For quite a while, I’ve been out of the loop about some things. So I’m asking the board, is what Loretta wrote in 2011, quoted below, still more or less accurate? Or have I somehow misunderstood the quote above?
Work permit vs visa: A visa allows you to be in Taiwan, but does not give you permission to work. A work permit allows you to work, but does not give you permission to be in Taiwan. You need both documents, from different government departments, in order to be working and living legally in Taiwan.
This can be confusing because you need a visa to be in Taiwan, but you need a reason (eg a work permit) to obtain a visa. So there are usually several steps to follow. First, you arrive with a visitor visa (or visa-exempt entry), then you apply for a work permit, and this allows you to obtain a new visa as an employed person. An ARC is . . . proof that you have a visa. . . .