Um… Loretta, cool post. I think this is generally what the process is like, but it is not the same for all nationalities. I had a friend who was here on a student visa and scholarship, and her employer filed taxes on her behalf. Needless to say, she lost the scholarship, and she was not able to process a working permit in TW for a year. She has been doing visa runs to HK.
I know this question might be a stupid one but I’m covering all of my bases. I just can’t seem to find definitive proof that the 90-day landing visa can be converted to an ARC and work visa. I’m coming in June to teach English for a year and would like some assurance that I can get my visa switched over. I taught before in 2009-10 and had to get a 60-day tourist visa in order to give the school enough time to get my papers in order. Has anybody transferred their 90 landing visa over to a working visa?
Thank you.
[quote=“NastilyPortman”]I know this question might be a stupid one but I’m covering all of my bases. I just can’t seem to find definitive proof that the 90-day landing visa can be converted to an ARC and work visa. I’m coming in June to teach English for a year and would like some assurance that I can get my visa switched over. I taught before in 2009-10 and had to get a 60-day tourist visa in order to give the school enough time to get my papers in order. Has anybody transferred their 90 landing visa over to a working visa?
Thank you.[/quote]
From what I have been told by the person handling my paperwork, a 90-day landing visa will be converted to a 60-day visitor visa and then to the work visa so that you can apply for your ARC. Of course these processes all differ depending on where you are coming from. The 90-day landing visa is rather new for my country apparently so it was nearly impossible for me to find information on the web about it.
I’d like to delicately ask about the physical exam I’m told is required as part of the visa application to work there.
So, if I knew someone who was from a state where cannabis is considered legal medicine, and if that person occasionally used that medicine to help with depression and anxiety, should that person immediately discontinue use of that medicine and start chugging water? Or is that not a thing that is tested for?
[quote=“funkwallace”]I’d like to delicately ask about the physical exam I’m told is required as part of the visa application to work there.
So, if I knew someone who was from a state where cannabis is considered legal medicine, and if that person occasionally used that medicine to help with depression and anxiety, should that person immediately discontinue use of that medicine and start chugging water? Or is that not a thing that is tested for?[/quote]
They test for THC. The person you know should switch to Xanax for a few weeks before testing.
And for the rest of the time they are in Taiwan. 
[quote=“jimipresley”][quote=“funkwallace”]I’d like to delicately ask about the physical exam I’m told is required as part of the visa application to work there.
So, if I knew someone who was from a state where cannabis is considered legal medicine, and if that person occasionally used that medicine to help with depression and anxiety, should that person immediately discontinue use of that medicine and start chugging water? Or is that not a thing that is tested for?[/quote]
They test for THC. The person you know should switch to Xanax for a few weeks before testing.
And for the rest of the time they are in Taiwan. [/quote]
Can’t leave you hanging on 299 Recognized, Mr. Presley 
[quote=“jimipresley”][quote=“funkwallace”]I’d like to delicately ask about the physical exam I’m told is required as part of the visa application to work there.
So, if I knew someone who was from a state where cannabis is considered legal medicine, and if that person occasionally used that medicine to help with depression and anxiety, should that person immediately discontinue use of that medicine and start chugging water? Or is that not a thing that is tested for?[/quote]
They test for THC. The person you know should switch to Xanax for a few weeks before testing.
And for the rest of the time they are in Taiwan. [/quote]
I think you are fibbing.
What are the best/cheapest hospitals in Taipei to go to for the health check?
Also, using cannabis to treat depression sounds like a really bad idea to me - but everyone is different, I guess.
I have a questions that I can’t seem to find the answers for
…I’m an actor from Australia currently here on a 30 day visa free period hoping to get work as talent in commercial/print work through an agency. They can arrange a work permit for me but I have a few questions maybe you can help me with.
1.How much does a work visa cost for Australians?
2. Is it normal for your employer to pay for your work visa, especially if you are signing an exclusive contact with them?
3. I also teach acting, if I found a job like that and wanted to do that part time would it be possible to get a second work permit or would I have to adjust my work visa?
4. What is the minimum wage I’d need to be earning to be applicable for a work visa, and if I didn’t get enough jobs (as modelling is case by case) would there be an issue?
5. If I needed to leave by the 6th could a work permit be arranged by then?
Thanks in advance!
[quote=“jessheg”]I have a questions that I can’t seem to find the answers for
…I’m an actor from Australia currently here on a 30 day visa free period hoping to get work as talent in commercial/print work through an agency. They can arrange a work permit for me but I have a few questions maybe you can help me with.
1.How much does a work visa cost for Australians? [/quote]
There is no such thing as a work visa. A visitor visa is 54 AUS$, a resident visa is 72 AUS$. Prices quoted are for singly entry visas.
Foreign nationals require a work permit to work in the R.O.C. Once you have a work permit, the National Immigration Agency (NIA) will issue an ARC (Alien Residence Certificate), that costs 1,000 N$ and is either paid by you or your employer. You cannot simply “buy” the privilege to live and work here.
Your employer procures a work permit for you. You need a separate work permit for each employment situation. There is no such thing as a work visa.
It is possible to attach a part-time work permit to your existing ARC. Note that any kind of work or non-essential activity requires a permit. That includes tutoring or volunteering. On this board there are documented cases of deportations for failure to have the relevant permits.
You need an employer who employs you for a minimum amount of hours and procures the work permit for you. Your ARC will be based on employment with this employer. You can addd additional part-time jobs. There is no such thing as a freelance ARC where you can have multiple clients/jobs. The minimum income is twice the basic income, somewhere around 49,000 NT$/month.
Very likely if you already have a job lined up and the employer fulfils the formal requirement to sponsor a work permit.
Does anyone know if my visa number is listed somewhere on my ARC? I see something called a “UI no.” is that the same thing?
The UI Number is your ARC number. Once you have an ARC you do not require a visa anymore.
Hey, only my first post on the forum but I have a question.
I plan on travelling to Taiwan on a youth mobility visa next year from the UK, and after reading the OP and the official site I still need a bit of clarification. I do not own a full degree but I do have a Level 2 diploma in Media Studies and a TESOL certificate would this be adequate enough to apply for a work permit?
According to:
[quote]An AA Degree + TESOL certificate (“qualification certificates for language teaching” as specified in the Labor Laws) is the minimum required by the government to issue a work permit; the work permit then enables one to get his/her resident visa and ARC. As you mentioned, it may be a particular employer who doesn’t want to hire someone without a Bachelors Degree.
The applicable Labor Law can be found here: laws.cla.gov.tw/Eng/FLAW/FLAWDOC … 069&lno=42[/quote]
An AA Degree found in US colleges is acceptable, but I’m not sure my UK qualification will be valid? Any help with this issue would be much appreciated!
[quote=“Hoola”]Hey, only my first post on the forum but I have a question.
I plan on travelling to Taiwan on a youth mobility visa next year from the UK, and after reading the OP and the official site I still need a bit of clarification. I do not own a full degree but I do have a Level 2 diploma in Media Studies and a TESOL certificate would this be adequate enough to apply for a work permit?
According to:
[quote]An AA Degree + TESOL certificate (“qualification certificates for language teaching” as specified in the Labor Laws) is the minimum required by the government to issue a work permit; the work permit then enables one to get his/her resident visa and ARC. As you mentioned, it may be a particular employer who doesn’t want to hire someone without a Bachelors Degree.
The applicable Labor Law can be found here: laws.cla.gov.tw/Eng/FLAW/FLAWDOC … 069&lno=42[/quote]
An AA Degree found in US colleges is acceptable, but I’m not sure my UK qualification will be valid? Any help with this issue would be much appreciated![/quote]
A bachelor degree is the pre-requisite for issuing a work permit in ESL. Since you are exempt from the requirement of obtaining a work permit you should not bee concerned about this. At most you break the Ministry of Education regulations on who is qualified enough to teach English. Since raids on schools are done by the CLA/NIA and they are only concerned about your work permit rather than the MoE that would be concerned with your actual qualifications you need not tow worry about consequences for your stay in the ROC.
That being said, your chance of finding work in ESL after your working holiday visa expired are slim without a bachelor degree. Marrying a ROC national would get you open work rights - in no way I suggest a sham marriage though.
Ah this is good news, thank you for the information! Well I only plan on spending a year in Taiwan so getting a work permit after my visa expires is not a problem. 
You don’t need a BA for a work permit, you need an Associates degree + TEFL Cert: many people on forumosa have teaching work permits without a BA. However, a British level 2 qualification is not equivalent to a US Associates degree (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Q … _Framework): a level 5 qualification would be. Is this what you mean by ‘Level 2’?.
It’s utterly dumb because a TEFL certificate qualifies you to teach EFL more than a BA in an unrelated subject does, but they makes the rules.
What everyone needs to know is that the CLA has moved to the Taisugar Hotel building, back side, Hankou street entrance 10F
Just got around getting a work permit.
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[quote=“Belgian Pie”]Whay everyone needs to know is that the CLA has moved to the back side of the Taisugar Hotel, back side, Hankou street entrance 10F
Just got around getting a work permit.
Sent from my MI 2S using Tapatalk[/quote]
Here’s a map and directions: http://www.forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopic.php?f=70&t=84841&hilit=+open+work+permit&start=80#p1537729
… and it’s so easy to get a work permit when having an APRC, never came to it until today.
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Hi all, sorry if my question has been discussed before but I couldn’t find anything. I am here on a 90-day visitor visa which will end on the 23th this month. However I have a work permit now which states that I’ll be working from Jan 2 next year.
So there will be 10 days between ‘visa end’ and ‘starting to work’. I’ll apply for my ARC as soon as possible. But does this mean I still have to leave the country before Dec 23rd, enter again to refresh my visa, then get the ARC, or will my ARC just be effective as soon as I get it, no matter when exactly I start working?