Contract rules... please help

My old job, work permit and ARC ends on June 30. My new job, work permit and ARC will start on September 1. I don’t want to break my ARC can I just get and interim job for July and August the keep the whole thing running.
Or is it not acceptable to just sign a contract for 2 months? Must all contracts be signed for 1 year??? I guess I can sign for 1 year, but break after 2 months. I’ve done that before.
I’m so confused after talking to the government… please help…

Sure you can break the contract, of course, unless you have some particular reason why you’d want to worry about a Taiwanese buxiban boss losing one of his pet monkeys. You might have to eat a fine, though. NT$20,000 or whatever is worth it to keep your ARC current, though, I’d say. But if you only have until June 30, I’d get moving pretty quick.

[quote=“sandman”]Sure you can break the contract, of course, unless you have some particular reason why you’d want to worry about a Taiwanese buxiban boss losing one of his pet monkeys. You might have to eat a fine, though. NT$20,000 or whatever is worth it to keep your ARC current, though, I’d say. But if you only have until June 30, I’d get moving pretty quick.[/quote]You got it wrong. He means that he doesn’t want to “break” his ARC as in he doesn’t want it to expire. He’s not talking about breaking the contract. His problem is that his contract runs out 2-3 months before the new one takes in effect.

Actually, maybe you got it right if you suggested that he can get an interim job and break the contract two months later. That is an option, but you always run the risk of having a difficult time registering for the new ARC come September if the school you bail on decides to make it difficult for you.

ARCs expire regardless and you have to go through the whole process of application every year, including passing a medical check up, etc.

Just on top of my head, I can think of two other options. Do a visa run or two. Or you could register for Chinese classes and get a three month student visa which would buy you enough time until you start the new job in September. You don’t need to show up for class unless you plan to renew the student visa three months later as the government requires authentic attendance records from the school where you study to renew the student visa. For about NT10,000 you should be able to get the paper work you need from the school to apply for a student visa. It’s cheaper than doing a couple visa runs, meanwhile you can just find yourself a summer camp type job for the summer which are generally under the table type jobs. And of course, whenever you have time you can still show up for class and improve your Chinese.

In brief, get a student visa, get a job under the table for the summer(summer camp, subbing and privates) and apply for the ARC in September. That’s what I would do. There are always lots of summer gigs this time of year.

I’m personally not keen on people who sign contract knowing they will bail only a couple months later. It’s dishonest and every teacher on this rock ends up working for schools that grow so worried about this type of employee that their contracts are overly binding and less than reasonable for the teachers. In other words, people who did this and continue doing it are making it harder for everyone involved, including other teachers.

marboulette

I don’t quite understand how you will be able to transfer your ARC from a bushiban to a private elementary school. The work permit that you got at the bushiban is different from the one that you get at an elementary school. The work permit at the elementary school is based on the fact that you have a teaching certificate; the one at the bushiban is not.

I’m wondering how the elementary school will be able to get you a work permit unless the principal is using another cram school to get you the work permit. I would suggest a little caution because something doesn’t sound correct with the elementary school. You could be working illegally. If that is the case, the elementary school has a noose around your neck. They can make you sign illegal contracts and do many other things because everything is illegal. I would like to see what they give you as far as tax records are concerned. Are they really deducting tax or just pocketing some extra cash?

What’s going on?

Yes and thats the OP’s problem. Nobody is obliged to give you an ARC when you have no rights to one.

Perhaps he should have resigned closer to the time of starting the new employment so the ARC could be transferred to the new employer.