To be 18-year old college freshman to work in Taiwan?

Legal Legal - Work
1

Hi,

After spending some 1 hour+ looking up various info regarding Work permits, resident visa, the documentation needed, the ARC, etc. my head has started to spin a little…this is after looking through this forum’s archives too. I will try and keep this as brief as possible.

First of all, during this summer I hope to work as an intern at VIA Technologies in Taipei, Taiwan. I am however, 18 years old and will only be entering college later during the fall, right now my plans are to be in Taiwan for approximately 3 months, work, and then leave.

My contact at VIA has already confirmed the fact that I can work there, however the problem is I’m an ABC although I have family in Taiwan, and have a U.S. passport. He states that I need a work permit, which in turn requires a degree of some sort and then 2 years of work-related experience. I already have 2-years of work related experience, but not a degree.

What possible ways could we go around this? For me, getting a visitor visa is very easy, but will a resident visa and then an alien resident certificate allow me to work in taiwan? Remember, I will only be there for 3 months. Because I have family in Taiwan, can I use the provision where it says I’m rejoining family in Taipei? and then get a resident visa,? What is the difference between a work permit/resident visa anyways? After going over several websites, I’m still clueless…as they appear to be the same thing…

Also, I’ve tried looking up ROC embassies in the U.S. but have not found any online…if anybody could possibly provide a phone number or an address where I can contact them for help, that would be GREATLY appreciated as well. Or if anybody is willingly to talk to me on icq @ 23261696 or email @ fwu@gamingin3d.com I would be greatly in your debt. If my only option is to get a work permit, what ways can I get one as a 18-year old? I WILL NOT be a student, but will be under employment for only 3 months. Will I still have to pay taxes? Since I"m staying under 4 months, that means I won’t have to join the national heathcare program right?

Any type of comments, suggestions would be immensely appreciate.
Thanks in advance everybody!!

2

I don’t think that the work permit system allows for interns. Work permits are usually given for longer periods.

You have family here? Do you happen to have Taiwanese citizenship?

3

no, i have a u.s. citizenship, passport, born in us…

4

Basically my main problem is the form of payment. Here’s the bottom line;

"You would be able to arrange your own visa to stay in Taiwan quite easily, I’m sure (student or whatever). The major problem lies in payment. Our accounts department would have to pay you through legal channels and this specifically requires a working permit which in turn requires a degree and two years related experience. "

5

A smaller company might be willing to nominally hire one of your Taiwan relatives. You would do the work, while your relative would get the pay (minus tax, of course) and, it is to be hoped, give it to you.

Although a large company like VIA would probably not be flexible about such an arrangement, you could still propose it to your contact and see what happens.

6

so far my only methods…seem to be hte one stated above and then perhaps being “formally” hired by the U.S. branch of the company and paid by the U.S. branch while in actuality working in Taiwan over teh summer.

sighs… It’s only for 3 months…seeems such a hassle

7

Getting paid by the US side is probably a good way to handle the situation, and it shouldn’t make a difference to your school or on your resume.

That sounds like a problem solved, doesn’t it?

8

Since you will be working illegally, you might not want to let everyone know where you will be working and your name. (Although being a huaqiao, you’ll have an easier time flying under the radar.)

9

Do they check that so much? I thought they mainly went after the buxibans? I haven’t heard of office workers getting deported.

10

Seems a pretty easy one … ask them to pay you as a consultant. That way you don’t have to worry about work permit /ARC/contract etc. I’m sure there’s plenty of other hoops to jump through though. :stuck_out_tongue:

11

ITEM #1: If the company wants to hire you: WHY DO YOU HAVE TO SORT OUT ALL THE REGULATIONS? That is the employer’s business.

The application for the work permit must be made by the employer. It is their responsibility to take care of the details. The work permit is “employer specific.” I begin to get the impression that your employer is confused about the work permit application process.

ITEM #2: What about your parents?

If they had Taiwan nationality, then you can get it too.

Or if your parents are living in Taiwan, you could live with them, and then get an ESA 51.01.04 work permit. That would be easier of course, since it is a “personal work permit,” and not restricted to one employer.

12

so wait, both of my parents are of Taiwan nationality (i.e. born there and have a passport), although recently…my dad became a U.S. citizen as well - dual citizenship…

How can I get a work permit via through them? I thought I can only get a resident visa by saying using the joining family provision or whatever and then through that an ARC. Is that separate from the work permit?

13

Do your parents have residency in Taiwan? Household registration?

If so, as their son/daughter, you could get an ESA 51.01.04 work permit (which is a type of “personal work permit” not specific to one employer) fairly easily, based on your existing relation to them.

However, they would need to have current Household Registration for this strategy to be available.

14

no…only cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents in taiwan…
ugh. Couldn’t it just be grandparents? or some osrt of household registration? Couldn’t I just say the house is in their name?

UPDATE: again, thanks for your help guys…

15

Actually, I have heard of about three instances of raids here in the last 10 years. Once at the old offices of Tradewinds (not that the cheapshtis didn’t have it coming), a foreign “DJ” having to spend the night in jail after being seen by police, and the expat wife of a businessman here who was helping out at her husband’s office.

The business sector is probably fuzzier than Taiwan English, Inc. and likewise the authorities here probably give more leeway – are the foreigners working here or are they on a consulting business trip? Technically people here on business trips would be working here as well, I suppose. There seems to be the assumption that businesspeople are pumping money into Taiwan, while teachers are taking. And like I said, huaqiaos can fly under (over?) the radar better than other foreigners here.

However, a cold-hearted competitor might jump at the chance to cause trouble for the company.

16

Frank. Ask your parents if any of them have a household registration here. They should have household registrations - my wife emigrated to Denmark and she still had one when she returned.

17

I’ve been talking to Hartzell via email over this matter and it turns out that my parents do have household registration…basically they are listed formally in the big book.

I still have 2 main questions though, how would I go about getting the work permit, and also when? Since I won’t be leaving till around early june, when would be a good time to start? Also, should I really be doing this or my employeer?

18

again thanks for all your help and answers!! It’s truly appreciated