Foreign Spouses now part of national pension scheme

Taiwan Living in Taiwan
21

I don’t mean to add to anyone’s confusion (I’m somewhat confused, too), so if this confuses anyone, they can just skip it, because maybe this post is not even relevant to the topic of this thread.

On the Bureau of Labor Insurance website, I see English translations of at least three laws:

(1) The National Pension Act bli.gov.tw/en/sub.aspx?a=AyZL3p%2BlQ6k%3D

(2) The Labor Pension Act bli.gov.tw/en/sub.aspx?a=JpyLhdHXQNs%3D

(3) The Employment Insurance Act bli.gov.tw/en/sub.aspx?a=yjSi8nnR0OU%3D

The English translation of the Employment Insurance Act contains, among other things, the following language:

[quote]For workers who are above 15 years old and below 65 years old and meet the following criteria should participate in this employment insurance with their employers or the organizations or institutions for which they belonged to as the insured units:

Hold the nationality of the Republic of China.
Foreigners, people in Mainland China area, and resident of Hong Kong or Macau who get married with nationals whose household are registered in the territory of the Republic of China and have obtained residence to work and stay in Taiwan region.[/quote]–Article 5

But I don’t see language like the language immediately above in the copies that I saw of the National Pension Act or the Labor Pension Act. (Maybe I missed it, or maybe there’s more updating to do.) And I don’t know if any or all of these three laws have a relationship to each other, and if so, what that relationship involves.

Laws here are often accompanied by implementation laws (enforcement rules) and of course regulations. So there may be more to the matter than what I’m posting here. Also, I think sometimes subtle or obscure-seeming changes in the law can actually be important.

Again, I don’t want to worry anyone or add to their confusion, so if this post bothers or confuses anyone, they can just skip it. I’m nobody, I don’t know anything, and I don’t know how to do anything. :laughing:

I will say this: It certainly would be nice if a knowledgeable person (say, Feiren) would give some idea of how all this works based on law, or enforcement rules, or regulations, or any other relevant things. Even an accountant-type explanation would be nice. (I think that generally, good accountants may not know the letter of the law, but they often know how things work. Then, too, maybe we’ve already gotten our accountant-type explanation.)

22

My company just informed me that they received notification from the govt that as a JFRV resident I was entitled to the 6% labor insurance / pension contribution. However they claim that I fall into the “maximum salary category” of NT$43,900 (*6%=$2,634 per month) The problem is my actual taxed salary which is all on the books and above board, is several times this supposed NT$43,900 maximum figure. Is anyone receiving the 6% on a salary higher than NT$43,900? My knee jerk reaction is that if I’m paying the top tier tax bracket, I should get the top tier pension/labor contribution, am I mistaken?

23

I just got my payslip through. My salary is way over NT$43,900 and my pension contribution was well over $2,634 per month. Feel free to PM me if you want more details.

24

You are mistaken. The maximum salary cap for the contribution is NT$43,900. It is the same for Taiwanese people.

25

You are mistaken. The maximum salary cap for the contribution is NT$43,900. It is the same for Taiwanese people.[/quote]

Feiren, are you sure? This number is closer to the salary cap for labor insurance contributions (currently maxed at somewhere around 3000 per month). The maximum pension contribution is NT$9000 per month.

26

I just spoke to HR this morning, as it turns out. They said the maximum pension contribution that my company can make is 9,000 per month, which agrees with what spaint wrote above.

Edit: HR also told me I can get my pension after I turn 60, unless the rules change before then.

27

Anyone know what would happen to the contributions if we were to leave the county before we turn 60?

28

Anyone know what would happen to the contributions if we were to leave the county before we turn 60?[/quote]
I asked the HR woman the same question, and she told me what she knew. Based on what she said, I think the money will be held for you in your own personal pension account, but you’ll have to somehow arrange to get it out once you turn 60. I’m assuming it’d need to be done in person, but there may be an outside chance of having it done over the phone/internet. In any case, I’m sure you could arrange it during some trip to Taiwan after you are of age.

29

How is the money handled in the pension account. Do you get out only what your employer or you, if self employed, put in or would the government contribute anything, like US social security. What kind of interest would this money earn? Taxes? Are there better ways for saving the money. Right now, I’m on the lower end of the income scale because my wife commutes to work and I have to mostly take care of the kids. I have a small home business which still pays business taxes but the income is not that great! At this point, it seems that it is voluntary for me but is it worth it?

30

You are mistaken. The maximum salary cap for the contribution is NT$43,900. It is the same for Taiwanese people.[/quote]

Feiren, are you sure? This number is closer to the salary cap for labor insurance contributions (currently maxed at somewhere around 3000 per month). The maximum pension contribution is NT$9000 per month.[/quote]

Thanks for the input Feiren, although do you have any concrete links to the source of this 43k cap policy? It’s pretty annoying that they’ll tax me on 100% of my income but only offer benefits on 25% of it, although you can’t look a gift horse too sternly in the mouth I suppose. My company seems to be just adding the $2,634 onto my paycheck bank transfer every month. No mention of what may or may not happen at 60, although I have zero intention of still being here by then.

31

After enquiring about this new pension scheme since it came into force in January, I have now come to the conculsion that the school where I work has no intention of contributing to a retirement fund for this foreign spouse. :raspberry:

I have also been advised by colleagues and my Taiwanese wife not to push this any further. The general viewpoint seems to be, “This is Taiwan - what is more important to you - these pension contirubtions or your job?”.

This is very dissapointing as I assumed that the rights of us foreign workers would be protected. It makes me sad to think that whilst in Australia sweeping floors for a living my employer contributed to a pension scheme, whereas here in Taiwan a teaching position gets nothing.

Maybe I could wait until it is time to leave and then start to enquire again for some back payments? :ponder:

32

I recently sat down with my company’s HR advisor and was informed that I had two options. The first was to have the company pay 6% on top of my salary into a pension fund as per the new regulations, which I could collect upon my retirement. The second was in addition to that 6%, I could contribute 6% of my own salary. I took the former. I’d like to think that I’m not an exception among foreigners in terms of having an employer that follows the letter of the law.

33

You may well be.

34

[quote=“Milkybar_Kid”]After enquiring about this new pension scheme since it came into force in January, I have now come to the conculsion that the school where I work has no intention of contributing to a retirement fund for this foreign spouse. :raspberry:

I have also been advised by colleagues and my Taiwanese wife not to push this any further. The general viewpoint seems to be, “This is Taiwan - what is more important to you - these pension contirubtions or your job?”.

This is very dissapointing as I assumed that the rights of us foreign workers would be protected. It makes me sad to think that whilst in Australia sweeping floors for a living my employer contributed to a pension scheme, whereas here in Taiwan a teaching position gets nothing.

Maybe I could wait until it is time to leave and then start to enquire again for some back payments? :ponder:[/quote]

You should go to your local labor bureau and ask for assistance. Take your salary slips with you. They can and do fine employers for not contributing. We do not know the facts of your situation. Are you a regular full time employee whose health and labor insurance are paid at the school. If so, they should be contributing. If you are part time or small, different rules may apply.

You are supposed to be able to check your account here:

edesk.bli.gov.tw/na/

I suspect you won’t be able to do this without a ID number. Doesn’t look like it takes ARC numbers.

35

You are mistaken. The maximum salary cap for the contribution is NT$43,900. It is the same for Taiwanese people.[/quote]

I stand corrected. The maximum amount is NT$150,000!

36

That’s a very good idea. Are you aware that you can take a six percent income tax deduction for your contribution? So by saving this money this way, you are avoiding being taxed on it.

37

[quote=“Milkybar_Kid”]After enquiring about this new pension scheme since it came into force in January, I have now come to the conculsion that the school where I work has no intention of contributing to a retirement fund for this foreign spouse. :raspberry:

I have also been advised by colleagues and my Taiwanese wife not to push this any further. The general viewpoint seems to be, “This is Taiwan - what is more important to you - these pension contirubtions or your job?”.

This is very dissapointing as I assumed that the rights of us foreign workers would be protected. It makes me sad to think that whilst in Australia sweeping floors for a living my employer contributed to a pension scheme, whereas here in Taiwan a teaching position gets nothing.

Maybe I could wait until it is time to leave and then start to enquire again for some back payments? :ponder:[/quote]
You could gently remind them that employers who violate the regulations will face fines of between NT$20,000 and NT$300,000.

38

[quote=“funkymonkey”][quote=“Milkybar_Kid”]After enquiring about this new pension scheme since it came into force in January, I have now come to the conculsion that the school where I work has no intention of contributing to a retirement fund for this foreign spouse. :raspberry:

I have also been advised by colleagues and my Taiwanese wife not to push this any further. The general viewpoint seems to be, “This is Taiwan - what is more important to you - these pension contirubtions or your job?”.

This is very dissapointing as I assumed that the rights of us foreign workers would be protected. It makes me sad to think that whilst in Australia sweeping floors for a living my employer contributed to a pension scheme, whereas here in Taiwan a teaching position gets nothing.

Maybe I could wait until it is time to leave and then start to enquire again for some back payments? :ponder:[/quote]
You could gently remind them that employers who violate the regulations will face fines of between NT$20,000 and NT$300,000.[/quote]

And I have been advised that they will then gently inform me that my services will not be required next semester (contract renewal time).

39

[quote=“Milkybar_Kid”][quote=“funkymonkey”][quote=“Milkybar_Kid”]After enquiring about this new pension scheme since it came into force in January, I have now come to the conculsion that the school where I work has no intention of contributing to a retirement fund for this foreign spouse. :raspberry:

I have also been advised by colleagues and my Taiwanese wife not to push this any further. The general viewpoint seems to be, “This is Taiwan - what is more important to you - these pension contirubtions or your job?”.

This is very dissapointing as I assumed that the rights of us foreign workers would be protected. It makes me sad to think that whilst in Australia sweeping floors for a living my employer contributed to a pension scheme, whereas here in Taiwan a teaching position gets nothing.

Maybe I could wait until it is time to leave and then start to enquire again for some back payments? :ponder:[/quote]
You could gently remind them that employers who violate the regulations will face fines of between NT$20,000 and NT$300,000.[/quote]

And I have been advised that they will then gently inform me that my services will not be required next semester (contract renewal time).[/quote]
That sounds like a positive thing. :2cents: You surely can’t enjoy the feeling of being bent over a table. What’s next? No health insurance simply because they don’t want to pay for it? Schools here will continue to take advantage of you as long as you allow it. I guarantee that every Taiwanese worker at your school has been receiving pension money from the company. Why should you be any different? Better jobs are definitely out there.

40

[quote=“Milkybar_Kid”][quote=“funkymonkey”][quote=“Milkybar_Kid”]After enquiring about this new pension scheme since it came into force in January, I have now come to the conculsion that the school where I work has no intention of contributing to a retirement fund for this foreign spouse. :raspberry:

I have also been advised by colleagues and my Taiwanese wife not to push this any further. The general viewpoint seems to be, “This is Taiwan - what is more important to you - these pension contirubtions or your job?”.

This is very dissapointing as I assumed that the rights of us foreign workers would be protected. It makes me sad to think that whilst in Australia sweeping floors for a living my employer contributed to a pension scheme, whereas here in Taiwan a teaching position gets nothing.

Maybe I could wait until it is time to leave and then start to enquire again for some back payments? :ponder:[/quote]
You could gently remind them that employers who violate the regulations will face fines of between NT$20,000 and NT$300,000.[/quote]

And I have been advised that they will then gently inform me that my services will not be required next semester (contract renewal time).[/quote]

But they can’t do this. You have an ARC based on your marriage, right? Why do you have a contract? How long have you worked there. Employers cannot just terminate contracts or refuse to ‘renew’ them in Taiwan. You should go the labor dept., explain the need for confidentiality, and have them deal with your employer. Perhaps wait until your contract has been renewed. If you contract is not renewed, go the labor dept and complain. At least you should get your severance pay and perhaps be eligible for unemployment insurance.