I found the answer already - or at least some of it: https://nspp.mofa.gov.tw/nsppe/news.php?post=171182&unit=&postname=(Updated-on-5/18)【Important-Announcement】Entry-restrictions-for-foreigners-to-Taiwan-in-response-to-COVID-19-outbreak
A lot places will pay you under the table. Not sure how strict Taiwan is but in US lots of students work more than 20 hours under the table (employer pays them cash).
What are the current requirements to apply for a work permit for a foreigner with a bachelor’s degree, for non-teaching (white-collar engineer) jobs? A friend is supposed to start a new job but I think they must be the company’s first time hiring a foreigner in Taiwan. I recall some rules about 2-year working experience or a degree from a top 100 university but neither me nor my friend can find anything concrete online. All the resources seem to be either for English teachers or for blue-collar migrant workers.
2 years of experience and a BA, or a masters.
Yeah I’ve been looking there, I’m sure the information is lurking somewhere, but it’s a very bureaucratic website with the relevant information scattered in ten different places… I’ll keep searching, thanks.
Sorry for bumping the thread, long winded question about work permit:
I’m coming to Taiwan to study for 9 months (will have student visa, have visitor visa now and will convert when there).
I’m self-employed in the UK and work 100% online with no set hours providing services for a contractor in Germany. I don’t work for more than 7 hours a week and probably make max £1k per month on a good month (the work available is very variable atm so average of far less). I haven’t had to pay tax in the UK because it’s way under the taxable limit. My contract stipulates no minimum earning or number of hours, just that I’ll be paid for the work I complete (per finished product).
If I were to continue this while living in Taiwan (the contract is good for another year) would I still need to get a work permit? How would I go about it if so? The earnings are currently paid into my UK bank account and I’d probably just transfer the money I need in Taiwan as I needed it - my savings are just enough to get by for the time I’m there.
If you do work in Taiwan, you need a work permit. No exceptions.
If you are caught, regardless of the chances, the penalties are severe.
Understood - do you know how I would go about getting a work permit on a student visa in this situation? I’ve been doing the same work for about 2.5 years if that helps for experience. I can’t find anything about work permits for students who are self-employed/freelance and remote, my university website isn’t much help
Would it be legal to earn this way on the initial visitor visa, like on the 4+3 quarantine?
This is because there is no freelance work permit. The only way to legally freelance is to have an open work permit or set up a company, which costs money.
I don’t know your specific situation but it MAY be possible to have a student open work permit, but the requirements to attain it differ between programmes.
No. No work permit means no work. Otherwise it would undermine Taiwan’s labour market if people can willy nilly work here without a freedom of labour movement treaty with another country like the EU does with its member states.
No exceptions, except when the work you do doesn’t count as work. 
(I’m not saying you can fit into any of those categories, just that they do exist.)
Hi forumosa
I am Indonesian and recently graduated from a hospitality master’s degree in Taiwan. I recently got a job as a translator and my ARC purpose of residence is changed to 應聘（雙語). I have questions that I hope people here can help me clarify, specifically regarding APRC.
I have read about the rules for APRC which states the duration, etc. to make me eligible for APRC. One requirement that I am not clear about is regarding the financial statement of the applicants. Does the requirement of needing to have double the minimum salary applies to my ARC as well if I apply? If I do not reach that amount, is there any other possibilities to fulfill the financial requirement? (I also do not have an asset totaling to NT5million)
I’ve recently read the new APRC rules for migrant workers and I am not sure whether those rules apply to me or not. So if anyone can clarify this, it’ll be great.
Thanks in advanced
Proof of financial assets, skills, or talents (one of the below):
- Having an average monthly income in Taiwan in the previous year that is more than twice of the Monthly Minimum Wage promulgated by the Council of Labor Affairs;" which is 47,600 NT per month as of 2020.
- Having chattel or real estate in Taiwan with a total value worth more than NT$5,000,000
- Having a certificate issued by the ROC government that certify people with specialized professionalism, techniques or have passed a technical test.
- Other condition(s) recognized by the National Immigration Agency.
https://www.foreignersintaiwan.com/blog-370963385326684/taiwan-aprc-faq
It seems that you’re hired as a White Collar worker in your company which means your work contract must stipulate that you are earning a salary that is double the minimum wage in Taiwan. Currently, the minimum wage stands at NT$25,250. For next year, it will increase to NT$26,400. This means that your salary must be NT$50,500 for this year and must increase to NT$52,800 in order for your work permit to be extended. How long is your work permit for? 1, 2 or 3 years? When the time comes for extension, the labor department will see the tax you paid and if your company under reports your income, your work permit will be rejected. If your company is reporting a higher salary, then after 5 years, you won’t have a problem getting your APRC as your salary is already double the minimum wage.
The new APRC rules for migrant workers or blue collar workers apply to those who were working in manufacturing, construction, agriculture, fishing, and caregiving industries. It also includes foreign students who have acquired associate’s degrees or above from a local college or university. So this might apply to you as you graduated with a Masters degree from a Taiwanese University.
From what I’ve read of this recently, it appears that the MOL is actually surprised that more migrant workers haven’t signed up for this program?
I’m not sure why they would be - the requirements seem quite onerous, especially needing an absolute minimum of 11 years rather than the usual 5 years to get an APRC. The program seems specifically designed to be restrictive.
My thoughts exactly when this proposal came out last year…I was like, seriously! You want them to work 6 years, then re-classify them as Intermediate Skilled manpower with a higher salary (which most employers will be very reluctant to give 500k/12 = Approx. 42k/mth) and then slog another 5 years to get their APRC, which will likely be a hit & miss and most might not get over the salary limit. They might as well ask them to show their Oscar or Nobel awards in order to qualify!
All of these so-called Govt. approved programs designed to make the lives of “Immigrants/migrants/expats” living in Taiwan much better is in fact having the opposite effect, i.e more restrictive and cumbersome. Take for example, the change in the ARC numbers.
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I just checked out my Withholding Tax Statement. Only part of my compensation is code 50, the rest is 9A from my branch office. Does this qualify or do I need to wait another year?
according to this report, 13,000 migrant workers have been approved to transfer to mid-level skilled manpower.
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I know that if I were to stay here to satisfy the residency requirements for applying for citizenship, I heard you can only leave for an emergency if you inform the NIA in advance… But are you allowed to leave for a business trip? Thanks.
Also I read somewhere that if I need to apply for an ARC, I have to had applied for it within 15 days of when I’ve arrived. However, I’m still waiting on the results of my physical exam, and my mom, being stubborn as usual, wants to wait until the day of to take care of registering my parents’ marriage with HHR.
Also, yesterday would’ve marked day 15, but also my grandma (97 and suffering from dementia) had a medical situation and we had to stay behind and take care of it, so now I’m late, and I’m not sure if NIA understood my question… How screwed am I? Thanks!