Ok my Forumosa people, I put this to you in confidence because I really think you all can offer some words of wisdom here…
…a friend of mine who has come to work for the same school as I has found living in Taoyuan subpar and working here likewise (I can’t argue with that). Ok so…she is looking for a new job in Taipei and somewhere she can get a reasonable apartment. What areas she’s looking at…I have no clue yet. But, what specific areas would you recommend where:
A) A lot of foreigners live
B) The social scene is pretty happenin
C) convenient to the MRT
And one other thing. If you want to switch schools and obviously your first ARC is cancelled, am I correct in thinking that I saw the law was recently changed so that you don’t have to leave the island and come back for a new ARC?
Many thanks in advance. I was well as she will be very appreciative of any help/advice/etc.
Tell her to look around the ShiDa (National Taiwan Normal University) area, HePing East Road. Lots of great places to live, lots of big noses, and some fun pubs. Lots of forumosans live in that area.
I personally prefer the DaAn district, but I don’t necessarily have to be where there are a lot of foreigners.
My ARC was very recently cancelled and I did have to leave the country to get a new visitors visa - in essence, starting over again. It helped to have a letter from a school which was willing to apply for a work permit for me but had not yet done so due to time constraints. I was given a 60 day, non extendable visa. I had asked about the possibilities of not having to leave the country as I did have a confirmation of employment but was told that there was no way it could be done. I had to leave.
[quote]Tell her to look around the Shi-Da (National Taiwan Normal University) area, Heping East Road. Lots of great places to live, lots of big noses, and some fun pubs. Lots of forumosans live in that area.
I personally prefer the Da’an district, but I don’t necessarily have to be where there are a lot of foreigners. [/quote]
I agree with your post, Tomas. Um, but may I ask? Isn’t the Shi-Da area, technically, in the Da’an District? Or is it in Zhongzheng?
Which area of the Da’an district are you talking about, if may ask?
[quote] ARC Transfers & Release Letters
On January 15th, 2004 the national Council of Labor Affairs assumed responsibility for issuing foreign teacher’s work permits from local city and county Departments of Education. The resulting transfer has changed the landscape for foreign teachers working in Taiwan. One policy the Council of Labor Affairs has significantly revised: ARC Transfers. They are now prohibited. But, with the new rules, they are now not necessary.
ADD A SECOND SCHOOL FIRST
As a foreign teacher, you are allowed to stay in Taiwan due to your having been hired full-time by a school. If you lost that job or quit, you would need to leave the country. The Council of Labor Affairs interprets the Employment Services Act as allowing foreign teachers to be hired by more than one school without requiring permission of their current employer. They will issue all second (and even third) full-time applications without regard to your first school.
HOW TO PROCEED
Teachers wanting to change schools should first be hired full-time by their new school (16 hours per week) . In order to do this your new school needs to send the Council of Labor Affairs this form along with an up to date health check (health checks are valid for 3 months) and a translation of your diploma. The process of getting a Work Permit from the the Council of Labor Affairs takes between 7-10 business days. Currently it’s running about 7. Once the Council of Labor Affairs has finished the application they will send the second Work Permit to your new school. You take this to your local office of the Foreign Affairs Police. They will amend your ARC. Your existing Resident Visa remains in effect. Once you are hired by your new school, then you would quit your old school. Your Resident Visa and ARC depend on having a Work Permit. You are quitting but - you have a second full-time Work Permit-providing job. Therefore, you don
