I am a Canadian in Vancouver working for a software development company. I told my company that I would be leaving in March to start classes at MTC and they have decided to let me work from Taiwan doing part time work(~15h/w). They would deposit my paychecks into my Canadian bank account.
Would working remotely for a Canadian company be legal under a student visa? or under visa-exempt(Canadian passports get 90 days?)? Any tax related stuff to be worried about?
I read the post by piffle about freelancing, but not sure if the same applies under a student visa. Any input/advice is appreciated! Thanks
Also, can I go for job interviews under a student visa? I know you need a work visa to actually work, but just talking about the interview and possibly setup something for the future when I do get work visa.
I believe it would probably be technically (very technically) illegal. In practical terms, it is probably still a gray area. And in real-life terms, if there’s no way anyone would find out, there probably isn’t any practical reason you couldn’t do that, particularly if the money is paid into your Canadian accounts.
The main thing the authorities in Taiwan will look for is how are you supporting yourself financially while studying. If you are bringing money in from Canada regularly, that will satisfy them. It’s when you have people wanting to pay you in NT dollars in Taiwan that things get more complicated.
[quote=“intrepid”]I am a Canadian …working for a software development company. I told my company that I would be leaving in March to start classes at MTC and they have decided to let me work from Taiwan doing part time work(~15h/w). They would deposit my paychecks into my Canadian bank account.
Would working remotely for a Canadian company be legal under a student visa? or under visa-exempt(Canadian passports get 90 days?)? Any tax related stuff to be worried about?[/quote]
Really? Why would such work be illegal? Can you cite the applicable law or regulation?
[quote=“intrepid”]I am a Canadian in Vancouver working for a software development company. I told my company that I would be leaving in March to start classes at MTC and they have decided to let me work from Taiwan doing part time work(~15h/w). They would deposit my paychecks into my Canadian bank account.
Would working remotely for a Canadian company be legal under a student visa? or under visa-exempt(Canadian passports get 90 days?)? Any tax related stuff to be worried about?
I read the post by piffle about freelancing, but not sure if the same applies under a student visa. Any input/advice is appreciated! Thanks
Also, can I go for job interviews under a student visa? I know you need a work visa to actually work, but just talking about the interview and possibly setup something for the future when I do get work visa.[/quote]
My reading is that it would be legal. The law covers Taiwanese jobs and is meant to protect opportunities for Taiwanese workers. Since your job is with a Pre-existing Canadian employer in Canada, is paid in Canada and is–presumably-- not even open to Taiwanese, then there is no legal jurisdiction. You are not performing a job in Taiwan that would deprive a Taiwanese of employment, only performing a foreign job’s duties, as a resident of that foreign country, remotely.
Yes, you may attend interviews while on a student visa or tourist visa. Just don’t do any actual work until you receive your work permit.
Because you need a work permit for anything that is not specifically allowed under the purpose of your visa for being in Taiwan. Same thing goes for volunteering. Volunteering is not itself against the law, but volunteering on a visitor or student or work visa is.
I believe feiren has identified that this is not a question of law but administrative interpretation. That is, there is no law against volunteering, or playing music on the side, if you have a student visa, but there is the broad clause that you can’t do things that are not consistent with your visa. But as Feiren said, how is volunteering inconsistent with being a student, or teaching English? It isn’t but if the authorities want to make as if it is, they interpret can “inconsistent” in the broadest way possible.
Precisely my point. Anything that is “technically” illegal can be used against you in bad ways, but only sometimes, and only if they want to. But it has certainly happened.
Agreed. Though, in a foreign country, generally the term “illegal” in practical terms means “things that can get you into hot water with the authorities”, whether they are black-letter law or not. I doubt the OP was interested only in the theory of jurisprudence – he probably wants to know whether this will put him on the radar and get him in any sort of trouble, be it criminal, tax-related, immigration, or whatever.
I don’t think so… Let me check my work permit to see whether I am specifically permitted to breathe while in Taiwan! Are you saying that Muzha Man is not permitted to hike in Taiwan? I assume his visa does not specifically permit him to hike in Taiwan. I also assume that some of his hiking could be considered research for his work. Are you saying that authors are not permitted to write while in Taiwan, even if their publisher is a foreign company located outside of Taiwan and the remuneration for any work product is paid in a foreign currency into a foreign account outside of Taiwan? :ohreally:
What the heck are you talking about? :ohreally:
The term [color=#FF0000]illegal[/color] virtually everywhere, including Taiwan, means [color=#FF0000]contrary to or forbidden by law[/color]. Of course if one engages in an [color=#FF0000]illegal[/color] activity one might well expect to be in trouble with the authorities . How is this only a problem in a foreign country, such as Taiwan? I’m fairly certain that if one engages in an [color=#FF0000]illegal[/color] activity in New York State, one also might well expect to be in trouble with the authorities there. Or, does the term [color=#FF0000]illegal[/color] have a different meaning in New York State?
There is nothing[color=#FF0000]illegal[/color] in Taiwan regarding the activity of which the OP inquired, and doing that work would not get the OP into hot water with the authorities in Taiwan.
Volunteering to do some sort of work [color=#FF0000]in Taiwan[/color] with or for a company/entity situated [color=#FF0000]in Taiwan[/color] that has some impact on people or things [color=#FF0000]in Taiwan[/color] is obviously different from remotely doing work for a foreign company situated [color=#FF0000]outside of Taiwan[/color] where such work has [color=#FF0000]no impact on Taiwan[/color] and salary for such work is paid by the foreign company situated [color=#FF0000]outside of Taiwan[/color] in a foreign currency into an account situated [color=#FF0000]outside of Taiwan[/color].
There is nothing even remotely close to being “technically” [color=#FF0000]illegal[/color] regarding the work of which the OP inquired.
I would have thought that we all understand the meaning of the term [color=#FF0000]illegal[/color]…
Thanks ironlady, Tigerman, 80sStar, Mucha Man ! Good to know its swinging on the “legal” side. Yeah I understand many things can be interpreted differently. Reminds me of the saying “Lies, damned lies, and statistics”.
Theoretically, I think the situation would be different if my job was something other than computer programmer such that it affects Taiwan and/or people like a traveling sales person working for foreign company with foreign payroll. Then the argument would be something along the lines of what 80sStar said. Though, before I posted this topic, I went through the forum to see if others had posted on it, and I swear I read a post about volunteering is not allowed unless you have permission/visa. I could be mistaken though.
No, it doesn’t. The entire issue rests on whether or not OP’s remote work counts as a job with a Taiwanese entity, in Taiwan. Work permits are needed for-- and indeed are relevent only for-- local employment, and not for jobs in one’s country of origin, paid in one’s country of origin. Think of all the businessmen who come here to attend trade shows, visit facilities and so on. Do they need work permits to send reports back to their companies abroad? OP will be safe to continue to perform tasks for his employer from his home country while here on a visitor visa, because doing so does not constitute accepting a job with a Taiwanese company.
Another tired, trite allusion to the idea that Taiwan is a corrupt, lawless backwater. Irrelevent.
Good luck if you get picked up by someone with a bone to pick against you, and you’ve been seen volunteering/working remotely/whatever. Until it happens to you, and the police show up at your door, you have no idea.
They can have a bone to pick all they want. If OP is performing tasks on his computer for a foreign company, which is located in a foreign country and is being paid in a foreign country, local authorities would have trouble proving that he was even doing work of any sort, much less work in Taiwan.
Volunteering, accepting local employment, freelancing for local companies, and other related matters are covered under local work permit regulations. Do any of those and you possibly would be vulnerable to someone “with a bone to pick with you.”
They can have a bone to pick all they want. If OP is performing tasks on his computer for a foreign company, which is located in a foreign country and is being paid in a foreign country, local authorities would have trouble proving that he was even doing work of any sort, much less work in Taiwan.
Volunteering, accepting local employment, freelancing for local companies, and other related matters are covered under local work permit regulations. Do any of those and you possibly would be vulnerable to someone “with a bone to pick with you.”[/quote]
It’s so cute when folks believe actual proof is needed to get you deported. What’s next, articles about the contributions of foreign residents in the Apple Daily?
Let me check my work permit to see whether I am 
Are you saying that Muzha Man is not permitted to hike in Taiwan? I assume his visa does not 
:ohreally:
! Good to know its swinging on the “legal” side. Yeah I understand many things can be interpreted differently. Reminds me of the saying “Lies, damned lies, and statistics”.