Hi all,
I’m working in India and I have 13 years of experience in semiconductor/VLSI test (Design for Test).
I have a BS in EE.
I got an offer from a taiwan tech company.
The offer is US $100K per year (Including the bonus).
Is it a good offer? Do I need to bargain for more?
I’m planning to demand US $180K.
Is it too much?
What is the cost of living in Taiwan (HsinChu)in USD?
How much I can save if I get US $100K?
Thanks
Venu
I’d say that’s a very good salary unless you’re an expert in something specific - high-performance analog, for example - or have working knowledge of some breakthrough process or device construction. Your Taiwanese compatriots will be paid about one-fifth of that.
You can try asking for $180K, but they’ll probably tell you where to stuff it.
You can rent a nice place in Hsinchu for NT$16000-20000/month. If you’re really earning US$100K, you should be able to save US$50K a year or more. You’ll be taxed quite heavily.
Are you sure they said US$? Seems a bit odd. They weren’t offering NT$100,000 per month? That’s still a bloody good salary, but it’s not US$100K/year.
That sounds high. What #'s did they base the bonus on? Is it variable? Ask them what the variable bonus was in 2008, 2009. How much is guaranteed cash? Is that all cash salary or is part housing/car stipend?
In general trying to negotiate for 2X salary puts you in the dealbreaker category. If the starting expectations between you and the company are that far apart then there is something wrong, either the job is not properly scoped, you are overqualified, or either applicant or company is insane.
[quote=“dig-des”]Hi all,
I’m working in India and I have 13 years of experience in semiconductor/VLSI test (Design for Test).
I have a BS in EE.
I got an offer from a taiwan tech company.
The offer is US $100K per year (Including the bonus).
Is it a good offer? Do I need to bargain for more?
I’m planning to demand US $180K.
Is it too much?
What is the cost of living in Taiwan (Xinzhu (Hsinchu))in USD?
How much I can save if I get US $100K?
Thanks
Venu[/quote]
Hey man, BTW you shouldn’t be in Taiwanted, you should be in the regular forum.
Re: your questions: 100k USD per year is pretty big money in Taiwan. If that’s really their offer, it sounds good for local pay.
If you want to bargain, be careful: the bargaining culture here is not really a haggling culture like India or the Middle East. You can’t go too high or low from an original offer or request. If you do, the other person will probably just terminate the negotiations.
That was also my immediate thought.
US$100K per year IS very good here. If they really did offer that I wouldn’t counter with $180K. That would be rude and out of touch. But might as well counter at $130 or so, and see if you can pull it up a little higher.
I agree that you’ll save a lot here.
Congratulations. Well done. :bravo:
Let us know after you read their communication again and confirm exactly what they offered.
If you think you can get that then barter for it. Just don’t blow the offer by playing too hardball if you really want to take the job. You know what to do for the best for you.
Ignore those who suggest that you don’t know how to read numbers or that bartering for a higher wage is impossible in Taiwan. It is hard for people to accept that something outside of their experience might be true.
Thanks all for the fast replies.
That was my first post. So I didn’t know in which section I should post.
Please let me know how to move this post to appropriate forum.
I worked in USA in past for 6 years. So the company asked me about my past US salary.
It was US $130K per year. So they came up with $100K.
Any way, you have a valid doubt. I will check with them whether it is NT per month or USD per year.
They didn’t mention any bonus in the offer. All they said was, the bonus is included in the offer.
And all 100K is guaranteed. There is no other cash like house rent etc in the offer.
Basically this job is for a one year contract. They are looking for an expert who can solve their product problems.
They decided that I can fit the bill.
I will let you know if I have any more updates.
BTW, what will be the tax for USD 100K in Taiwan?
Thanks
That’s around NT$250,000 per month. Sounds about right to me for what they’re asking. It is by local standards a very high salary. My brother-in-law gets around that much as a China Airlines pilot with around 20 years experience, flying those really massive passenger jets that carry like a million people at a time, if that’s any help. You could probably negotiate it up, but only by a little. There’s no way they’ll contemplate almost double, which is what you’re asking for.
Taiwan personal income tax rates are progressive to 40%.
Income Tax Rate
0-500,000 5%
500,001-1,130,000 12%
1,130,001-2,260,000 20%
2,260,001-4,230,000 30%
4,230,001 and over 40%
Also, are you a US citizen? Making that salary will also require you to pay taxes to the US.
Not too much. Only above $91,500, at which point you start owing 28%+ depending on how much more you make (and I think you can deduct some of the taiwan taxes?)… So if he makes $100k It wouldn’t be too bad overall.
You can also tell them once the salary is agreed upon that it sounds reasonable and you’re interested, but you understand that Taiwanese citizens all receive 6% of their salary as a pension on top of the salary, but as a foreigner you won’t be entitled to that and that will be hard on you as you’ll need to save for your pension on your own, so you’d appreciate if they can tack on an extra 6% to make up for that.
The salary makes sense for a 1 year contract for a specific skill. I was able to get the 6% easily with the same logic so that is a good suggestion by MT. Also, ask for home leave expenses paid every 3 months.
Thanks to all.
Also the company is offering 7 days of leave in the entire one year.
It appears to be too low.
Can I know what is the common practice of leave policy in TW hightech companies.
In US, I used to get 3 weeks.
In India, my company gives 22 leave days.
Thanks
Welcome to the Taiwanese concept of ‘employment’ … also known as bonded slavery 
I assume your US visa ran out, or you’d still be there. 7 days’ leave is about normal. Take your money, keep your nose to the grindstone until you’ve made enough (or had enough), then leave and go somewhere else … at least that kind of salary allows you the freedom to take a holiday after your term of imprisonment, er, employment.
that salary with the bonus seems resonable. but they are probably factoring in other things.
Sage advice there. Unless, as I said earlier, you have expert knowledge of some particular field that is underdeveloped in Taiwan (the only example I can think of is high-performance analog) then there will be many other people willing to fill your shoes. Don’t push your luck too far 
[quote]Also the company is offering 7 days of leave in the entire one year.
It appears to be too low.[/quote]
That’s pretty good. The Labor Standards Law stipulates that you get NO paid leave in the first year. 7 days in the second year, with an additional day per year of service after that.
Seven days on a one-year contract can be considered a perk.
As a foreign ‘star’ employee you can negotiate your leave … and probably ‘demand’ they pay your tickets …
Is this normal in Taiwan? Currently, I get a measly 45000 at a local tech company. I was promised that upon my review, I would be eligible for 65000 depending on my performance. 2 weeks ago, at the end of my probationary period, I told them that I needed to talk to them about my salary. Because of my position, I think I deserve 80,000; I said it knowing that they will negotiate down. Spoke to HR and my director over the last 2 weeks. I got an email today that they have increased my salary by 5000NT. WTF. Is this normal. I did not agree to this amount.
It’s not like I have been slacking off like most people during their first 3 months. I work, hard.
I am sooo frustrated.
Can anyone share some experiences and methods in dealing with salary negotiations?
Thanks