Work remotely in Taiwan for oversea company

Hi All,
I am Malaysian and I plan to move to Taiwan. I got approval for my current job in Malaysia company to work remotely from Taiwan, but they have no legal entity resides in Taiwan. Thus, my current company couldn’t help me to obtain a VISA/Work Permit.

Or do I really need a work permit to stay and work remotely in Taiwan for a oversea company?

I would like to seek for all your expert advise of if I enter Taiwan with Exempted-Visa (30 days) and work remotely in Taiwan for Malaysia company, is this legal?

If I ops for visa run in every 30 days, will Taiwan customs trouble me ?

Thanks in advance. :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:

It’s not legal to do what you plan to do, however how to prove that you work here is an issue.

If I were you, I would set up a rep office here and do your remote work that way, that would secure you an ARC as well.

[quote=“Mr He”]It’s not legal to do what you plan to do, however how to prove that you work here is an issue.

If I were you, I would set up a rep office here and do your remote work that way, that would secure you an ARC as well.[/quote]

Thanks Mr He. May I know how should I go for setting up a rep office in Taiwan? I need to gather as much information as I could before I communicate with company HR.
Appreciate your advise here.

I have not done it myself, however there is a thread about it here on the forums somewhere, I think it was here:

forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtop … ive+office

You can start from there, however it is not done overnight. It is doable, though.

In connection with this does this mean that one cannot be a work from home independant contractor and work online in Taiwan?

If set up correctly, it should be possible.

What do you mean by set up correctly? Are you talking about the technical set up or legal? If legal then what is the proper set up?

After a while they probably want to know how/where you get the money to provide for yourself … if staying in Taiwan longer than 90 days in a fiscal year you need to file taxes.

Well I mean lots of people have savings or different money they live off of. Also if you leave and re-enter do you still have to file taxes? I mean why would you have to file taxes on money from another country especially if they don’t know the source of that money. What about if you are just rich or have rich parents or savings and leave after 90 days then come back a few days to a week later? Not arguing just honestly asking so I have all the info. I truly appreciate you bringing up those points because I have no idea about things there.

Basically, if you go the representative office ues, they will sooner or later ask for proof that you are indeed doing something here as a representative. It’s important that you have something showing liasions between overseas, you and whoever Taiwanese you work with.

I am here talking about this from a residency point of view, if you have your residence permit sorted, you do not need all that.

Taxes, you need to get that sorted, if you get money from overseas, they will eventually ask about the nature of that.

[quote=“Mr He”]Basically, if you go the representative office ues, they will sooner or later ask for proof that you are indeed doing something here as a representative. It’s important that you have something showing liasions between overseas, you and whoever Taiwanese you work with.

I am here talking about this from a residency point of view, if you have your residence permit sorted, you do not need all that.

Taxes, you need to get that sorted, if you get money from overseas, they will eventually ask about the nature of that.[/quote]

Ah ok thanks for clearing that up. I am talking about a different situation. I basically work for myself and contract out to different companies online. So if I decided to stay for 90 days and then leave before and come back and make regular border runs like that on a visa exempt entry status as a US citizen then that is legal right? Either that or visitors visa with up to 6 months extension leave for HK or Philippines and get another visitors visa and start again. I remember reading it was here and elsewhere or so i thought.

[quote=“Blackman”][quote=“Mr He”]Basically, if you go the representative office ues, they will sooner or later ask for proof that you are indeed doing something here as a representative. It’s important that you have something showing liasions between overseas, you and whoever Taiwanese you work with.

I am here talking about this from a residency point of view, if you have your residence permit sorted, you do not need all that.

Taxes, you need to get that sorted, if you get money from overseas, they will eventually ask about the nature of that.[/quote]

Ah ok thanks for clearing that up. I am talking about a different situation. I basically work for myself and contract out to different companies online. So if I decided to stay for 90 days and then leave before and come back and make regular border runs like that on a visa exempt entry status as a US citizen then that is legal right? Either that or visitors visa with up to 6 months extension leave for HK or Philippines and get another visitors visa and start again. I remember reading it was here and elsewhere or so i thought.[/quote]
No, it’s 90 days a year … so if you decide to stay one more day, bad luck … and yes, even if you have savings you need to file. Over 90 days is over 90 days. It doesn’t mean you need to pay eventhough some people without work and proven income had to pay some taxes … they claim it’s for use of Taiwan’s infrastructure like roads and stuff.
A long ago friend for instance had to, I had a long dsicussion at the tax office why I filed 0 NT$ eventhough I stayed in Taiwan for a long time doing nothing … living at my than girlfriend’s home. The woman would not accept 0 NT$ for about an hour or so … than it started getting a real loud discussion, in the end she gave up.

[quote=“Belgian Pie”][quote=“Blackman”][quote=“Mr He”]Basically, if you go the representative office ues, they will sooner or later ask for proof that you are indeed doing something here as a representative. It’s important that you have something showing liasions between overseas, you and whoever Taiwanese you work with.

I am here talking about this from a residency point of view, if you have your residence permit sorted, you do not need all that.

Taxes, you need to get that sorted, if you get money from overseas, they will eventually ask about the nature of that.[/quote]

Ah ok thanks for clearing that up. I am talking about a different situation. I basically work for myself and contract out to different companies online. So if I decided to stay for 90 days and then leave before and come back and make regular border runs like that on a visa exempt entry status as a US citizen then that is legal right? Either that or visitors visa with up to 6 months extension leave for HK or Philippines and get another visitors visa and start again. I remember reading it was here and elsewhere or so i thought.[/quote]
No, it’s 90 days a year … so if you decide to stay one more day, bad luck … and yes, even if you have savings you need to file. Over 90 days is over 90 days. It doesn’t mean you need to pay eventhough some people without work and proven income had to pay some taxes … they claim it’s for use of Taiwan’s infrastructure like roads and stuff.
A long ago friend for instance had to, I had a long dsicussion at the tax office why I filed 0 NT$ eventhough I stayed in Taiwan for a long time doing nothing … living at my than girlfriend’s home. The woman would not accept 0 NT$ for about an hour or so … than it started getting a real loud discussion, in the end she gave up.[/quote]

I guess my question is doesn’t your 90 days start again when you leave the country and then return?

No they do not. It’s days per year in Taiwan.

Wow that is harsh. How strict are they on it? I know many countries have similar rules and even in Taiwan I have heard of those that make regular border runs.

Wow that is harsh. How strict are they on it? I know many countries have similar rules and even in Taiwan I have heard of those that make regular border runs.[/quote]

Those are people working illegally, mainly. They do not pay taxes. You risk getting caught one way or another, so I would not recommend it.

Wow that is harsh. How strict are they on it? I know many countries have similar rules and even in Taiwan I have heard of those that make regular border runs.[/quote]

Those are people working illegally, mainly. They do not pay taxes. You risk getting caught one way or another, so I would not recommend it.[/quote]

Even though they are not working for a company in Taiwan but in the USA and pay taxes over there and it is all online being transmitted and finished on servers in the USA it is still considered working in Taiwan? I mean does that mean that a business man that comes for vacation and brings work with him to work on the in the hotel is working illegally too? Again not arguing I am just trying to wrap my mind around how strict this country is.

Wow that is harsh. How strict are they on it? I know many countries have similar rules and even in Taiwan I have heard of those that make regular border runs.[/quote]

Those are people working illegally, mainly. They do not pay taxes. You risk getting caught one way or another, so I would not recommend it.[/quote]

Even though they are not working for a company in Taiwan but in the USA and pay taxes over there and it is all online being transmitted and finished on servers in the USA it is still considered working in Taiwan? I mean does that mean that a business man that comes for vacation and brings work with him to work on the in the hotel is working illegally too? Again not arguing I am just trying to wrap my mind around how strict this country is.[/quote]
It’s not what you plan to do and he won’t stay more than 90 days a year … and if he stays over 90 days he needs to file taxes.

Wow that is harsh. How strict are they on it? I know many countries have similar rules and even in Taiwan I have heard of those that make regular border runs.[/quote]

Those are people working illegally, mainly. They do not pay taxes. You risk getting caught one way or another, so I would not recommend it.[/quote]

Even though they are not working for a company in Taiwan but in the USA and pay taxes over there and it is all online being transmitted and finished on servers in the USA it is still considered working in Taiwan? I mean does that mean that a business man that comes for vacation and brings work with him to work on the in the hotel is working illegally too? Again not arguing I am just trying to wrap my mind around how strict this country is.[/quote]
It’s not what you plan to do and he won’t stay more than 90 days a year … and if he stays over 90 days he needs to file taxes.[/quote]

So if he came for 30 days in January, leaves, comes back in Apri for 30 days, leaves returns in July for 30 days, leaves and then returns again in December for 30 says he needs to pay taxes to the Taiwan government if he does work in his hotel and even uses their internet connection to do business, send invoices, have conference calls and call clients? All for a company back in America?

I suggest that you talk with an accountant.