From what I have gathered from the Taiwan National Health care website is that your employer must provide healthcare. ( pay 60% of the cost) Well, my employer has yet to do anything about my healthcare (I’ve had my ARC for 4 months)and I have several times brought up the issue. So, what can I do? How can I pressure him LEGALLY to get me my healthcare card?
Can you offer some more background information on your situation? What is your nationality? Visa status? What kind of work are you doing? Is this a legal job?
Have you called the Bureau of National Health Insurance to complain?
Well as of today I am not working for the ST. George Language school in Taichung. I was a teacher, American, female, with work permit and ARC(all gained through the school). As far as I know the school is legal. When I spoke to my employer he said that Taiwanese bosses sometimes withold some of the benefits ie. healthcare from their employees. He said that he would consider giving me healthcare at the end of the semester but because of some “internal tax reasons” he could not. The whole situation has been really horrible. Hartzell, because I was fired/quit how long do I have to leave the island? I have heard three days. I would really appreciate your response. Today has been hell.
I would suggest that you call the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bureau of Consular Affairs for a clarification.
I provide the following contact telephone numbers for MOFA BOCA:
Taipei (02) 2343 2895
Taichung (04) 2222 2799
Kaohsiung (07) 211 0605
Hualien (038) 330953
Also, you should ask the Foreign Affairs Division of your local Police Department.
However, please remember, being fired is one thing, and whether or not your employer has reported your new “job status” (or “lack of job status”) to the authorities is something else.
In some cases, the employer will let you continue on with the work permit until the end of your contract (as a kind of convenience to you), even though you are actually not working there any more. This way, you can relax a while during your new job search.
I am going to my local police dept. to cancel my ARC. Do you know if my employer has to do the same? I am wondering if a single party ie me can completely cancel the visa or does my former employer have to do it as well? I will leave the country and reapply for a visitors visa and then begin taking mandarin classes in June. I was going to switch over to being a student anyways but thought I would stick with this job until the end of the semester(I don’t like abandoning the relationship I have with the kids).I just worry that my passport will show my ARC and cause confusion. Any thoughts on that?
I will post what happens so that anyone else that finds themselves in this situation will have a reference points. Thanks for your input.
Don’t cancel your ARC!
I’m not sure of the legalities of it all, but in practice you only lose your ARC if your employer cancels it, which they’re supposed to do when you leave the job, but a lot don’t know, don’t bother or forget.
OK, this isn’t a legal opinion or anything, but I wouldn’t cancle it until you’ve found out more about your options.