Classes end in May. Independent research field work (which I will need to do in the Mainland) is done on our own time. Dissertations are due at the end of August. Actual degree isn’t given until November/December. I am doing it in residence.
I don’t have to physically be in Hong Kong as I finish writing my dissertation, so I can go to Taiwan sometime in the summer with my Master’s coursework finished, although I won’t physically have the degree yet at that time.
Hong Kong to Kaohsiung is a short flight away. I can also go to Kaohsiung for interviews if asked to do so. Obviously Skype would be preferable, but then again can’t do demos through Skype.
It varies. All require at least a Masters. Many of the public ones and more elite ones in Taipei require a PhD though.
The other stuff they look at is your level of experience and where that prior experience was, and if you have extra ESL certifications (like CELTA or TESOL) it may give you an edge. Funnily enough they don’t really care about teaching license.
A foreigner in the category referred to in the preceding paragraph, who is employed as a foreign language teacher at a foreign language center at a public or a registered private university or tertiary college, shall have a degree recognized by the competent authority, from a domestic or foreign university or independent college, and any language course taught by that person shall be a course on an official language of the nation that issued the passport of that foreign teacher.
As others have mentioned it might be easier for you to wait to get a job/arrive until you actually have the degree, but obviously you’ve probably thought this through and need to do what works best for you! Not sure if you could arrive at the end of summer like you want to but stay on a visitor visa until you have your degree? Then you would have a better pick of jobs. I don’t know of any in Kaohsiung but you mentioned Tainan might work. You could potentially work for a public school there. Pay is comparable to what others are suggesting, $60-$65k plus a small housing stipend. Currently they have a job posted on the Facebook page for Teach Taiwan (agency that places teachers in public schools) so at least you know they typically have positions open at times other than beginning of the school year. https://www.facebook.com/teachtaiwan/
This job is through the government. You need a full teacher’s certification and licence from one of the approved countries. (No online degrees are accepted)
[Any language course taught by] A foreigner […] who is employed as a foreign language teacher at a foreign language center at a public or a registered private university or tertiary college […] shall be a course on an official language of the nation that issued the passport of that foreign teacher.
Oh no, I broke the law! I taught another language!
@ the OP… Why not stay in HK and do the NET program there? I believe you should be qualified for it with what you’ve done and have heard that they have preferences for people who have studied in HK. The program is very well compensated from what I understand.