I wanted to start a positive thread about permanent residency in Taiwan. It’s gotten a lot better from when I first arrived. I know it still has a long way to go but I though we could focus on some of the positive aspects.
I now get some form of retirement savings. I’m really happy about this after not paying into a savings for many years here. It’s not much, but I feel better knowing there will be something there.
I just spoke to a University. They first informed me that only Taiwanese can study part time as I would be considered an international student. I mentioned that perhaps they were wrong as I am a permanent resident. The woman checked the law and informed me that yes, I was correct. The law states I am considered a local and not an international student.
According to the Article 10 of Regulations Regarding International Students Undertaking Studies in Taiwan (https://law.moj.gov.tw/ENG/LawClass/LawAll.aspx?pcode=H0110001) , if you have the legitimate resident status, you are eligible to apply for part time programs.
“An international student is not permitted to apply to study any recurrent or continuing education bachelor’s degree program or in-service master’s degree program, or any other program which is only taught in the evening or during vacations, at a university or tertiary college in Taiwan. However, an international student who already has legitimate resident status or who is undertaking a program approved on a case by case basis by the Ministry of Education is not subject to this restriction.”
Citizenship: Yeah, give up your original passport, while Taiwanese are wandering around with thirty. Yeah, you do get the rights of a citizen, but will always be thought of as weiguoren.
ARC: Your sponsor owns you. They can revoke it at any time, without even telling you. You don’t have open work rights. You are tied to the job that your sponsor generously gives you. It has to be renewed every year (in most cases) which requires that pesky medical test where they rifle through your excrement, urine and blood for traces of intestinal parasites, illegal drugs and STDs. Oh, and the x-ray to check that you’re not going to be a tuberculosis super-spreader.
JFRV: Yes, you have open work rights, and unlike an APRC, can leave the country for an unlimited amount of time, BUT do you ever read the horror stories on Forumosa about beautiful, loving relationships gone suddenly, horribly wrong? Wife divorces you? Fuck off. Leave in two weeks. Wife gets slam-dunked by a drunk driver? Fuck off. Leave in two weeks.
She has a heart attack and dies? Fuck off. Leave in two weeks.
APRC: Open work rights. The only downside is that you have to be resident in Taiwan for half of each year. However, with extenuating circumstances, you can apply to be away for a few years. I haven’t done it, but it’s apparently pretty simple.
Many nationalities can keep their original citizenship when naturalising as a Taiwanese. British citizens for example can claim back their British nationality after renouncing it, and it is not against Taiwanese law.
Yeah, but they still have to renounce it in the first place. It’s a lengthy and costly procedure to get it back. Taiwanese, by comparison, can hold as many passports as they wish.
Double standard.
Hmm. I’m not sure. The school assured me it was only for permanent residents. I’m thinking this might cause problems for a regular ARC because the purpose would only be for one job. Perhaps if your job agreed for you to study it’s possible. My understanding is that it’s not possible on an ARC as that breaks the rules again how many hours a student can work and that this rule is made to prevent foreign students from studying part time while getting a full time job… Finding a back door to an employment visa.
