I’m working part-time for a company that’s depositing my pay in a bank account. I have a resident ARC (student) but no work permit. Do I try to pay taxes? What’s best to do here?
Thanks.
Every person (with or without ARC, work permit) staying in taiwan for over 186 days in a fiscal year needs to declare its income … that doesn’t mean you need to pay taxes, you can declare 0 NT$ income but then they will be crancky … declaring an income when you can’t work is wrong too … you need to prove that you have sufficient funds and where it comes from to stay in Taiwan.
They won’t ask me about not having a work permit when I declare some income, then?
For the most part, I’ve been living on my savings from my previous job in the US.
Several years ago, befor my marriage, I spent like more than 6 months on a visitor visa in a year and had to declare my income to pay taxes … I declared 0NT$ income and the lady at the tax office was pissed off and told me to write something else, more income … I refused because I didn’t have an income … after a long discussion she finally took the paper as I filled it out.
Around the same time a guy from Holland, recently married to a Taiwanese citizen, having no job or income at that time had to pay 5,000 NT$ tax because he used public facilities he was told …
Never let them know you have income in Taiwan when not having a workpermit … or is it different for students? Can they work part-time without a permit?
No, students have to apply for a work permit through the school in order to work and we were told by the school that it’s impossible to get.
So, why even go to declare taxes if you declare nothing? Also, can’t they just check my bank account? It will be obvious someone is depositing $ into it.
I’m not saying this, you understand…but are you signing receipts for that money, and are you getting tax withheld, and is the company issuing you tax forms to file with?
If the answers are no, no, and no, then…um…well… :loco: No problem not filing in the practical sense (ignoring the ethical/legal here).
If the answers are yes, no, and no, then probably no problem not filing in a practical sense. But if there’s no tax being withheld, I’d come up with some creative excuse not to sign receipts, really. Ask them to use a “rentou” from the company or something, or sign “Mickey Mouse”.
If the answers are yes, yes, and no, there is a problem because you could be in hot water for not filing taxes IF the company submits those tax forms (i.e., if the “tax” withheld really is going to the government). In that case, you should clarify as delicately as possible what’s happening to the money and why you are not getting a form for your tax filing – with the company, not with the tax authorities.
Long post for not saying anything, innit? 
I think you will find that its actually 90 days. For 90 to 183 days 20% tax is applied, after the 183 days its down to normal tax rates…