I have read many posts about this topic but haven’t found the perfect answer. I am planning to do 5-month internship in Taiwan as a French fourth-year undergraduate. I’m looking for information about the visa that best fits, for now here’s what I got :
I would need to apply for a special type of visitor visa for internship purposes
This visa is valid for up to 6 months
The company has to apply for a kind of work permit on my behalf to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, by sending an invitation letter (that’s the part where I am really not sure)
The internship can be paid
As it is an internship, a WHV is not possible.
Am I missing something or wrong about some information ? I’d be really happy to get more information about what the company has to apply for, such as the specific name of this work certificate.
Just apply to the company.
Most paperworks will be on them.
When everything set in stone, ask for visa at your ROC embassy/rep.
A German, a Spaniard, a Brazilian and a Swedish engineers manage to do it to do internships at my company.
One important thing that all of them asked is a letter stating they are being a student still studying from their uni.
Thank you, these are very useful links. This document is for internships but it’s difficult to make sure it is the kind of document the company needs to send to the authorities.
Some companies probably have a good experience in hiring foreign interns, that makes it much easier. However two companies I am discussing with are not aware of the procedure so if I could help that would be nice.
I’ve heard about the letter, that won’t be a problem. Thank you for your message
I think if you would get compensation for your work at the company, it may not be internship, but a labor, and the company needs to get a work permit to hire you as a foreign professional. If you would get no compensation, no need of work permit. The company just needs permission for internship. I’m not sure what is the difference between scholarship/support and compensation.
@tando, apparently for some nationalities and people under 30, they could do paid (around minimum wage, better than most people getting scholarship in TW) internship without work permit.
I believe it is linked to youth work holiday program.
It is legal.
Working holiday visa holders can do work without any special process, but I’ve thought they cannot work at the same place for more than 3 months. I may be wrong, though.
they should not work for the same employer for more than 3 months (The working holiday visa holders from Korea, Japan, Canada and the U.K. are exempt from this limitation; visa holders from Australia should not work for more than 6 months.)
If it’s by using a WHV, is there any legal distinction from ordinary work? I.e., is it a job that the company just happens to call an internship, or are there still special rules even though it’s not done with an internship visa?
If it’s really just a job the company happens to call an internship, and the job is subject to the Labor Standards Act (as most jobs are), there’s no legal basis for paying anything less than the Basic Wage.
Tl/dr: You should probably say minimum wage or higher, not “around” minimum wage.
