I just had a quick question. For those who did not meet the income requirements for an APRC, but who got an APRC through “skills and talent”, how did you prove skills and talent? For example, do you need to submit relative work experience or can your employers vouch that you have skills and talent that are sufficient to get an APRC?
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I have the same question. I am currently working as a translator and I don’t know which rules apply to me, as apparently migrant workers have a new rule that states they’ll need to achieve 35k salary monthly average to earn an APRC after 5 years. But for others (I do not know how they differentiate, as we’re all “migrant workers”), you’ll need double the current minimum salary. There is other requirement but it needs you to have NTD5 million total value of assets in Taiwan, which is kinda ridiculous.
Perhaps there is other people who can help us with this? I heard that you’ll need to take a Technical/Professional Exam as a substitute for income statement, but I’m not sure of this
That could simply be done by buying a house. Not in cash, with a mortgage is fine.
Not sure if I can afford it, cause I just started working at a local Taiwan company with a 32k salary. Was planning to get an APRC so I can teach legally here, my country’s mother tongue is not English sadly
My point being is that it’s not as ridiculous as it sounds.
I think keeping your eyes open for jobs that pay more to make the APRC requirement is a better strategy. What is it that you do right now? What kinda skills and education you have? What is your native language?
I am working as a Chinese-Indonesian translator.
Worked 3 years as a receptionist in a small hotel in Indonesia, 1 year as a purchasing officer in an Indonesian school. Worked part-time as a housekeeping staff while I was studying in Taiwan.
I graduated a Master’s degree in hospitality and tourism in National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism.
Native language: Indonesian
I don’t have much skills yet, just some management basics, customer service basics, and writing skills from when I wrote my thesis and journal paper manuscripts.
Most hospitality jobs that were offered to me were housekeeping with 26k salary, and I got rejected for receptionist positions due to my Chinese being insufficient. So I took my current job.
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Ok, so it sounds like you have a fairly decent set of skills and education. I think you have good prospects. Keep your eyes open, many companies are looking for Indonesian for translation/localisation of manuals, marketing and software, or tour guiding and the prospects to be above the minimum salary requirements look good. Make sure you value yourself correctly and bang the drum that you speak Indonesian to help them with Indonesian customers.
How many years have you been in Taiwan?
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2 years in total which was spent when I was taking my master’s degree. Just started my current job for a month, but I don’t see much of a career to climb so far. The experience I gained is a lot though from my current job, especially improving my Chinese
Hopefully more jobs open up with better prospect, my biggest fear is that in 5 years, I have not been able to gain that much salary yet to gain APRC.
But then again, 5 years is a long time, things might change…
It’s good to improve the Chinese. There are lots of sales jobs. My company has an Indonesian to work on sales to Indonesia.
It’s not really a big deal. You just stay on the ARC for another and keep at it. They only look at the last year to make the salary requirements. You can do it on the 6th or 7th.
Probably should consider moving to sales, or advertising.
Hopefully by then its settled, thanks for the advise!
I wish you the best. Make Indonesian and the things Taiwanese can’t do the centre of your skillset and you’ll be on the road to more money.
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You were studying and graduated from a Taiwan university. In the face of Taiwan bureaucracy, you are not a migrant worker.
Also, your Chinese status doesn’t have official ruling, because the overseas Chinese are the one with proven ROC parents/grandparents.
You actually only need 5 years residency for regular APRC. The minimum income is the requirement when you are hired as profesional worker. (You are not migrant worker, so you are a profesional worker.) 2x minimum salary was the previously written, but now seems not written anywhere.
- A completed APRC Application Form.
(2) One color photograph (the same specifications as required for an R.O.C. (Taiwan) ID card).
(3) Original and one photocopy of new and old passports (the original will be returned immediately after verification).
(4) Original and one photocopy of Alien Resident Certificate (the original will be returned immediately after verification).
(5) A satisfactory health examination certificate: the health examination must follow the Items Required for Health Certificate (Form B) announced by the Ministry of Health and Welfare for current use by listed domestic main medical institutions and their newly added health examination hospitals (pdf file) (xls file).
(6) Proof of financial assets or special skills and talents. But this is not required for applicants under Subparagraphs 5 to 8 of the preceding Article.
(7) Criminal record certificates for the most recent five years issued by the police of the applicant’s home country and by the R.O.C. (Taiwan). But this is not required for applicants under Subparagraphs 5 and 6 of the preceding Article.
B. Employment:
(a)Official letter of approval for employment.
(b)Proof of taking up work within one month.
(c)Those without an employer while seeking employment and Employment Gold Card holders are exempt from submitting an official letter of approval for employment and proof of taking up work.
5. Processing Time:
14 days (excluding the time it takes to send an application between the special municipality and county/city service centers and the NIA, for submitting supporting documentation, for interviews, or for requesting relevant agencies to examine documents).
6. Fee: NT$10,000.
(2) Proof of financial assets or special skills and talents:
A. An applicant applies for permanent residency as the spouse of a Taiwan National, and an applicant who applies for residency under the category of the Article 31 paragraph 4 Subparagraph 1 to 5 of the Act, may submit application with one of the following documents which will be subject to consideration of the NIA in the exercise of discretion:
(a)Details of income, tax payment, financial assets and real assets in Taiwan.
(b)A statement issued by an employer to certify employment, or the applicant’s own statement in writing detailing their work content and income.
(c)Qualification certificate of/equivalent to Professional and Technical Personnel Examinations or Class B/above Qualifying Examinations issued by the R.O.C. (Taiwan) government’s competent authority.
(d) Other supporting documents that may show they have adequate means of financial support.
You must apply on where you are living, not where you are working. New Taipei office only has 1 person dealing with APRC, must reserve beforehand.
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Do my grandparents have to be ROC citizens? They are from the mainland who fled during the instability period between and after WWII so I’m not sure whether they have ROC or PRC citizenship. They are right now Indonesian citizens, but still have living relatives in the mainland.
So I gather migrant worker means blue-collar worker for Taiwan’s government?
Huh, I might have seen it on an non-updated site perhaps? If so then they might be relaxing the rule. Last time I called the NIA hotline, the staff told me he himself doesn’t know the new rule and told me to visit my nearest immigration office.
Does this mean I need my employer to write a letter of employer?
Yes for all questions.
I thought you just had to have an ARC for 5 years and pay 10k NT. I don’t recall having to prove any minimum income or skills/talents when I got my APRC a few years ago.
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Ah…. Here it is
(a)To an applicant who meet the requirements of the income, who may submit application with one of the following documents which will be subject to consideration of the NIA in the exercise of discretion:
I. The requirements of the income refer to, during the previous 12 months or from January to December of previous calendar year preceding the date of submitting application, applicant’s average monthly wage is greater than 2 times of wage published by the Ministry of Labor.
2 x 12 x 26400 = 633600 per year, gross.
If you have a gold card, you don’t need to submit an income statement.
Here it is… They did state one of the following, so I can just take some Technical test. There seem to be not much info on what they mean by technical test though, or what jobs can have technical tests.
Your English is better than 99% of Taiwanese. That’s gotta be worth something. 
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That is very sad.
As others mentioned, you seem to have some great assets that most Taiwanese can’t match! And yes, English is one of them.
Improving Chinese is great, but even with what you have currently I would expect you’d be a great hire for many “higher” jobs in the tourism industry. And probably other industries as well.
Very best of luck!
I didn’t have a gold card. Perhaps my employer submitted an income statement on my behalf. Our HR department tends to be pretty supportive of us getting our APRCs since it means they don’t have to deal with continually renewing our ARCs anymore.
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