Hello. I am currently on a job-seeker ARC, and looking for a full-time job (as a chemical engineer) is taking longer than expected. I plan to teach English part-time to sustain my living expenses while looking for permanent job. However, one problem is that you cannot apply for a work permit by yourself under a job-seeker ARC. I manage to find a cram school who is willing to apply work permit for me but I have to shoulder the cost of the work permit (they said it is usually around 4k+ NTD). Also, they can only guarantee that I will have a 8-hrs per week teaching load.
Anyway MY QUESTION IS, after the cram school obtain a work permit for me, do I also have to change my job-seeker ARC into another ARC with the cram school as my sponsor? Honestly, I would want to keep my job-seeker ARC as is, since technically, I am allowed to extend it until June 2024. Also, I don’t like the idea of my ARC being dependent on the cram school where I am only supposed to teach for 8-hrs and I don’t really know how many months.
Now for my part, I already called the NIA to inquire if I need to change my ARC, and they said the job-seeker ARC and the work permit are two different things. I understand this, but I also read somewhere that you are supposed to apply for a change of ARC once you find a company and get a work permit. In the end, they cannot give me a definite answer whether I need to change my ARC upon finding a part-time job and work permit, or if I can keep the job-seeker ARC until I find a permanent job. They then suggest that I should call the WorkForce Development Agency to ask. However, this office told me they are only concern about the work permit and not about what kind of ARC I have and that I should ask NIA instead.
I’m really confused right now. Did anyone have a similar dillema before? Thanks!
Thank you for the reply. I’ve read that the min hours required is 14h. I mentioned it to the cram school and they said they can just put whatever hours in the contract but they can only guarantee 8h per week in actual. My main problem is that I cannot apply for a work permit by myself under the job-seeker ARC. And most cram schools prefer someone with APRC, ARC through marriage, or student with work permit. It is hard to find a cram school that will sponsor work permit for someone who only intends to work part-time. As I mentioned, my goal is to find a full-time work as an engineer but I might need to work part-time as of the moment to sustain my expenses.
Well, after I graduated from the university, I worked for 3 years (not here in Taiwan). Then I decided to do a master program here in Taiwan. I just graduated last June which is why I am now on the job-seeker visa.
Ah it might be 14 then, it’s possible I’m misremembering. I’d still say that’s “part time”.
No, of course you can’t - the company needs to do that like usual.
Sure, I get it, but that still needs a work permit, in which case I’d have thought that 14/16 hrs would be preferable (notwithstanding the problem that someone intending to quit for something else soon might not look like the most desirable applicant or one worth going through the hassle of hiring a new employee for…).
Exactly. I would also prefer if they can give me at least 14hrs teaching load. But they were at least honest that if I am looking for longer hours, I should look elsewhere. I also told them upright that I am currently looking for a full-time work right now and I just need to teach English part-time till I found one. They seemed to be okay with this and offered to apply for a work permit for me (provided I will shoulder the cost). SO FAR, they are the only cram school who is willing to do so, and all others are just looking for part-timers with APRC or student work permit.
That is true. But for the STEM field, I think the salary is the easiest one. Other pathways required extensive research experience/contribution/awards.
A lot of the non-financial criteria appears to be quite subjective. I’d imagine if you could get letters from Taiwanese industry contacts explaining how your skills would be of benefit to the Taiwanese economy it might give you at least some chance.
Regarding my original question, it seems to me that if they indeed get a work permit for me, I would need to change my ARC from job-seeker ARC to an ARC under the cram school, is this correct?
Thank you so much for your replies. One more thing, so the school gave me teaching schedule this week. But they are yet to process my work permit (also this week). This will be considered working illegally, right? What would be a good response to the school?
I’m not sure. I guess you could say you’re not comfortable working until you have a work permit (because you’d prefer not to get deported), though I don’t believe what your school is asking is that uncommon.
I also think this is very common among cram schools. But I also know they don’t really care what happens to a foreigner in case they are caught. Anyway, I spoke with the staff and they told me in the worst case scenario that someone will check, I could say I am a “volunteer” and not a hired employee. They do have some volunteer programs. Do you think this would work?
I’m probably the wrong person to ask tbh (I’ve never worked for a Taiwanese company, and will do my best to keep it that way), but I believe volunteering counts as “work” here too so that might not help.
Like you say, I get the impression they don’t really care what happens if the employee/volunteer is caught (though I think they get fined for it).
Ohh, not aware of this. Seems like I cannot really trust their words. I think the penalty of being caught working without a valid work permit under job-seeker ARC is deportation.