Start working while VISA being processed

Hi guys,

I have found a job here in Taiwan (white-collar job, not a teacher) while on a visa-exempt stay and my future employer is at this time applying for the work permit. What confuses me is once I have the work permit, do I NEED a Residence visa / ARC to start working? Of course I will apply for the resident visa and ARC once I have the work permit, but during the time this is being processed, am I legally allowed to work already?

EDIT: From your FAQ on visas I seem to understand the work permit and visa are independent things, so I can work with my processed work permit regardless of my visa status. But of course I better apply for the visa as I can only stay legally in Taiwan a short time with the visa-exempt entry

[quote=“Jay88”]Hi guys,

I have found a job here in Taiwan (white-collar job, not a teacher) while on a visa-exempt stay and my future employer is at this time applying for the work permit. What confuses me is once I have the work permit, do I need a Residence visa / ARC to start working? Of course I will apply for the resident visa and ARC once I have the work permit, but during the time this is being processed, am I legally allowed to work already?

There might be a simple answer to this, but I haven’t been able to find a conclusive answer on the official governmental websites. So thanks in advance for your answers![/quote]
You can work as soon as you have a work permit.

Employment Service Act (就業服務法)
Article 43:
Unless otherwise specified in the Act, no foreign worker may engage in work within the Republic of China should his/her employer have not yet obtained a permit via application therefore.

law.moj.gov.tw

Thank you for the answer with the reference to the article! I now understand that visas are unrelated to work status, however you will want one to stay legally in the country and not get deported :wink: Thanks!