Finding work as a non-native-english-speaker?

Hi,
I’m living with a taiwanese woman and we are planning to get married and possibly move to Taiwan afterwards. Before I always thought that it would be quite easy for me to find a job as an english teacher in Taiwan but then I’ve read that they only give work permits to native english speakers for this kind of job (for all kind of jobs?)

I have a university degree as a math teacher and I speak english (almost) fluently. Is there still a future for me in Taiwan?

Am I 100% sure to get an ARC in Taiwan because of my future wife? Are there any other things I must do before I get one? (i.e health checks?)

It doesn’t depend on your actual skills or fluency (in many cases); the important thing is, what is your passport nationality? If you can do the job, you can be hired as an English teacher if you have a passport from a country that Taiwan deems “English-speaking”.

HTH

Ok, then I’m probably out of luck since I’m from Sweden. Is there a chance to get any other kind of job, except for factory jobs etc?

No, you’re not. I know at least one Dutch guy and a Pakistani teaching kindergarten here who are in a similar situation to yours. You may have to teach at more than one place but it can be done. Oops, both are married to locals.

if you are going to marry a taiwanese lady, then you don’t need to worry about arc matters, as you can get one through her. then you will have more time to look around and find an acceptable place to work, rather than taking the first offer because you need a way to stay in the country.

if your english is good, and you are diligent, i’d be surprised if you couldn’t find something to suit you.

good luck.

Why don’t you try to find something in your field instead?
If you are teaching math at Uni currently you could try to do math research?
Assuming you have a PhD which I guess is a prereq .for “Lektor” you could look for postdocs?
NTU, Academia Sinica in Taipei. NCTU, NTHU in XinZhu etc.

YingFan
PS The pay for a PhD in science is lower than an English teacher’s though.

[quote=“YingFan”]Why don’t you try to find something in your field instead?
If you are teaching math at Uni currently you could try to do math research?
Assuming you have a PhD which I guess is a prereq .for “Lektor” you could look for postdocs?
NTU, Academia Sinica in Taipei. NCTU, NTHU in XinZhu etc.

YingFan
PS The pay for a PhD in science is lower than an English teacher’s though.[/quote]

Are you sure about this?? Is the teaching scheudle the same? I wouldn’t think so. Be interested to know for certain. :slight_smile:

Yes I’m sure. However I should maybe have stressed that it was a comparison with the academic sector doing research. Math jobs in the industry are scarce but yes they would pay considerably higher. If he could find a buxibanjob teaching math though that would also pay higher (something I have considered doing myself, if I could find one).

YingFan

Except industries and teaching english, if you get an ARc via your wife, there is a lot of things you can do in Taiwan once you are white and you can speak english, even if this have no relation with the maths.