ARC's, Work Permits and Visas - what do you need to know?

If I go through the process of starting up a ‘foreigner-owned’ business in Taiwan, and obtain a visa as a manager of said company, does this count toward my 5 years of continuous employment needed for the Alien Permanent Residency Certificate (APRC)?

This has likely been answered elsewhere, but I still feel compelled to ask.

I have some interest in working in Taiwan as an English teacher (as I visited recently and loved it), but I am wondering about any certification requirements for visas. I don’t have any TEFL certification, but I have a Master’s in English Language & Literature (and 1 year experience in Korea with EPIK). Would my experience and degree offset the need for a TEFL of sorts? Or is it necessary?

[quote=“JKL1987”]This has likely been answered elsewhere, but I still feel compelled to ask.

I have some interest in working in Taiwan as an English teacher (as I visited recently and loved it), but I am wondering about any certification requirements for visas. I don’t have any TEFL certification, but I have a Master’s in English Language & Literature (and 1 year experience in Korea with EPIK). Would my experience and degree offset the need for a TEFL of sorts? Or is it necessary?[/quote]

Minimum education requirements to get an English teaching work permit for working at a buxiban/supplemental English school:

  1. Bachelors degree in any subject
    –or–
  2. Associate’s degree and TEFL certification.

You’re fine with what you have; no TEFL necessary. Some schools may advertise that they prefer to hire someone with TEFL certification, but it’s not required legally.

One more requirement: “The language to be taught by the foreign teacher is the official language used in the country specified in the passport of the teacher.” The relevant regulations can be found here: http://laws.cla.gov.tw/Eng/FLAW/FLAWDOC01.asp?lsid=FL028069&lno=42

Thanks for all the useful info. I have some questions pertaining to documents needed in order to obtain an ARC once one’s work permit has been secured. Is a sealed degree and transcript required for ARC purposes? Would I thus need to secure the apostille authentication on my university degree before leaving for Taiwan? Will the degree need to be notarized by a notary before being authenticated by an apostille seal certificate? Is a sealed copy of my university transcript also required? I can’t seem to find any information regarding the police clearance or criminal background check either. Will one’s clearance be required when applying for an ARC? I also ask delicately, what are the consequences of aspiring teachers having a minor conviction on their record such as a previous DUI or possession of marijuana?

No. These are basically the requirements needed to obtain a work permit in South Korea.

In Taiwan you need the copy of your degree that your university shipped to you and was likely framed on your parents’ dining room wall for countless years. No apostille authentication, no transcripts and no criminal background check.

Great, thanks for your help. :slight_smile:

No. These are basically the requirements needed to obtain a work permit in South Korea.

In Taiwan you need the copy of your degree that your university shipped to you and was likely framed on your parents’ dining room wall for countless years. No apostille authentication, no transcripts and no criminal background check.[/quote]

That is a good thing, it seems at least based on what I’ve been told that I would be DQ’d from teaching in South Korea because 15 years ago (when I was 19) plead no contest to criminal mischief which was nothing more than me being the driver of a car with some friends who were committing vandalism. Pretty dumb on my part but can’t believe it would prevent me from getting a job.

Hello,

Does the 2 years experience requirement for a work permit applies only to professional and technical jobs?

If I intended to work in a management consulting firm would I need simply to receive an offer from them to be eligible to work in Taiwan?

[quote=“Enricus”]Hello,

Does the 2 years experience requirement for a work permit applies only to professional and technical jobs?

If I intended to work in a management consulting firm would I need simply to receive an offer from them to be eligible to work in Taiwan?[/quote]

Yeah you would need two years minimum. If you don’t have two years work experience then your work will have to make a case explaining why they HAVE to hire you and that the job you are doing couldn’t be done by a local Taiwanese person.

Good luck!

I am a US citizen who has a TEFL and a Bachelor’s degree. From what I understand I meet the basic qualifications to teach English and can travel to Taiwan for up to 90 days. I have some questions regarding visitor visas:

  1. What’s the point of obtaining a visitors visa if you can travel to Taiwan with just a valid passport and proof of a departure flight? What purpose does it serve, is there some advantage or disadvantage in getting one?
    (Here’s the visa application form I am considering filling out: visawebapp.boca.gov.tw/BOCA_MRV … 57C494271B)

  2. Should I obtain a visitors visa or just go to Taiwan without one? My concern is that I’ve read it’s easier for an employer to obtain a work permit and ARC if you have a visitors visa as opposed to just showing up without one.

Thanks.

[quote=“jazzercise”]I am a US citizen who has a TEFL and a Bachelor’s degree. From what I understand I meet the basic qualifications to teach English and can travel to Taiwan for up to 90 days. I have some questions regarding visitor visas:

  1. What’s the point of obtaining a visitors visa if you can travel to Taiwan with just a valid passport and proof of a departure flight? What purpose does it serve, is there some advantage or disadvantage in getting one?
    (Here’s the visa application form I am considering filling out: visawebapp.boca.gov.tw/BOCA_MRV … 57C494271B)

  2. Should I obtain a visitors visa or just go to Taiwan without one? My concern is that I’ve read it’s easier for an employer to obtain a work permit and ARC if you have a visitors visa as opposed to just showing up without one.

Thanks.[/quote]

My understanding is that it is an extra hoop to convert the entry permit (no visa required) to a work visa, and may require you to do a visa run, eg. leave the country to get a visa that can be converted. (It used to be that you couldn’t do it at all, but I’ve heard now you can get your entry permit changed to a real tourist visa and that visa changed to a work/residence visa). But if you get the tourist visa straightaway it can be easily converted in one step.

Thanks for the reply Singingrain.

I’ve heard that too, it’s easier to convert a vistors visa to a work permit/ARC. However, I’ve also heard that there is a 60 day visit limit on a visitors visa whereas if you just arrive in Taiwan you get that 90 day limit. So in the end, is it a choice to get the visitors visa before arriving or just arriving and getting an extra 30 days but you may have to leave Taiwan ($$$) for Hong Kong to get a visitors visa (to be converted to work permit/ARC).

Of course, the choice becomes moot if Taiwan allows you to convert the entry visa straight to work permit/ARC. Does anyone have experience with this? Please share your story. Thanks

[quote=“jazzercise”]Thanks for the reply Singingrain.

I’ve heard that too, it’s easier to convert a vistors visa to a work permit/ARC. However, I’ve also heard that there is a 60 day visit limit on a visitors visa whereas if you just arrive in Taiwan you get that 90 day limit. So in the end, is it a choice to get the visitors visa before arriving or just arriving and getting an extra 30 days but you may have to leave Taiwan ($$$) for Hong Kong to get a visitors visa (to be converted to work permit/ARC).

Of course, the choice becomes moot if Taiwan allows you to convert the entry visa straight to work permit/ARC. Does anyone have experience with this? Please share your story. Thanks[/quote]

Teachers and other professionals do not have to leave Taiwan to convert visa exempt to a resident visa. You still have to pay for a visitor visa (possibly a reduced cost) but the extra 30 days could prevent a costly visa run to HK. Resident visas for student use is a completely different set of procedures (a guaranteed visa run regardless of what you come on I think). Taiwan logic fails.

I have a work permit via a my own singapore rep office here however because my current visa is a working holiday I have been told I need to go overseas to teco office cancel WHV then apply for visitor or residential at teco or while back in Taiwan then apply for ARC.

Since I have till April 2015 on my current visa can I just stay in Taiwan with my work permit until my visa expires and then leave and come back on visitor to switch to ARC?

I am a little worried as guy at foreign affairs says i can still be refused ARC even though I got a work permit and rep office been approved by MOEA? So i dont want to cancel my working holiday visa to come back on visitor and have arc application denied.

Anyone know?

Hi,
Does anyone know what a work visa and ARC should cost? I am currently working at a school in Taipei and the recruiter is handling my affairs. They charged me 5900ntd for the work visa and are asking another 3300ntd for the ARC. I appreciate any help you can offer.

[quote=“jeffdog”]Hi,
Does anyone know what a work visa and ARC should cost? I am currently working at a school in Taipei and the recruiter is handling my affairs. They charged me 5900ntd for the work visa and are asking another 3300ntd for the ARC. I appreciate any help you can offer.[/quote]
I don’t know about the work permit (our school pays for it) but I remember the ARC fee being 1,000nt. However, if you are currently in Taiwan visa-free, then that will be converted to visitor visa then residence visa, which does require additional fees.

From what I remember the resident visa costs 5000+. A visitor visa cost an additional 2100 (a silly extra step) and each year of your ARC costs 1000. You can get a 3 yr ARC if you have a 3 yr contract.

These costs are for an American. Different nationalities might have different costs.

Hi, I’m an American living in mainland China. I’m moving to Taiwan next week. I’m in a similar position as the person named “jazzercise,” but with one major difference.

I am not employed by a Taiwan school (yet), but I still have a valid Chinese Visa for mainland China that expires February 2015.

In this situation, would it matter if I have a one way plane ticket, or, might the mainland Visa help? Is it best to have a two-way ticket?

Also, is this mainland Visa an advantage as far as my future employer obtaining an ARC for me?

[quote=“J_Z”]Hi, I’m an American living in mainland China. I’m moving to Taiwan next week. I’m in a similar position as the person named “jazzercise,” but with one major difference.

I am not employed by a Taiwan school (yet), but I still have a valid Chinese Visa for mainland China that expires February 2015.

In this situation, would it matter if I have a one way plane ticket, or, might the mainland Visa help? Is it best to have a two-way ticket?

Also, is this mainland Visa an advantage as far as my future employer obtaining an ARC for me?[/quote]

The Mainland visa is entirely irrelevant for the process. You still require a plane ticket out of the Taiwan Area. Hong Kong or Mainland China are OK. No need for a ticket back to the US or the departure airport.

Thanks. My girlfriend and I had agreed that this seemed like the only option, so it’s good to have a reinforcement of that idea from someone with experience.