Can an English school deny work permit if your first language isn't English?

Actually it’s if you’re from any country that lists English as an official language. It goes beyond the 7 you listed. Some countries have more than one official language, obviously.

Is he a fluent, native speaker? My understanding is most Puerto Ricans are raised bilingual. Since PR is a part of the US (despite how it’s treated by Trump), I don’t see how they could deny him. That higher-up is probably talking out of his ass.

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If your friend has a US passport, he can work legally as an English teacher no matter his language ability. Period. That and a BA in anything, Chemistry, Botany, whatever. A teaching certificate is handy, too.

As to whether he should or whether the school or any school will hire him, that is a matter between him and the school. The school does not give a work permit. It owns the applicant’s work permit because it is allowed so by the Government. The Government approves the school hiring this applicant. That is all. So the school is simply not hiring your friend because it may think wrongly that the Government will deny the work permit. Or just because they do not want to.

Please tell your friend that in case he gets hired he has every right to the same pay as anyone else and please do not contemplate working for less than average. There is no need for that, he is legal. That said, if he has a US passport, he has the keys to the kingdom. Absolutely no need to work illegally. No matter what anyone says.

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Yeah? What are the exceptions?

Have the rules changed? It used to be that you had to be from one of the countries Andrew mentioned.

That’s an old trope that’s been debunked many times. The law says you have to have a passport from a country where English is an official language, as listed on the MOFA website. There are quite a few more than those 6.

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Yes. The “7 nations” have not been true for a long time and may never have been.

Then why no Singlish teachers? Oops, I mean Singaporean teachers.

I don’t imagine there’s a big demand.

Yeah, I think there isn’t much demand from both sides.

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Hmm, seems like they speak clearer English than Kiwis, and there’s plenty of those around. I guess having a “Caucasian” accent is more important then. :sunglasses:

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At the federal level, the US does not have any official language. One of the few countries, I think, that does not require any specific fluency in any language to become a citizen.

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By law, it depends on the listing for that country in an official MOFA publication. The information can be seen on their website as well, and English is shown as the language for the US.

https://www.mofa.gov.tw/CountryAreaInfo.aspx?CASN=7DEC7150E6BAD606&n=0D58AA484DB9A9B1&sms=26470E539B6FA395

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The US requires immigrants a certain level of English to become citizens. I know an immigrant who couldn’t pass the citizenship test because couldn’t read English.

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Point taken.

A Dutch national raised in the UK :slight_smile: Rare, but shows the rule works most of the time.

Dutch passport?

Yes, as you mentioned before. Even though the guy is raised in the UK, and a native speaker, he’s a Dutch national so not eligible to teach. But this is quite rare, and shows that the current system works.

I find it hard to believe he could successfully complete an application for an English-teaching work permit with a Dutch passport! It’s against the law.

http://english.moe.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=11915&ctNode=502&mp=1

I realize this is not for buxibans, but it should provide good guidance to what the rules are for teachers in Taiwan.

Basic and Professional Qualifications
Foreign teachers recruited through the Ministry of Education shall meet the following basic and professional qualifications:

  1. Basic Qualifications:
    (1) Native English speaker

(2) Bachelor’s degree (community college diploma not included) or above, as well as a grade school teacher or English teacher certificate from the candidate’s home country

(3) Proof of physical and mental fitness

(4) No criminal record (submission of proof document from the competent authority of the candidate’s home country required)

(5) Good communication skills

(6) Understanding and respect for Taiwanese culture and willingness to abide by Taiwan law

(7) Preferably under 45 years of age