I think that is the case. There’s a link to the MOE website earlier in this thread that shows which countries are considered to have English as an official language.
Cruel and unusual punishment.
However, if someone is looking for a teaching job it’s the place to go.
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I work with a Filipino in a university (although she has a master’s). Her sister works in a buxiban and only has a bachelor’s. Both have a work sponsored ARC.
But the law is the law. It’s not “information on the government websites”. The laws which explain who can be a language teacher have been posted many times here, and it’s based on the national language of your country. I’ve been told the same by a person in the Taipei BOE–you can call them and ask–and people who process many work permit applications for schools.
That’s certainly true, but it’s more than that. A lot of legally entitled people don’t speak with a desired accent, or really aren’t at the level of a native speaker, or simply didn’t go to the trouble of getting a BA in order to teach English here.
From the statistics on NIA site, there are 80 Filipino teachers on (iiuc working) ARCs. From the statistics of MOE, there are 10 Filipino professors. I guess most of the remaining 70 Filipino teachers are Buxiban teachers.
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I don’t think there is a link. I saw a link on another thread, but it was broken. I found a MOFA page with country statistics that included official languages.
I’m assuming these laws are coming from web pages, and as I’ve said my experience with such sources have made me distrustful. But it sounds like it’s been researched by others more knowledgeable so I’ll assume for now it’s true.
That’s encouraging. Do you have a link for that?
From Taiwan government legal databases which include the entire text of laws, verbatim, in English and Chinese.
Gotcha. But laws are complex and I’d like to see something more clear before I start trying to bring relatives over. I’ll probably email their TECO at some point and, based on experience, I’ll get half an answer 2 months later. It looks like there are even some Filipinos teaching here, no reference to Indians yet, it’s not clear in what type of school. There’s some anecdotal evidence, but I’d like to meet someone who’s done it before I starting bringing family over.
全臺灣大專校院外籍專任教師統計－按校別、國別、性別與職級別分
http://stats.moe.gov.tw/files/detail/106/106_foreignteacher1.csv
外僑居留人數統計表
https://www.immigration.gov.tw/public/Attachment/81299311983.xls
Na, the law on this is absolutely explicitly clear. Always correct to make sure though.
Getting back to @all, it’s usually advisable to save the amount you expect your cost of living to be for two months. It’s also best to come about a month before the beginning of the school year. The second best time is before the start of the second semester, but that’s tricky as all the schools are closed during Chinese New Year.
As someone said, you’re best off applying at the big schools like Hess, Kojen, JumpStart, Happy Marian, etc. I would try to get them to send you a letter of invitation and you get a resident visa while still in India. Most teachers I’ve known come here on a visitors visa or come visa free and find a job and get a job later. But with the expense of travel, I wouldn’t take that chance since fewer schools are willing to hire Indians.
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I think every long-term foreigner knows this…good teaching gigs are difficult to find. Regardless of passport or complexion (although they can certainly make it somewhat better).
Back to the topic on expectations:
- it is easier to find a job when you are in the country, but risky since there is no guarantee that you would be able to find the job in the time allowed by a visitor visa. Which means you should save enough dough for flights (in and out), and accommodation, travel and feed for duration of each visit.
- Other alternative is to apply for a job before you come. The alternatives here would be the big chain schools, and schools out in the sticks. Chain schools - you will know the conditions upfront. In the sticks - its more like buying a pig in a poke; be prepared for surprises. There are sites like www.tealit.com for that kind of search. Either way these options will usually sponsor work permit.
The teaching itself varies a lot: some places are really just glorified baby-sitting gigs, others can be quite good. Just be aware that it varies a lot.
[Edit]
Be prepared for prejudice based on your country of origin and ethnicity. Many employers will use that against you, but there are also many others who will not.
On fintech, there is usually an insistence on understanding Mandarin and local ways of doing. I would recommend targeting international organisations for this kind of work. Perhaps other members might chime in on ways round this.[/Edit]
All that said, keep your spirits up and dig in for some hard searching.
Be aware that in digital marketing you might earn less than as an English teacher. Not a given, but it’s quite possible.
It’s likely. If someone really knows digital marketing, they can make more money working for themself.
From what I’ve heard, teaching English in Taiwan is a good job.
If you’re young and single, not bad. Full time can expect 60-75k out of college. That’s comfy in most of Taiwan in your early to mid 20s. It is however somewhat of a dead end career in terms of advancement. 75k is not amazing with a family.
Indeed, makes sense. The country where you come from is also a factor to consider, for an Indian it’s great money to go back home once in a while, for an Aussie it’s not the same story.
Considering their Taiwanese peers probably make 28k out of college, it’s pretty good.
I don’t know for sure, I met a few aussies that are rather happy to live here considering how expensive places like Melbourne has become. They had to work more hours and have zero savings living month to month. In Taiwan they could live comfy and save a bit each month.
ah how bad is Taoyuan…
and any idea on cost of living ?
I am earning 30k ntd in India… ;by the time I decide to move to taiwan, it should be somewhere around 40k …
It seems like salaries are not all that great. I can start my own work or something like that after settling here for few months . Teaching should leave me some free time compared to normal 8 hour job.