[quote=“CraigTPE”]Unless it’s changed, the rule is for you to get a work visa teaching English in a cram school, you need to have a passport from a list of English speaking countries and a bachelors degree in any field from a university that the Taiwanese government recognizes. To teach in an elementary, jr or sr high, your degree needs to be in education OR you need to be a certified teacher in your home country.
I’ve never heard of them accepting an Associates + TEFL cert. Working under the table, however, anything goes.[/quote]
From buxiban.com:
The following three criteria must be met for you to qualify for legal employment as a foreign English teacher here:
[i]1. Be a native English speaker from a native English speaking country as determined by a passport from one of the following countries: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, United Kingdom and the United States. These are the only countries that the government of Taiwan recognizes as native English speakers for the purposes of teaching English in Taiwan.
- Meet the following minimum education requirements:
a) Bachelor’s degree or above in any discipline from a tertiary institution recognized by the Taiwan government; or
b) An associate’s diploma plus a TEFL / TESOL certification. The problem is determining which diplomas and with certifications are acceptable by the government. (Admin - Please have a look at this thread for important information regarding this option.)
- Be willing and able to sign a minimum of a one-year contract [/i]
Again, the problem is that different immigration officials will have different interpretations of the rules. My AA is from a state university in the US, so checking it’s validity and accreditation was not a problem. It’s true that with only an AA you cannot work at a public school and are largely limited to cram schools – but the fact is it is still LEGAL and possible to teach in Taiwan without a Bachelor’s.
Many employers seem to be unaware of this rule. However, in all the interviews I’ve been to I have never had any issues about my qualifications. Once an employer understands that an AA is enough for the work permit and ARC, they are willing to accept it.
All the ads on Tealit specify “Bachelor’s” simply because “Associate’s” isn’t on the list. You can continue to apply for jobs, but be very clear about the qualifications you do have. I would even suggest contacting buxiban.com. They were very helpful when I was going through the process of applying for my work permit/resident visa.