I’m not completely understanding the Chinese, but they seem to say you need to provide some documents to prove you are working for a company in such cutting-edge technological fields as software applications, software technology, nanotechnology, optoelectronics, information and communication, communication transmission technology, automation system integration technology, material application technology, high precision sensing technology, biological technology, resources development or energy saving, frontier scientific research, and national defense and military strategies, AI, IoT, AU, blockchain, VR, robots, and additive manufacturing, and the company’s products or researches and your contribution, and certificate of them by research institutes.
Don’t stress. This is normal. You’re applying under a financial requirement, but the MOST still wants to vet your technical skills. They are not supposed to do this, under some interpretations of the regulations, but here we are 
Gather up some documents that demonstrate you work in tech and you’re good at it. Maybe a letter from your boss talking about that time you wrote that innovative thing, a supporting statement from a professor about how they’re proud of you, a piece of easily digestible work product that has your name on it. It’ll depend on what you’ve got or can create - but get into the mindset of the reviewer who just wants to have something to make them feel comfortable enough to tick the box. If you feel the need, write a cover letter for your application explaining your skills.
Send more than you think, but less than gets confusing. Good luck.
Regarding timing, it’ll be at least 2 weeks from this point in a “normal case” (maybe 4 or 5 if not). If urgent, suggest getting in touch with the relevant official contacts on the official list to get them ready to help accelerate, or get your current ARC extended.
Thanks mods for putting this in the right section
if anyone else is looking in to this artist work permit, I have found some information regarding the application process. Freelance Artist Work Permit
It mentions the possibility of using an immigration agent, but I’ve still been unable to find one. Anyone have any leads on immigration agents?
Hi all
For Gold Card applications whereby passport checks are to be done in Singapore, has anyone gone via that country yet?
@Gaoxingdcf were you in touch with anyone locally in Singapore?
I’m looking to speak or at least email them so that they know I’m coming and are aware of what’s required.
The context is that I have applied via the ‘Economy’ track on Dec 1 (Saturday) and received notification today to present my passport etc in Singapore as the next step.
I applied via the ‘salary’ option but also provided evidence of the min 8 years relevant experience.
I’m wondering what are the chances now of being accepted if I’ve reached this stage? I’m not assuming 100% but has anyone so far reached the ID stage and subsequently had the application turned down?
Thanks for any feedback
Mike
Did anyone have any trouble finding the passport form at the application site? I entered my details but no documents show.
Ok that last one I managed to work out. I put a ‘1’ for Group Number, my application receipt # instead of my application nb and the payment date as requested.
Hi fellow Singaporean - if you’ve reached this stage to my knowledge the vetting is pretty much done and the rest is just administrative…
RI received my card today in Singapore.
From start to finish that makes 15 week days since I applied on Dec 1.
What’s the catch?
Can anyone provide the latest stats on how many of these have been issued?
Thanks
Last I heard was around 140.
Just saw that it’s up to 170.
Congratulations 
You’re officially Foreign Talent. Your job, should you choose to accept it, is to fix all the problems with the Taiwanese economy.
I am pretty sure those Foreign Talents will be of enormous and unique difference to Taiwan. Something that we, mortal foreigners, will never be able to achieve in the spectrum of helpfulness to the Taiwan society.
Hey, it is not either/or! Let’s aim higher for both/and.
Guy
I have an ARC and own my own place. Didn’t even have it for the full 5 years before fully permanent either.
Wow. Quite the read. All 480 posts in one sitting - my brain is going to explode with information - very useful and interesting though.
We will have to see how it works in the next few years.
Here is a question - let’s say a person has a fair amount of experience in the education field previously, but has been making their 160+NT in the last few years in a different field, how would that work exactly in relation to the gold card application? ( Especially if that is the only way that person would qualify for the Gold Card)
Hi all,
I recently had reason to look into how the tax benefit applies to people who aren’t ‘new’ to Taiwan. As a refresher - the benefit is: for the portion of your salary over NT $3 million, half of it can be excluded from income for your first three years. eg Salary NT $6 million, you only pay tax on NT $4.5 million.
Previously, I did confirm with the NIA that people who have stayed in Taiwan more than 3 consecutive years and then switch to a gold card definitely aren’t eligible for any tax benefits. However, could someone could get tax relief after receiving a gold card in their 2nd or 3rd year of residing in Taiwan for work?
Unfortunately, it seems that the answer is no - despite some information to the contrary coming up during the promotion events.
The relevant regulations are here: Regulations Governing Reduction and Exemption of Income Tax of Foreign Special Professionals - Article Content - Laws & Regulations Database of The Republic of China (Taiwan)
You can see in Article 3 that you need 3 ticks to be eligible:
- First time coming to work
- It’s special professional work
- No household registration (only applicable to ROC nationals) and not a tax resident for the prior 5 years
With the exception that:
“If a foreign special professional has been previously approved to reside in the R.O.C. before his/her employment engaged in the professional work in the R.O.C., and such approval is not given on the ground of his/her engagement in the professional work, he/she shall not be subject to the first-time approval requirement…”
(which is unclear – but probably means, someone who was here to study, or some other residence reason rather than a subtle difference between a “foreign professional” and a “foreign special professional”)
So, since people would likely pay taxes in their first or second year and would be here on a work permit, they fail on two of the requirements to get the special professional tax relief.
Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer, immigration agent, etc and haven’t checked this with any kind of official. Get real advice and please don’t rely on this for tax planning
In the application process you need to first choose:
- which specific field (sci/tech, economics, education, cultura, sport, finance, law, architecture) the application is under
- which specific category (eg salary >160k) in that field the applicant qualifies under
they’re drop-down lists in the online portal and you can only choose one. It appears as though the process is set up so that only one ministry will be responsible for the skills vetting.
If “fair amount of experience” doesn’t translate to any of the eligibility categories in education, then the application may be better done under the ‘different’ field.
The alternative would be to call the Education ministry (official contact list here: Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals-Contact ), explain the situation and see if they’d be happy to take your friend anyway.
Any idea why the law category is the only one that you must fulfill all of the requirements, instead of just one? It seems strange.