Options for Staying on in Taiwan (v2): Get a job, continue studies, set up a rep office?

Australian in TW currently on the Huayu Enrichment Scholarship with a student ARC visa till mid/late June.

Currently looking for ways to stay in Taiwan after the end of my scholarship, I’ve done a bit of reading, calling and asking around and here are some of the options that I have found so far:

  1. Set up a representative office (I already have an Australian company)
  2. Find a job (and then quit to go on a job seeker visa - 12 months max)
  3. Continue studying (Mandarin, Masters, or PhD)
  4. Redacted by moderator
  5. Investment routes
  6. (Marriage) - when I called the foreigner 1990 hotline they mentioned this as a potential option haha

Working holiday visas aren’t currently being given out nor am I that interested in flying out of Taiwan and coming back with quarantine regulations in place, otherwise WHV would be the best option (aside from UK, other countries need to be in their own country when applying for this I believe plus the WHV can’t be changed to other visas at the end of it).

I don’t believe I qualify for the Gold Card given the changes to the Economy field, especially with tightening the restrictions around the 160K NT minimum salary loophole

Posting this here for any feedback, advice, or things I may have missed, and also for future reference for others who find themselves in a similar situation.

I only want to stay on for potentially ~6 to 7 months more, however given covid restrictions and quarantine requirements the options are limited as to what’s available and from the ones that are available, they’re a little 麻煩 (ma fan).

Essentially I want to self-study Chinese and travel during this time and have no intention or interest of working whilst in TW, I have enough saved to fund my expenses. Also not interested in pursuing further studies in a classroom setting for Chinese or in higher university education.

I am leaning towards opening a Rep Office right now but given the process to start and then having to close it to reside in TW for a further 6 to 7 months makes me a little hesitant however this is likely the most viable option that I have.

I could find a job, get a work permit/transfer to work ARC and then quit and go on the job seeker extension visa (6 months + 6 months) but that would not be done in goodwill to my or any potential employers.

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There was a post on focustaiwan that said the Health Minister was considering opening borders without quarantine regulations in July which would open up visa runs as a possibility… but who knows when or if that would actually happen.

Thoughts? Words of advice?

Yeah. Please don’t do things that could hurt the view of foreigners here. We already have it hard enough.

I would probably wait until more options open up. Many of the things open right now like getting a job is a commitment.

I feel like this would take longer than a month

I’d pick this route in your shoes

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Starting a rep office, I hope you got like a few million NT…

Yeah I have no intentions of getting a job and then quitting, I’d like to do things straight.

Only issue with waiting for more options to open up is that my ARC will be coming up for expiry soon unless I enroll for the next semester of Mandarin studies, which I’m not that interested in doing. So for the safe side, might be best to get moving on the Rep Office application.

Have you started a rep office as a foreigner?

Have heard a month minimum is possible if documents are all done properly. I will be engaging an agent too to assist with all of this if I go this route.

Rep office does not need any capital requirements, that is a branch office or limited company.

Rep office from what I understand will have 1K application fee, ongoing virtual rental office space fees, NHI for yourself, and that’s about it? On top of fees for paying someone to help you through the process if you don’t do it yourself, which might be around 40K NTD

I remember reading that you had to have a minimum of 500k or something. But it’s not a cheap option for sure. This isn’t something you can do on a short notice.

Right.

I have a guy who can help with that.

Speaks English and is knowledgeable.

You’re basing something you may remember reading?

That’s not a rep office, the $500000 requirement is for foreigners attaining a work permit for starting a company.

Please google this stuff and check before handing out misinformation. I understand it’s in good faith, but I’ve had to debunk several lately. Please double check your sources.

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Thanks mate, I have also saved his details from the previous posts you have shared his contact details on :grin:

Will def get in touch with him for a quote and any other queries I may have surrounding the process

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I do believe there is amendments coming down the line to the law that relax the procedures for foreigners who come to Taiwan to study and apply for extension of residence after graduation.

An alien entering Taiwan for studying, if necessary, should submit the reasons in writing to apply (changed to “may apply” [with no reason in writing needed]) to the National Immigration Agency for an extension of his/her ARC before expiration.

Article 22-1 - Regulations Governing Visiting, Residency, and Permanent Residency of Aliens

The amendments still have 24 days in public opinion left though could see if this is applicable to you and even provide the reason in writing if the amendment isn’t made in time of your expiration date.

Reason for change:

一、為鼓勵來臺就學之外國人畢業後留臺服務,爰放寬其申請延期居留之程序,於第一項刪除「有必要者」及「以書面敘明理由」等文字,並酌作文字修正。

Unofficial Translation:

In order to encourage foreigners to stay in Taiwan after graduation, I hereby relax the procedures for applying for extension of stay by deleting the words “if necessary” and “by stating the reasons in writing” in item 1 and amending the wording as appropriate.

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Just an update on this, I decided to setup a rep office and have started the process doing it myself, will post further about this on the ‘official’ rep office thread here: Complete Guide to Opening a Rep Office 2011 Update

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