Job Discussion Forums

[StayingPower]

Since you all might know I worked for Hess I'm now jobless but thinking about obtaining another position here. I need to know what I should do in this regard.

Hess hasn't told me how long they'll keep my visa sponsorship, so I want to know how long you have once your job ends. Also, if I go abroad and come back will I have to go through the whole process again and my visa be anulled?

What are my options, if there are any? My visa was issued on 12/21.

Thanks

[blateson]

It's a valid question and one I believe you'll need to tackle ASAP now, hope someone has an answer.

It's hard to be sure about someone over the anonymous internet but still the OPs experiences are not alone with the school Hess. When I was at my last teacher training, gripes and some major complaints were tossed about by a number of other NSTs.

Some small things to dislike but you make yourself get over those, however the school chain system has some major obstacles to stability that can't be ignored:

The school having complete ownership over you and your VISA and the fact you can't legally work anywhere else. Their threat that apparently under any circumstances should you not finish your 1 year contract they will "keep" 20,000 NT of your pay.

Chinese co-teachers that sit in your classrooms, and can and DO make your lessons hellish (sometimes), insult you whenever they want, and gossip -- all around unprofessional behavior that seems uncalled for. Worst of all it just "happens" all at once, blindsiding the foreign teacher (nst). School staff or co-teachers starting little petty fights with the foreigner whenever they want. An overall sense that the foreign teacher is powerless in comparison to the Chinese CT.

Completely unable to bring in supplementary materials and all topics studied in every class must strictly come from the books for that days lesson.

Going to management on even the rarest of occasions and feeling you've completely fallen on "deaf" ears.

The OP seems to have exercised his right to not go into details and that's ok. It's not easy to know exactly all what happened but it's not hard to see the system is most definately not without plenty of headaches.

[Ki]

I think you get two weeks notice from the time your employer cancels your visa. I'm guessing with a company like HESS they will do this straight away, but sometimes they do forget. You can find out the status of your visa by calling the foreign affairs police but it is up to them to contact you should it be cancelled.

If you can find another job and quickly get the paperwork done then you won't have to go through it all again. But my guess is that even if you do find another job soon you will still have to, at least, do a visa run. Your hospital visit should still be valid if you kept a copy.

I know from experience that if you leave Taiwan towards the end of your visa they will cancel it at the airport forcing you to re-enter Taiwan on a 30 day landing visa, or go through the process again. But that might have more to do with the stamp inside your passport rather than your visa's correct statis, which was my little dilemna.

Don't give up. Schools very greatly here and I'm sure you will find one to suit you. Think of this as a blessing in disguise. Sure it is a lot of hassle now but you may be better off at a different school.

[StayingPower]

It is-HESS-beyond rational reasoning, almost instigating in its insidiousness. This is why I'd stated my opinion in my other posts, hoping, against hope, that those who consider working here will NEVE STEP NEAR IT'S GATES OF HELL!

Thanks for the visa info, and positive encouragement.