Can a Taiwan National without Household Registration (NWOHR holding a TARC) work in Taiwan?

I am a US/Taiwan dual citizen who recently moved to Taiwan and just got my TARC through blood lineage. Do I need anything else to be able to work in Taiwan? Do I still need to apply for a work permit?

If so, does my employer apply for me? Or do I apply myself? What government agency do I apply from? Is it an open work permit allowing me to work pretty much for any company (except government, etc.)? Or is it tied to a specific job (ie will I need a job offer)?

Followup question: If I choose not to work, can I still qualify for National Health Insurance? I really don’t want to wait a full year until I can get an ID card.

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I think you need a work permit as far as I know, but @tando knows this more than I do.

@HongKonger I’m a Canadian/Taiwan dual citizen (with a NWOHR passport) and I’m thinking about moving to Taiwan to work. I’m wondering if you needed to apply for a work permit? Did you travel on your US passport or Taiwan passport? And if I eventually want to apply for TARC and ID, what’s the best way to go about entering Taiwan?

Ok, these are the steps you need to follow:

  1. Apply for an entry permit (a sticker in your NWOHR passport that allows you to enter the country AS A TOURIST WITHOUT ANY RIGHTS for 90 (or 60?) days (the passport itself is useless, and does NOT allow you to enter the country).

  2. Enter Taiwan on said passport

  3. Within 90 days, apply for a TARC. This will allow you to live (but not work) in Taiwan for up to 3 years (renewable). You can also apply for your TARC prior to entering Taiwan, but that’s not the way I did it, so I don’t know the procedures.

  4. Upon obtaining your TARC, you may now separately apply for an open work permit from the Ministry of Labor (unrelated to the National Immigration Agency from which you obtain the TARC). This will allow you to freely work for any company in Taiwan

  5. After living in Taiwan (and not leaving) for 360 days, you may obtain a Taiwan ID. There are other options if you need to leave the country for short periods.

I just obtained my Taiwan ID a couple of months ago. Let me know if you have any other questions.

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So you mean if i am a (NWOHR) i cant work even in the govt or private entities?and its only as a tourist?

@HongKonger Thanks so much for your response, you don’t know how much this helps! Ironic how I can enter Taiwan without a visa/permit on my ‘foreign’ Canadian passport, but need to get a permit to enter Taiwan on a Taiwanese passport.

I’ve reached out to TECO to get the ball rolling on my TARC before I get to Taiwan. Do you remember what category you applied under when selecting reason for application? I have relatives with HR currently living in Taiwan.

Also, after obtaining TARC, does the application for open work permit have to physically be done at the Ministry of Labor in Taiwan? Or can that be done online? I’m trying to figure out how to go about applying for jobs now… should I apply for jobs before I go? Most employers offer sponsoring/work permit assistance. Or do you suggest I wait until after I get my work permit to apply for jobs?

Congrats on getting your ID :)!

That’s right. The NWOHR passport is a worthless waste of trees issued for symbolic purposes only. (I think even Mainland Chinese people can technically get Taiwan NWOHR passport, because Taiwan considers all Chinese people as Taiwan citizens.)

You will additionally need an entry permit to enter Taiwan as a tourist, and a TARC to live in Taiwan, and a work permit to work.

You’re welcome.

You don’t have to worry about the category. The person you send the form to will fill out the correct category code for you, as long as you explain to them how you qualify.

Your parents or grandparents or spouse (and I think siblings) need household registration for you to qualify. Aunts or uncles or cousins don’t count.

You can just go ahead and apply for jobs now. Just let them know you’re in the process of obtaining your work permit so you won’t be able to start until you get it. Make sure they don’t sponsor you (because you are not coming into the country as a foreigner), otherwise you will have a duplicate work permit application and it will create more confusion and headache.

But the work permit i can apply inside Taiwan or outside before coming here in Taiwan?and is it any kind of work here are allowed for (NWOHR)?

That seems to be some wonderfully damn helpful information :+1:

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You can only apply for the work permit after you have already obtained your TARC. Most people apply after they arrive in Taiwan. I don’t know if you can apply online before arriving in Taiwan, but there’s really no reason to. You only need to have a work permit before your first day of work.

The work permit will allow you to get any kind of job.

when you ask, you cannot omit the info that you don’t have other nationality to get an answer for what you want to know, unless you got another one. it’s a big difference. NWOHRs with the single nationality don’t need work permit, and don’t need TARC to work.

for a usual NWOHR with dual nationality, but no relatives to sponsor TARC, the order to get a work permit and TARC is opposit from people who can get an open work permit. you first need to get a work permit through a company, then apply for TARC.

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