it says that white collar professionals can change visitor visa to a working one. what do they class as white collar worker?
TW only sees workers as Blue Collar (such as philippino factory workers, and maids) and White Collar (people who work in offices, such as teachers). They have regulations for both types of workers that vary quite a lot.
it says in special cases you can change landing visa to work visa, are these cases rare or is advisable to go to hong kong. If someone offers me a job that is.
HOnestly you may want to visit HONG KONG anyway. So really its nothing to get worried about.
Consider it an enforced bit of leisure travel and you and your blood pressure will do fine. HK is only 1 hr 20 mins away and there are loads of flights to and fro every day.
I am speaking from experience. I was really irritated when I learned I had to leave the country in 2006 for the same (similar?) reason, but once I got to HK, I took it as an opportunity to take long walks on Victorian Peak, visit with old friends, and do a little shopping. I returned to Taiwan in a much better mood.
If this is the worst thing that happens to you this year, you will have had a good 2010.
[quote=“Shearersheed”][quote=“Tazzie”]Consider it an enforced bit of leisure travel and you and your blood pressure will do fine. HK is only 1 hr 20 mins away and there are loads of flights to and fro every day.
I am speaking from experience. I was really irritated when I learned I had to leave the country in 2006 for the same (similar?) reason, but once I got to HK, I took it as an opportunity to take long walks on Victorian Peak, visit with old friends, and do a little shopping. I returned to Taiwan in a much better mood.
If this is the worst thing that happens to you this year, you will have had a good 2010.[/quote]
I like your positiveness. I guess it helps you have been through it.
My girlfriend seems to think I should have read everything there is about moving there, found out all the details and read them a billion times. Also because I am 26 I should be amazing at planning things and not make any mistakes. I don’t know how she works any of this out do you?[/quote]
She’s a Taiwanese xiaojie, mate. Chances are you helped her a shit load with loads of stuff in the UK, but regards coming to Taiwan, living here and getting yourself sorted (especially visa and job wise or almost anything that is unique to foreigners in Taiwan) she’ll be unwilling or unable to help and wont understand why you don’t know or can’t help yourself (despite the fact that she may have been equally clueless in the UK and you helped her with similar things back there). Despite difficulties with the language etc… It just does not compute.
Get used to finding out and doing things for yourself.
Are you actually coming to Taiwan? You’ve been speaking about it for, urm, like 17 years now.
[quote=“Shearersheed”][quote=“bismarck”][quote=“Shearersheed”][quote=“Tazzie”]Consider it an enforced bit of leisure travel and you and your blood pressure will do fine. HK is only 1 hr 20 mins away and there are loads of flights to and fro every day.
I am speaking from experience. I was really irritated when I learned I had to leave the country in 2006 for the same (similar?) reason, but once I got to HK, I took it as an opportunity to take long walks on Victorian Peak, visit with old friends, and do a little shopping. I returned to Taiwan in a much better mood.
If this is the worst thing that happens to you this year, you will have had a good 2010.[/quote]
I like your positiveness. I guess it helps you have been through it.
My girlfriend seems to think I should have read everything there is about moving there, found out all the details and read them a billion times. Also because I am 26 I should be amazing at planning things and not make any mistakes. I don’t know how she works any of this out do you?[/quote]
She’s a Taiwanese xiaojie, mate. Chances are you helped her a shit load with loads of stuff in the UK, but regards coming to Taiwan, living here and getting yourself sorted (especially visa and job wise or almost anything that is unique to foreigners in Taiwan) she’ll be unwilling or unable to help and wont understand why you don’t know or can’t help yourself (despite the fact that she may have been equally clueless in the UK and you helped her with similar things back there). Despite difficulties with the language etc… It just does not compute.
Get used to finding out and doing things for yourself.[/quote]
ha, thats totally spot on. When I mention I helped her in England, and she is not helping me how I would imagine there. She then proceeds to say “you are 26, why do I need to help you, it is not my business” etc etc.
I did help out with a few things in the UK not that she will admit it :o) when things go wrong, it is my fault. When things go well it is all her doing.
Whats with this xiaojie thing I have read it a lot on here? I sense I have a lot still to learn about Taiwan[/quote]
Yep, the “it’s not my business” is always priceless. I mean, you’re coming here because of her, i.e it is her business.
I don’t know what it is, mate. You could be cynical and say, ‘Her time in the UK has come to an end and she’s had all the help she’s needed from you. Now she’s heading home back to the comfort of family and friends and all she holds dear, and you’re tagging along. sigh Hopes she’s not expected to take you home or anything… What if she tires of you in Taiwan? Does she really want you to come along…?’
But that would just be being cynical. Some cases are like that, I expect, but it seems to me that local birds aren’t generally very knowledgeable about what needs to be done from a foreigners perspective in terms of traveling to Taiwan, visas, medical checks, ARCs, work permits etc. And it’s all too mafan (troublesome) to find out or be bothered with. Selfishness, perhaps? Who knows?
It’s kind of like what a lot of guys with local partners say about learning Chinese. They can’t teach you for shit, but once you have a solid conversational level and can speak intelligibly they’re good for practicing and honing your skills.
Another thing is, most young people here have everything done for them all their lives. They’re not used to going out and doing things for themselves or being independent. So…stands to reason that she wont be much help in your situation.
This is a generalisation, of course.
So, don’t hold it against her. Just work from the POV that you need to find out what you need to do and how you need to do it by yourself. And that’s what we’re here for! 
Sounds like the beginning of the end.
This kind of issue comes up in every international realtionship. Ride it out or - - - the alternative.
I am fortunate that my SO and her daughter try to keep me sorted. Sometimes too much so.
You helped her in UK and she should help you here. Even now, after several years of being together, I run into an agency that is talking too fast for me to understand and I get crap if I ask her to intervene. I guess I’ve learned to live with it. Look at the history and prognosticate. Maybe she will come to understand that us furriners can’t know or understand everything.
[quote=“Tazzie”]Consider it an enforced bit of leisure travel and you and your blood pressure will do fine. HK is only 1 hr 20 mins away and there are loads of flights to and fro every day.
I am speaking from experience. I was really irritated when I learned I had to leave the country in 2006 for the same (similar?) reason, but once I got to HK, I took it as an opportunity to take long walks on Victorian Peak, visit with old friends, and do a little shopping. I returned to Taiwan in a much better mood.
If this is the worst thing that happens to you this year, you will have had a good 2010.[/quote]
Exactly!! I treated the more then 100 visa runs I made out of TAiwan as an enforced holiday. I never did a one day turn-around. Because that would be too much catering to the man. Instead I had me a nice coupla days doing something in HK or Macau or Seoul or a few other places I went.
[quote=“tommy525”][quote=“Tazzie”]Consider it an enforced bit of leisure travel and you and your blood pressure will do fine. HK is only 1 hr 20 mins away and there are loads of flights to and fro every day.
I am speaking from experience. I was really irritated when I learned I had to leave the country in 2006 for the same (similar?) reason, but once I got to HK, I took it as an opportunity to take long walks on Victorian Peak, visit with old friends, and do a little shopping. I returned to Taiwan in a much better mood.
If this is the worst thing that happens to you this year, you will have had a good 2010.[/quote]
Exactly!! I treated the more then 100 visa runs I made out of Taiwan as an enforced holiday. I never did a one day turn-around. Because that would be too much catering to the man. Instead I had me a nice coupla days doing something in HK or Macau or Seoul or a few other places I went.[/quote]
all depends on money mate. If I can find somewhere relativity quick I can go to Hong Kong and party like a motherfucker 
forgot to mention, I am bringing the essentials. football boots, shin pads and footy strip! 
HI, I guess you are now in Taiwan, right?
Taiwanese are very friendly to foreigners.
Do not worry, I believe you will be all right.
Are you going to teach english here?
[quote=“Shearersheed”]Hi all, I have changed my flight date to the 22nd July. I am totally nervous about coming there because I have not managed to find work online before I leave the UK. I am hoping I will have more luck while I am there walking around, handing out CVs and that kind of thing.
My girlfriend is going to help me out as much as she can with everything, and on top of this if you don’t already know I am a youth worker in the UK, and I have worked with loads of different kids age groups, and I have worked in Germany and America as well as the UK.
I am looking for some encouragement and positiveness people. Thank you.
Anyway I am totally nervous because I hope everything works out for me over there. I don’t know if this is in the right part of the forum but I didn’t know where else to put it.[/quote]
[quote=“a572h0827230”]HI, I guess you are now in Taiwan, right?
Taiwanese are very friendly to foreigners.
Do not worry, I believe you will be all right.
Are you going to teach english here?
[quote=“Shearersheed”]Hi all, I have changed my flight date to the 22nd July. I am totally nervous about coming there because I have not managed to find work online before I leave the UK. I am hoping I will have more luck while I am there walking around, handing out CVs and that kind of thing.
My girlfriend is going to help me out as much as she can with everything, and on top of this if you don’t already know I am a youth worker in the UK, and I have worked with loads of different kids age groups, and I have worked in Germany and America as well as the UK.
I am looking for some encouragement and positiveness people. Thank you.
Anyway I am totally nervous because I hope everything works out for me over there. I don’t know if this is in the right part of the forum but I didn’t know where else to put it.[/quote][/quote]
I am trying to teach English here. Not used to do doing a class demo, and i’m not used to the needs of a classroom compared to being a youth worker I guess. I am however getting better at the demos and think I could nail a job pretty soon.
Plus I am preparing more.
I don’t know anybody here personally and will be studying Mandarin at Tai-Da.
I will live here for at least 1 year.
I need some advice on what to bring.
What do you wish you had brought with you now that you are on the island. Things that are not readily available that you regret not bringing?
Conversely, what do you wish you had left at home and saved some space in your suitcase for other things?
Thanks for the help!
S…E…A…R…C…H…! This function will reveal the answers, young grasshopper.
A warm coat. Seems silly now but wait until it’s 6 degrees and all you can find here is a POS made in China.
Actually, I’ve got a very warm and well-made wool sweater my parents brought me from a trip to China. Excellent material and workmanship. Definitely no POS. It all boils down to “you get what you pay for”, which applies in Taiwan and almost everywhere. If you’re willing to shell out a little more than your cheapness would allow, you can get some good quality stuff even though made in China.
[quote=“Propensity”]I don’t know anybody here personally and will be studying Mandarin at Tai-Da.
I will live here for at least 1 year.
I need some advice on what to bring.
What do you wish you had brought with you now that you are on the island. Things that are not readily available that you regret not bringing?
Conversely, what do you wish you had left at home and saved some space in your suitcase for other things?
Thanks for the help![/quote]
In your case? Reading glasses. God! The number of times this exact topic has been covered in just the last few days.
Tanning oil and / or lotion. I’ve grossly underestimated their obsession with white skin.
Also, if you work out and you use protein powder … bring your own. It’s three times as expensive here. Like $3,000 NTD (about $100 USD). That made me upset when I walked into the GNC the other day.