After many years in the Middle East and with the intention of eventually settling down in Thailand, I came to Taiwan for a year in January last intending to do a year here (working in the high school system) before winding things up and retiring to Thailand.
It hasn’t quite worked out like that with the advent of covid. Now I am due to finish in December and would be glad to remain until at least August 2021–by which time I am hoping the crisis will have resolved itself. My questions are these-
I am 64 and hit 65 at the end of January 2021. I have heard 65 is the retirement age here, but does that mean you stop working as soon as you reach 65 or if a new contract is signed at the age of 64 --I will still be 64 in January–and doesn’t run beyond the age of 65 you can still work here? Is there flexibility? The agent asked me when I started if I’d like to continue the following year but she may not have considered everything. I know they are really short of teachers. So is another contract possible?
I heard about the possibility of extending your visa for 6 months even if you don’t have a job as a kind of work seeking visa. But would this even be possible for me if they are very strict about age? They could say you are too old and so too old to get the work seeking extension. If this happens, I assume I could stay at least until the end of January 2021 when I will hit 65.
Perhaps the private sector has more flexibility?
I appreciate these are rather obscure questions for most peoplehere and only a few might have any idea. Basically there are not too many over 60s here. However, I need to plan my next step and I do not wish to be forced back to the UK in the middle of a pandemic. Much better to wait until next August if I can with a job–or even on visa extensions.
Sorry for the obscure and rather complicated questions. Of course, I could just ask the agents and school, but I prefer to have some prior knowledge of the general situation before doing that. Can anyone help?
The Article 20 says you have to retire if you have worked for 5 years AND you are 65. So, it sounds you may renew your contract if you and school want.
Further to the above, this newbie would like to ask==
I am approaching the last 30 days of my job and residence card. What should I take to immigration to get a 6 month extension? I believe there is a form? Photo? Anything else?
I must go to Health Insurance place too? What do they need?
I am not sure if I will stay where I am or not…but there will surely be a month’s gap even if I do.
I will need a police certificate for next contract. I heard that after a year you can get this from Taiwan. It would be easier than going through the home process. Does anyone know how you get this and what they need?
To get a Taiwan police certificate, I believe you go to the police headquarters in your city with your ARC. Apparently it can take up to one hour, faster than UK. My previous employer did this for me and they weren’t gone long.
That’s good to know. Thank you for your help. What about the ARC extension/change to job seeker? At present I have no idea if I will stay here. I have been here 2 years but it;s not the friendliest place. For the extension I think I go to my local immigration office with a completed form, old ARC, and photo. This can be done within 30 days of expiry *from 1 December for me). Is there anything else. Actua;;y, i got it between contracts last year but the agent did it for me. However, given that she only applied for a 3 month extension rather than 6 month, I think I will do it myself this time. I know the 6 month extension costs 1000 NTD.
Is there anything else? Useful comments much appreciated.
I am also making an application for the employment gold card–which is not easy. I was wondering also if any confusion could be created if I am seeking to extend my ARC at the same time as applying for the gold card?