My name is Alex, and I have been in Taipei for 2 weeks now looking for a job teaching English. I was born in London, and have spent the majority of my life growing up and studying there, making me practically English. However, because my dad is French, I’ve got a French passport, which is giving me a lot of problems to find a job.
I find it very hard to accept that because of one document from a perfectly respectable European country, I am unable to teach English in Taiwan. Is there anything I can do to get around this ‘red tape’? Is it possible to apply for a work permit independently and plead my case of being 99% English to some sort of foreign employment authority?
Its very frustrating as I’ve had a number of opportunities where schools have been on the verge of giving me a job/interviewing me, and then they find out about this and stop contacting me.
Any help would be very very very appreciated ! I’m aware that I can always do tutoring instead, however a reliable school set up would be much more preferable!
This is indeed an option, however I’m pretty sure to do that I’d have to return to the UK. I’m hoping there’s a cheaper, quicker and local solution to my problem!
Sorry to have to tell you that its always gonna be this way unless you can get a UK passport. The MOE only recognizes you as a native speaker if you hold a passport from the UK and Ireland, USA, Canada, Australia, NZ and South Africa.
Thanks for giving it to me straight. How certain are you?
I still find it ridiculous that I can’t legally teach English. It’s not like I’m from Djibouti or anything. I’m a European with a British education! Surely my accent already makes me a far more appropriate teacher than someone from Ireland, New Zealand or South Africa!
[quote=“schoelch”]
I still find it ridiculous that I can’t legally teach English. It’s not like I’m from Djibouti or anything. I’m a European with a British education! Surely my accent already makes me a far more appropriate teacher than someone from Ireland, New Zealand or South Africa!
argh!!![/quote]
Your accent makes you a far more appropriate teacher than someone from Eastern Europe who can barely get by in English. Still, without the right passport, you will be competing for illegal jobs with people who are in fact not native speakers of English, and in many cases can hardly speak English at all.
Sometimes illegal jobs pay well, though. We all know people working at illegal jobs who have been here for a while and are doing OK.
Do you know any agents who might be able to find me an ‘illegal’ job! I’m definitely very interested! If you dont want to write it on the forum feel free to email me at 'alexschoelcher@googlemail.com’
As you can see… I’m desperate! I love Taiwan and I don’t want to have to leave sooner than I thought!
No, I don’t know any agents anymore. They often cheat people, anyway.
If you’re white, you should be able to get a job just by going to buxibans and asking around. If you stay at a hostel, the other people there can often give you tips.
It would be supremely ironic if a native speaker of English were unable to get a legal job teaching English, but had no trouble getting a legal job teaching a language he can’t speak, just because of his passport.
Alex - are you a native speaker of French as well?
[quote=“schoelch”]Thanks for giving it to me straight. How certain are you?
I still find it ridiculous that I can’t legally teach English. It’s not like I’m from Djibouti or anything. I’m a European with a British education! Surely my accent already makes me a far more appropriate teacher than someone from Ireland, New Zealand or South Africa!
argh!!![/quote]
I think most dodgy bushibans care more about looks than accents.
To jimipresley: yes i have a degree in business administration from the University of Bath in the United Kingdom.
To bababa: yes i do speak french, but not with the same fluency as english. I definitely could only teach beginners with confidence. Anyone else and I might make some mistakes
To dougster: do you know any dodgy buxibans that might be interested?
They really should revamp this passport requirement. They should have a panel testing your English ability and looking at your qualifications. Otherwise a person who JUST got a passport from the UK, USA , Canada or S.Africa could actually be almost illiterate in English and still be legally able to teach English because of a passport.
[quote=“schoelch”]
I find it very hard to accept that because of one document from a perfectly respectable European country, I am unable to teach English in Taiwan. Is there anything I can do to get around this ‘red tape’? Is it possible to apply for a work permit independently and plead my case of being 99% English to some sort of foreign employment authority?
Many Thanks
Alex[/quote]
Idk if this will make you feel any better, but ABCs have to get around racial discrimination for English Teaching jobs.
[quote=“schoelch”]Surely my accent already makes me a far more appropriate teacher than someone from Ireland, New Zealand or South Africa!
argh!!![/quote]
Hey Alex, that’s not exactly the best way to make friends on this forum.
That said, it is incredibly unfair that you can’t get a job. I used to teach in a school that also had French teachers (teaching French). Perhaps that type of place could hire you (officially as a French teacher), but you could teach English classes. Of course it wouldn’t exactly be permitted officially.
Do you have two years of working experience after graduation? I’ve worked at a few adult schools that were able to hire people with passports from other countries because they hired them as “language consultants” instead of “English teachers”. They just applied for a professional ARC instead of a teaching one. This might be an option.
! I’m aware that I can always do tutoring instead, however a reliable school set up would be much more preferable!