Once you have an ARC, even for some 8 hrs/week part time gig, and are a legal resident, you simply pick up under the table work and private lessons until you are satisfied with your earnings. Most schools will guarantee about 20hrs/week (more than enough to live well and save)... the rest is 'don't ask/don't tell

I know it seems a bit complicated, and it is scary to show up on a visitor visa with the clock ticking, but it is nothing to worry about... far easier than it sounds. And although a TESL certificate really isn't needed, it will help you get ahead of the increasing competition for the choice jobs...

[Pop Fly]

[phil82]

I think ARC's are processed much quicker now. I have heard about 2 weeks. But give yourself plenty of time if possible. I wouldn't take a job just because you need to get an ARC before your visa runs out.

[Aristotle]