Ah, I see. Maybe I should have tried searching in English. 
I’ll try to do an edit of my rambling post later, and I’ll also have a look at the Q&A about 編制 and all that. Thanks Tando.
The first place I called was the labor board. I had asked my HR and told them I was going to call the Labor board to check and ask questions. I gave them my name… My HR called just after and the labor board informed HR that I had just called. I got an email from HR which included a record that I had called the labor board. I followed up months later and was informed that my school was not required to pay my pension.
Next I called the education bureau. It’s municipal so this is my experience in Taichung. They assured me that to launch an investigation, I would need to give my full name and employer and that the employer would be contacted to know I had launched the complaint. They would not tell me any more information. I followed up a year later and they assured me the school was under no obligation to pay my pension.
Finally I went in person to the local MoE office. They were nice and seemed genuine. I was sure that the private school act required my school to pay something. I went in with the legislation ready. They met with me and listened. They said a discussion with their lawyer was necessary as they weren’t sure. After looking into it, they told me to move forward I would not be able to remain anonymous. I was required to give the school’s name and a copy of my contract. They assured me there was no other way.
I’ve decided to find a school that will pay a pension so I left it at that.
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When you say labor board, do you mean the 勞動局/勞工局 of the local government, the BLI (勞工保險局), or the MOL (勞動部)?
MOL. I also contacted the workforce development and the labor insurance. Local and federal.
@yyy has given great information.
In my experience this issue needs to be dealt by
- lobbying: I think the law itself needs to be changed. This would require closing the loophole or allowing teachers who are qualified in other countries to join the Taiwanese teachers pension
- hiring a lawyer: this could jeopardize current employment. Most of these schools are small. Word gets around when someone starts asking questions.
- all teachers at a school demanding their employer voluntarily pays a pension.
Overall, I think there’s no sympathy for foreign workers in this situation. Most Taiwanese mention that you get paid a lot so just save on your own.
I even called that foreign workers hotline 1999 or whatever. The lady was like: I can’t really help you, I usually deal with southeast Asian workers problems.
@eCanada that’s probably why they don’t want you to remain anonymous. They know that you know that it’s a career ender once schools talk, so nobody does it.
You go away, and then they can make another green tea and chill out for the rest of the day
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Taiwan will get serious about pensions when they make it easy for foreign residents to remain in Taiwan at retirement age
As they should
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My company has been paying into my pension account since I got my APRC last year. I have a typical full time teacher salary. Assuming I retire in 20 years and keep working until then and neither country falls apart, how much would I expect to receive each month? I figure that plus my American SSI (which will be the minimum because I never earned much there) will be enough to keep a roof over my head.
I know no one can give an exact number as it depends on a number of factors, but am I looking at monthly $5K, $10K, $20K? or more or less?
I’ll probably be working longer than that and I deserve it. I’ve been a foolish grasshopper.
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With SSI do you have the minimum 40 quarters?
I think I’ll make it, but there is an absolute minimum payment no matter how many points you have, isn’t there?
Also, has anyone tried to login to the BLI website to check their pension? It won’t accept my APRC number, old style. My employer gave me a screenshot the account from their computer a while back and my ID number is correct. This appears to be the login site:
https://edesk.bli.gov.tw/na/
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I didn’t know this was a thing. I work full-time, at a respectable company but heard nothing about pensions. I assume it is done automatically.
Is there a way to check online?
I just posted it seconds before you asked. Assuming you have an APRC, login and see if it works. You need your NHI card number also. If it does, did you use the old or new style ARC number?
https://calc.mol.gov.tw/trial/personal_account_frame.asp
this is the MOL retirement calculator. its in Chinese, but easy to translate the fields
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It should show up on your payslip. Mine does.
I couldn’t log in either.
As an side–was a poor, badly translated website. But I shouldn’t be surprised. All Taiwan government websites seem to have not been updated since 2005.
For social security you need to have made a fairly modest salary for 40 quarters. I would check with SSA to make sure you made, and perhaps come up with a plan to make the minimum if you are short.
I don’t suppose that includes income earned abroad below the $50,000 deductible, does it?
I think it has be taxable income that you paid social security on. If you worked as a teen or in college, etc., you may well have already made it. Basically it’s ten years of making ~$6000/year and paying social security on it.
Well, my employer logged in. Do I just ask them every time I want an update? I never had a problem with this before. I knew it would happen someday.
Start reading here:
6% pension for foreign spouses, how do I make a pension account? - #11 by bluejasn
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