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

I was talking to someone yesterday about this ‘check’. She recently did the health check and I asked her if they still check for HIV. She didn’t know (or notice), but she did remember the nurse saying, “we check for something like HIV but it isn’t HIV.”
Ridiculous!!!
I can only guess it is syphilis or another disease that can be spread through sexual activity?

But, you were exempt. Does that mean others aren’t?
I assume you are from a western country. Do the SE Asian workers get the exemption too?[/quote]

Boy, this thread has seen some days. There’s no reason why there shouldn’t be another twist.

I’ve just started the application process to study Chinese in Taichung. From what I understand, I’m going to have to get an HIV cert before I apply for the visa here in Bangkok. (I’m not Thai) Is it just an HIV check or does immigration need more information? In a perfect world, I would love to be informed and get everything done efficiently. Is there anyone with first hand experience that can guide me? Many thanks! :slight_smile:

I don’t have first hand experience but I believe that for a visitor visa for short term study (think this includes Chinese), you need to be tested for the items onthis form.

You will be eligible for an ARC after four months of study if you meet the attendance requirements (strict). You will need another health check then. Use this form. I’m afraid that I couldn’t find any information in English for you on the Center for Disease control’s website, but the forms are bilingual.

They clearly state that Taiwan no longer tests visitors and residents for HIV.

The residence health check tests for syphilis.

I would suggest that you attempt to contact the representative office in Bangkok for a list of hospitals that they accept health check. You can also try calling the CDC for more information.

I don’t think any form of health check is required for a visitor visa. onetime shouldn’t need to do a health check before coming to Taiwan. It might even be beneficial for him to forgo the visitor visa and come on 90 day visa exempt (depending on where he is from). AFAIK Taiwan visa to ARC process requires language students to do a visa run anyway after the 4 months.

The rest is (completely) accurate as far as I know.

Hi guys !

I would like to ask if Taiwan government doesn’t issue work permit for this role to anyone except those holding a passport from what it considers to be English-speaking countries, namely, Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States ?

I applied for a post with one of the papers and I was told that whose native language is English, but who hail from other countries, like Singapore, are ineligible for work permit.

Can I check if there is any relevant taiwan law to it ?

Many thanks in advance !

[quote=“gaoxingdcf”]Hi guys !

I would like to ask if Taiwan government doesn’t issue work permit for this role to anyone except those holding a passport from what it considers to be English-speaking countries, namely, Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States ?

I applied for a post with one of the papers and I was told that whose native language is English, but who hail from other countries, like Singapore, are ineligible for work permit.

Can I check if there is any relevant taiwan law to it ?

Many thanks in advance ![/quote]

It is a bit unclear whether or not someone not from the 7 mentioned countries would be approved for a work permit. There are a lot of English teachers on the board and so far nobody knows of a Filipino, Singaporean, random African country (English native language) or a different country that has been approved for a work permit.

There’s another thread on this, there’s no 7 country list, it’s a myth as far as I know. However it’s one that many people seem to go by. Do a search for this topic and can find the previous discussion thread. Employers confirmed they’ve hired people (as either English teachers or English consultants) from outside of those 7 countries.

For renewing an ARC does my employer need to apply for the Work Permit again?

Or do I just go and renew my ARC?

[quote=“The_Ghost”]For renewing an ARC does my employer need to apply for the Work Permit again?

Or do I just go and renew my ARC?[/quote]

For teachers and probably most others

new health check
new work permit (w/ a new contract)
new ARC

[quote=“Abacus”][quote=“The_Ghost”]For renewing an ARC does my employer need to apply for the Work Permit again?

Or do I just go and renew my ARC?[/quote]

For teachers and probably most others

new health check
new work permit (w/ a new contract)
new ARC[/quote]

I haven’t been required to do a health check in over ten years, maybe twice in the 18 years I’ve been here.
Each contract has required new permit.
I’ve just renewed existing ARC.

perhaps the new health check is only for teachers

Why don’t you (kelake) have an APRC?

Can those currently in and legally employed in Taiwan with an ARC and a work permit enrol into a degree course at a university?

Hypothetical situation: You have an enjoyable legal job in Taiwan of few hours that you want to keep doing that leaves you plenty of time to do university study, and are fully able to self-support yourself financially (healthy savings, pension, sugar daddy/mummy, whatever). You decide you would like to undertake a master’s degree course at a university in Taiwan while continuing to work. Presumably anybody with an ARC can walk into a university that takes international students, apply and enrol. There should be no problem doing this as long as you can fulfil your study obligations and your employment obligations.

Just to clarify, at a buxiban that would mean a minimum of 14 hours of “teaching related duties” (including lesson preparation) per week. I don’t know what the minimum is for other jobs, but the default assumption is that full-time work is (now) 40 hours per week.

Thanks for that @yyy.
I would like to add that there seem to be slightly more obscure ways (or maybe just one way) to gain legal employment in Taiwan that does not require as large of a time commitment.
@Toe_Save has a company that helps artists work legally in Taiwan:

He also indicated that it would be possible through his company to gain an ARC and work permit with just occasional work:

Work on the occasional commercial set as a background model in Taiwan and study full-time at a university in Taiwan? Looks doable. Biggest factor is whether or not that would be okay with Toe_Save.

An update: http://www.winklerpartners.com/?p=7702

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Please Help Here, very inexperienced in the field of traveling.

I have a UK passport, but live in SA. I need to know whether I can enter on a visa-exempt, look for a job, then somehow get the necessary documentation to get me to start teaching? From what I have read is: I enter on visa-exempt, find a job, get a work permit, apply for resident visa, then apply for ARC… and only then i can work? Please advise the simplest route.

The other option is. Do i seek a teaching job before traveling, or is it better to only search once in Taiwan. If there is anyone I can chat to on a regular basis about my queries please provide me your contact. Would love some help as I plan on moving there with my lady within the next 5 months.

Living in SA should make no difference, unless you apply for a working holiday visa, which you can only do from your home country.

Hi everyone,

I will stop my current job on 31th March and start a new one on 10th April (my ARC expire in December 2018). Do you know if I can go abroad during the first week of April when I will need to wait to have my new ARC with the details of my new employer?

Thank you

Hey,
I’ll soon be finishing up my Chinese classes and I’ve decided that instead of letting my ARC expire that I’d rather stay in Taiwan and try to find a job to improve my Chinese and stay with the special people I’ve met here. However, I’ve noticed people on here say that work permit applications require proof of 2 years of related work experience. These were old posts, so is that still the case? There is no way I can provide something like that.

Please help.

It depends on the type of job. What are you looking for, and what other qualifications do you have?

Thanks for the reply.

I was going to try applying for editing jobs or something similar on 104. Somewhere where I could use the languages I’m fluent in I suppose, since I enjoy reading/writing and don’t have any technical skills. I have a BA in history.

I would try teaching english in the short term if nothing ever came up.