Contracts

Initially I thought that the OP was just trolling, but I think that he actually has a pretty valid point if I am understanding him correctly.

Years ago almost all work was hourly rate stuff and the average was probably NTD500-550 an hour - so a bit less per hour than today. The difference was that you could easily get 30 to 40 hours a week and earn big bucks at one school and without the need to teach kindy in the mornings. Thereby earning the OP’s suggested NTD70,000-80,000 per month. With pay raises over time it was easy to be earning NTD80,000-100,000 a month if you were willing to put in the hours. The downside of course is that this was all class teaching hours - not admin work - and that can be pretty tough on the old voice box.

Nowadays, even though the average hourly pay is up to around NTD600-650 an hour (not much of an increase over the years) the number of hours that most schools are actually able to offer seems to be much lower than before. It is likely that most teachers start off with about 16 or 18 teaching hours a week these days, which if you only have one employer means that you are only earning a fraction of what you could have earned in years past. There is often no opportunity to take on extra hours at your primary school to earn more money as in many cases these extra hours are just not available. This forces many to either find a second legal employer, or in most cases teach illegally by taking on kindy work or privates to supplement the income.

The above is possibly one of the reasons that monthly salaried positions are indeed the preferred option for new arrivals. Sure they tie you up at the one school all day, but they do guarantee you a monthly income of NTD50,000-65,000 plus some benefits. Average out the pay per time spent at the school and it is not much, but look at your bank balance each month and at least you get the security of knowing that you have money.

OP, yes it is tougher now for newbies in Taiwan to find work and to find good jobs. But as others have pointed out, there are good jobs available but you need to spend time finding these. Also, I think it likely that these types of schools would prefer teachers with teaching experience in Taiwan.

The teaching environment in Taiwan these days is much different to what it was years ago. There is a lot more competition among schools for students. And there is a lot more competition among foreign teachers for jobs. I wouldn’t say that it is an employers market, but foreign teacher these days really need to prove their worth if they want to get the preferred jobs.

But it’s cold here. I want to go to a tropical island (not sub-tropical) and spend every last red cent of my money. All.

Contracts here usually start in the 2 - 2.1 million Won/month range for noobs although many are saying that it should be 2.2 and that can be negotiated. I see some at 1.8 or 1.9, but that’s a joke for a hagwon, or it could be for a position with less hours such as public school or universities where you get more vacation time (that’s going downhill here). It’s basically a teacher’s market, but it’s like a box of chocolates: you never know what you’re going to get (as far as conditions/employer go). Anyway, that’s with free rent, return air fare, and a month bonus at the end.

2 million Won is about 70,000.

How many hours and how much responsibility, J99? Do they always give that return airfare and one month bonus? They can be outright cheats and liars here but if you threaten to start making phone calls and tell them you’d rather be languishing in prison for having burned their business to the ground that be cheated by them they usually give in and do what they say they will.

I had one of those “be at school all day and do extra duties jobs” once. The boss paid by the hour and I made as much as 85 grand a long month for a 26.5 + hour a week job. The pay was great but the school drove me nuts after a while. No time or inclination for privates (I like doing privates) or extra money work.

[quote=“canucktyuktuk”]How many hours and how much responsibility, J99? Do they always give that return airfare and one month bonus? They can be outright cheats and liars here but if you threaten to start making phone calls and tell them you’d rather be languishing in prison for having burned their business to the ground that be cheated by them they usually give in and do what they say they will.

I had one of those “be at school all day and do extra duties jobs” once. The boss paid by the hour and I made as much as 85 grand a long month for a 26.5 + hour a week job. The pay was great but the school drove me nuts after a while. No time or inclination for privates (I like doing privates) or extra money work.[/quote]

85,000 for 26.5 hrs/wk is good. Depends though. Were those teaching hours and were there more hours on top of that for adminstration? Extra duties definitely (or “definately” if you check out ESL Cafe) aren’t good. teaching 5 to 6 classes a day is plenty on it’s own. Were there a lot of students in each class? I guess if you’re boss is a dick, it’s not really worth it.

I get the airfare and bonus. You hear of some horror stories though. Bad shit does happen. You have to know where you stand and confront them and bug them at times, yes. Very much less so as time goes by. For me, anyway. Depends which chocolate you get out of the box and/or depends on you.

I still think privates aren’t what they’re cracked up to be. Maybe good for extra quid. No matter how you look at it, who you are, or what you say, they cancel.

I’m under contract for 30 hrs/wk. So far, this month I’ve been teaching 28 hrs/wk, but getting one hour OT. Funny how that works, but on Tuesdays and Thursdays I teach 6.5 hrs. Half hour OT each day within my contracted schedule of 2 - 9. I actually sit on my butt till 2:30 and then form then go non-stop till 9. 10 minutes between each class. Normal, I guess. In November, I cleared (after taxes, pension, health insurance, internet, cable, water, but not electricity and gas) about 125,000 NT. And that doesn’t include airfare and free rent (but it does include one private I had for four one-hour classes/week). Mind you, I had to teach a lot of classes for that. Including the private, 40 hrs. The private was full hours, but all other classes were 50-minute hours. No Saturdays. I’ve had two other similar months in 2 years here and most months are good for OT except 3 to 5 of them. I’m guaranteed to clear 85,000. No rent, free plane ticket, a bonus of 85,000 after twelve months, no adminstrative work, the driver picks me up at home and drives me back, classes of 10 or less students, no kindy, and a raise (not much, but not too bad) of about 3500 NT/month (100,000 Won) each year (I’m probably going to ask for more if I stay - contract’s up in March). I don’t have anyone breathing down my neck. Well, sort of. We have video cameras, but I don’t have anyone telling me what to do or complaining. I drew that line.

Anyway, that’s me. Other people are making more money. Other people get screwed royally. Some people work at public schools or universities and get tons of vacation (I get 10 working days plus all national holidays), but that seems to be on the decline for these individuals. Public school teachers usually have to be there from 8-4, 9-5 but usually have 20 classes/week and pay on par with hagwons (buxibans). More students per class though. I hate big classes. Hate 'em. Couldn’t pay me enough.

Actually, I’m in kind of a conundrum. I’m debating whether to stay or not. It’s not all shits and giggles here. Boring as hell. But the money is so good. It’s like I’ve got a devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other. My problem is I don’t know if “staying” is the angel or the devil. Hmm.

Well, the money sounds better, that’s for sure. You certainly are working for it. You have a driver?

Yes those hours were all teaching. Two different classes. No paid prep time. same kids all the time. The Engrish got real well quiklee.

I don’t have to spend much time on prep anymore because I’ve saved every activity I’ve ever done and I have a pretty extensive backlog of stuff to do. I got rid of the deadbeat privates by asking them to pay in advance and be responsible for make up classes (which they don’t want to do so I win). I don’t really work that much so I have time to study and spend inordinate amounts of time doing other stuff.

Just set a high-water mark in your bank statement, make a little extra and come on over. At the very least there’s some forumosans to hang out with; games club, Hiking, bar-hopping, restaurants, biking. If you don’t like it you can go back to Korea.