Upgrading visas from within Taiwan

Hi guys, sorry for the newbie question, but I posted in the ‘new members’ thread a week ago and haven’t seen any replies yet.

I will go to Tainan in 4 months to study. The university is not great for information, but I will keep trying. The ex-pats are usually much sharper so I’d rather get a straight answer from you.

If I am coming to study, but intend to get beer money doing language centre (buxiban) work once I get used to the life/stop wanting to burn through my savings. Can I upgrade my visa from within Taiwan to a work visa.

I am British, so can enter visa free. Will I be better to come in visa free, and upgrade to a work visa. Or be a good boy and get a student visa, and then upgrade that to a work visa. What is the general system for it?

(I have been in China for a year, in Hefei, so have a vague idea of how different the reality is from the dreck you find on the government sites)

It seems like you can upgrade to a work ARC from within Taiwan but you can’t upgrade to a student ARC w/o leaving Taiwan. In addition it seems like you need to be a student for 4 months before you get your ARC. You get your work ARC almost immediately. A health exam to work permit to resident visa to ARC takes about a month.

Just so you know. You study on a work visa but you can’t work on a student visa (generally). I have heard that there is a special work permit that you can apply for to do some part time work on a student visa but I don’t know the details.

Additionally you can get a work visa with just 14 teaching hours and save yourself a lot of hassle and possibly cost of upgrading later.

[quote=“Abacus”]

Additionally you can get a work visa with just 14 teaching hours and save yourself a lot of hassle and possibly cost of upgrading later.[/quote]

Oooh, I like that idea. I’m sure I can tick over with just a few hours a week, even if they pay less than they do in China.

Will they go to the bother of arranging your work visa (the buxiban) for so few hours?

Is there a live version of the green list, or any updated information on Tainan life etc. I would rather hit the ground and then work it out, as you always get a better life, and my priority is to study/learn/use 国语… but the visa thing is a bit of an issue.

I only intend to be in Taiwan a semester, maybe 2 at a push (I really want to get out of the TEFL trap while I can, it’s a good job and lifestyle, but I want to break in to a different career).

Most will get you an ARC with 14 teaching hours/wk.